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HISTORIES

SEVERAL REGIMENTS AND BATTALIONS

NORTH CAROLINA

GREAT WAR 1861 -'65.

WRITTEN BT riEHBERS OF THE RESPECTIVE COnnflNDS

EDITED BY

WALTER CLARK,

(Lieut. Colonel Seventieth Regiment N. C. T.

VOL. V.

WITH INDEX.

PUBLISHED BY THE STATE.

NASH BROTHERS,

BOOK AND .JOB PRINTERS,

GOLDSBORO, N. C.

1901.

EH-

Chf^rLoA

THE NEV/ YORK

PUBLIC LIBRARY
2640?4

ASTOR, LENOX AND
TILBSN FODNDATIOWS

R 1 90^' L

p-

DEDICATION.

IN THE NAME OF THE
MORE THAN 1«5,000 frOKDlERS, LIVING AND DEAD, WHOM

Zbis State

SENT TO THE FRONT IN ONE OF THE GREATEST AND MOST

UNEQUAL^CONFLICTS RECORDED IN HISTORY,

THESE VOLUMES,

FRAUGHT WITH IH E_";TESTIM0NY OF COMRADES TO IMMORTAL COURAGE,

ARE INSCRIBEli TO THE

Iberoic Momen of IRortb Carolina,

WHO INSPIRED OUR CITIZEN SOLDIERY

BY THEIR FAITH IN GOP, BY THEIR MAGIC INFLUENCE AND

IMMEASURABLE GOOD WORKS, AND TO

Ubcir jfair iDaugbters,

WHOSE UNSHAKEN FIDELITY HAS PRESERVED THE FAME OF

®ur Glorious H)ea&.

WITH SUCH TO;iNSPIRE THE^.LIVING AND HONOR THE FALLEN THE MEN
OF NORTH CAROLINA WILL EVER BE

JEqual to Dictorg— Superior to Defeat.

C0NTEMT5.

PAGE.

Dedication, ; iii

Review and Conclusion, by the Editor vii

List of Historians and Contributors, hy the Editor. xviii

Number op Troops prom North Carolina, hy the Editor 1

Number OP Generals PROM North Carolina, by the Editor . . . 3

Generals Commissioned by the State, by Lieut. E. A. Thome. . . 5

North Carolinians on Military Courts, by the Editor 8

General and Field Oppicers Killed, by Lieut. E. A. Thome. . . 9
Where North Carolina Troops Stationed November 1861,

hy Brigadier -General J. G. Martin 13

Deeds of Daring — Six Heroes, hy Lieutenant- General D. H. Hill.. 15

Other Deeds op Daring, hy the Editor 1?

,A. North Carolina Heroine, hy Colonel S. L). Pool 19

captures and battles.

Capture of Forts Before the War, by Colonel Jno. L. CantwelL. 23

Battle of Manassas, by Brigadier-General T. L. Clingman 29

The Fall op Hatteras, by Major Thomas Sparrow 35

Chicamacomico, by Lieutenant- Colonel E. C. Yellowley 55

Loss op Roanoke Island, by Hon. Burgess S. Gaither, C. S. Congress, 57

Fall op Roanoke Island, by Lieutenant-Colonel E. R. Liles 63

Sharpsburg, by Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Clark 71

Battle op White Hall, by Colonel S. D. Pool 83

Flank March at Chancellorsville, by Brig. -Gen. J. H. Lane. . 93

The Wounding of Jackson, hy Adjutant Spier Whitaker 96

Another Account, by Captain A. H. H. Tolar 98

Longstreet's Assault at Gettysburg, hy Maj. W. M. Bobbins . 101
Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg, by Captain Louis G. Young,

A. A. 0 113

Pettigrew's Charge at Gettysburg, hy Lieutenant- Colonel John

T. Jones 133

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge, by Captain S. A. Ashe 137

Defence of Fort Wagner, by Adjutant E. K. Bryan and Sergeant

E. H. Meadoivs 161

Chicamauga, by Captain C. A. Cilley, A. A. G., U. S. A 169

Capture op Plymouth, by Major John W. Graham 175

Second Cold Harbor, by Brigadier-General Thos. L. Clingman 197

Reams Station, by Major Charles M. Stedman 207

The Thin Gray Line, by Brigadier-General Bradley T. Johnson . . . 213

Defence op Fort Fisher, hy Colonel William Lamb 217

The Surrender at Appomattox, by Major-General Bryan Grimes, 247

IV Contents.

The Return fkom Appomattox, hy Lieutenant W. A. Montgomery 257
Last Fifteen Days of Baker's Command, by Private James M.

Mullen 269

A Battle After the War, by Prioate R. Z. Linney 285

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE NAVY.

Confederate Vessels in North I'arolina, by the Editor 298

North Carolina Navy, hy Paymaster Adam Tredivell 299

The Ram Albemarle, by Adjutant Gilbert Elliott 315

Capture of the Underwriter, by Commander B. P. Loyall 325

The Steamer Ad- Vance, by James Maglenn, Chief Engineer 385

Running the Blockade, by Rev. Dr. Moses D. Hoge 341

The Shenandoah, by An Officer Thereof 345

Fight with Blockaders, by Colonel William Lamb 351

Blockade Running, by Purser James Sprunt 353

North Carolina's Financial Operations in England, by Com-
missioner John White 453

North Carolina's Record, by Governor Z. B. Vance 463

Parole List at Appomattox, 482

Comments on Parole List, by the Editor bldt

addenda.

First North Carolina Soldier to Die, by Private R. H. Bradley 578

Sixth Regiment at Manassas, by Captain B. F. White . 581

Report OF Siiarpsburg Battlefield Commissioners, 587

First Regiment at Gettysburg, by Sergeant C. W. Rivenbark . . 595

Unparallelled Loss, by Captain R. M. Tuttle 599

Capture op Cemetery HiLt at Gettysburg, by Captain N. W. Ray 605
Incident at Gettysburg, by Col. T. S. Kenan, C. S. A., and J. B.

Callis, U. S. A., 611

Planner's Batter y^ at the Crater, by Captain H. G. Planner. . .. 615
Prisoners Under Fire at Morris Island, by Sergeant- Major C.

M. Busbee 619

Twenty-Sixth Battalion, by The Editor 626

Company B, Tenth Virginia Cavalry, by Sergeant 11. R. Berrier 627

The Home Guards, by Colonel James R. Cole 629

Home Guards Face Stoneman, by Colonel T. George Walton 635

Hillsboro Military Academy, by Cadet Captain William Cain . . . 637

HiLLSBORO Military Academy, by Cadet J. George Hanna 643

N. C. Military Institute, by Brigadier-General J. H. Lane 645

University op N. C. in the War, by Dr. K. P. Buttle 647

The Last Battle and the Last Surrender by Lieutenant-
Colonel W. W. Stringfield 653

Supplement to Appomattox Parole List 657

Corrections 661

Index to Appomattox Parole List 683

Index to Illustrations 719

General Index 729

REVIEW AND CONCLUSION.

The last line of these five volumes having now been printed
it is projDer to write a few lines in review and farewell to be
prefixed to this, the last volume.

The origin, the purpose and the scope of this work have
been stated in the Preface to Vol. 1. and need not be re-
peated. In the classic tongue of historic Greece the word
oida, I have seen, is at the same time both the perfect tense of
the verb eido, I see, and the present tense of the verb I know.
That is, ''what I have seen I know." It is upon this idea
that this work has been compiled. Tlie narrative is not by
one historian writing at second hand from information de-
rived from many sources. But herein the narratives are by
participants who have written from the personal knowledge
of themselves or of their immediate comrades and largely
of scenes of which they were eye witnesses.

Their contributions have l)een laboriously gathered by them
from conference, or corres])ondence, with surviving comrades
and diligently compared with the original reports published
in the "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Ar-
mies." As a further assurance of accuracy these sketches
were printed in the newspapers and criticisms and correc-
tions requested. It may be stated here that the dates affixed
are mostly arbitrary for the majority of the regimental
sketches were written in 1895, l)ut being revised again and
again down to the time each went to press, the date 9 April,
1900 or 1901, was affixed to those organizations from the
Army of ISTorthern Virginia and 26 April to those from the
Army of the West, these being the anniversaries of the
surrender of the respective armies. A few articles writ-
ten by persons who died before the beginning of this work
have been rej^roduced where the name of the writer or the
subject matter has given them special interest.

The writers herein number 180 and represent every grade
in the Army from Lieutenant General to private, and em-
brace not only men who have filled almost every vocation in

viii Review and Conclusion.

life since the war but those who have occupied every civil office
from IT. S. Senator and Governor to constable. Farmers,
lawyers, preachers, physicians, manufacturers, teachers, edi-
tors, day laborers have each and all freely contributed their
time and labor to preserve herein the memorials of what
their comrades did and suffered at the command of North
Carolina during those four eventful years the memory of
which can never be forgotten.

Among the brave men who have traced the lines in these
volumes are soldiers who heard the first shriek of shell at
Bethel in the first real battle of the war 10 June, 1861, and
whose ears caught the patter of minies as Cox's brigade fired
the last volley at Appomattox 9 April, 1865 and who missed
but little of the musi,c of Avar between those dates. Among
tliese writers are some who heard the o];)ening guns at Sum-
ter 13 April, 1861 ; many who heard the crash of A. P. Hill's
musketry on that sultry summer's eve as he drove back Burn-
side at Shar])sbnrg and who listened to the long, low mono-
tone of artillery at Gettysburg so steady and unbroken as to
seem the ])r()l()nge(l reverberation of a single broadside; eyes
now dim saw the Southern night lightened with shell and mor-
tar over doomed Vicksburg; limbs now stift' stepped fast and
cheerily as the echoes of Jackson's cannon rolled along the
silver Shenandoah. Such another gathering can not be
found in any other work and could not be duplicated now for
nearly one in every ten has passed beyond the pale since
their articles were penned. Their comrades of whose deeds
they wrote slee]\ many of them, where the Georgian pines
are bare, others l)v the Mississippi, the Cumberland, the
Ohio, the Kanawha and where Potomac's breezes whispering
low soothe many a soldier's endless sleep.

With a devotion to duty, only to be expected of such men,
they have written these volumes and deserve the grateful re-
membrance of their countrymen for this scarcely less thp.n
for the gallant deeds they aided to perform and which but for
their pens would have been unrecorded.

While these articles have ])een necessarily written from
the stand]3oint of each writer which by a natural law makes
each object and event near us seem larger and more impor-

Review and Conclusion. ix

tant than those farther oft", still there has been a strenuous
and j)ainstaking effort to be accurate and truthful to the
smallest detail. The work of such men could not be other
than reliable. Any errors come from the lack of perspective
incident to every narrative by an eye witness.

The articles are 254 in number exclusive of 165 pages em-
braced in the three Indexes, i. e. Index to Appomattox Pa-
role List, Index to Illustrations and the General Index.
These Indexes include some 17,000 names, a very large part
■of which are cited more than once.

The history of each of our 84 regiments (which includes the
''Bethel" Regiment) is written by a member thereof except
the sketches of four of the Senior Reserves Regiments and
two of the Detailed men of which no suiwivors could be found.
The history of each of our twenty-six Battalions is also given.
The history of each brigade is written by a member thereof
iind a valuable series of Battles, giving ISTorth Carolina's
part therein is furnished by participants on the respective
occasions. The articles on Gettysburg by Major W. M.
I^obbins, Captain Louis G. Young, Captain S. A. Ashe
and Lieutenant-Colonel John T. Jones as to the assault
on Cemetery Ridge and by Captain X. W. Ray on the
capture of Cemetery Hill are of exceptional value. An ac-
count of jSTorth Carolina's share in the Xavy is herein pre-
served including the story of the cruise of the Shenandoah,
C()]nmanded by a gallant Xorth Carolinian who flew the
Confederate battle emblem at her mast head till 6 JN'ovem-
ber, 1865, nearly seven months after Lee's surrender.

The ex])crience of ju-isoners of war is graphically told in-
cluding an account of those who were exposed to the fire of
our own batteries at Morris Island. Governor Vance's
rnemoralde speech narrating the State's record in the war,
also the report of our agent sent to England to procure sup-
plies are reproduced. The history of the State's steamer, the
"Ad-Vairce" and a most interesting story by Mr. Sprunt of
the incidents of the system of Blockade-running by which
we were so long enabled to continue the war are printed for
the first time.

Every subject is touched upon save the story of the sacri-

X Review and Conclusion.

llces, the services, the sufferings of our glorious and heroic
women. The flight of time and the invincible modesty of
the sex prevented our securing one of themselves to narrate
tliat story and no man felt that his pen was equal to the por-
trayal. Like Emmett's epitaph, it must remain unwritten
but its abiding remembrance is in the hearts of the soldiery
of the South. The dedication prefixed to the completed
work in this last volume comes from the heart. They are
not perfunctory words, but the exj^ression of the sentiments
of the more than 125,000 soldiers, living and dead, whom
North Carolina sent to the front.

The pay of the Confederate soldier in the depreciated cur-
rency w^as wholly inadequate to be of any assistance to those
dependent upon him at home. Mention has already been
made of the cotton cards and other supplies brought in
tlirougli the blockade and distributed by the State to soldiers'
v.'ives. In most, if not all the counties, the county authorities
procured supplies of corn, meat and salt which were stored in
warehouses and dispensed weekly by boards of elderly citi-
zens to the mothers, wives and children who needed assis-
tance. This was not charity but just compensation to those
who were absent flghting for the State without pay.
Where the counties neglected this just measure there were
of course large nund3ers of desertions. The soldier felt it
but just tliat the government should see that his aged mother,
his dependent wife and children were provided for by the
State since at its command they were deprived of his labor.
The salt was procured from the works at Saltville, Virginia,
or from the ocean near Wilmington, the counties raising the
funds by the issue of what was known as "Salt bonds." By
what now seems a singular decision the Supreme Court of
the State, in the Reconstruction era, held the bonds thus is-
sued in aid of the destitute and suffering women and chil-
dren of the State void "'because issued in aid of the Rebel-
lion."

A most interesting chapter might have been added of the
operation of the "'Tax in kind" by which provisions Avere
obtained for the support of our armies, but as that would
have required much elaboration and was a matter concerning

Review and Conclusion. xi

the xVrmy as a whole rather than the North Carolina Regi-
ments and Battalions, the subject has not been treated herein.

A series of extracts from the Executive Letter Books and
the files of the Adjutant-General's office 1861-5 would have
added interest to this work, but it had already swelled to five
volumes, and this as well as some other valuable nuitter was
necessarily foregone.

The legend on the cover is no idle boast, but is based upon
evidence given herein that is deemed worthy to be presented
to the great jury of the public and of posterity. Major
Hale's history of the ''Bethel" regiment proves, (if it had
ever been called in question) North Carolina's claim to be
the First at Bethel. The histories herein by Brigadier Gen-
eral Cox, i\Iajor General Grimes and by Colonel Frank Par-
ker of the Thirtieth regiment abundantly establish that the
volley of (?ox's Brigade, of Grimes' Division vas the Last at
Appomattox, the last shots being fired by the Thirtieth Regi-
ment belonging to that brigade. The last capture of guns
by that gallant army was the 1 Napoleons taken by Roberts'
North Carolina Cavalry brigade the morning of the sur-
render.

Davidson's history of the Thirty-ninth regiment, as well
as Major Harper's history of the Fifty-eighth and Colonel
Ray's of the Sixtieth fully demonstrate that our North Caro-
lina soldiers were Farthest to the front at Chicamauga and
they are corroborated by Ca])tain C. A. Cilley's report, here-
in reprinted, who was a Staff Officer of Vanderveer's Brigade
which faced our North Carolinians on that well fought field.

At Grttystmrg the history of the Fifty-fifth Regiment by
Adjutant C. M. Cooke shows that it went farthest to the
front on Cemetery Ridge. The best proof of how far a line
of battle went is where it left its dead and wounded. These
derelicts cast up by the bloody wave of war were found farth-
est in the front of that gallant regiment and this is shown by
the battlefield map prepared by the authority of the United
States government after years of careful investigation of
official reports and living witnesses from both armies. A
copy of this official map, on a reduced scale is printed in this
work.

xii Review and Conclusion.

