Sewing Kit Save: Clement Evans

Another installment of “Tales from the Tombstone.”

On the sultry afternoon of July 9, 1864, orders passed from Major General John C. Breckenridge through Major General John B. Gordon to attack the Federal left with his entire division. The Georgians, Louisianans, and Virginians forded the Monocacy and advanced up the slope of the Worthington Farm. On the extreme right of the division marched the Georgians under the command of Brigadier General Clement A. Evans. During the hour from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Confederates launched assaults at the veterans of the Federal VI Corps under Brigadier General James B. Ricketts.

During those attacks, Evans was struck by a Federal rifle round. According to his division commander, the “Minie ball struck him on his left side, passing through the pocket of his coat, and carrying with it a number of pins, which were so deeply embedded that they were not all extracted for a number of years.” This kit, referred to as a “housewife” since 1749, was given to Evans by his own wife, Mary Allen Walton, to assist with any sewing or stitching needs. Little did she know that this simple household necessity ultimately led to her own husband being wounded instead of killed.

Evans survived the wound, one of five he received during the American Civil War, returned to command, and led the division from Petersburg to the surrender at Appomattox. After the war, Evans became a Methodist minister and pastored churches around Atlanta, Georgia. He also penned the Military History of Georgia and co-wrote and edited the Confederate Military History along with a four-volume Encyclopedia of Georgia. On July 2, 1911, at the age of 78 Evans passed away. His body laid in state at the Georgian capitol before being put to rest near his old commander, Gordon, in Oakland Cemetery.