BLACK  CONFEDERATE VETERANS  OF  CHESTERFIELD, S.C.

From: firstinsecession@hotmail.com

LISTED BELOW ARE  JUST  A  FEW  OF  CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C.   BLACK CONFEDERATE VETERANS

June 6, 1929, page 3, col. 1 & 2: York, SC, May 28.

Uncle George Melton, Black Confederate Veteran

Among the York County Confederate veterans eagerly looking forward to the reunion in Charlotte next week is "Uncle" George Melton, 90 negro survivor of the Civil war, who is counting the days that intervene between now and the great gathering of soldiers of the ‘60s.  A genuine veteran of the Civil war is Uncle George. He was in it from first to last, as the servant of the late Major Samuel Melton, his master. He was an eye witness of many of the great battles of the army of northern Virginia – Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness,
Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and many others – and was present at the surrender at Appomattox when the curtain went down on the red drama of bloodshed. His war record, even to his presence at Appomattox, is fully
verified by surviving York county veterans.

After the war, Uncle George turned his hand to cooking, and in this capacity served for long periods at York hotels and other institutions.  For 18 years he was cook at the famous Kings Mountain Military Institute
here, during the superintendency of the late Col Asbury Coward, who was afterward placed at the head of the Citadel. As cook at the Kings Mountain Institute he was known to the students as "Battercake George,"
because of his exceptional skill in making battercakes. "He cooked the best battercakes I ever ate in my life," relates R. J. Herndon of York, a cadet at the institute when Uncle George held sway in the kitchen.  "It’s my last chance to go to a reunion," he said today in talking of the Charlotte gathering, "and I’ze gwiner go if I has to walk ebry step of de way. I wants to see the flags flying and deah the drums beating wunst mo’befo’ I die."

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List of Negro Pensions:
Chesterfield  County,  SC

Isaac Ellerbe, Cheraw
Jacob Green, Cheraw
G. Wash Wingate, Cheraw
George Rorie, Chesterfield
Joseph Rivers, Chesterfield

2610. J. N. Wright, born 10 February 1847, served under Capt. James Lang from 18 April 1864 until May 1865, discharged at Greenville, SC; income less than $500, property less than $1000; lives in Cheraw, SC. Submitted
19 June 1919. Confirmed by Patrick Stegall & E. A. Durhan formerly of 1st Reg Home Reserves.

2612. Jacob Green, served as a cook for Capt. Craig and Capt. Henry McIver, Co. A, 5th SC Cavalry from March 1862 until May 1864; lives in Cheraw. Submitted 9 April 1923. Confirmed by G. A. Mulloy, J. A. McCreight. "He belonged to W. Allen Benton and was with him and cooked at mess #7 for above."

2613. G. Wash Wingate, served as a cook for Capt. T. E. Pour?, Co. C, 8th Reg. from October 1861 until October 1863; lives in Cheraw.  Submitted 6 April 1923. Confirmed by G. A. Mulloy & L. L. Spencer

2615. Isaac Ellerbe, served as a cook for Zoab Ellerbe, 6th SC from 1862 for 6 months and in August 1862 until March 1863, again October 1863 until May 1864; lives n Cheraw. Submitted 29 Mary 1923. Confirmed by H.
D. Duvall & M. W. Duvall.