The number of troops this State furnished is shown here-
in from official records to have been over 125,000 and a full
one fifth of the total force of the Confederacy. The losses
of this State were over 41,000 by death on the battlefield or
from wounds, being the largest loss sustained l)y any South-
ern State. Though K'orth Carolina furnished one-fifth of
the troops, it also appears that instead of one-fifth of the gen-
eral officers being appointed from this State not one third of
the pro rata, which was her due, received the promotion they .
so well deserved. Yet by the general opinion in the Army
Pender, Hoke, Pettigrew and perhaps others, were as com-
petent to command corps and as much deserved promotion as
TcUy who received the appointment of Lieutenant-General at
the hands of the Confederate government. Brigadier-Gen-
erals Clingiuan, Lane, James B. Gordon, Matt. W. Ransom,
Scales, and others merited being made Major-Generals, and
the State had many gallant sons who well earned promotion to
Brigadier-General Among many such, it may not be invid-
ious to name Major E. J. Hale, who (General Lane being ab-
sent wounded) planned the successful movement at Fuzzell's
]yiills and virtually commanded his brigade at Reams Station,
a South Carolinian (General Conner) being nominally in
command — Colonel R. Tyler Bennett, the hero of the Bloody
Lane at Sharpsburg — Colonel David Coleman in the Army of
the West (to which we sent eight regiments and had no Briga-
dier after General Vance's capture in 1863) — Colonel Lno. S.
McElroy of the Sixteenth, Colonel W. H. Cheek of the
Xinth (First Cavalry) and Colonel T. M. Garrett of the
Fifth all of whom w^ere recommended for this promotion.
These and many others, whether recommended or not, de-
served the honor and were entitled to receive it both on their
own merits and from the number of troops furnished by this
State. But N'orth Carolina was modest, as she always is,
and did not receive just recognition which has ever been
her fate, alike in war and peace.

The following admirable summary of the services of our
soldiers is taken from a recent speech by the eloquent Henry
A. London, now Senator from Chatham, who at the surren-
der at Appomattox, w^as a member of the Thirty-second Regi-

Review and Conclusion. xiii

ment and courier to General Grimes, and carried to General
Cox the order for the last volley fired by that gallant army.
His words deserve preservation.

"With a white population in 1800 of 629,942 and 115,000
voters, North Carolina sent 125,000 soldiers to the Confed-
erate armies, composing eighty-four regiments and eigh-
teen battalions. Three of these regiments were artillery,
eight cavalry and seventy-three infantry. Several of the bat-
talions were artillery and cavalry. Over 41,000 were killed
or died in the service. There were seven Major-Generals
from this State, of whom three were killed, namely: Pen-
der, Ramseur and Whiting. There were twenty-six Brig-
adier Generals from this State ; four of whom were killed
and the others, almost without exception, were wounded.

"The first victory was won by North Carolina troops at
Bethel on 10 June, 1861, and they fired the last volley at
Appomattox Court House.

''At Gettysburg 2,592 Confederates were killed and
12,707 wounded, and 3,155 Federals were killed and
14,529 were wounded. Of the killed 770 were North
Carolinians, 435 Georgians, 399 Virginians, 258 Mis-
sissippians, 217 South Carolinians and 204 Alabamians.
The three brigades which lost more killed than any others
in that battle were Pettigrew's North Carolina (which lost
190 killed) Davis', composed of three Mississippi and oi'.e
North Carolina regiment, which lost 180, and Daniel's North
Carolina brigade, which lost 165 killed. Pickett's entire
division lost 214 killed. No brigade in Pickett's division
lost as many killed and wounded as the Twenty-sixth North
Carolina regiment, whose loss was 86 killed and 502
wounded, which was the heaviest loss of any regiment in
either army in any battle of the war. There were sixteen
brigades of Confederates in the first day's battle, of which
seven were from North Carolina. In what is called 'Pick-
etts' charge there were nineteen Virginia regiments and fif-
teen North Carolinians. At Beams Station, in August,
1864, after the first efforts of other Confederates had failed,
the three North Carolina brigades of Cooke, Lane and Mac-

xiv Review and Conclusion.

Rae, consisting of only 1,750 men, routed the enemy and
captured 2,100.

"Among- the regiments which suffered the heaviest losses
were the following: The Fifth jSTorth Carolina at Williams-
burg, the Fourth at Seven Pines, the Third at Sharpsburg^
the Twenty-sixth at Gettysburg and the Twenty-seventh at
Bristoe Station. At Williamsburg the Fifth lost in killed,
wounded and missing 197 out of 240. At Seven Pines the
Fourth went into battle with twenty-five oflicers and 520
non-commissioned officers and privates, and lost in killed and
wounded every officer except one and 462 men. At Sharps-
burg the Third lost in an hour and a half 330 out of 520.
At Bristoe the Twenty-seventh lost in less than half an
hour 291 out of 420. At Sharpsburg Company C, of the
Fourteenth North Carolina regiment lost in killed and
wounded every man of the forty-five present, and at Chan-
cellorsville the same company carried in forty-three men and
all were killed or wounded except one and a minie ball had
lodged in his haversack. Company F of the Twenty-sixth
lost at Gettysburg every man out of eighty-seven, except one
and he was knocked down by the concussion of a shell.

"jSTo troops were better armed and equipped than those
from Xorth Carolina, and our State was the only one that
clothed her troops during the entire war. Also furnished
clothing for otlier troops, and at the surrender had 92,000
suits of uniforms on hand and gi'eat stores of blankets and
leather : was the only State that was engaged in direct trade
witli England and running the blockade. At the close of the
war North Carolina's commissary was feeding about half of
Lee's army.

"The day after the battle of Manassas Secretary of War
Benjamin telegraphed Governor Clark that there was not
enough powder for another day's fight, and requested him to
obtain nitre, which he did. In the fall of 1861 Secretary
Benjamin wrote Governor Clark that it was not necessary to
make large contracts for military supplies for any long time,
as the war would not last long, but the Governor soon after-
wards sent an agent to England to buy arms."

Over 900 engravings of officers and men, representing

Review and Conclusion. xv

them, as they looked in those days, give added interest to
tliese volumes. Nearly one hundred of these — mostly pri-
■\'ates (for no line has been drawn at rank) — have been sent in
by Judge A. W. Graham. He was too young to be in the army
himself, but he had .five brothers in the service, each of whom
Avas wounded and four of whom have contributed articles to
this work. A very large part of the other photographs have
been sent in by the mothers, wives and daughters of soldiers
who with a devotion known only to a \vomaj]'s heart have pre-
served these mementoes of a long-buried past, ofttimes the
only relic of their dead, and taking them from their sacred
repositories have had them engraved, a cost they could oft
not afford, that jxjsterity might look upon the lineaments of
the brave who could merit such fidelity.

The engraving of the photographs could not have been
procured but for the assistance of that patriotic Southerner,
iVIajor C. L. Patton, of A^ew York City, President of the
University Publishing Company, wlio without leward or
the hope of reward, undertook the supervision of ihe work
of engraving, securing the lowest possible cost for the Veter-
ans and providing, at his own expense, the clerical force to con-
duct the correspondence, receiving the photographs and re-
turning them to their respective owners, grouping the en-
gravings and attending to every detail till the last sheet was
printed oif and shipped us. Had he been a native North
Carolinian he could not have done more. Our thanks are
also due to his accomplished clerk, who chiefly conducted this
matter. Miss P. S. Adams. To rare business accuracy she
has added a woman's sympathetic assistance in this work.
The engi-avings of all the thirty-five North Carolina Gen-
erals have been made at Major Patton's own expense for
those volumes. Fuller investigation in the Confederate
Archives having shown that Major-General Jeremy P. Gil-
iiier and Brigadier-General Gabriel J. Rains were appoint-
ed from this State, their names have been added to the thirty-
three JSTorth Carolina generals given in the preface to Vol.
I, and engravings of them have been inserted in this volume.

To Colonel William Lamb, the gallant defender of Fort
Fisher, we are indebted for the full page engraving of the

xvi Review and Conclusion.

''Bombardment of Fort Fisher" (the frontispiece to Vol. 5),
the full page engraving of the ''Mound Battery" and other
engravings. To Mr. James Sprunt the writer of the val-
uable article on "Blockade Running" we are indebted for the
full page engravings of the "Steamer Ad-Vance," the "Shen-
andoah" and other engravings, and we owe to Colonel Thos.
S. Kenan, of the Forty-third regiment, the frontispiece to
Vol. 4 "Johnson's Island" (a description of which may be
found in his personal reminiscences of prison life on page
689 of that volume) and also for a full page engraving of
C(^mpany A of his regiment. The only other engraving of
a full company is that furnished by Captain C. B. Denson
in the Twentieth Regiment.

JSTumerous majDS are given which add much to the easy
comprehension of the narratives. The two maps of Gettys-
burg and that of the capture of Plymouth are especially val-
uable.

This work undertaken more than seven years ago has been
prosecuted with many hindrances. It would be bootless to
relate the tribulations attending such an undertaking. Its
merits are due to the efforts of the self-sacrificing patri-
otic men who have written the several histories composing
it. Its short-comings are due to the Editor and the limita-
tions which the lapse of time and untoward circumstances
have imposed.

For better, for worse, the record is now made up. The last
word to the present age or posterity has been said and al-
ready the voices of many who have spoken are stilled in
death.

On several r)ccasions, the Confederacy was on the very eve
of success, but some unexpected fatality intervened. At Shi-
loh within a half hour of the capture of the Federal Army
with Grant and Sherman at its head, a single bullet which
caused the death of Albert Sidney Johnston changed the his-
tory of the Continent. At Chancellorsville, one scattering
volley fired by mistake of his own men took the life of Stone-
wall Jackson, when but for that fatality the capture of
Hooker and his whole army was inevitable. The unexpected
humiliation of the Federal Government in surrendering

Review and Conclusion. xvii

Mason and Slidell to British threats avoided a war with that
power and with it the independence of the South, which
would have come with the command of the seas which was
within the power, at that time, of Britain's fleet. If Stuart's
cavalry had been on hand at Gettysburg, or even a competent
Corps commander to have held our gains of the first two days,
in all human probability the war would have ended in a great
Southern victory at that spot. Had Mr. Davis, when he sent
his commissioners to Englanci to negotiate a loan of $15,000,-
000, acceded to the pressure of foreign capitalists to make it
$000,000,000, not only would the Southern finances not have
broken down (which was the real cause of our defeat) and
Southern troops have been amply supplied, but European
governments would have intervened in favor of Southern In-
dependence ere they would have suffered their influential
capitalists to lose that sum. They have always intervened
ererywhere for such cause.

There were other occasions besides when a contrary event
vould have brought about Independence. Xo troops in all
history have fought better nor has any people shown better
military qualities. But, as jSTapier said of Xapoleon, "For-
tune, that name for the unknoirn comhinations of an infinite
power, was wanting to us and without her aid, the desigms of
man are as bubbles on a troubled ocean."

Historical experience in other countries has been that the
disbanded soldiers after a long war, having contracted habits
of idleness, have been a source of long continued disturbance.
Xot so with the Confederate veterans who at once went to
work to repair the ravages of war and rebuild the fortunes
of their sorely devastated country. Xot only that, but they
were the mainstay of order and in many places when the
discarded camp-followers of the other side were not restrain-
ed by the commanders of that army, these were sternly given
to understand that if order was not otherwise maintained,
tlie ex-Confederates could and would establish it.

Unawed by garrisons of the victorious army, and unse-
dueed by the blandishments and temptations offered them,
these soldiers of a Lost Cause took their stand for Anglo-

xviii Review and Conclusion.

Saxon civilization and saved the South from the fate of
Hayti and the West Indies. Their services in the years suc-
ceeding- the war were as truly great and as worthy of lasting
gratitude as those rendered from 1861 to 1865.

The youngest who wore the gray have crossed the crest of
the narrow ridge that divides two great oceans and already,
like Balboa, they have descried from the western slope the
wide waste of waters which reaches beyond the sunset. Xot
many years shall pass ere the last of those who followed the
fortunes of Lee and Jackson, of Johnston and Forrest shall
have set sail on that shoreless sea, and the last footfall of the
tread of the old Confederate regiments whose march shook a
Continent shall be echoing in eternity. Then these volumes
?]iall preserve to a distant posterity the memory of a courage
and a patriotism and a spirit of self-sacrifice which our sons
should not willingly let die.

My Comrades, to have been deemed worthy of labor for
you and with you is honor enough for any man. To one and
all I give my thanks for your groat patience and your U7i-
failing courtesy.

Raleigh, N. C, ' / .i:2^

31 December, 1901.

Errata. — There are over 1,000 engravings (instead of 900 as above
stated) of which 13 are full page engravings and there are 32 maps.

LIST OF HISTORIANS AND CONTRIBUTORS.

By the editor.

For information, to tlie following list of contribntors is appended a memo-
randum of the occupation of each since the war. Where one has held official
position, only the higliest is given. There are 179 writers exclusive of the
editor and :ii54 articles, including those written by him. The writers held,
it will be noted, every position in the army from Lieutenant-General to pri-
vate, and since the war have distributed themselves among nearly all the
professions and ordinary occupations of life.

Aiken, R. A., Captain Vol. IV, p. 117

Merchant, Murphy, N. C.

Albright. Jno G., Lieutenant IV — 99

Merchant, County Commissioner. Died 1890.

Alexander, J. W., Lieut -Commander C. S. N .IV — 733

Died Liucolnton. N. C, 1898.

Ashe, S. A. , Captain A. A. G V— 137

Member Gen. Assembly 1870. Ed. Observer, Lawyer, Raleigh,
N. C.

Avery, A C, Major 1—337, IV— 371

Judge Superior Court 1878-1889, Judge Supreme Court 1889-
1897. Morganton, N. C.

Bailey, Isaac H. , Captain Ill— 447

In Business, Bakersville, N. C.

Barringer, Rufus, Brigadier-General I — 417

State Senator 1852, Chairman Rep. St. Exec. Com. Died 3 Feb-
ruary, 1895.

Battle, Kemp. P., Member Con v. 1861 V — 647

Public Treasurer 18ti()-'7, President University 1875; Prof.
History University N. C. since 1891.

Beall, Jas. F, Major 11—129

Member Gen. Ass. 1883. Physician, Davidson County.

Bennett, R. T., Colonel 1—705

Judge Superior Court 1880, M. C. 1880-'84.

Berrier, H. R., Sergeant V — 627

Farmer, Davidson County.

Betts, a. D , Chaplain IV— 597

Methodist Minister, Sampson County, N. C.

Bradley, Robt. H., Private V — 577

Marshal Supreme Court since 1879.

Brenizer, A G, Colonel IV— 131

Bank Officer, Charlotte, N. C.

Broadfoot, Chas. W.. Colonel IV — 9

Member Gen. Ass. N. C, 1870-72, Lawyer, Fayetteville.

Brown, H. A., Colonel 1—185

Prominent Citizen and Capitalist, Columbia, Tenn.

Brown, T. J. , Major 11—789

In business, Winston, N. C.

Bryan, E. K., Adjutant II— 507, V— 161

In business, New Bern, N. C.

XX Historians and Contributors.

BuRGWY-N, W. H. S. . Captain 11—591, IV— 481, 569

Col. 7th Md. Regt., Col. 2nd N. C. Regiment Spanish War, Au-
thor Md. Digest, Lawyer, Bank President, Weldon, N. C.

BusBEE, Fabius H , Lieutenant IV — 583

U. S. District Attorney, Raleigh, N. C.

BusBEE, C. M.. Sergeant-Major 1—281, V— 619

State Senator 1874, Grand Sire Odd Fellows 1890, President
State Bar Association 1901-2, Raleigh, N. C.

Caho, W. T. , Sergeant Ill— 725

State Senator 1874, Lawyer, Bayboro, N. C.

Cain, William, Cadet Captain V— 637

I'rofessor University of N. C, Chapel Hill.

Callis, G. B., Brigadier General U. S. A., V— 611

Member CouKitss Wisconsin. Died 1897

Cantwell, Jno. L , Colonel IV— 721, V— 23

Veteran also Mexican War, Secretary . Produce Exchange, Wil-
mington, N. C.

Carr, Julian S., Private IV — 581

One of Founders Blackwell's Mfg ' o.. Commander State Veterans As-
sociaiiou, Millionaire. Durham, N. C.

Cathey, B. H. , Lieutenant I — 751

In business. Bryson City, N. C.

