Harper's company left Rome for Virginia on 29 May 1861. The unit had been described in a local paper as being "made up of the best kind of fighting men, mostly from the country." The Miller Rifles were soon designated Company E, 8th Ga. Vols. The 8th Ga. arrived in Virginia in time to play a very conspicuous role in the battle of First Manassas.

On 14 October 1861, Harper was elected Second Lieutenant. The following spring of 1862 found Lieutenant Harper and the 8th defending Richmond in the Seven Days campaign. On 28 June 1862 the Regiment was heavily engaged at the Battle of Garnett's Farm. At about 3:30 PM during the battle, the regiment was ordered to charge a battery opposite Garnett's Farm. The regiment lost heavily in the charge, and the Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, and Lieutenant Harper were captured. Harper was exchanged at Aiken's Landing, Va. on 21 Sept. 1862.

Charles Harper was soon promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and stayed with his regiment through the battle of Gettysburg. There on 2 July 1863, the 8th advanced with the rest of Anderson's Brigade against the right of Ward's Federal brigade west of the Devil's Den. In the assaults, Charles Harper was shot in the left leg and grievously wounded.

Lieutenant Harper recovered from his wound, and was appointed Regimental Adjutant on 15 October 1864. Harper would also act as Quartermaster of his regiment, and was present at Appomattox at the formal surrender of Lee's Army. Harper died Nov. 4, 1909 and is buried in the Harper vault, Myrtle Hill Cemetery, Rome, Ga.

In May 1861, The Miller Rifles, of which I was a member, was ordered to Richmond VA and became one of the ten companies to compose the famous 8th GA Regiment of Volunteers and commanded by F. S. Bartow of Savannah, GA.

The First Battle of Manassas took place on July 21, 1861, and as one of the 8th GA Regiment, I took an active part in it, and was fortunate enough to escape unhurt, but succeeded in capturing several Yankee prisoners, for which I received honorable mention.

In the Spring of 1862 our regiment was at Yorktown, VA, and engaged in a sharp fight at Dam No. 1 and were in the trenches almost continually under fire for nearly three weeks.

From there the Regiment marched to Richmond VA and for weeks occupied important positions on our line of defense against the Northern Army under McClellan.

I was under fire with the Regiment almost daily for weeks and took part in one skirmish and one battle in the seven days fight around Richmond. This was in June and July of 1862.

The next battle that I participated in with the Regiment was the first battle of Fredericksburg VA in December 1862.

We remained in winter quarters near Fredericksburg VA until February 1863 and were ordered to Richmond and marched for days through snow and mud several inches deep, sleeping at night on the wet, cold ground as best we could.

We went from Richmond to Suffolk, VA and besieged that place and had numerous skirmishes with the enemy.

From Suffolk we were ordered back to Richmond and then west with General Lee's Army to Gettysburg PA July 1st, 1863.

I was in command of my company at the battle of Gettysburg and went into the fight with three officers and thirty-two men. We three officers were wounded and some fifteen men killed, wounded and captured.

The Regiment, after returning to Virginia, was sent again to Fredericksburg, from there to Charleston, SC thence to Chickamauga, GA where we arrived too late to take part in that battle.

My wound received at Gettysburg became so inflamed that I was given a thirty day furlough while the Regiment was in Charleston, SC and I spent the time at Rome, GA.

The next series of skirmishes and battles we engaged in was Longstreet's command marching to Knoxville, TN. Here we lost a good many men, killed and wounded but I escaped with shots through my clothing.

In the Spring of 1864 the Regiment re-joined Lee's Army in VA and we confronted and fought Gen. Grant's army for months, in fact all summer and fall of 1864 and part of the winter.

In April 1865 we began our retreat from Richmond and continued one week fighting, by day and marching by night until arriving at Appomattox Court House where I surrendered with my company and Regiment, and now have my Parole given me on that occasion.

As First Lieutenant I commanded my company for over two years as my Captain was on detached duty elsewhere.

My company was the color company of the Regiment the entire four years of the war.

I was shot through the clothing several times, but only wounded once, and I am yet able and willing to fight again should my country need my services.

On the morning of April 9th, 1865, the day of our surrender at Appomattox, when General Lee passed our Regiment and as we thought to give battle to Gen Grant's Army, I called on the Regiment to give him three cheers, which we did with a real Rebel yell and he graciously acknowledged the same.

We did this to show him our confidence and willingness to fight whenever it was necessary.

My dinner on that memorable day was corn picked up out of the dirt and sand where some horses or mules had been fed. I wiped the dirt and sand off, then parched and ate it with great relish.

Respectfully,

Chas. M. Harper

Rome, Georgia, November 1899.