Civil War Articles by Julian WilliamsYou Could Lose A Life Or A Finger At Jericho Ford
This article was compiled by Julian Williams.
Lt. T.J. Smith probably would have looked sadly back at the site of Spotsylvania Court House as the 49th pulled out. As his eyes swept the landscape, they could not have missed the place where his brother, John Tyler Smith, was standing, next to him, as John Tyler received that last and fatal missile of death. Ah, so many dead and so many wounded. As his eyes continued to survey the destruction and carnage, his dismal gaze would surely have focused upon the 22-inch oak tree that was completely cut down by the incessant and devastating fire of thousands of bullets. In fact, as fate would have it, the tree fell on and injured several soldiers.
But more men and more trees would fall and the war would go on. Grant was becoming quite the pest and Lee, with his dwindling population of soldiers, was hard pressed to do anything with him.
And the foot soldiers had to once again get their physical and mental bodies ready for the little battle down the road - little compared to some of them, but just as deadly - a little river crossing at a mill - Jericho Ford. One of these foot soldiers wrote:
"There is something sad & melancholy in the preparation for Battle. To see so many healthy men prepareing for the worst by disposing of their property by will - to see the surgeon sharping his instruments & whetting his saw --- men engaged in carding up & prepareing lint to stop the flow of human blood."
Two of these foot soldiers were from Telfair Company "B": Charnick (or Charnic) and Ezekiel Selph. It appears, from the family information given in the newest Telfair County History, that these men were brothers. Charnick possibly married Loudy or Lovdah Spires and Ezekiel probably married Margret (or Margaret) Spires. I also talked with Allen Hart and he also thinks that there is a possibility that the brothers married sisters. The new Telfair Cemetery book, page 294, shows a grave at Siloam Baptist Church containing the remains of "Mrs. Margret Selph, wife of Ezkeil Selph." This Ezkeil is thought to be the Civil War Ezekiel, brother of Charnick, and son of Ezekiel Selph, born about 1780. John was also one of his sons. John is the grandfather of Mr. Hez Selph, popular personality from near Jacksonville, Georgia, who used to like to play checkers at L.C. "Cap" Jones's Grocery Store, also near Jacksonville. I personally did not know many of the Selph family, but I do remember that our family shop made some farm equipment for Mr. Oakley Selph whose home is between Workmore and Milan and I also fondly remember working for Mr. Henry Selph at Roydon Wear, Inc. at McRae. Mr. Henry was the foreman in the shipping department and I remember working there with Tom Steverson, Carl Logue, Terry Todd, and others. Mr. Henry was a good boss.
I got the following information from Allen Hart and I appreciate his sharing it with us.
Charnick Selph enlisted in Company B, 49th Regiment, from Telfair. He went to Virginia and was ever a most loyal soldier. Charnick was wounded at the Battle of Petersburg (this is possibly a reference to Jericho Ford which was near this site), 1864. After the war, he returned to Telfair County, Georgia and lived to a ripe old age.
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1894 Confederate Pension Application:
STATE OF GEORGIA, Telfair County
Personally appears Charnick Selph of Telfair County, State of Georgia, who, being duly sworn, says on oath that he is a bona fide citizen and resident of Georgia, and has been continuously since the _______ day of ________ 1840; that he enlisted in the military service of the Confederate States (or of the State of
Georgia) during the ware between the States, and served as a private in Company B of 49th Regiment of Ga Volunteers Thomas Brigade; that whilst engaged in such military service, at the battle of Petersburg in the State of Va, on the______ day of ______ 1864, he was disabled as follows: by gunshot in right hand which taken off middle finger between last joint and the hand.
Deponent desires to participate in the benefits of the Act approved October 24th, 1887 and the Acts amendatory thereof, and makes application for the allowance to which he is entitled for the year thereunder, ending October 26th, 1894.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 17th day of April 1894.
Charnick Selph, his X mark
L P Jones, Ordinary
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1905 request for Pension increase
Georgia - Telfair County
Personally come before me W. S. McDuffie - Ordinary of said county, Dr. J.K. Maloy and Dr. H. S. Maloy two reputable practicing physicians of said county, who bring duly sworn say they have carefully examined Charnick Selph, applicant for increase of pension who has been on the disabled pension roll since 1894, drawing a pension of five dollars per annum, on account of the loss of a finger from his right hand, and that his present physical condition is as follows:
He is aged and infirm, has senile debility, there has been no increase in the injury except as a result of old age, and therefore he is physically unable to labor and earn his support.
Sworn to before J.K. Maloy, M.D.
me this 14 day Sept, 1905 H.S. Maloy, M.D.
W.S. McDuffie, Ordinary
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Obituary of Charnick Selph
Telfair County Paper
September 1907
A Pioneer Citizen of Telfair Passes Away
Mr. Charnic Selph, one of the pioneer citizens of Telfair County, died on the 2nd day of September, 1907; was born in Lowndes County, Georgia, in the year 1827, being at the time of his death 80 years old. He moved to Telfair county at the age of 23 years, has been a resident of Telfair county 57 years.
He was a member of the Baptist church having joined that church 45 years ago, in the year 1858. He was married to Miss Loudy Spires who preceded him to the grave some years ago. To them were born five sons, Messers. John E. Selph, of Montgomery county, Warren Selph, Daniel Selph and Freeman Selph, of Telfair county, and Solomon Selph, deceased, and Mrs. Mary Cravey of Telfair county.
He was veteran of the Civil war, having seen 4 years service in this conflict after which he returned to his home in Telfair county, where he remained until the hour of death.
He leaves four sons and one daughter besides a host of relatives to mourn his departure. Just before his departure, he expressed to those that stood by his bedside his willingness to depart this life.
Written by his son, John E. Selph
Sept. 9, 1907 Helen, GA.
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I am not sure whether the above address was indeed "Helen, GA." (there is one, of course) or Helena, Ga., which is located in Telfair County.
But many died and many were wounded at the little river crossing called Jericho Ford, Virginia. Ezekiel Selph brought away a painful wound from the place and Charnick Selph brought one, too - and left something - the middle finger of his right hand.
And one, like John Tyler Smith, did not come home. Uriah Newton Watson, Telfair Company "B", was killed in the Battle of Jericho Ford, Virginia.
