Captain Levi P. Coleman       

Confederate Grave Marker Ceremony

Warren County, North Carolina

September 25, 1999

Monday, May 16, 1864; 4:30 in the Morning; Drewry's Bluff, Virgina. It is dark. It is damp. And it is foggy. Visibility is limited to 15-30 feet. Captain Levi P. Coleman and his men of the 43^rd Regiment of the North Carolina State Troops wait to go into battle.

Drewry's Bluff is a Confederate fort that sets high on a cliff overlooking the James River. It served as the Confederate Naval Academy and the Headquarters of the Confederate Marines. The fort is eight miles south of Richmond and is the last and most perfect defense of the Confederate Capital against a naval attack up the James River. However, today the attack is not coming up the river; it is coming up the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike (which is now US 1 & 301).

The 43^rd NCST had spent a great deal of the war at Drewry's Bluff. But they had recently engaged in a successful campaign in Plymouth, NC, where they (along with the Ram Albemarle) had recaptured Plymouth with such brilliance that tomorrow (May 17, 1864), the Confederate Congress would approve a Resolution stating:

“Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America,

that the thanks of Congress and the country

are due and tendered to Major-General Robert F. Hoke

and Commander James W. Cooke,

and the officers and men under their command

for the brilliant victory over the enemy at Plymouth, NC.”

But today was not a day for the 43^rd to think back on their other past accomplishments (and there were many): The Seven Days Battle, The Battle of Goldsboro, The Battle of New Bern, The Battle of Little Washington.

At the Battle of Gettysburg, they had been engaged at Seminary Ridge and lost 21 men killed and 126 wounded. During the withdrawal from Gettysburg, they had served as the rear guard and defended Lee's train of wagons bringing back the wounded, the dying, and the dead. This train of ambulance wagons and men stretched 17 miles. As the 43^rd crossed the swollen Potomac River, they were forced to carry their guns and ammunition on their heads, because the water was up to their armpits.

The Battles of Mine Run, Bachelor's Creek, and Plymouth seemed like a long time ago to them. As did the days when Levi Coleman's Company G, “The Warren Defenders,” was raised here in Warren County on February 26, 1862. Levi was 37 years of age when he enlisted “for the duration” of the war and when he left his home which still stands to my left.

He also left his wife, Virginia Ann White, whom he had married on May 20, 1848. When they were married, he was 23 and she was almost 16. Now he was 37, and leaving his home, his wife, and his five small children: Susan Ann Coleman (age ll), Sally White Coleman (age 9), Rozena Larvinia Coleman (age 8), Mary Henry Coleman (who had died as a baby), Hugh Lee Coleman (age 4), and Sophornia Green Coleman (age 1 and my ancestor).

And before the war was over, Levi and Virginia would have one more child: a son, Levi Phillip Coleman, Jr. (Buck) who was only 3 months old when his father was mortally wounded. We do not know if Levi ever saw his new son and his namesake. But it is very doubtful that he did.

Although Levi Coleman was a poor dirt farmer, he was a leader. After having been in the Confederate Army only 17 days, he was elected Lieutenant; 181 days later, he was elected Captain of Company G, “The Warren Defenders.”

I think it is appropriate to talk a minute about why they chose the name “The Warren Defenders.” In case you did not know, Companies were formed in local areas; usually by counties and consisted of approximately 100 men. The Companies were then formed into Regiments. These men from Warren County chose that name because that is what they were doing:

They were defending their homes, their families, and their children.

They were defending their friends, their neighbors, and all that was dear to them.

They were defending their way of life.

They were defending Warren County.

They were defending the State of North Carolina at the request of their Governor.

And, they were defending their country, The Confederate States of America.

During the war, the male population (of military age) in North Carolina was 115,000. Yet, North Carolina provided 127,000 Confederate troops to the war. (Some were too old and others were too young, but they served.) Of these, 40,375 were killed. North Carolina provided more troops and lost more men than any other state. These soldiers were not killed defending slavery; they were killed defending their homes and their families.

We know very little of what happened to Captain Coleman, personally, during the war. But we do know: He enlisted in the Company on February 26, 1862, and that the Company was mustered into the Confederate Army on April 2, 1862 at Camp Mangum (near Raleigh). He was present with the Company or accounted for during the entire war until he was killed. We know of his two promotions. During November and December 1862, he was in the hospital in Petersburg: his service record indicates he was “sick.”

