Monument Inscription on Front: 1861 - 1865, DEO VINDICE. South Carolina
McGowan's Brigade
Grig. Gen. Samuel McGowan

1st S.C. Infantry, Col. Comillus W. McCreary; Orr's Rifles, Lt. Col. George McD. Miller; 12th S.C. Infantry, Maj. Thomas F. Clyburne; 13th S.C. Infantry, Col. Benjamin T. Brockman; 14th S.C. Infantry, Col Joseph N. Brown.

Monument Inscription on Back: CSA "THE BLOODY ANGLE".

In the rainy gloom of May 12, 1864, Brigadier General Samuel McGowan's brigade of South Carolinians battles their way into the disputed earthworks here, near the apex of the Muleshoe Salient. For eighteen hours the 1300 South Carolinians defended these works against relentless attacks by thousands of Federals, sometimes engaging in hand-to-hand fighting. By battles end, 451 men of the brigade were killed, wounded, or missing. The slight angle in the works they defended would forever be known as the Bloody Angle.

To the brave and heroic men of McGowan's Brigade this monument is dedicated.

Erected by the State of South Carolina and the Brig. Gen. Samuel McGowan Camp 40, Sons of Confederate Veterans of Laurens County, South Carolina, 2009.

Our thanks go to the South Carolina Division and especially Robert Roper, Commander of the Brig. General Samuel McGowan Camp #40 in Laurens, SC., and Gary Davis, 1st Lt. Cmdr., as well as Mark Simpson, Adjutant-in-Chief. These gentlemen have been in continual contact with various SCV members of the Virginia Division and have coordinated efforts for this amazing monument dedication to the brave men of McGowan's Brigade.

The South Carolina Division 16th Regiment Color Guard did a spectacular job and we are so pleased that they could join us for the day to celebrate our common heritage.

A special thanks go out to Lee Hart, Grayson Jennings, Tom Davis, Frank Earnest, Joseph Wright, Drew Dickinson and G.W. Dickinson for their part in the preparation for this ceremony and monument dedication. Lee Hart was instrumental in the placement of the monument and made careful provisions for its installation.

Finally, we would like to thank the Virginia Division 5th Brigade Color Guard who proudly carried the colors onto the battlefield and everyone who attended the McGowan Monument Dedication, especially the men who traveled from South Carolina to honor their ancestors with us this glorious day. The combination of the Color Guard from Virginia and South Carolina was truly a beautiful sight.

As always, we appreciate the ladies from the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Order of the Confederate Rose. We are also grateful for the Park Service who not only arranged for this ceremony on park property, but provided two canon crews to fire a volley salute that our ancestors would have been proud of.

I am truly honored to have been part of this memorable experience and I thank you for sharing it with me.

John Sawyer, Commander
Virginia Division SCV

Photo credits: Most of the images on this page were courtesy of CarolinaBob at MediaFire. Additional photos can be found at the MediaFire site. Some of these photos were submitted by Park Ranger Eric Mink and Sandy Wright.