LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN C. SIMKINS. Whose name appears upon the Monument at Newberry, as one of the fallen soldiers of that county, was a son of Honorable Eldred Simkins, and was born at Edgefield Court House on the 11th day of March, 1827. He attended school at Edgefield and at Greenwood, S. C. He was not a graduate of any college or university; but, instead of continuing his studies at school, though only about eighteen years of age at the commencement of the Mexican War, he volunteered as a private in Captain Brooks' Company "D," of the Palmetto Regiment. During the campaign he was transferred to the Twelfth United States Regular Infantry, and, as captain in that regiment, distinguished himself at the battle of Churubusco, where he received two wounds. He was reccommended to the government for a brevet "for gallant and meritorious conduct." At the close of the Mexican War he returned to civil life, that of a planter. In 1850 he married Rosalie, daughter of Judge Wardlaw, of Abbeville, and continued to live in Edgefield District until about a year before the war between the States, when he bought from the Chappells a planation in Newberry District on the Saluda River, about a mile above Chappells Depot. This plantation is part of what is known as Maxwell's Neck. As soon as the State seceded and it was known that war was inevitable, he was amongst the first to offer his services to Governor Pickens. He was immediately appointed Captain in the First South Carolina Regular Infantry. [- appointed by Governor Pickens in January, 1861 (confirmed by the Senate January 19); ordered on duty January 22, 1861; promoted to major, July 22, 1861. promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, November 7, 1862. He appears on the muster roll of June 30, 1863.]

His regiment was employed largely as artillery. As commander of Battery Bee, on Sullivan's Island, he did good service in the repulse of the iron-clads in the naval attack on Charleston, April 7th, 1863, when the Keokuk was sunk. By successive promotions, he became Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment. On the 16th of July, 1863, he, with three companies of the regiment, Captains Haskell, Adams, and Tatum, was ordered to Battery Wagner, our advance post on Morris Island. Here he acted as Chief of Artillery, and he and his devoted little band, without rest or sleep, stood under a terrific bombardment until the night of July 18th, 1863, when the enemy, in overwhelming numbers, landed and assaulted the works. They were repulsed with heavy loss. In that night assault, at about 9 o'clock, Colonel Simkins fell pierced through the right lung by a minnie ball. Captains Haskell and Tatum were also killed during that engagement, and Captain Adams was severely wounded. Colonel Simkins was 36 years old at the time of his death, and left a widow, four sons, and a daughter surviving. His widow died in 1891. In his official relation, Colonel Simkins was strict, but just. A born soldier, he was devoted to his profession. Although a good disciplinarian, he was respected and beloved by his comrades. He was very modest and retiring, but warm-hearted, frank, and true. His purity of heart was shown in his exceeding fondness for children, whose company he would seek.

Col. Simpkins is buried in the Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery in Abbeville, SC.