Cheek, W. H., Colonel 1—445, 775

Lawyer, Henderson, N. C. Died 23 March, 1901.

CiLLEY, C. A , Captain U. S. A V— 169

Judge Superior Court N. C. 1867-8. Died 1898.

Clingman, Thomas L., Brigadier-General V— 29, 197

Resigned from U. S. Senate 1861, to join C. S. A. Died 3 No-
vemt)er, 1897.

CoLE, James R., Colonel . . .V— 629

Supt. Military School, Dallas, Texas.

CooKE, Charles M., Adjutant Ill— 287

State Senator 1874; Solicitor 1877-8; Secretary of State 1895-7;
Lawyer, Louisburg, N. C.

Cowan. John, Captain 1—177

Secretary Board of Audit and Finance, Wilmington, N. C.
Died 1900.

Cox, W. R., Brigadier-General IV — 443

Judge Super.or Court 1877-80; M. C. 1881-87; Secretary U. S.
Senate 1894-1900; Farmer and Lawyer, Edgecombe Co., N. C.

Cross, J. F. , Lieutenant IV — 703

Farmer, Sunbury, N. C.

Gumming, James D., (.'aptain IV — 861

in business Brooklyn, N. Y. Died January, 1902.

Daves, Graham, Adjutant II — 161

Author and Man of Letters, New Bern, N. C.

Davidson, Jno. M. , 11—727

R. R. Agent, Farmer. Kingston, Georgia.

Davidson, Theo. F. , Lieutenant ... II — 699

Att'y General N. C. 1884-92; Mayor of Asheville 1895.

Davis, T. C. Sergeant 11—745

Postmaster, Morehcad, N. C.

Denson, C. B., Captain IV— 409

Teacher, Sec'y N. C. Ag'l. Society, Raleigh, N. C.

DeRossett. W. L. , Colonel I — 215

Commander State Veteran Association 1896-7, Wilmington, N. C.

Dixon, B. F. , Captain Ill— 151

State Auditor N. C. 1901; Major Second N. C. Reg't 1898 (Span-
ish War).

Historians and Contributors. xxi

Ellington, J. C. , Lieutenant Ill — 161

Civil Engineer City of Raleigti.

Elliott, Chas. G., Captain IV— 527

Treasurer N. & C. R. R. Died 14 August, 1901.

Elliott, Gilbert, Adjutant V — 315

Lawyer, St. Louis, Mo., and New York. Died 9 May, 1895.

Evans, .1. W., Corporal Ill— 713

Register of Deeds Dare Co., Merchant, Manteo, N. C.

Ferguson, Garland S. , Lieutenant ... II — 291

Solicitor 12th District 1879-1892, State Senator 1876, Waynes-
ville, N. C.

Flanner, Henry G. . Captain V — 617

Druggist, Wilmington, N. C. Died 1885.

Flowers, Geo. W., Lieutenant- Colonel ... II — 675

Merchant, Taylorsville, N. C.

Frazier, F. C, Lieutenant IV — 335

Farmer, High Point, N. C.

Gaither, Bi'rgess S , V — 57

Member Congress C. S., Lawyer, Morganton, N. C. Died 1892.

Galloway, Jno. M Ill— 529

Prominent Citizen, Madison, N. C.

Gordon, A., Major 1—3, 23, 37, 39, 45

Planter, Hulda, La.

Graham, James A. , Captain 11—425, IV— 501

Lawyer, State Senator 1872; Washington, D. C.

Graham, John W , Major V — 1 75

Member State Convention 1868; State Senator 1868-'9; and
1876-'77; Lawyer, Hillsboro, N. C.

Graham, Robt D. , Captain Ill— 313

Chief of Bureau, Dept. Interior; Lawyer, Washington, D. C.

Graham, W. A. Major 1—50, II— 79

Planter. Lincoln Co.. N. C. Several times in N. C. Legislature,
President Farmers' Alliance. Son of Hon. W. A. Graham,
C. S. Senator and brother of Major Jno. W. Graham, Captain
Robert D. Graham and Captain Jas. A. Graham, who are also
Historians in this work.

Green, AVharton J., Lieutenant-Colonel IV — 243

Member of Congress 1883-87; Farmer, Fayetteville, N. C.

Grimes. Bryan, Major General V — 247

Farmer, Pitt County; Assassinated 14 August, 1880.

Grizzard, James M., Captain IV — 645

Member Gen. Ass. 1895; Lawyer. Died 1901.

Hale, E. J . Major 1—69

Consul to Manchester, England ; Ed. Fayetteville Observer.

Hampton, E. R , Hospital Steward IV— 385

Clerk U. S. Dist. Court 1870-1884. Lawyer, Sylva, N. C.

Hannah, J. George V— 643

Insurance Agent, Slier City, N. C.

Harper, G. W. F., Major Ill— 431

In Gen. Ass. 1881; Prest. Lenoir N. G. R. R. 1894; Prest. Bank
Lenoir, N. C.

Habrill, L. . Captain I — 771

Prominent Physician. Statesville, N. C.

Habbis, J. S. . Capt. , 1—361

Wounded three times. Merchant, Davidson College, N. C.

Hill, D. H , Lieutenant-General V— 15

President Uni. of Arkansas. Died 25 September, 1889.

Hill, Joshua B. , Sergeant 11—767

U. S. Marshal, Raleigh, N. C.

XXII Historians and Contributors.

HiNES, Peter E., Surgeon IV— 623

Prominent Physician, Raleigh, N. C.

Hinsdale John W. , Colonel IV — 35

Prominent Lawyer, Raleigh, N. C.

HoGE, Rev. Dr. Moses D . V— 341

Presbyterian Minister, Richmond, Va. Died 6 January, 1898.

Holt. E. J., Lieutenant IV— 91, 580

Sheriff Johnston Co.; Member Gen. Ass. 1874-8; Merchant,
Smithfield.

Johnson, Bradley T., Brigadier-General V — 213

Lawyer, Baltimore, Md.

Johnston, Jos. F. , Lieutenant IV — 531

Governor of Alabama 1898-'9.

Jones, Hamilton C, Colonel Ill — 405

state Senator 1809-1871; U. S. Dist. Atty. 1884-88; Lawyer; Char-
lotte, N. C.

Jones, John T. , Lieutenant-Colonel V — 133

Killed 0 May, 1864, at the Wilderness.

Kearney, H. C, Lieutenant I — 733

Sheriff of Franklin Co. since 1878, Louisburg, N. C.

Kenan, Thos. S., Colonel Ill— 1, 19, IV— 689, V— 611

Attorney-General 1876-1884; Clerk Supreme Court since 1887,
Raleigh, N. C.

Kennedy, John T., Colonel IV— 71, 370

Member Gen. Ass., Farmer, Goldsboro, N. C.

Lamb, William. Colonel 11-629, V— 317, 351

Prominent business man, Norfolk, Va.

Lamb, Wilson G., Lieutenant II — 1

Merchant, Wllliamston, N. C.

Lane, James H., Brigadier-General 11—465, IV— 465, V— 93, 645

Prof. A. & M. College, Auburn, Ala.

Lattimore. Thos. D., II — 581

Clerk Superior Court Cleveland Co.; Treasurer Manufacturing
Co., Shelby, N. C.

Lawhon, W. H. H, Captain III-113

Meni!)er Gen. Ass. 1897; Baptist Minister, Moore Co., N. C.

LiLES, E. R., Lieutenant-Colonel ... V— 63

Farmer, Anson Co. Died about 1894.

LiNNEY, Romulus Z., V— 285

State Senator; M. C; Lawyer, Taylorsville, N. C.

London, Henry A., Private II — 531

Courier who carried last order to charge at Appomattox; Ed.
Chatham Record; State Senator 1901. Pittsboro, N. C.

London, W. L., Captain IV — 513

Merchant, Pittsboro, N. C.

LoYALL, B. P., Commander C. S. N., V— 325

Resides Norfolk, Va.

LuDWiG, H. T. L, Drummer 1—387

Professor Mount Pleasant College, N. C, 1871-1900. Died 28
July, 1900.

LusK, Virgil S., IV— 371

Member (ien. Ass. 1895-1897; U. S. Dist. Atty 1868-1884; Law-
yer. Asheville, N. C.

MacRae, J. C. Major 1—281, IV— 379

Judge Superior Court N. C. 1882-1892; Judge Supreme Court
1892-5: Prof. Law Uni. of N. C, Chapel Hill, N. C.

MacRae, Walter G., Captain IV— 713

Sheriff of New Hanover; Civil Engineer. Wilmington, N. C.

Maglenn, James, Chief Engineer V — 335

Master Machinist. Hamlet, N. C.

Historians and Contributors. xxiii

T 1 K7

Manly, Matt., Captain ^

Mayor and Postmaster at New Bern.

Mangum, a. W., Chaplain. . . . .■ ... -••-••■ -^ IV— 745

Methodist Minister; Prof. Uni. N. C. Died 1890.

Martin Jas. G., Brigadier-General a. v, ; a: ^~ ^

^'^^^"^,Vaduate West^ Point; Lawyer, Asheville, N. C. Died 4 Octo-
ber, 1878.

^"^"p\-oXsso^r'un'^°N'^C.- and "Davidson ' Co-llege. Died 2.3 •March. "^

Maxwell, David G. , Captain IV— 405

In business, Charlotte, N. C.
McDowell, B. G , Lieutenant-Colonel Ill— 515

Atty at Law, Bristol, Tenn.

McKethan, a. a.. Lieutenant • ^- ' ' :: ' '■i}}^~~'^^^

Clerk Superior Court Cumberland; Manufacturer; FayetteviUe,
N. C.

McKiNNE, David E., Captain IV— 25

Merchant, Princeton, N. C.

McLaukin, W. H , Adjutant H" ^^

Farmer, Laurinburg, N. C.

McNeill, Thos. A o x ' i " ; ' " ' W W IV-303

Judge Superior Court, 1898. Lumberton, N. C.

Meadows, E. H., Sergeant ... ... ...••■ • ■ • ■ II-^p^"^' ^'"^^^

In business and Bank and R. R. Director. New Bern, N. C.

Means, Paul B., Private • ■ • HI— 545

Member Gen. Ass. 1874-^; btate Senator 18a5 and 1889; Lawyer. ( on-
oord.N. C.

Metts, James L, Captain •

Prominent ^ itizen, Wilmington, N. C.

Mills, G. H., Lieutenant ••.••,, t iom IV— 137

In business. Kutherfordton. Died 10 January, 1901.

Montgomery, W. A. , Lieutenant ■■■■;:■■■■■■■ ■■■ ^-^^^' V— 257

Justice Supreme Court since 1895. Raleigh, N. C.

Moore, John W., Major „■■■.„■•./ • -1^—261

Editor "Moore's Roster, " Historian and Novelist, PowellsviUe, N. C.
Moore, M. V.. Captain Ill— 673

Editor and Farmer. Died 1900.
Moore, T. C, Lieutenant IV— 221

Farmer, Bladen County.
MoREHEAD, Jas. T , Colonel • • ■ Ill— 255

State Senator 1872; Lawyer. Greensboro, N. C

Morris, B. T., (^aptain ^ V ' x^ " ' m~^^^

Chairman County Commissioners Henderson County; Farmer.

Mullen, James M., ^ ■ : ' „ V V ' '^ ' vn '^"^^^

state Senator N. C; Judge Hustings Court, Petersburg, \a.

Myrover, J. H., Lieutenant ... ■ IV— 341

Editor, Man of Letters, FayetteviUe, N. C.

Officer of Shenandoah • • ■ • *

The name is unknown, l)ut supposed to be one of the Surgeons
of the ship.

Osborne, E. A., Colonel .• : . " '., xt n ' R.<,in.pnt^~^^^

Minister Episcopal Church; Chaplain Second N. C. Regiment
Spanish War 1898. Charlotte, N. C.

Outlaw, E. R., Captain „V ,.-.^ xr n ' ' ^""^^^

Sheriff Bertie Co. 10 years; Planter. Bertie County, N. C.

Parker. Frank M. , Colonel II— 49o

Farmer. Enfield, N. C.

XXIV Historians and Contributors.

Parker, W. Fletcher. Lieutenant IV — 71

Member Gen. Ass. 1901; Merchant and Farmer. Enfield, N. C.

Patton, Thos. W., Captain Ill— 499

Twice Mayor, Co. Commr., Philanthropist and Financier, Ashe-
ville, N. C.

Pickens, S V., Adjutant IV-109, 36S

Lawyer, Hendersonville, N. C.

Pool, S. D , Colonel, 1—489; V— 19, 83

Ed. "Our Living and Our Dead"; Supt. Pub. Instruction N. C.
1878-80. Died in Louisiana 1902.

Powell. C. S. , Adjutant IV— 329

Sheriff of Johnston Co.; Merchant. Smithfleld, N. C.

Powers, L. E., Lieutenant. . . II — 147

Member Gen. Ass. 1879-1883, Architect, Rutherfordton, N. C.

Prisoners at Johnson Island to Gov. Vance IV — 697

Ramsay, John A. , Captain I — 551

State Senator; Civil Engineer. Salisbury, N. C.

Ramsey, N. A , Captain ... Ill — 503

Surveyor, Durham, N. C,

Ray, James M., Lieutenant-Colonel Ill — 473-

Real Estate Agent, Asheville, N. C.

Ray, Neill W., Captain 1-293: V— 605

Lawyer; Mayor of Fayetteville, N. C. Died 1899.

Rawley, T. L., Captain 1—701, IV— 551

In business, Winston, N. C.

Rivenbark, Chas W.. Sergeant ... .IV — 725 V — 595

In business, Charlotte, N. C.

RoBBiNs, W. M. , Major V— 101

Member Congress 1872-78; Com. Gettysburg Battlefield since
1894.

Roberts. W. P . Brigadier General . . .II — 99

State Auditor 1877-1891; Consul to Victoria, B. C, 1893-1897.
Gatesville, N. C.

Robinson, Jno. H. . Adjutant Ill— 223

Accountant, Fayetteville, N. C.

Rogers, J. Rowan, Lieutenant Ill — 103

bueriff Wake County 1887-1891; Farmer. Raleigh, N. C.

Rose, George M.. Adjutant Ill — 685

Speaker N. C. House of Reps. 1883; Lawyer, Fayetteville, N. C.

Rose, W.N., Corporal 11—269

Farmer, Johnston County, N. C.

RouLH.AC, Tiios. R.. Lieutenant Ill — 125

Judge Superior Court Alabama. Sheffield, Ala.

Sanders. J. W. , Lieutenant I — 499

Physician, Carteret County, N. C. ;

Shaw, W. P. , Lieutenant Ill— 455

Clerk Superior Court Hertford County. Winton, N. C.

Smith. N. S., Adjutant 1-689

Farmer, Forsythe Co.

Sparrow. Thom.\s. Major. V — 35

Member Gen. Assembly 1858-9: Lawyer. Washington, N. C.
Died 14 January, 1884.

Sprunt, James, Purser V — 353-

Large shipper and British Vice Consul, Wilmington, N. C.

Stedman, Charles M.. Major Ill— 21, V— 207

Lieutenant-Governor 1889-1893; Lawyer. Greensboro, N. C.

Historians and Contributors. xxv

,y ^y Ill— 729

bTRiNGFl^ELD,^ Gen. Ass 1883;' state" Senator 'iVoi; Surveyor, Waynes-
ville, N. C.

Sutton, Thomas H. , Private ■ ■ ■■ •;■■•••■•.•. p"~ "

Member Gen. Assembly 1887, 1889, 1891, 1897; Judge Criminal
Court 1897-8; Fayetteville, N. C.

^ TV 9Q^

Taylor, MATTHiiw P ^^

Insurance Agent. Wilmington, N. C.

Thorn E, E A., Lieutenant ^--^ ^- V \j'n ^ ~^' ^

County Commissioner; Farmer, Halifax County, JN. C.

Thorp, John H., Captain ■ -^ ■■- ■, ■ :^ ■ ■ I^— ^^

State Senator 1887; Lawyer; Farmer, Nash County, N. C.
Rocky Mount.
ToLAR, A. H. H., Captain ^'— 98

Editor, jJamon, Texas.

