Captain Welborn at Edwards’ Landing
By Dr. Walter Howell
Edwards Landing, located on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, was across from Leesburg on the Virginia side. After Manassas in July, three Mississippi Infantry Regiments, including the Mississippi College Rifles, took positions between Leesburg and Conrad’s Ferry, a few miles to the northwest. A heavy exchange of fire between Union and Confederate forces began on October 20-21, 1861. It was not a battle, but amounted to more than a skirmish. It proved costly to the Mississippi College Rifles.
Colonel William Barksdale, in command of the 13th Infantry Regiment, received orders on October 19 to move his regiment and give support to the 8th Virginia Infantry Regiment and the 17th and 18th Mississippi regiments. These three units were under fire from Union forces who had moved to the Maryland side of the river and seemed prepared to launch an assault.
On October 20, Union artillery opened fire, and Confederate units responded. Sharpshooters from both armies were busy trying to hit individual targets across the river. The artillery exchanges continued through the late afternoon of the 21st, then Confederate forces pulled back. The next morning, a Union regiment crossed to the Virginia side and held the ground for part of the day, then retreated. The fighting at Edwards Landing ended.
Mississippi College Rifles casualties at Edwards Landing were greater than at Manassas: Andrew Martin was mortally wounded; Albert Brock of Clinton and William Harris were seriously wounded, with limbs amputated. Pat Hamel and James Stokes, both of Clinton, and Orville Crum were weakened by measles, discharged with disabilities and sent back to Mississippi.
The Rifles’ greatest loss was Captain Welborn, the company commander, who was wounded in the neck and sent home to recuperate. Welborn’s command was brief, just two military engagements. The outbreak of measles after Manassas weakened most of his soldiers. They were in recovery at Edwards Landing.
Private Thomas Barrett, the 17-year-old son of a Jackson farmer and an original Rifle, remembered Welborn fondly. In 1904 Barrett recalled Captain Welborn always challenged his men with the cry: “I will charge them if another man will follow me!” Every time Welborn tried to rally the Rifles, “Burney Carson, the youngest and smallest of the rifles [at age 14] would reply: ‘Captain, I’ll go north, anywhere you want to go.’ The captain was a large man and Burney very small and boyish looking. [It] made a ludicrous scene as well as a very grand one.”
For Welborn and Burney Carson, the war was over. Welborn resigned his command in March 1862, then served briefly as Provost Marshal for the Clinton area. He rejoined the Trustees of Mississippi College, served until 1872, and died two years later. Burney Carson was sent home in early 1862, when he was declared underage for military service.
After the fighting at Edwards Landing, the Rifles went into Winter Quarters at Leesburg. Henry Henniingon, Lafayette York and John Goldman of Clinton died of fever that December. William Thomas died of pneumonia in the same month. Edwards Landing was costly.
Editor’s note: 2011 marks the beginning of the sesquicentennial observation of the American Civil War. This is the third in a series of pieces by Dr. Walter Howell that will follow the movements of the Mississippi College Rifles, the fate of Clintonians involved in the fighting and other events on the home front.
