[435] themselves so gallantly that their comrades cheered them heartily, and said, ‘Well, the “New issue” will fight.’ Another nickname for them was the ‘Silver Fork brigade,’ but after they proved their ‘metal’ to be genuine that name also was dropped. In the fighting around Marietta, especially in the great battle of June 27th at Kenesaw mountain, the men of Mercer's brigade won the plaudits of their division commander, W. H. T. Walker. After the death of General Walker at Atlanta, Mercer's brigade was assigned to General Cleburne's division. On the death of that officer Maj.-Gen. John C. Brown took command of the division. In the Tennessee campaign and in that of the Carolinas, that ended at Bentonville, Brig.-Gen. James A. Smith commanded the brigade, General Mercer's health being in such condition that he was relieved of active duty and sent to Savannah with General Hardee. On the retreat from Savannah he accompanied General Hardee, but was not afterward actively engaged. He was a gallant soldier, but physically unable to endure the strain of a severe campaign. After the war he returned to Savannah, and was a banker in that city from 1866 to 1869. He then removed to Baltimore, Md., where he was a commission merchant from 1869 to 1872, when he went to Baden Baden, Bavaria, and died there on the 9th of June, 1877.
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[435] themselves so gallantly that their comrades cheered them heartily, and said, ‘Well, the “New issue” will fight.’ Another nickname for them was the ‘Silver Fork brigade,’ but after they proved their ‘metal’ to be genuine that name also was dropped. In the fighting around Marietta, especially in the great battle of June 27th at Kenesaw mountain, the men of Mercer's brigade won the plaudits of their division commander, W. H. T. Walker. After the death of General Walker at Atlanta, Mercer's brigade was assigned to General Cleburne's division. On the death of that officer Maj.-Gen. John C. Brown took command of the division. In the Tennessee campaign and in that of the Carolinas, that ended at Bentonville, Brig.-Gen. James A. Smith commanded the brigade, General Mercer's health being in such condition that he was relieved of active duty and sent to Savannah with General Hardee. On the retreat from Savannah he accompanied General Hardee, but was not afterward actively engaged. He was a gallant soldier, but physically unable to endure the strain of a severe campaign. After the war he returned to Savannah, and was a banker in that city from 1866 to 1869. He then removed to Baltimore, Md., where he was a commission merchant from 1869 to 1872, when he went to Baden Baden, Bavaria, and died there on the 9th of June, 1877.
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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