Toon Thos. F., Brieadier-General .. • • • • • -T^I— HI

'superintendent Public Instruction 1901-1902. Died February
1902. Lumberton, N. C.
Tredwell, Adam, Paymaster in Navy ^ — 299

In business, Norfolk, Va.
Turner, Yi^e-s E.. Captain 11—181

Dentist, Raleigh, N. C.
TuTTLE, RoMuix'S M., • A —599

Presbyterian Minister, Collierstown, va.
Underwood, George C, Assistant Surgeon 11—303

Physician, Chatham County, N. C.
Vance Robert B.. Brigadier General 11—485

Member Congress \S72-H->. U. S. Comm'r Patents 1884. Died 1900.

Vance, Zebulon B. , Colonel ^ -^ • ■ ■ ■■■■,w '^^ ~"*^^^

Three times Governor of N. C, and four times elected U. b.
Senator; Lawyer. Died 1893.

Waddill, J. M., Lieutenant HI— '^^

Merchant, Greenville, S. C.

\M ATT H C^ Spro'pant — lol

Cotton ' Mamifacturer, Meni{)er Gen. Ass. 1899, Rockingham.
N. C. Died 1900.

Walton, T George ^-^ • V— 635

Promineut Citizen, Morganton, N C , now 86 years old.

Watson, Cyrus B., Sergeant • ■ y- -ioQi.^^"" ^^

State Senator 1889, 1891; Dem. Candidate for Governor 1896,
Lawyer, Winston, N. C.

Webb, Lewis H., Captain ■ IV-355

Franklin, Va. Died 8 February, 1902.

Webb, Robert F. , Colonel I^ ~^^'^

Farmer, Durham County. Died 1890.

Weston, James A., Major /•,;•;.• • • ' V ' 'A ' W ^^~^^^

Minister Episcopal Church; Author of "Marshall Ney in North Car-
olina."
Wharton, Rufus W,, Lieutenant Colonel .111—703 IV— 225

Member State Board of Agriculture; Farmer. Washington,

N. C.
Wheeler, Woodbury, Captain IV— 315

L,awyer, Washington, D. C. Died 1900.

Whitaker, Spier, Adjutant ■„;„ ■ • • -^ ~^'

Judge Superior Court 1890-4; Major 6th U. S. Vols. 1898 (Span-
ish War). Died June, 1901.

White, B. F., Captain V— 581

Merchant, Alamance County, N. C.

White, John, Commissioner V— 453

Merchant, Warrenton, N. C. Died .

XXVI Historians and Contributors,

Wiggins, Octavius A 11—658

In business, Wilmington, N. C.

Williams, Arthur B. , Captain I— 537

Mnyoi- Fayettevilie 1875; Chairman Co. Commrs; in buciness,
Fayetteville, N. C.

Williams, J. Marshall, Lieutenant Ill — 267

Fanner, Fayetteville, N. C.

Williams, R. S , Captain 1—653

Farmer, Guilford County.

Wynns, Jas. M. , Lieutenant-Colonel. IV— 365

Member Gen. Assembly, Merchant, Murfreesboro, N. C.

Yellowly, E. C, Lieutenant-Colonel V— 55

Lawyer, Greenville, N. C. Died 1885.

Young, Louis G , Captain IV— 555, V— 113

Merchant, Savannah, Georgia.

The Editor I— v, xi, xiii, xiv; IV— 1, 65, 69, 97,

107, 129, 133, 224, 270, 301, 302, 338,
339, 383, 397. 398, 399, 400, 401, 403,
407, 435, 649; V— iii, vii, xix, 1, 3,
8, 17, 71, 298, 573, 587, 626.

NUMBER OF TROOPS FROM
NORTH CAROLINA.

By the editor.

By the Adjutant-General's report 19 J^ovember, 1864, it
appears as follows:

Transferred to Confederate States by original rolls on file 64,636

No. of conscripts to 30 September, 18,585, bnt report of General

Holmes 9 Febrnary, 1865 21,348

Enlisted number of recruits since 1862 21,608

Number of North Carolinians serving in other States 3,100

Number of detailed men (in three regiments and one battalion) . . 3,117

Number Junior Reserves 4,207

Number Senior Reserves 5,686

Number in State Troops 3,203

Total 126,905

Additions by coming of Military age after 19 November, 1864,

and other additions, probably 2,000

Total 128,905

Besides nine regiments of reorganized Home Guai'ds 1864-'65. . . . 5,000

Grand total 133,905

Which is sliglitly in excess of Major Gordon's estimate in
Vol. 1 of this work, at page 10.

The total enrollment in the li.ome Guards in the Spring
of 1864 was 25,098. This embraced men from 45 to 50,
and 5,589 militia officers, magistrates and other civil officers
exem})t from Confederate service and other exemptions and
those exempt from physical disability. This latter class was
reported to the Confederate Congress at 7,885. It is proba-
ble that the exemptions of all kinds from the Home Guards
vere one-half, leaving 12,500 in Home Guards. Of this
numl)er 6,000 were later taken into Confederate service as
Senior Reserves, leaving the Home Guards only 6,500, of
whom, however, when finally ordered out not more than 5,000
(as above stated) got to the front. The number of officers,
1,312, which were not very excessive before the Home Guard
was depleted by taking out the Senior Reserves, became
nearly one-fourth of the force when mobilized, as appears

1

2 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

from the official returns of the three Home Guard Kegiments
at Kinston September-November, 1864, and their number an
embarrassment.

In the early part of the war the ''State Troops" consisted of
the first ten regiments and the Thirty-third, which were en-
listed at the start "for three years or the war," the others being
twelve months men or "Volunteers." But the State Troops
in above table are the Sixty-seventh and Sixty-eighth Regi-
ments, the First Heavy Artillery Battalion (herein styled
iVintli Battalion), the Fifteenth Battalion (cavalry), and
Fourteenth Battalion (cavalry), which later was raised to a
regiment, the Seventy-ninth (or Eighth Cavalry). These
commands were never turned over to the Confederacy, having
been raised for service in the State, though they served under
Confederate Generals, like all others.

EXEMPTIONS.

As a matter of interest, the following table is here given

of exemptions in this State which were reported to the Con-
federate Congress in February, 1865. 129 Off. Rec. TJnion
and Confed. Armies, 1101 :

Physical disability 7,885

State officers (including in this 2,650 militia officers) 5,589

Ministers of the Gospel 400

Editors 21

Newspaper employees 99

Apothecaries 31

Physicians 374

Presidents and College Professors 173

Presidents, etc.. Deaf, Dumb and Blind 5

Overseers and Agriculturists ... 246

Railroad officers and employees 967

Mail contractors 100

Mail drivers 47

Non combatants (Quakers) 342

Foreigners 167

Special exempts 49

Agricultural details 329

Shoemakers, tanners, etc 437

Total 17,261

The State also furnished a large number of negroes from
time to time to work on fortifications under Confederate au-
thority.

NUnBER OF GENERALS FROn

mnm cflROLiNfl.

By the editor.

The total number of Confederate troops was between 600,-
000 and 050,000. The troops from North Carolina in Con-
federate service as above was over 125,000, or about one-fifth.

The Confederacy appointed the following General Officers
{20 So. Hist. Papers, 111):

Full Generals 6

Full Generals (temporary) 2

Of these none from North Carolina.
Lieutenant-Generals 21

From North Carolina two or one-tentJi.
Major-Generals 99

From North Carolina 6 (or including J. F. Gilmer 7)
instead of 20, her quota.
Brigadier-Generals 480

From North Carolina 25 (or including General Rains, 26)
instead of ho' quota, 96.

Of her twenty-five Brigadiers, four were temporary ap-
pointments and two of them were returned to their former
rank as Colonels after a few weeks service, and of her
Major-Generals, also one was a temporary appointment.
Of her two Lieutenant-Generals, one had his appointment
withdraAvn after rendering distinguished services in com-
mand of his Corps at Chickamauga, and the Senate had no
chance to confirm him as Lieutenant-General.

Investigation shows that Brigadier-General Gabriel J.
Rains and Major-General Jeremy F. Gilmer were appointed
from this State and should be added to the list of Generals
given in the preface to Vol. 1. Neither, however, com-
manded North Carolina troops. General Rains commanded

4 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

an Alabama Brigade in 1862 and thereafter was in the En'
gineer Corps. General Gilmer was Chief of Engineer Bu-
reau, and for a while Chief of Staff in the Army of the West.
After the war he settled in Georgia and General Eains in Ar-
kansas.

With Generals Rains and Gilmer added and including the
temporary appointments above mentioned, out of 008 Gen-
eral Officers appointed by the Confederacy, this State had
only 35 instead of 122, which would have been her one-fifth,
in proportion to troojjs furnished.

Governor Vance's letter books show repeated protests by
him against this discrimination. It is not too much to say
that by common consent in the army Peflder, Hoke, and Pet-
tigrew were entitled to command' Corps or even Armies, and
we doubtless had others who would have proven themselves
competent for high conunands if opportunity had been fur-
nished them.

It was only by urgent representations that Governor
Vance secured the brigading of North Carolina troops to-
gether in Lee's army and that most of the commanders of
North Carolina brigades were North Carolinians. As to the
Arm}^ of the West, that was never done, though the Legisla-
ture in 1864 passed a resolution requesting that the North
Carolina regiments in that army should be brigaded together
and a North Carolinian made Brigadier. In fact, Colonel
David Coleman, of tlie Thirty-ninth, for a long time com-
manded Ector's Brigade, in which was that regiment and
the Twenty-ninth, but he never received his merited promo-
tion. The Junior Reserves Brigade 12 March, 1865, peti-
tioned (unknown to Colonel Coleman) that he be promoted
Brigadier-General and assigned to command them, but the
application was not granted.

The same discrimination against this State in the appoint-
ment of General Officers was shown in the Revolution and
even in the recent war with Spain.

THE n;
PUBLIC

ASTOIl, L

TILDEN FC

GENERALS COMMISSIONED BY STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, 1861-5.

1. Walter Gvvynn, Brigadier-General.

2. Jno. W. McElroy, Brigadier-General.
^. David Clark, Brigadier-General.

4. Collett Leventhorpe, Brig'r-General.

.5. James G. Martin, Ad.iutant-General.

6. Daniel G. Fowle, Adjutant-General.

7. R. C. Gatlin, Adjutant-General.

8. John F. Hoke, Adjutant-General.

QENERflLS COMMISSIONED BY
THE STATE.

By Lieutenant E. A. THORNE, Ordnance Officer, Ransom's
Brigadk.

During the war there were eight Brigadier-Generals under
State commission, who commanded troops at the front or oth-
erwise rendered active service.

1. Brigadier-General John F. Hoke, Adjutant-General of
the Militia. Through him the volunteer regiments were or-
ganized down till his election as Colonel of the Twenty-third
Regiment, when he resigned. Later he resigned as Colonel
of that regiment and in 1864 was elected Colonel of the Sev-
c-ntj'-third Ttegiment (First Senior Reserves) and in Octo-
ber, 1864, was placed in command as Senior Colonel of a
brigade consisting of the Seventy-third, Seventy-fourth and
Seventy-sixth Regiments (First, Second and Third Senior
Reserves), which were in Confederate service and assigned
to duty guarding Federal prisoners at Salisbury and scouring
the three adjacent Congressional Districts for deserters.

2. Brigadier-General James G. Martin, who was Adju-
tant-General under the act to raise the eleven regiments called
^^State Troops," who enlisted in the beginning for "three
years or the war." After the resignation of Adjutant-
General Hoke he was Adjutant-General of the entire service
of raising and equipping troops and likewise charged with
the defence of the State. It was on his suggestion that Gov-
ernor Vance began the importation of army supplies through
the medium of the Ad-Vancc. In May, 1862, he was ap-
pointed Brigadier-General in the Confederate States service
and some months later a question being raised as to his right
to hold both commissions, he resigned the State appointment
and took command of a brigade in the field. In 1864 he
was sent to Asheville and placed in command of that depart-
ment, surrendering at Waynesville 10 May, 1865, the last
surrender this side the Mississippi.

6 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

3. On General Martin's resignation, Daniel G. Fowle was
appointed Brigadier and Adjutant-General, but held the posi-
tion only a short time, being soon elected to the Legislature
from Wake County. Previous to this appointment he had
been Lieutenant-Colonel of the Thirtj^-first Regiment and had
been captured at Roanoke Island. In 1888 he was elected
Governor.

4. Brigadier-General Walter Gwyun was an Engineer
officer of high repute and was, on the outbreak of the war, as-
signed by the State to the supervision of our coast defences.
His reports, still on file, are valuable and show that if his
suggestions had been followed we should not have lost Hat-
teras and thus opened the door to the host of evils which beset
Eastern Korth Carolina the remainder of the war. With
Hatteras securely held all Eastern North Carolina would
have been exempt from invasion as fully as the Cape Fear
country was till the loss of Fort Fisher. He resigned in
1862.

5. On the resignation of Adjutant-General Fowle, Richard
C. Gatlin, who was the senior Brigadier-General from North
Carolina in the Confederate service, resigned and was ap-
pointed Brigadier and Adjutant-General in State service.
He rendered most efficient duty organizing the Home Guards,
assisting the conscript service, and supervising the State
Troops, which were the Sixty-seventh and Sixty-eighth Regi-
ments, the First Heavy Artillery Battalion, the Fifteenth
(cavalry) Battalion (Wynns'),and Fourteenth Battalion (cav-
alry) later Seventy-ninth Regiment, for none of these were
ever turned over to the Confederacy. The Sixty-eighth was
raised entirely from men w^ithin the territory occupied by the
Federals. General Gatlin's letter and order books show the
great range of his work and the faithfulness and ability with
which he executed it.

6. Brigadier-General David Clark in January. 1862, was
assigned to the command of the defences of Roanoke river,
not so much by virtue of his command of a brigade of militia
(from Halifax, Northampton and Warren) as by special ap-
pointment from the Governor by reason of his knowledge of
that section. The militia of Bertie, Washington, Edgecombe

Generals Commissioned by the State. 7

and Martin were also placed under his orders, and authority
was given him to impress slaves, teams and supplies for his
purpose. On the fall of Roanoke Island he assembled his
militia at Plymouth, subsequently falling back to William-
ston. These orders were renewed by General S. G. French
and General T. H. Holmes, who successively came in charge
of the department. The Thirty-fourth Regiment under Col-
onel Leventhorpe and the Thirty-eighth under Colonel W. J.
Hoke were sent to his assistance, but he was not relieved of
the command till late in April when Colonel Leventhorpe suc-
ceeded him. This is the only instance of a General of Mili-
tia being in active service during that war in this State —
though it was common practice in the Revolution and in
1812-15- — and this, as just stated, was rather a special as-
signment to duty than by virtue of his previous commission.

7. Brigadier-General John W. McElroy was appointed by
Governor Vance 19 September, 1863, under the act of 7 July,
1863, to establish a "Guard for Home Defence" — commonly
called Home Guards. He and General Leventhorpe, ap-
pointed a year later, were the only two Generals of the
''Home Guards." General McElroy was assigned to duty in
charge of Home Guards of several counties adjacent to his
headquarters at Burnsville to protect that section against
raids from East Tennessee and was on duty till the surrender
of Johnston.

8. Brigadier-General Collett Leventhorpe had served as a
Captain in the English army. He was successively Colonel
of the I'hirty-fourth and Eleventh ^orth Carolina Regiments
and was wounded at Gettysburg. In 1804 he was appointed
by Governor Vance Brigadier-General and assigned to com-
mand the three Home Guard regiments which were assembled
at Kinston in September, 1864. On 3 February, 1865, he
was ap]iointed Brigadier-General in the Confederate service
but remained in command of these troops. He was at
Greensboro 14 April, 1865, and notified General Beaure-
gard on that date that his troops were leaving for home. 100
Off. Rec. Union and Confed. Armies, 800. But the same
thing was taking place at that time among all the troops, for
it was plain to all alike that our hope of success had passed.

/^ORTH CAROLINIANS Ot\ MILI-
TARY COURTS.

By the editor.

By General Orders 20 December, 1862, 12S Off. Records
Union and Confed. Armies, 2JfS, there was established nine
permanent military courts, one for each corps. Each court
consisted of a presiding judge and two associates, all of the
rank of Colonel, and a Judge Advocate.

jSTorth Carolina was represented on these courts as follows :

On court for Jackson's Corps, Colonel David M. Carter,
Associate Judge.

On court for E. Kirby Smith's Corps, Colonel Thomas
Ruffin, Presiding Judge.

