[369]
he had not issued a general order specifying what shade of complexion and texture of hair a man must have to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
Soon after, with his regiment, he returned to
Folly Island.
In the latter part of May, 1864, he was sick for two weeks or more with pneumonia, the first time that he was ever on the sick-list.
He had himself put on the list for active duty, however, before fairly recovering, because there was only a small number of officers present with the regiment, and he wished to do his share of duty.
He went out also with a fatigue party for two days, during the whole of which time there was a severe rain.
But so strong was his constitution, that, strange as it may seem, no ill effects resulted from this exposure.
On the 3d of July he was engaged with his regiment in the capture of a battery on
James Island.
In this engagement several officers were wounded, among them
Captain Goodwin of Company D; and
Boynton was now detached and placed in command of this company, where he remained till his death.
In the latter part of September, 1864, he was detailed with his company, at his own request, to form part of the garrison of
Long Island, and wrote thence, under date of October 12th:—
I have been here twenty days. The island is thickly wooded with pines, live-oak, palmetto, persimmon-trees, and many others.
It is surrounded by marshes like those described in the first article of the last Atlantic . . . . . The delineations of a night in this Southern climate are very correct.
A score of little points attracted my attention as being parts also of my own experience,—the large and high soaring fireflies, the rabbits leaping the narrow footpath, the oozy, treacherous marshes, and the piers and picket (or picquet) posts . . . . The writer is evidently no stranger among the sights and sounds of this Southern coast.
He was commissioned
Captain, November 23, 1864; but before learning his promotion he fell in the
battle of Honey Hill, November 30th, at the head of his company.
He fell, struck in the side, but, rising again, led his men on. Waving his sword and shouting encouragement to them, he was hit in