But all of that was history. Today, (May 16, 1864) nothing else mattered to Captain Coleman and the 43^rd Regiment. Today they would be called upon to again defend the Confederate Capital of Richmond. Previously, the 43^rd had been attacking federal forces in New Bern, when they received orders to immediately march back to Kinston, and board a train to Drewry's Bluff.

During the twelve hour period before they boarded the train, they were engaged in a running fight towards New Bern and marched 37 miles. They were one of the first units to return to the greatly under-defended Drewry's Bluff.

From the time they arrived back at the Richmond defenses until the night of May 15, the Regiment was moved to different parts of the Confederate lines (from south of Petersburg to north of Richmond), which was a distance of about thirty miles.

They seldom remained at one place for longer than one day. Because they wanted the federal troops to believe there were many Confederate defenders, they were told to make as much noise as possible and to keep a distance of twenty paces between them.

Today, they would face the forces of Major General Benjamin Butler, who was known throughout the South as “Beast Butler" because of his actions against the women of occupied New Orleans; or as “Spoons Butler” because of all of the silverware he had stolen. Today he would get a third nickname.

On May 5, 1864, General Butler and the Army of the James had landed at Bermuda Hundred, just fifteen miles southeast of Richmond. Marching overland, they were within two or three miles of the outer defenses of Drewry's Bluff by May 9.

Today, May 16, 1864, General Butler and 18,000 federal troops would be coming up the Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike to again try to capture Richmond. Although the fort at Drewry's Bluff defended Richmond from attack up the James River, it did not provide Richmond with a defense against an attack coming up the Turnpike from the south.

Therefore, the Confederate defenders were called out of the fort and deployed in a line perpendicular to the Turnpike. The 43^rd Regiment was deployed just to the left of the Turnpike as they faced south. They were about a mile from the fort.

At 4:45 a.m., in the dark, and in thick fog, the Confederate troops launched their attack. However, because of the thick fog, General Hoke's Division (which included the 43^rd) did not attack until 6:30. At first, the fog masked the attacking Confederates - only muzzle flashes could be seen.

But the fog quickly became the enemy; The troops became disoriented and confused. In addition, the federal troops had strung telegraph wire about a foot off the ground and around tree stumps in the first known attempt to entangle troops. This wire was not barbed wire as was used in later wars; it was regular telegraph wire -- but it worked. Many of the Confederate troops were killed as they tried to untangle themselves.

In the confusion of the fog and entangling wire, the Confederate troops were briefly halted. This is when I believe Captain Colemanwas mortally wounded. He was shot in the shoulder, neck and jaw.

Captain Coleman was one of 2,200 Confederate casualties that day. The wounded were carried to the hospital in Richmond. Because Chimborazo Hospital was located on the James River, the wounded were probably transported by boats on the river instead of overland by wagons.

Shortly after this, the federal troops were routed and the remaing Confederate troops carried the day. Butler and the federal troops withdrew to his previously prepared defenses in the Bermuda Hundred (east of Richmond). Because of the heavy rain that started late that afternoon and approaching darkness, the Confederate troops did not pursue them until the following morning.

The federal troops remained "bottled up" there for quite some time. The term "bottled up" was first used by Union General Grant. This gave Butler his new nickname: "Beast in a Bottle."

Between April 12 and May 16, the Federal forces lost 4,160 (of these, approximately 1,400 were captured). The Confederate forces lost 2,506 (of these, only about 220 were captured).

The final days of Captain Coleman are noted in his military records which reflect the following entries:

May 16, 1864 admitted to General Hospital # 4, Richmond, VA;

gun shot: shoulder & neck

May 19, 1864 his name was listed on the Register of Medical Director's Office under the heading of "Officers recommended for leaves of absence" with the following notes:

General Hospital #4, Richmond, VA

fracture of lower jaw

furlough: 60 days

residence Merry Mt, NC

May 20, 1864 the furlough is approved and forwarded

May 30, 1864 he is sent to the General Hospital; (therefore, he probably did not return home)

June 8, 1864 died Drewry's Bluff of wounds

We don't know if he reached his home alive; but we do know that he is here now. And that is why we are here today: To Honor

Levi P. Coleman, Captain

43^rd Regiment, Company G

North Carolina State Troops

Confederate States of America