On court for G. W. Smith's Corps, Colonel William B.
Rodman, Presiding Judge.

Out of the thirty-six officers of the nine courts, North Car-
olina had only these three representatives, though at the time
fully one-fifth of the troops under arms were from this State.

GENERAL AND FIELD OFFICERS
RILLED,

By Lieutenant E. A. THORNE, Ordnance Officer, Ransom's Brigade.

GENERALS.

Major-General William D. Pender.
" " Stephen D. Ilamseur.

" W. H. C. Whiting.
Brigadier-General L. O'B. Branch.
'' " Junius Daniel.

" " James B. Gordon.

" G. B. Anderson.
" " J. J. Pettigrew.

" Arch. C. Godwin.

COLONELS.

Montford S. Stokes, First Regiment.

Charles C. Tew, Second Begiment.

Gaston H. Meares, Third Begiment.

Geo. B. Anderson, Fourth Regiment, promoted to Brig-
adier-General and killed.

James H. Wood, Fourth Regiment.

Thos. M. Garrett, Fifth Regiment.

Charles F. Fisher, Sixth Regiment.

Isaac E. Avery, Sixth Regiment.

Wm. D. Pender, Sixth Regiment, promoted Major-Gen-
eral and killed.

Reuben P. Campbell, Seventh Regiment.

Henry M. Shaw, Eighth Regiment.

James B. Gordon, Ninth Regiment, promoted Brigadier-
General and killed.

James A. J. Bradford, Tenth Regiment, died in service.

Junius Daniel, Fourteenth Regiment, promoted Brigadier-
General and killed.

Philetus W. Roberts, Fourteenth Regiment, died in ser-
vice.

10 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Kobert M. McKinney, Fifteenth Regiment.

Champ T. N. Davis, Sixteenth Regiment.

Thos. J. Purdie, Eighteenth Regiment.

Solomon Williams, Nineteenth Regiment.

Matthew L. Davis, Nineteenth Regiment.

Clinton M. Andrews, Nineteenth Regiment.

J. Johnston Pettigrew, Twenty-second Regiment, pro-
moted Brigadier-General and killed.

Daniel H. Christie, Twenty-third Regiment.

Charles C. Blacknall, Twenty-third Regiment.

Henry K. Burgwyn, Twenty-sixth Regiment.

Wm. H. A. Speer, Twenty-eighth Regiment.

Edward C. Brabble, Thirty-second Regiment.

L. O'B. Branch, Thirty-third Regiment, promoted Briga-
dier-General and killed.

Clark M. Avery, Thirty-third Regiment.

Richard H. Riddick, Thirty-fourth Regiment.

John G. Jones, Thirty-fifth Regiment.
^ Charles C. Lee, Thirty-seventh Regiment.

William M. Barber, Thirty-seventh Regiment.

George B. Singletary, Forty-fourth Regiment.

J. Henry Morehead, Forty-fifth Regiment, died in service.

Samuel H. Boyd, Forty-fifth Regiment.

Robert C. Hill, Forty-eighth Regiment, died in service.

Stephen D. Ramseur, Forty-ninth Regiment, promoted
Major-General and killed.

James K. Marshall, Fifty-second Regiment.

Marcus A. Parks, Fifty-second Regiment.

Wm. A. Owens, Fifty-third Regiment.

A. C. Godwin, Fifty-seventh Regiment, promoted Briga-
dier-General and killed.

Peter G. Evans, Sixty-third Regiment.

James H. McNeil, Sixty -third Regiment.

Alex. D. Moore, Sixty-sixth Regiment.

W. C. Walker, Eightieth Regiment.

LIEUTEjSTANT-COLOXET.S.

Walter vS. Stallings, Second Regiment.
William M. Parsley, Third Regiment.

General and Field Officers Killed. 11

Junius L. Hill, Seventh Regiment.

Thomas Ruffin, iSFinth Regiment.

Francis W. Bird, Eleventh Regiment.

George S. Lovejoy, Fourteenth Regiment, died in service.

John C. Lamb, Seventeenth Regiment.

R. K. Pepper, Twenty-first Regiment.

Saunders Fuller, Twenty-first Regiment.

Franklin J. Faison, Twentieth Regiment.

Robert H. Gray, Twenty-second Regiment, died in service.

C C. Cole, Twenty-second Regiment.

John T. Jones, Twenty-sixth Regiment.

Thomas L. Lowe, Twenty-eighth Regiment, died in service.

William W. Sellers, Thirtieth Regiment.

Oliver C. Petway, Thirty-fifth Regiment.

John A. Graves, Forty-seventh Regiment, died in prison.

John A. Flemming, Forty-ninth Regiment.

James T. Davis, Forty-ninth Regiment.

John R. Murchison, Fifty-first Regiment.

Caleb B. Hobson, Fifty-first Regiment.

James C. S. McDowell, Fifty-fourth Regiment.

M. Thomas Smith, Fifty-fifth Regiment.

Edmund Kirby, Fifty-eighth Regiment.

James T. Weaver, Sixtieth Regiment.

Edward J. Mallett, Sixty-first Regiment.

Elias F. Shaw, Sixty-third Regiment.

Clement G. Wright, Sixty-sixth Regiment.

H. L. Andrews, Second Battalion.

MAJORS.

Tristam L. Skinner, First Regiment.

John Howard, Second Regiment.

A. K. Simonton, Fourth Regiment.

John C. Badham, Fifth Regiment.

Henry McRae, Eighth Regiment, died in service.

John H. Whitaker, ISTinth Regiment.

Thomas N. Grumpier, Ninth Regiment.

Egbert A. Ross, Eleventh Regiment.

Edward Dixon, Fourteenth Regiment, died in service.

Lucius J. Johnson, Seventeenth Regiment, died in service.

12 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

John S. Brooks, Twentieth Regiment,

Alexander Miller, Twenty-first Regiment, died in service.

W. J. Pfohl, Twenty-first Regiment.

Laban Odell, Twenty-second Regiment.

E. J. Christian, Twenty-third Regiment.

William S. Grady, Twenty-fifth Regiment.

Abner B. Carmichael, Twenty-sixth Regiment.

Thomas W. Mayhew, Thirty-third Regiment.

Eli H. Miller, Thirty-fourth Regiment.

George M. Clark, Thirty-fourth Regiment.

John M. Kelly, Thirty-fifth Regiment.

Owen ]Sr. Brown, Thirty-seventh Regiment.

Thomas McGee Smith, Forty-fifth Regiment.

Benjamin R. Huske, Forty-Eighth Regiment.

John Q. Richardson, Fifty-second Regiment.

James J. Iredell, Fifty-third Regiment.

James A. Rogers, Fifty-fourth Regiment.

James S. Whitehead, Fifty-fifth Regiment, died in service.

A. T. Stewart, Fifty-eighth Regiment.

Thos. W. Harris, Sixty-third Regiment.

Charles M. Roberts, Seventy-ninth Regiment.

John W. Woodfin, Woodfin's Battalion.

E. A. Thobne.

AlRLIE, N. C,

9 April, 1901.

N. C. TR00P5--VHERE STATIONED
21 NOVEnBER, 1861,

By brigadier-general JAMES G. MARTIN.

First Regiment, Matliias Point, Virginia.
• Second Kegiment, Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Third Eegiment, Acquia Creek, Virginia.

Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Regiments, Manassas, Va.

Seventh Regiment, Bogue Island, near Fort Macon, j^. C

Eighth Regiment, Roanoke Island, JSTorth Carolina.

Ninth Regiment, near Centreville, Virginia.

Tenth Regiment, Companies B, II and F, heavy artil-
lery. Fort Macon, North Carolina ; Company C, light battery,
near New Bern, North Carolina ; Company G, light battery,
near Fort Macon ; Company D, light battery, near Centre-
ville, Virginia ; Company E, light battery, near Port Royal,
South Carolina; Company A, light battery, Smithfield, Vir-
ginia ; Company I, heavy artillery, near New Bern, North
Carolina ; Company R, prisoners of war taken at Hatteras.

''Bethel" Regiment, disbanded 13 November.

Twelfth Regiment, Norfollv, Virginia.

Thirteenth and Fourteenth Regiments, Smithfield, Va.

Fifteenth Regiment, Yorktown, Virginia.

Sixteenth Regiment, en route to Manassas from Western
Virginia.

Seventeenth Regiment, the field officers and Companies D,
F, G, H, and I, were taken prisoners of war at Hatteras, the
balance of the regiment is at Roanoke Island and in Hyde
County, North Carolina.

Eighteenth Regiment, near Port Royal, South Carolina.

Nineteenth Regiment, Companies D, E, F, I and K, are at
Edenton, North Carolina, not mounted ; A, C and H at New
Bern, North Carolina, mounted ; B and G at Washington,
North Carolina.

14 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Twentieth Tiegiment, Forts Johnston and Caswell, N. C.

Twentj-first and Twenty-third Regiments, Manassas, Va.

Twenty-second Regiment, Evansport, Virginia.

Twenty-fourth Regiment, ordered from Western Virginia
to Petersburg, Virginia.

Twenty-fifth Regiment, near Port Royal, South Carolina.

Twenty-sixth Regiment, Bogue Island, near Fort Macon.

Twenty-seventh Regiment, Companies A, B and G at Fort
Macon ; the balance at Fort Lane, near New Bern, N. C.

Twenty-eighth Regiment, near Wilmington, N. C.

Twenty-ninth Regiment, at Raleigh under marching ordets
to Jonesboro, Tennessee.

Thirtieth and Thirty-first Regiments, near Wilmington,
N. C.

Thirty-second Regiment, Companies G, H, I and K taken
prisoners at Hatteras ; the other six companies are stationed
near Norfolk, Virginia.

Thirty-third Regiment, Companies A, B and C in Hyde
County ; the balance in this city getting equipped.

Thirty-fourth Regiment, at High Point, North Carolina.

Thirty-fifth Regiment, at Raleigh without arms.

Thirty-sixth Regiment, the six companies on the coast of
North Carolina.

Thirty-seventh Regiment, organized at High Point to-day.
No arms.

Two more regiments can be organized soon if arms can be
furnished for them.

The above does not incliide the battalion and companies
that have tendered their services to the Confederacy. They
would form, at least, two regiments.
I am very respectfully,

J. G. Martin.

Kaleigh, N. C,

21 November, 1861.

Note. — The above is report of Adjutant General Martin, 21 November,
1861, to Adjutant General Samuel Cooper, C. S. A.

DEEDS OP DARING-SIX HEROES.

By D. H. hill, Lieutenant-Generau

There were at least six instances in the siege of Petersburg
in which shells, with burning fuse attached, were picked up
and thrown over the breastworks. On inquiry, each of these
brave men were from North Carolina and their names and
commands were as follows :

1. Captain Stewart L, Johnston, Company II, Seventeenth
Xorth Carolina liegiment, says: '"A shell from one of the
enemy's mortars fell in the midst of the company, and while
it was s])inning round like a top and the fuse still burning.
Private William dames Auslxni picked it up and cast it over
tlie breastworks where it immediat(dy exploded. General
Beauregard in genei'al orders directed his name to ho ])laced
on the Roll of Honor and that he be ])rescnted with a silver
modal."

2. Colonel J no. E. Brown, Ptjrty-second Xorth Candina
liegiment, says: '^Private Frank Campbell, Company F,
of this regiment, though belonging to the Drum Corps, was
frequently on the firing line. On one occasion a loaded shell
fell into the trenches at Petersburg. Campbell caught it up
immediately and threw it outside, before it could explode,
thereby saving the lives of a nund)er of his comrades. On an-
other occasion he threw water upon a shell for a like purpose.
lie was from Davie CViunty and survived the war."

?>. Captain T. J. Adams, Company K, Forty-ninth Xorth
C'^i'olina Pegiment, says: ''Private William Guffey, of my
company, while rubbing up his field piece, as he was pleased
to call his rifle, had the misfortune to have it smashed by a
mortar shell. Seeing the shell, with the fuse burning rap-
idly and almost ready to explode, he cried out, 'Why, there is
the darned old thing frying now,' and gTabbing it up, threw
it over the breastworks."

4. Captain li. D. Graham, Company D, Fifty-sixth Xorth
Carolina Pegiment, writes: "On 18 June, 1864, the next
dav after the terrific nieht liattle of 17 June, a batterv to the

10 XoRTii Cakoi.ika Tkoops.. ]8G1-'G5.

light of tlie Baxter road tlirew a shell into a ditch where the
'Crater' afterwards exploded on 30 July, which ditch was
crowded with men from our regiment. Its explosion would
have caused a great loss of life, but quick as thought, Private
John Alvis Parker, of my company, had it upon his spade
and threw it over the breastworks, saying, "Get out of here."
It exploded as it went over. There was no braver deed dur-
hig the war. I heard that the same thing was done by a
member of Pegram's Battery the same day."

5. Adjutant W. L. Faison, Sixty-first North Carolina Reg-
iment, says: "I send you the name of Sergeant Thomas L.
Graves, Company A, of this regiment, as one of the six 'name-
less heroes.' On 3 June, 1864, at Cold Harbor, while the
enemy was shelling our works, a shell fell in the trench oc-
cupied by our regiment, in a smoking condition and almost
ready to burst. It was at once seized by this brave man and
thrown over the parapet."

6. Captain Jas. D. Cumming, Cumming's Battery, Com-
pany C, Thirteenth [N'ortli Carolina Battalion, writes:
"While Butler was 'bottled up' at Bermuda Hundreds, during
a heavy cannonade on 3 June, 1864, a shell from a 32-pound
battery, just opposite our position, fell into our trenches and
rolled under the trail of a gun by which I was standing. Pri-
vate J. P. Pierce, from Columbus County, IST. C, of my bat-
tery, raised the shell and threw it over the jiarapet. General
Beauregard in a general order complimented his bravery and
]n-esence of mind."

D. H. Hii.T..

Charlotte. N. C. ,

9 April, 18G7.

Note —The above is taken from Vol 2, Ltind We Love ( 1866-67) edited
by General Hill, in which mnch valuable material for the history of the
War is preserved, which is also true of Colonel Stephen D. Pool's valuabe
volumes Our Lmiuj and our Dead. There is no record of all those who cap-
tured flags from the enemy, but in 69 Of. Bee. Union and Confed Armies
806 is an official report of the capture 12 May, 1864, of the flag of the 51st
Penn. regiment by Lieutenant O. A. Wiggins, Co. E, 37th N. C. regi-
ment; of the flag of the 17th Michigan by Lieutenant J. M. Grimsley,
Co. K. 37th regiment, N. C, and of a brigade guidon by Private James
H. Wheeler, Co. E. Eighteenth N. C. regiment. It is to be regretted
that a complete list of the brave men from this State who thus captured
Hags from the enemy can not now be made.

OTHER DEEDS OF DARING.

By the editor.

Among the many other deeds of striking gallantry are the
following whose memory has been preserved to us by reso-
lutions of thanks by the General Assembly, for they are not
mentioned in any of the articles in these volumes.

On 4 July, 18G3, the General Assembly passed a resolu-
tion of thanks to "Captain John Elliott, of Pasquotank
county, his officers and men, for the gallant manner in which
they captured the two Federal steamers, Arroiv and Emily,
(mail boats), the former in Albemarle and Chesapeake canal,
the latter in North river, and bringing the same through Al-
bemarle Sound and up the Chowan and Blackwater rivers
and placing them safely under our guns at Franklin, Va., a
distance of 120 miles from the place of capture, and that,
too, while nmuorous gnn-boats were cruising the same route.'^

On 7 'Tuly, 18(33, the General Assembly passed a resolu-
tion of thanks to a "detachment of six men," of Ca])tain S.
C. Barringlon's company, of iMajor Jno. N. Whitford's Bat-
talion, "for their gallant and daring conduct in boarding and
capturing the crew of one of the enemy's boats (the Seabird)
on the waters of Neuse river, and in burning and destroying
said boat and cargo," and requested that Major Wliitford
should "forward a list of the names of the brave men who
have thus distinguished themselves" that they might be
placed on the roll of honor.

Captain Barrington's company was from Craven and when
Whitford's Battalion was increased and became the Sixty-
seventh Regiment, it was Company B, of that command.

