Brigadier-General Ellison Capers, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 5, South Carolina
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

Colonel James Townes Robertson, born in Abbeville county, S. C., August 19, 1832, is the son of Captain Francis P. and Elizabeth (Holleman) Robertson. He was reared in Abbeville county, in which his entire life, except during the war period, has been spent, his chief pursuit having been that of a merchant, though of late his attention has been given to farming. At the beginning of hostilities, in January, 1861, he volunteered and went to Charleston, as a private in Company D, First South Carolina volunteers, and was therefore one of the very first to volunteer in his State. He enlisted for six months or until Fort Sumter was taken or surrendered. He was stationed with his company on Morris island during the bombardment of Fort Sumter and saw the first shot fired at the fort, upon the surrender of which his company and regiment disbanded. He returned home and shortly after helped to organize Company B, Orr's regiment of rifles, and was elected third lieutenant. He was immediately promoted to second lieutenant, and at the battle of Second Manassas was promoted to captain of his company, and was subsequently promoted to major of his regiment, after having once before declined to accept the office, over a warm friend of his. His friend, however, was killed in the battle of Fussell's Mill, whereupon he accepted the promotion. A few months later he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of his regiment and was leading it when surrendered at Appomattox, the colonel having been captured a few days before. He was in every battle, skirmish and march, in which Orr's regiment of rifles was engaged during the entire war. He was wounded at Fredericksburg, through the left wrist, and in all participated in about one hundred battles and skirmishes. Since 1872 Colonel Robertson has resided in Abbeville, where he has one of the most beautiful homes to be found in South Carolina. He is a member of Secession camp, U. C. V., and has served two years in the State legislature. He was married in 1872 to Miss Eugenia Miller, who died in 1894, leaving five children, three daughters and two sons.