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R. Heber Screven, of
Charleston, a veteran of the First corps, army of Northern Virginia, was born near
Columbia, S. C., in 1838.
His childhood was passed mainly at
Beaufort and vicinity, and at the age of fourteen years he made his home at
Charleston.
At that city, on the day that
South Carolina seceded from the
Union, he entered the
State service as a private in the First regiment of rifles.
He participated in the occupation of Castle Pinckney, and was subsequently stationed at
Morris island and at
Secessionville a short time.
Resigning he returned to
Charleston and enlisted in the Palmetto Guard, with which he was stationed at the Iron battery, on
Morris island, during the bombardment of
Fort Sumter in April, 1861.
Then going with his command to
Virginia he participated in the engagements at
Falls Church, Mitchell's Ford on
Bull run,
First Manassas, and after the transfer of the forces to the peninsula fought at
Warrick Creek, near
Yorktown, at
Williamsburg,
Seven Pines, Savage Station, Frayser's Farm and
Malvern Hill.
In the
Maryland campaign he was in battle at
Maryland Heights and
Sharpsburg; later in
Virginia again, at
Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville and Salem Church, and in
Pennsylvania took part in the three days
battle of Gettysburg.
He was with
Longstreet in the
West, at
Chickamauga,
Chattanooga,
Knoxville and
Bean's Station.
In 1864 he participated in the battles of the
Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Zoar Church, Cold Harbor, fought in the trenches before
Petersburg; was with
Early in the valley, at the engagements of
Winchester,
Charlestown,
Culpeper, Brown's Gap and
Fisher's Creek, and then returning to the grim struggle about
Petersburg, fought on until the retreat, during which he suffered the fate of his command at
Sailor's Creek.
As a prisoner of war he was sent to Newport News and held for three months. Throughout this long and gallant record he was several times hit but not at all seriously, his most severe wound being received at the
Wilderness.
From June, 1864, until his capture, he was detailed in the signal corps under
General Kershaw.
Since the close of hostilities
Mr. Screven has resided at
Charleston, where he is occupied as a bookkeeper, and enjoys the esteem of a wide circle of acquaintances.
Robinson Plato Searson was born, September 29, 1842, in that portion of
Beaufort, near the battlefield of
Pocotaligo,