On recent investigation by Major Graham Daves these
facts are learned:

"The schooner Seabird was captured at the mouth of South
river, off the Garbacon Shoals, and far within the Federal
lines. The names of the scouting party, 'a detachment of six
2

18 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

men,' are, or rather were — for all except the first mentioned
are now dead — Eobert F. Stillej, James M. Carmady, Benj.
JF. Edwards, Frank Howard, Cyrus J. Mayo and Wiley
Tlowe. Stilley was in command of the party. All were of
Craven County."

Captain Jno. T. Elliott's became later Company A, of the
Sixty-eighth Regiment, and was from Pasquotank County.
The incidents connected with the above captures by his com-
pany should noAv be hunted up and the names of the brave
participants preserved if these lines should strike the eye of
any having knowledge of the facts. The same should be done
as to the acts which caused the General Assembly to pass a res-
olution of thanks 23 December, 1864, "to Captain John A.
Teague, Twenty-ninth Regiment Xorth Carolina Troops, and
t(. the brave officers and men under his command for the ef-
ficient manner in which they have discharged their duties in
defending the western border of our State from the inroads
of the enemy and depredations of bands of lawless men."

The capture in ISTeuse river of the steamer Mystic 5 April,
1865, and of the side-wheel steamer Minquas and two barges
on Y April, 1865, by small detachments of the Sixty-seventh,
then operating in Sherman's rear, is told in Vol. 3 of this
w^ork on p. 710, and the capture of a steamer in New River
28 November, 1862, by Company A, of the Forty-first regi-
ment (Third (^avalry), and a section of Adams' battery is
narrated in Vol. 2, p. 774. Doubtless there were other inci-
dents of a similar kind creditable alike to the courage and
enterprise of our troops whose memory should be preserved
by surviving comrades before it is too late.

fl NORTH CAROLlfifl HEROINE.

By colonel STEPHEN D. POOL, Tenth Regiment (1 Art/
North Carolina Troops.

ISTews had been received at headquarters at Kinston in No-
vember, 18G2, that two Generals of the Federal army — one
of them commanding in North Carolina, would, on a certain
day, pass from Morehead to New Bern. It was advisable,
in view of certain contemplated movements, to capture the
train and secure the officers. At 10 o'clock p. m., I received
orders to proceed at once to Trenton, take a detail of men
from Major Nethercutt's command, and, if possible, on the
day named, capture the train. At 2 a. m., I reached Trenton
io find Major Nethercutt absent on one of his usual scouting
expeditions. Awaiting his return at daylight, I made my-
self comfortable, and was about to indulge in a morning nap,
when the clatter of the feet of a horse, at full gallop, caused
me to step to the door of the court house to see what was in
the wind. The sentinel upon duty had halted the rider, and
was receiving from him a paper to be immediately delivered
to the officer in command. To my astonishment, the note
bore no address, and upon being opened the blank page of
half a sheet of letter paper was all that met my eye. The
rider, an elderly countryman, unknown to me, was breathing
his jaded horse preparatory to return; but could give me no
other information than this: About 1 o'clock a. m., he was
aroused from his slumbers and on going to his door, found a
lady on horseback who gave him the note, and told him to
take it at full speed to Trenton and give it to any Confederate
officer he should find on duty there, as it contained important
information. In a few moments thereafter, I was in the pri-
vate room of a citizen of Trenton, and his kind wdfe was
warming an iron, for my use. Applied to the seemingly
blank sheet of paper, heat soon enabled me to see what I de-

20 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

sired. Foster had returned two days sooner than anticipated
and was to leave that very morning with a force most accu^
rately detailed on the sheet before me, on an expedition,
having, in my opinion, the railroad bridge at Weldon for its
objective point. The object of my expedition being thus
frustrated, I returned immediately to Kinston, and gave the
information I had procured through the intrepid daring of
one of New Bern's daughters to the officer in command.
Steps were promptly taken by the General commanding the
department, and such an array of troops were placed in front
and upon the flanks of the Federal General as caused him
rapidly to retrace his steps. The lady's name appended to
that note has never been told — her secret has been locked in
my breast — my superior officer, respecting my motive in de-
siring to keep it, only requiring my pledge that the writer
was worthy of credit. I doubt if the writer of that note
knew into whose hands it fell or the good it accomplished.
Wlien I state that she was a young lady, tenderly reared,
and then in the very morning of her maidenhood, her night
ride at great personal risk, to convey useful information, can
be properly appreciated.

Stephen D. Pool.

Note.— The above is taken from Vol. 4, p. 123 of "Our Living and
Our Dead, " Recent investigation shows that a young lady living in New
Bern sent the letter out (written probably with milk, which a hot iron
will disclose) by another lady living in the country who could pass the
pickets, and she delivered it to the messenger in the manner stated.
Both ran great risk. — Ed.

Captures and Battles,

fl CAPTURE BEFORE THE VAR.

OCCUPATION OF FORTS BELOV VlLniNQTON
10 JANUARY, 1861.

By JOHN L. CANTWELL, Colonel Fifty-First Regiment, N. C. T.

The fact that the State of North Carolina was slow to fol-
low the secession movement of her more Southern sister States
was the cause of much chafing among her people in the east-
ern counties, and especially along the seacoast, where it was
urged that the Federal Government was likely, at any mo-
ment, to garrison the forts commanding Cape Fear river, and
Beaufort harbor.

Thepeople of Wilmington were particularly exercised over
the possibility of such a step being taken, and it is likely that
the knowledge of this strong feeling, and the impression that
it would be regarded as an act of coercion, alone deterred the
Washington Government from sending down strong garrisons
and am])le munitions of war.

Fort Caswell, commanding the main entrance to Cape
Fear river, was a bastioned, masonry fort of great strength,
and in thorough order, but without mounted guns. Once oc-
cupied and armed it would have been impossible for the Con-
federates, without command of the sea, to have retaken it,
and the port which afterwards proved of such inestimable
value to them would have been effectually sealed. The Fed-
eral fleets having free entrance there, would have held the
shores on either side of the river for some distance up, and
commanded, from a safe interior base, the entrance through
ISTew Inlet, for the defence of which Fort Fisher was after-
wards built, and that historic and epoch-making earthwork
would ]ivobably never have been constructed.

In the State at large the union sentiment was at this time
slightly in the ascendent. In the lower Cape Fear section
the secessionists were probably in the majority. These re-

24 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

garded delays as dangerous, and anticipated with forebodings
the occupation of the forts by the Union forces.

Early in January, 1861, alarmed by the condition of af-
fairs in Charleston harbor, they determined to risk no longer
delay. A meeting of the citizens of Wilmington was held in
the court house, at which Robert G. Raukin, Esq., presided,
who afterwards gave his life for the cause on the battle field
of Bentonville. A Committee of Safety was formed, and a
call made for volunteers to be enrolled for instant service un-
der the name of "Cape Fear Minute Men." The organiza-
tion was speedily effected, John J. TIedrick being chosen com-
mander.

On 10 January Major Hedrick and his men embarked on
a small schooner with provisions for one week, the Commit-
tee of Safety guaranteeing continued support and supplies,
each man carrying such private weapons as he possessed.
Arriving at Smithville (now Southport) at 3 p. m., they took
possession of the United States barracks known as Fort John-
son, and such stores as were there in charge of United States
Ordnance Sergeant James Reilly, later Captain of Reilly's
Battery. 'J'he same afternoon Major Hedrick took twenty
men of his command, reinforced by Captain S. 1). Tliruston,
commander of the "Smithville Guards," and a number of his
men and citizens of Smithville, but all acting as individuals
only, and proceeded to Fort Caswell, three miles across the
bay, where they demanded, and obtained, surrender of the
fort from the United States Sergeant in charge.

Major Hedrick assumed command and prepared to make
his position as secure as was possible. About twenty-five
strong, armed only with shotguns, but sure of ample rein-
forcements should occasion arise, these brave men determined
to hold Fort Caswell at all hazards. In bitter cold weather
they stood guard on the ramparts and jiatroled the beaches,
reckoning not that, unsustained even by State authority, their
action was treasonable rebellion jeo})ardizing their lives and
property. There were only two 2-t-])ounder guns mounted,
one on the sea face and one on the inner face, both carriages
being too decayed to withstand their own recoil, but, such as
they were, with them thev determined to defy the armv and

A Capture Before the War. 25

navy of the United States. The smoke of an approaching
steamer being once descried below the horizon the alarm
was signaled, and, believing it to be a man-of-war, the brave
men of Smitliville flew to arms, and soon the bay was alive
with boats hurrying them to the aid of their comrades within
the fort. Women, as in the old days, armed sons and fath-
ers, and urged them to tlie front. But the steamer proved to
be a friendly one.

Upon recei])t of unofficial information of this movement,
Governor John W. Ellis, as Captain-General and Command-
er-in-Chief of the JSTorth Carolina Militia, 11 January, 1861,
addressed a letter to Colonel John L. Cantwell, commanding
the Thirtieth Hegiment JSTorth Carolina Militia, at Wil-
mington, in which, after stating his belief that the men were
"actuated by patriotic motives," he continued :

"Yet, in view of the relations existing between the Gen-
eral Government and the State of ISTorth Carolina, there is
no authority of law, under existing circumstances, for the
occupation of United States forts situated in this State. I
cannot, therefore, sustain the action of Captain Thruston,
however patriotic his motives may have been, and am com-
pelled, by an im})erative sense of duty, to order that Fort Cas-
well be restored to the ])ossession of the authorities of the
United States.

"You will proceed to Smitliville on receipt of this commu-
nication and communicate orders to Captain Thruston to
withdraw his troops from Fort Caswell. Y^ou will also in-
vestigate and report the facts to this department.

"By order of John W. Eli.is,

" C aptain-General and C ovimander-in-Cliief
"GEAriAiM Daves, "North Carolina Militia."

"Private Secretary and Acting Adiutant-General."

Upon receipt of this order on the 12th, Colonel J. L. Cant-
well notified the Governor that he would proceed at once to
Fort Caswell, accompanied by Robert E. Calder, Acting Ad-
jutant, and William Calder, Acting Quartermaster, two staff
officers temporarily appointed for that duty. Transporta-
tion facilities between Wilmington and Smithville were then

26 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

very limited. Colonel Cantwell and his aids embarked on a
slow sailing sloop which became becalmed within four miles-
of Smithville. They were put into shallow water from
whence they waded and walked to Smithville, where they
secured, with difficulty, because the populace was almost
unanimously opposed to their supposed mission, a pilot boat
in which they sailed to Fort Caswell, arriving there after
dark.

After some parleying, and not without reluctance, they
were admitted and conducted to Major Hedrick, to whom the
following order was delivered :

"To Major John J. Hedrick', Commanding Fort Caswell:

"Sir: — In obedience to the order of His Excellency, John
W. Ellis, Governor, Etc., a copy of which I herewith trans-
mit, it becomes my duty to direct that you withdraw the
troops under your command from Fort Caswell, and restore
the same to the custody of the officer of the United States^
whom you found in charge. Respectfully,

"John L. Cantwell^,
"Colonel Thirtieth North Carolina Militia.
"Robert E. Caeder.

"Acting Adjutant."

The garrison asked until the next morning to consider
what repl}' should be made and, on the morning of the 13th
this was returned :

"Colonel John Tj. Cantwell:

"Sir: — Your communication, with the copy of the order
of Governor Ellis demanding the surrender of this post, has
been received. In reply I have to inform you that we, as
North Carolinians, will obey his command. This post will
be evacuated to-morroAv at 9 o'clock, a. m.

"John J. Hedrick^
"George Wort mam, "Major Commanding.

"Acting Adjutant."

The fort was evacuated on the next day. Colonel Cant-
well and his Aides returned to Wilmington and reported the

A Capture Before the \Var. 27

facts to Governor Ellis. The United States Sergeant again
assumed control of the Government property.

Thus matters remained in this section nntil AjDril of the
same year, the State in the meantime drifting steadily to-
wards secession and war, and the people sternly arming and
preparing. The local military companies in Wilmington
were frilly recruited, and the former "^Minute Men" per-
manently organized as the "Cape Fear Light Artillery," un-
der which name they served through the war.

On 14 April came the firing upon Fort Sumter, followed
on the ir)th l)y a call from the Secretary of War upon the
Governor of North Carolina for "two regiments of military
for immediate service." Immediately the Governor tele-
graphed orders to Colonel J. L. Cantwell, at Wilmington,
"to take Forts Caswell and Johnson without delay, and hold
them until further orders against all comers." Colonel
Cantwell, as commander of the Thirtieth Regiment North
Carolina Militia, promptly issued orders to "the officers in
command of the Wilmington Light Infantry, the German
Volunteers, and the Wilmington Rifle Guards, to assemble
fully armed and equipped this afternoon" (15th), which
was promptly obeyed.

On the morning of the 16th the Governor telegraphed
Colonel Cantwell to proceed at once to the forts "and take
possession of the same in the name of the State of North
Carolina. This measure being one of precaution merely,
you will observe strictly a peaceful policy, and act only on
the defensive." The force under Colonel Cantwell's orders
moved promptly. It consisted of the Wilmington T>ight In-
fantry, Captain W. L. DeRosset ; the German Volunteers,
Captain C. Cornehlson ; the Wilmington Rifle Guards, Cap-
tain O. P. Meares ; and the Cape Fear Light Artillery, Lieu-
tenant James M. Stevenson, commanding. At 4 p. m.,
United States Sergeant James Reilly surrendered the post at
Fort Johnson, where Lieutenant Stevenson was left in com-
mand with his company. The remainder of the battalion,
under Colonel J. L. Cantwell, proceeded to Fort Caswell and
took possession at 6 :20 p. m., Sergeant Walker, of the United
States Army, being placed in close confinement in his quar-

28 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

ters "in consequence of the discovery of repeated attempts to
communicate with his government."

Officers and men worked with vigor to mount guns and pre-
pare for defence, and the work never ceased until the fall of
Fort Fisher in 18G5, and the necessary abandonment of the
defences of the lower harbor. The Wilmington Light In-
fantry were soon after sent to Federal Point, where, in Bat-
tery Bolles, they began the first defensive works which af-
terward grew into Fort Fisher, and its outlying batteries.

Thus was war inaugurated in North Carolina more than
a montli prior to the act of secession, and it is a noteworthy
fact that the news of the act dissolving its connection with the
Union, and the call upon her sons to arm themselves was first
made known to the pioneer troops of the Cape Fear on the
parade ground at Fort Caswell.

John L. Cantwell.

Wilmington, N. C,

10 January, 1901.

THE BATTLE OF Mfl^flSSflS.

21 JULY, 1861.

By brigadier-general THOMAS L. CLINGMAN.

On that (lay, General Beauregard was kind enough to lend
me one of his horses, and during the entire battle, I was
either with him or General Joseph E. Johnston. I will now
confine my statement to the narration merely of some facts
connected with the conduct of Colonel Fisher's regiment
Between two and three a. m., our army seemed to be most
pressed, the enemy then having gotten farthest in his ad-
vance, on our left flank. Besides large masses of the enemy
which had driven back our small force there engaged, Rick-
ett's six-gun battery was pushed far forward to a point on
the left of General Johnston's position, concealed, however,
by a skirt of pine trees. Its shots passed by us and went
many of them nearly a mile to the rear. Its rapid firing
from this advanced position, indicated to every one the ad-
vantage our adversaries had gained, and the situation seemed
most critical. I felt confident that if the enemy could long
maintain that position, our center would give way. General
Johnston evidently impressed with the gravity of the situa-
tion, exclaimed in a loud, earnest voice, ''If I just had three
regiments! Just three regiments!"

I looked to the rear through the open field and said, "Here
they are. General." He took a hasty glance to the rear and
said, '"They are too far ofi". I want them now!" The near-
est of the regiments v>^as within less than a quarter of a mile.
The men were bending forw^ard, marching up the hill as fast
as possiWe. They passed seventy or eighty yards to the left
and entered the pines, moving by the flank, directly towards
Rickett's Battery. The other two regiments were slower in
getting forward, and passed some hundreds of yards to our
left. As the regiment which had marched so near went out
of view among the pines, an ofiicer left it and came up to me.

30 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

He was Dr. Caldwell, the Surgeon, and informed me that it
was Colonel Fisher's regiment that had gone in. I expressed
to him my regret that I had not known it, that I might have
spoken to the Colonel and other officers. I waited anxiously
the result. The enemy were still pressing on ; this battery
and others were .incessantly throwing their shot far to our
rear, while the musketry fire on our side was slack.

