MILITARY RECORDS

Civil War

SOUTH CAROLINA

ROCHELLE, John Winter-Joined Co. B. Hampton's Legion, S.C. State Troops-Confederate (Son of John ROCHELLE & Sarah WINTER of Edgefield Co., S.C.) Letter written by his son Joseph Presly ROCHELL, states "We came to Texas in 1859. When Fort Sumpter was fired upon, father with the French and Huguenot love of his country went back to S.C. to fight for his loved country. He joined Co. B. Hampton's Legion, and was wounded in the 1st battle of Manasas and was discharged in 1861 where he returned to Texas. He was killed by an accident in 1866.

ROCHELLE, William Jennings-Enlisted 2 May 1862 on James Island-I Co., 24th S.C. Volunteers-Pendleton's Brigade -Private-Under Col. C. H. STEVENS & Capt. L. B. WEAVER-Confederate (Son of John Winter ROCHELLE & Mary Francis JENNINGS of Edgefield Co., S.C.; who moved to Brazoria Co., Texas)

Civil War Diary of W. J. ROCHELLE-2 May 1862-15 May 1865---"On the 2nd May 1862, I joined Co. I, 24th S.C. Volunteers on James Island, S.C.; and remained there until winter. Our regiment was sent to the North East River, 9 miles above Wilmington, N.C. and remained there until spring and then returned to Charlestown and stayed there a week or 10 days. We went to Pocotaligo ont he Railroad between Charleston & Savannah, as the Yankees were reported to be landing on the coast. We remained there some time and then we were sent to Jackson, Miss.; at which place we arrived at night and slept awhile on the sidewalks, but before day we were ordered out on the Raymond Rd. to meet General GRANT'S army coming from Port Gibson and had a pretty sharp engagement, but having a mear hand of troops, Gen. GIST'S Brigade fell back through Jackson. Gen. GRANT moved his army on to Vicksburg and Gen. Jos. E. JOHNSTON kept us moving around waiting for reinforcements. We started for Vicksburg and crossed Big Black River when we heard of the surrender of Vicksburg. We fell back to Jackson and remained there for five or six days fighting until Gen. GRANT could move his artillery and place it in position one night. The next morning he opened on us with about 100 guns, the heaviest artillery fire I was ever in during the war. That night we evacuated Jackson and fell back to Brandon, Miss. and remained there until we were ordered to Chickamauga, Tenn. From there I was sent to the hospital in Rome, Ga. and never rejoined the army until just before the Missionary Ridge fight. We were on the line near our right wing of the army and could see the engagement all the evening but did not fire a gun that night. We fell back and never stopped until we got to Dalton, Ga.; where we went into winter quarters. After we left winter quarters, we started to fall back towards Atlanta and then it was a fight; and we were put in Gen. B. F. CHEATHAM'S Division, G. HARDIE'S Corps. Gen. HOOD is now in command of the army; Gen. HARDIE was removed. With CHEATHAM in command of his corps, we started on the march for Nashville, very little fighting until we got to Columbia, Tenn. There we engaged Gen. THOMAS'S army. While CHEATHAM'S Corps crossed Duck River and marched all day and struck the turnpike between Columbia & Franklin at Spring Hill about 2 hours by sun. Gen. FOREST or WHEELER, I don't remember, was fighting THOMAS'S calvary. Gen. CLEBURN sent part of his company to his assistance and repulsed the enemy and lay there in less than a mile of the turnpike all night and listened at THOMAS'S army passing. In the morning we started after the Yankees and got in sight of Franklin. We were deployed in line of battle and made the attack on their breast works between 3 & 4 o'clock and captpured their works. They fell back to a second set of works 40 or 50 yards from the first. When the second line of battle---- and captured line, if they had charged the second line, they could have driven them out of it and we could have completely routed or captured the most of THOMAS'S ary, but they remained with us instead of making the attack. THOMAS fell back to Nashville and crossed the river with his whole army. Ours remained at Franklin a day or two and then advanced on Nashville and started building breast works and lay there until THOMAS received reinforcements, and recrossed the river; and then the fighting commenced again and continued until we were forced to retreat. We recrossed the Tenn. River on a pontoon bridge just above Muscle Shoals and fell back to Corinth, Miss. where we rested for a few days and followed the B & O. Railroad to Tupelo, Miss. and stayed there 2 or 3 days and fell back to West Point and fromt here we were ordered to N.C. At Augusta, Ga. our Co. was disbanded for about 10 days and allowed to go home. We rejoined the command in Saulsbury, N.C. and joined Gen. Jos. E. JOHNSTON'S army. The day of the Bentonville fight, we were in light skirmish, late in the evening we fell back and when we got to Greensboro we heard that Gen. LEE had surrendered and we were parolled on the 15th of May 1865, having served 3 years and 12 days. Signed: W. J. ROCHELLE

ROCHELLE, John Arch- (Son of John Winter ROCHELLE & Mary JENNINGS of Edgefield Co., S.C. who moved to Texas in 1859) While living with his Uncle JENNINGS in S.C.; and attending school, he and his brother Will joined the Confederate Army of S.C. and was killed at the Battle of Franklin, Tenn.

ROCHELLE, Joseph Pressly-(Son of John Winter ROCHELLE & Mary JENNINGS of Edgefield Co., S.C. who moved to Texas in 1859) Joined the Confederate Army at age 16 and surrendered near N.C. when Gen. JOHNSTON surrendered.