It ought to he stated, that as the enemy had turned our
left flank with the larger part of his active fighting force
earl}' in the day, as fast as our regiments could be gotten up
they went in, and the collision was accompanied by heavy
musketry discharges on both sides. As our troops were, how-
ever, very greatly outnumbered by the masses of the enemy,
and outflanked, they were forced back wdth much loss, and
there would be a slackening of the musketry fire. The en-
emy thus, by overlajiping our left, was able to make a steady
advance, and was then getting in the rear of our center, or
rather might soon have been there.

Within fifteen minutes or less after Fisher's regiment
passed out of view, suddenly the crash of musketry was
louder than it had been at any time during the day. That
battery suddenly become silent. It did not fire another gun
that dav. The heavy musketry fire continued for more than
half an hour and gradually become fainter. At length there
was a dead pause for some moments. Believing the battle
was over, 1 took out my watch. It was then precisely 4
^'clock. There was no other musketry firing that day, till
late in the evening near Centreville.

I will now briefly state what had occurred. Colonel Fisher
moved his regiment by the flank into the pines. Immedi-
ately in front of them, and on his right as he marched ob-
liquely towards the left of our line, there was an open field.
In it, about sixty yards from the woods, Rickett's Battery
was stationed. From it, towards the woods, the ground
slightly rose, so that he was obliged to elevate his guns a lit-
tle, that his shot might pass over the ridge at the border of the
field. Outside of the field the ground descended into the
wood. Colonel Fisher at the head of his regiment passed
just inside the wood, below the crest of the ridge, along

The Battle of Manassas. 31

gromid which was rising a little. Thus he did not see the
battery until he, with some companies, had rather passed it.
Captain Isaac Avery's company was just opposite the bat-
tery. Finding themselves in this dangerous proximity, his
•company and others near them fired suddenly into the bat-
tery, only sixty yards distant. This fire killed most of the
cannoneers as well as their horses. The men ran down on
them, and finished the survivors with their muskets and
bowie knives. Immediately after this. Colonel Fisher,
having passed over the battery, received a ball in the brain
and fell dead about thirty yards in the rear of the battery
they had taken. Captain Isaac xVvery stated to me that
while he Avas sitting for a moment on one of the captured
pieces, he saw Colonel Fisher, who had moved forward to re-
connoitre seemingly, but was waving his rifle above his head
triumphantly. After his death, the regiment was obliged to
abandon the guns, not by the enemy's fire, but by that of our
own men.

There was a regiment they thought from Alabama, on
their left, but about two hundred yards in their rear, which
continued to fire on them. It was this fire that killed young
Mangum and several others. IMany think it probable that
Colonel Fisher himself was thus killed. As his regiment
had gotten so far in front, and was on ground so lately occu-
pied by the enemy in heavy force, the mistake was made.
The regiment was thus obliged to abandon the battery, but
it was never used, or ever retaken by the enemy. I saw Lieu-
tenant Douglas Ramsey Ijdng dead among the guns at the
close of the fight, while the Captain (Rickett), wounded, was
carried oft' a prisoner by our men.

I can vouch for the accuracy of the above statements,
partly from what I saw, and also chiefly from conversations,
which I had on that day and the succeeding one, with officers
and privates well known to me. The official reports of Bar-
ry, the Chief of the Federal artillery, and of General Heint-
zelman, both confirm the truth of these statements. They
said that this battery of Rickett's was pushed forward far in
advance, and that a regiment on our side come up within
sixty or seventy yards of it, and by a well directed fire disa-

32 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

bled it. Captain Kickett himself, while a j^risoiier, I was
told about that time, said that as soon as he saw this regiment,
he directed his guns to be lowered so that he could fire into
it, but that before his order could be executed the regiment
fired and disabled hiin, killed Lieutenant Ramsey and most
of his gunners. This declaration of his confirms what sev-
eral members of Captain Avery's company from Yancey
told me at the time. They said "that battery would have
ruined us but they were firing over our heads." Captain
Avery told me that as soon as he saw the battery, he without
waiting orders, directed his men to fire.

It may be asked why these facts so honorable to Colonel
Fisher and his regiment have not been officially or publicly
recognized '. Colonel Fisher was himself killed and his only
field officer then with the regiment, w^as Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Lightfoot, who unfortunately, was not in the battle.
He, with the two rear companies, was by some means sepa-
rated from the balance of the regiment, as it was marching
into battle. I saw him, and these two companies in the rear,
after the battle had ended. The officers stated that while
under his immediate conmiand, as the regiment was march-
ing forAvard into the battle, they were separated from the
other eight companies. Lightfoot, in their presence, for
it was a general conversation, complained very much of Col-
onel Fisher l^ecause he carried the regiment into action by the
flank. He gave no other reason for not being in the en-
gagement. Some days afterwards, when I urged him to
make such a reiDort as would do justice to Colonel Fisher and
the regiment, he merely reiterated his complaints about the
regiment being carried into battle by the flank. ^Not having
been in the battle himself, his report was not of such a char-
acter as to afford a proper knowledge of the affair.

I appealed to General Jos. E. .Johnston and requested him
to have tlie facts made public, l)ut he replied that in making
out his report he could only give such statements as come up
to him from the reports of his subordinates.

The service of Colonel Fisher and his regiment can not be
over estimated on this occasion. Let it be admitted that it
was a mere accident that he should have thus moved up by

The Battle of Manassas. S3

the flank (the best mode in which he conld have moved),
and thus gotten just to the place where he ought to have been.
The opportunity thus afforded was rightly used, and most
fortunately for the success of our army. Xeither then, nor
at any time since, have I doubted that this movement saved
the day to the Confederacy. If the gallant and noble Fisher,
by this dasli, lost his life, who did more during the long and
arduous struggle I Having from that day to this determined
to endeavor to have justice done to his splendid and heroic
action, I avail mvself of this occasion to sav something in
that behalf. I saw him for the last time two weeks before
his death, and his bright looks and generous words of thanks
to me, for a slight service I had been able to render him and
his command, are too vividly before me to allow me to let the
occasion pass by without a brief tribute to his memory.

Tkos. L. Clingman.

ASHEVILLE, N. C,

21 July, 1874.

THE FALL OF HATTERAS,

29 AUGUST, 1561.

Diary of MAJOR THOMAS SPARROW, Tenth Regiment, (1 Art.)
North Carolina Troops.

Portsmouth, X. C, 27 August, Tuesday. The privateer
steamer Goixlon ran into the inlet some time in the afternoon,
and put David Ireland and two others of the crew on the
shore. They re])orted in camp, the appearance of a fleet of
United States steamers, seen off Hatteras, after they left that
inlet. This news corresponded with a letter previously re-
ceived by Captain W. T. Muse, of the navy, giving notice of
the expedition.

Captains Tamb and Clements were at Portsmouth from
Hatteras attending a court-martial. These gentlemen ex-
j^ressed their desire to return to their commands at Hatteras
that night. I detailed Privates Wm. H. Hanks and Wood-
ley to take the steaiuer ]\[. E. Downing to carry them. They
left in the steamer about 10 o'clock.

Dnring the afternoon I went to Fort Ocracoke with Lieu-
tenant-Colonel G. W. Johnston, Major H. A. Gilliam, Cap-
tains Luke, Company D ; John C. Lamb, Company A, and
Clements, and took with me vSergeant William H. Von Eber-
stein to assist in the defence of the fort, and to act as Ord-
nance Officer. Lie went immediately to work preparing car-
tridges and putting things in order.

August 28, Wednesday. — I rose and dressed at reveille and
went on drill with the company on the parade ground, near
the church. Drilled two hours.

On return from the drill. Major Gilliam called me to the
front fence and stated that Colonel Martin had sent a dis-
patch, ordering all the forces at Ocracoke to Hatteras, and
requesting me to go. (I had been released from service in
the Seventeenth Regiment, and was expecting orders to join
Colonel Tew's Regiment in Virginia.) I at once gave or-

36 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

ders for the men to get breakfast, prepare two days' provis'
ions, pack their knapsacks, take tent flys (for they had no
tents), and prepare to embark.

I aj)pointed T. Hardenburgh a lance Sergeant, and left
him in charge of the camp, giving him written orders.
Among these was one, that he shonld request Mr. B. J. Hanks
to take certain of my coimmand expected from Washington,
on the steamer Col. Hill, to Hatteras in the afternoon. An-
other was on the approach of an enemy to take all the valua-
ble baggage and the remaining men in camp to Fort Ocracoke,
and if defeated in an attempt to do this, then to make the
best of his way up the sound to Washington.

The Washington Grays, forty-nine in number, exclusive
of conmiissioned officers, were in line, uniformed and equips
ped at 10 o'clock. I marched to the wharf, and embarked
them for Hatteras, on the schooner Pantheon.

The Morris Guards, Tar River Boys, and Hertford Light
Infantry, embarked in other vessels.

The Morris Guards took a vessel at Beacon Island, and so
had several hours advantage. The others were towed by the
steamer Ellis. Captain Muse embarked on her. So they
had an advantage.

Wind and tide being against us, we took a longer route
round Royal Shoals, and so were the last to arrive at Hat-
teras. The Ellis, with her tow, was only a half mile or so
ahead of us when we arrived.

When within ten or twelve miles from the inlet, we began
to see the fleet off the fort, first from the rigging, then from
the deck. As we drew nearer we began to count them — one,
two, four, ten, thirteen ! There is a large fellow — there three
others — there the small ones ! Occasionally a gun was heard,
then another — then three or four in quick succession.

The breeze freshened and favored us, and we began to
make the fort and all about it very plainly. The decks
and gunwales became crowded with men eager to see the bom-
bardment, insomuch that the helmsman, a negro, could hardly
see to steer the vessel. I had to order them constantly to
trim the vessel.

We soon had the fleet and both forts in full view. The

The Fall of Hatteras. 37

Tar Kiver Boys were just ahead of us, towed in by the
steamer Ellis. The Morris Guards were in a schooner at
anchor near the Swash. We followed hard after the Ellis.

We had an uninterrupted view of the fight. It was be-
yond description. There lay the formidable fleet of large
and small vessels off Forts Clark and Hatteras, and seem-
ingly in the inlet, was a steamer of moderate dimensions, af-
terwards known to be the Monticello.

Part of the fleet were firing upon Fort Clark, and part
upon Fort Hatteras, but the principal engagement seemed to
be between Hatteras and the Monticello. We could trace
every shot fired at the latter, and see every gun fired by her.
Souie fell to the right of her, but a number we could see went
into her. Fight struck her hull, and several penetrated
through and thi-ough. We thought from our position that
both forts returned the fire. This we afterwards learned to
be a mistake. Fort Clark did not reply, being at that time
in possession of the enemy. It was hard sometimes to dis-
tinguish bet\\een the bursting of a shell in the fort, and a
gun fired from it. Almost every shot was remarked by the
eager men on board. There goes the big fort — there goes
the little fort — that shot was too high — that too far to the
right— -that one plugged her in the side, good for that, boys.
There goes a broadside from the big steamer! How the
shell burst over the fort! What beautiful white clouds of
smoke they make I Such were some of the oft-repeated re-
marks made by the men around me.

I had never before seen a shell explode. It was sometime
before I got to understand the thing. I saw from time to
time beautiful little puft's of white, silvery smoke hanging
over the fort without at first being able to account for them.
I soon learned to know tliat it was where a shell had burst in
the air, leaving the smoke or gas behind it, while the frag-
ments had descended on their mission of destruction. As
remarked before, there was such a continual roar of artillery,
that we could not at our distance of one, two and three miles
distinguish the bursting of a shell from the firing of a gun.

At three-quarters of a mile from shore the Ellis grounded.
The schooner in tow of her, containing the Tar River Boys.

38 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

was then detached to come to an anchor. The schooner with
Captain Gilliam's company, was at anchor outside of all of
us. We had passed her. This, as well as I could judge, was
near 5 o'clock. My pilot did not know the way through the
channel to the fort.

About this time the firing had almost ceased on both sides,
and the Monticello had hauled off the inlet.

What was to be done 'I I came to anchor, had the boat
lowered, and went off to the Ellis. Captain Muse informed
me (by hail) that Fort Clark had surrendered, and that two
men had been killed. He offered me a pilot, Mr. Mayo, and
put him in my boat. I returned immediately to the Fan-
ilu'ou, ordering the anchor to be Aveighed before I boarded.

Just then two boats with Captain Muse, Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Johnston, and others, pulled from the Ellis towards the
shore. T was off in a few moments, beating up the channel,
towards Fort Hatteras. When this was discovered by the
enemy, they began to fire rifle shot and shell at u:*. The
shells fell short, but the rifle shot flew by us in quick succes-
sion. T had to make great exertions to keep my men below
decks, out of the way of the shots. I remained on deck near
the galley. Soon we discovered crowds of men sitting on the
outside of the fort. We knew not what to make of it. No
flag was flying in the fort, and I began to think that all was
over.

I ordered two hands in the boat, and pulled for the shore.
The shot continued to fly over and beyond us, but none took
effect. Landing, I gave orders that the vessel should go close
to the shore, and disemliark the men as soon as possible. I
then hastened to the fort, and entered through the sally-port.

The soldiers sitting on the outside of the parapet, and on
each side of the sally-port, looked fatigued and care-worn,
but their faces lighted up as I saluted them, gave them a
word of encouragement and passed into the fort. I found
the men standing about in various directions, some with
arms, others with muskets stacked, and all lookina; glad that
the day's fight was over, and that reinforcements had arrived.
They openly expressed joy at this latter occurrence. Cap-
tain Lamb greeted me shortlv after I entered. He was as

The Fall of Hatteras. 39

cheerful as usual and said he had defended Fort Clark during
the morning until he had shot away nearly every pound of
powder. On the front of the fort facing the ocean leaning
against a traverse, I fouiid Colonel Martin, Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Johnston and Captain Clements. The Colonel seemed
feeble and worn out. All expressed the opinion that we
should be attacked at night by the enemy's forces in posses-
sion of Fort Clark. Estimated at about eight hundred.

The PanfJieon containing the Washington Grays, sailed
close into the shore and soon landed the men. I ordered
Jesse Liverman, one of the cooks, to be sent up to assist in pre-
paring coffee and food for tlio soldiers. A Yankee cook,
from one of the prize schooners (the Samuel Chase), I or-
dered to be kept on board, fearing that he might desert, and
communicate with the enemy. I also ordered E. Harvey and
A. Buckstarf to be kept on board to guard the vessel and pre-
vent the hands from running her off. I did not allow the
knapsacks of the company to be landed, fearing they might
fall into the bands of the enemy. For the same reason I did
not allow the tent flys to be lauded.

I anticipated rhe result before leaving Portsmouth, and
wrote a letter to my wife prejiaring her for the worse. I
knew the enemy could shell us from the ocean, and that the
armament of tlie fort was not sufficient for a successful re-
sistance. I told the Adjutant-General this in Raleigh the
last time 1 was in that city.

All the men in the fort were in want of nourishment, my
own men and self included. We got a little bread and coffee,
but this was not general.

The Winsloir, Confederate States steamer, arrived after
dark, bringing Commodore Barron, Lieutenants Murdaugh
and Wise, of the navy. Major AV. S. G. Andrews, Captain
Muse and several of liis midsln]mien and sailors also came
into the fort.

Cjolonel ]\[artin and Major Andrews voluntarily surren-
dered the command to Commodore Barron, who thereupon,
assumed it.

Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston had entered the fort a little in
advance of myself. Major Gilliam arrived after dark.

40 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Tlie night was somewhat advanced before the Morris
Guards and Hertford Light Infantry got into the fort.

It became difficult after dark to find an officer until by
common consent the tent of Captain Calioon, in the south
angle of the fort, towards Fort Clark, became headquarters
and remained so for the balance of the time, until the sur-
render.

OKDERS OF THE NIGHT.

A sort of consultation was held on the steps near the navy
gun, by Commodore Barron and the superior officers, at which
I chanced to be present.

Lieutenant-CJolonel Johnston remarked to me that he in-
tended to take "that concern," meaning Fort Clark, during
tlie night. This project was discussed and inquiry made as
to the number of the enemy on the beach. The impression I
derived from the answers of Captains Clements, Lamb and
others, were that they numbered from seven hundred to eight
hundred. They had landed howitzers and ritie guns, and
had possession of two field pieces abandoned by our forces
that morning. The forces in the fort w^ere worn down with
fasting and fatigue. Part only of the forces from Ocracoke
were landed, and it was well in the night before all were on
shore.

We were short of shell, powder and shot, provisions and
water. All these had to be got into the fort. We had to
send off for candles, as not one was to be had in the fort.
These were needed for the Ordnance Officer to make up car-
tridges for the morrow's use. It was concluded that we
might hold the fort another day, and that on the night fol-
lowing we should take Fort Clark. It was also resolved that
we should waste no ammunition, and should fire only when
we could so do, with effect.

T was ordered to detail an officer to take charge of a picket
guard of one hundred men and to select thirty men from my
own company for this duty. I named Lieutenant James J.
Whitehurst to take charge of the guard, and ordered him to
select from our company thirty men, which he did. I was
also ordered by Major Andrews to select a force from the
various companies, and to get a 10-inch Columbiad from the

The P'all of Hatteras. 41

sound side into the fort, and to put it into position during
the night. I detailed ten men frum my company, ten from
Captain Sharp's, and five each from four other companies
for this duty. I gave charge of the whole to Private Wil-
liam B. Willis, who was a ship carpenter, and had handled
heavy guns successfully at Ocracoke.

There was no block and tackle, nor anything of the sort,
and no shears that could he used in moving or handling the
guns. We succeeded in getting a line and some pieces of
scantling for slides.

I was engaged at the shore iu a seemingly vain effort to
move the Columbiad, with our imperfect means, A\hen I was
ordered to desist by Major Andrews, he alleging as a reason
for the order that "there were neither 10-inch shot nor shell
in the fort, and therefore the gun would be useless if
mounted."

THK NIGHT.

Besides such of my men as were on picket duty, and other
duty, some of them with Lieutenant Shaw, were occupied in
landing men, water and ammunition a good part of the night.
This left hut few in the fort, not on duty. These I left with
Sergeant Bobbins behind the second traverse from the sally-
port, facing the inlet, where they remained during the night.
They leaned with their muskets against the traverses and slept
upon the gun platforms as best they could, without blankets
or covering of any sort.

There came u]i a little scud of rain in the night, and to
protect their muskets the men generally turned them butt up-
wards, with the bayonets in the sand.

The soldiers were some in the bomb-proof, some against
the bomb-proof on the outside, some behind the traverses,
some <ui the ])latforms, and some in the tents.

I slept but little — not half an hour in all. I sat in Cap-
tain Cahoon's tent with Colonel Martin at times, tried to
sleep in my chair a little, and would go tlience to where my
few men were. I always found Sergeant Bobbins awake.

FORCES IN THE FORT.

Washington Grays, Captain Sparrow, four officers and
forty-seven men. (Company G, Seventeenth jST. C. T.)

42 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

Independent Grays, Captain Cahoon, four officers and six-
ty-nine men.

Roanoke Guards, Captain Jno. C. Lamb, three officers and
ninety-eight men. (Company A, Seventeenth N. C. T.)

Morris Guards, Captain Gilliam, four officers and sixty-
four men.

Hamilton Guards, Captain Clements.

Tar River Boys, Captain Johnston.

Hertford Light Infantry, Captain Thos. H. Sharp, three
officers and sixty-four men. (Company C, Seventeenth N. C.)

Preston Guards, Captain Duke, three officers and sixty-
six men.

North Carolina Defenders, Captain Luke, three officers
and forty-seven men. (Company D, Seventeenth N". C. T.)

Lenoir Braves, Captain Sutton, three officers and — men.

RETURN OF THE PICKETS.

Just before day, while it was yet dark, a body of men were
seen to approach the fort from the direction of the inlet. In
the dusk of the morning it looked like a large force. I at
once took it to be the returning pickets, but others insisted
that it looked too large. Quite a stir was made in the fort.
All tlie men were called to arms, the guns bearing on the
inlet and on the sally-port were shotted with grape, and the
men stood readv to fire. I could not understand how so larg-e
a force could have passed the pickets without creating an
alarm, but then they might have landed in the inlet. It
Avas well enough to be cautious. .V man was sent out to
challenge the force, but no answer was heard. The excite-
ment grew quite intense. Soon I recognized the voice of
Lieutenant Whitehurst and called out that it was the picket
guard. This did not at first give satisfaction. Finally all
became assured, and the guard came into the fort and re-
ported.

They had advanced to within a few yards of Fort Clark
and had seen no signs of the enemy. We learned afterwards
that only a small force was left there, and that they got drunk
on the whiskey found there and went to sleep. This is told

The Fall of Hatteras. 43

me by one of the free negroes who remained there. The fort
might have been retaken had the fact been known.

PREPARATIONS.

August :20, Thursday. — The cooks had been kept busy all
night providing food and coffee for the men. Some time
after daylight, all got some, but not much. Fasting, want of
sleep, and anxiety had quite exhausted me. A cup of coffee
and a little whiskey and sugar given me by Captain Clem-
ents quite revived me.

The companies that had come from Ocracoke were to man
the guns, while the men who ]iad been on duty the day be-
fore were to be relieved.

I was ordered to form four detachments from my com-
pany, of eight men each and a gunner. They were to have
charge of the guns bearing on the inlet, one a 32 and one an
8-inch howitzer. The detachments were to be in charge of
one of my Lieutenants, and I was ordered to visit them in
person during the fight. I appointed the following gunners :
Sergeant Potts, Private Willis, Engineer Cornell and C. K.
Gallagher (a volunteer).

Gallagher came in port from tlie brig //. C. Brooks, on
which he was bound for Liverpool. He was fond of gun-
nery, was drilled at Beacon Island and I gave him a gun
first assigned to W. W. Cordon. He was not called upon to
fire it.

I gave the first detachment to Lieutenant W. Shaw, and
the second to Lieutenant A. J. Thomas, who was to relieve
the first every two hours.

The Tar lliver Boys had charge of two 32-pounders on
the same face of the fort as my two, facing the inlet, and to
the left of mine.

IMy first two detachments and the Tar River Boys pi-ac-
ticed at the drill of their guns, and received special instruc-
tions from Major Andrews as to the elevation of their guns.

The Morris Guards were assigned to two guns which bore
on the enemy, to-wit : The 8-inch howitzer in the pancoup
(or angle) bearing on the inlet and ocean (southeast), and
the Basket 32 near this. A traverse was between them.

44 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

The 32 on the left of this was mounted on a ship carriage,
on an elevated platform and was very slightly protected by
the parapet. This gun was in charge of Lieutenant Mur-
daugh, and a force from the naval steamer Ellis.

Stewart Johnson had charge of the howitzer in the angle.
Lieutenant Grimes the 32 left of the traverse.

These three guns were the only ones fired during the en-
gagement.

The Hertford Light Infantry liad charge of a 32-pounder
on the face of the fort looking towards Hatteras woods, and
Fort Clark. During the night pal't of the traverse had been
taken down, so as to bring this gun to bear on the rear of
Fort Clark. Captain Sharp commanded here in person.

DISPOSITIONS.

It was determined that only those on duty should remain
in the fort. The detachments to man the guns were to re-
main near them, and the reliefs were to stay in the bomb-
proof until called for.

All the men not on duty were ordered outside of the par-
apet facing the sound for their protection. I was ordered
not to fire a gun until the enemy should come within full
range of our g-uns.

Just to the right of my guns was a traverse, already spoken
of as the one where my men slept during the night. Just be-
hind this I posted my men, so as to be in readiness to man and
fire their guns when called upon. Here I remained some
time before and in the early part of the bombardment. Here
not a man was wounded.

Before the action commenced I was standing on the para-
pet near the pancoup facing the inlet and ocean, with Com-
modore Barron, Colonel Bradford and others, when bang,
bang, went some rifles at Fort Clark, and at the same time the
balls went whistling over our heads. The Germans there
seeing us on the walls, took us as a target for their pieces.
We got out of the way, of course. They continued to fire at
the fort for some time without doing any harm.

When guns were assigned to me, the first thought that oc-
curred to me was that owing to the position the enemy's ships

The Fall of Hatteras. 45

had taken, there was no protection for my men, as they would
be subjected to a raking* fire from them.

Ivooking from my guns seaward, I could see the broadside
of the Minnesota between the rear of the two traverses at
that angle of tlie fort. It was obvious that they would be un-
protected at their guns.

I immediately took Commodore Barron, Colonel Martin,
and Major Andrews to the parapet and pointed out to them
this defect. Orders were immediately issued to Mr. Allen,
the engineer, to take down a traverse in the rear of the fort
and extend one in the angle named (at right angles to the
face fronting the inlet) so as to protect the guns manned by
my men. It was only half completed when the firing com-
menced, so the guns were unprotected. In the engagement
both were disabled by shells from the Minnesota.

The large vessels had steamed oif some distance from the
shore at night, and the smaller ones took shelter in a bight
under the cape near the shore.

At early dawn their heavy outlines could be descried off
the bar to seaward, in all their formidable array. As the
morning wore away about 7 o'clock, a signal was fired from
the flag-ship Minnesota, and soon the fleet were in motion for
the shore. They moved in, took their positions with appar-
ent deliberation and came to anchor. The bombarding fleet
consisted of the following vessels: Flag-ship Minnesota, 74
gims; Susquehannah, 74 guns; Cumberland, 74 guns; Wa-
hash, 74 guns ; Harriet Lane, 7 guns.

The Cwinherland came into action after the rest had begun
to fire. The Harriet Lane joined them but did not confine
herself to one position.

The action lasted three hours and twenty minutes. Such
a bombardment is not on record in the annals of war. Xot
less than three thousand shells were fired by the enemy during
the three hours. As many as twenty-eight in one minute
were known to fall within and about the fort.

It was like a hailstorm, and how so many escaped is known
only to Providence, who sheltered and preserved us. On
this subject see the official reports of Commodore Barron,

4§ North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Major Andrews and Colonel Martin, which with the reports
of Commodore Stringhani, I have preserved.

How shall I describe the bombardment — how give an idea
of what was going on in various parts of the fort — how ex-
press my ideas and imjiressions upon such a subject ? It
would be a hopeless task.

J was standing with my men behind the traverse spoken
of, near the inlet, when the first shot was fired. This was
according to our time twenty minutes before 8 o'clock. Ac-
cording to Commodore Stringham's account it was 8 o'clock.
We were all ready and expecting it. As the report reached
us, some one called out, ''There they go, look out !" and all
instinctively leaned closely against the traverse. The next
moment the sharp, shrill whistle of the shell was heard. It
came from the direction of the Susquehannah and passed
right over us. It was followed in rapid succession by others,
which fell in all sorts of directions, some of them falling
short.

The flag was planted on the traverse next to the sally-port,
just beyond us, under my directions. It was found to afford
a mark for the enemy and in about an hour was taken down.
I sent John Blount to do it, but he called on W. B. Wil-
lis, who mounted the parapet, flaunted it at the enemy and
then brought it down. It was in the hottest of the fight.

The place where I was standing was very much crowded
and I concluded to seek shelter elsewhere in a position con-
venient to my guns. I was told not to fire without orders,
unless an attempt was made to force the inlet. I therefore
sought the entrance to the magazine, a few feet distant, and
directly opposite my guns. Lieutejiant Carraway was in the
magazine passing out the powder as it was called for. In the
entrance v/ith me were J^ieutenant JSTorman, Colonel Martin
and part of the time Lieutenants Whitehurst, Thomas, Shaw
and others. It was a vei'y dangerous place, but oflicers and
men were continually coming and going. It was close and
intolerably hot. We had to keep our hats going as fans to
keep up a circulation of air.

The naval gun commanded by Lieutenant Murdaugh, and
the guns commanded by Lieutenants Johnson and Grimes,

The Fall of Hatteras. 47

returned the lire of the enemy, but it was discovered that the
greatest elevation we could get, our guns did not reach the
enemy. Tt was therefore a one-sided business. It became a
question of endurance on our ])art. Could we hold out during
the day we would tiike the enemy in Fort Clark at night.

While in the magazine I could readily distinguish be-
tween the enemy's guns, the ex^dosion of their shells and our
guns. When we fired the concussion shook the entire bomb-
proof. We could tell when every sliell was falling. Many
of the fragments fell at the door. Had a shell fallen there
we would have all been killed. We could hear them fall and
explode all around and about us. Some came so near that
I became alarmed for the safety of the magazine. The door
beyond us had to be kept open to give air to Lieutenant Cara-
way, and to enable him to pass out the powder as it was called
for.

While here, the news of the killing of one, and the wound-
ing of another would be brought in by the men. Here I
heard of Lieutenant Murdaugh's misfortune, and that Com-
modore Barron was killed. This ])roved to be a mistake.
When a shell or ball would strike the bomb-proof or a tra-
verse, it would be with a very peculiar thud and all would
listen for the explosion. In this we would some times be
disappointed. It was because some of the shells did not ex-
])lode as they fell.

During all this ])art of the engagement W. B. Willis had
stood by his gnu, and could not l)e induced to leave it. Col-
onel Martin once ordered him to leave. He stood upon the
carriage and gave notice to the men whenever a shell was
coming, fearless as to himself.

My men and Captain Johnston's were all ordered to leave
their guns, and take care of themselves as best they could.
They all remained behind the traverses. One of John-
ston's men was killed, and one of mine knocked down behind
one of these.

On leaving the magazine (having been there nearly an
hour), I went where Grimes was firing his gun, on the front
of the work. The shells were flying rapidly. I took shelter
beneath the parapet. In a few seconds I was covered with

48 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

sand and earth. A shell struck the parapet just over me
and covered uie. I got up and retreated to the end of the ad-
joining" traverse, where were Lieutenant Moore and others.
I held my head down and brushed the dirt from my neck and
head.

I went next to the end of a traverse near the southeast
angle of the fort (towards Fort Clark), and hack of Captain
Cahoon's tent already spoken of.

Here were Commodore Barron, Major Andrews and oth-
ers. The tents were all on this (east) side of the fort, and
the enemy made a mark of them as afterwards learned. The
shells now fell with fearful eifect in all parts of the fort, and
on the bomb-proof, but more especially on this side. The
tents and wood kitchens were literally torn to pieces.

I remained at the traverse during the rest of the bombard-
ment, some times in front of it, and once between it and the
parapet. It was while I was there that it was damaged by
tliree shells, and the top torn all to pieces.

While here there came over me a feeling of perfect secu-
rity, not to say indifference. 1 could tell every shot that
was to pass by and every one that was to fall. The one had a
rapid, sharj^, shrill sound ; the other a dull, hoarse sound, as
if ahnost exhausted. We would hear them strike with a thud
and in a second look and listen for the explosion. Looking
up I would see many of them fly rapidly over seemingly on
an eager mission of destruction, fall just beyond the parapet,
and send into the air a column of sand and water. Here the
men were huddled together. I saw many pass in this way.
The only uneasiness I felt was on account of the men, several
hundreds of whom were on the outside unprotected, where
most of the shells were falling and exploding. Almost every
minute some one was brought in from there Avounded, and
taken to the bomb-proof, where the surgeon was dressing
wounds. More persons were wounded here than anywhere
else.

I was standing at one time at the corner of the traverse,
and stooped down to say a word to Major Andrews. At that
instant a rifle shot from Fort Clark passed through the cor-
ner of the traverse where my head had been but a second

The Fall of Hatteras. 49

before. It made a beautiful clean, round hole. It was
while here that a shell exploded on the traverse above me, and
a fragment tore my coat from my left shoulder and pene-
trated to the tail, tearing it badly. While lying on one side
of this traverse, leaning on my elbow, very much at ease, a •
large fragment of shell fell from the air on the platform at
my side, when there had been no explosion for some seconds.
It came like an aerolite, seemingly without cause and very
much surprised me. While here another shell struck a gvm
near by, glanced off, bounded over the parapet, exploded, and
sent up an awful column of sand and water.

I was at one time in conversation with the officers in com-
mand at the end of the traverse, when a bomb fell with tre-
mendous noise and force near our feet and exploded. I fell
round the end of the traverse and all the rest huddled to-
gether, ^o one was hurt.

For the last hour the enemy seemed to have got our range
exactly, and almost every shot fired from their ships fell into
a7id about the fort. We had long ceased to fire, as we could
not reach the enemy, and to man the guns was a useless ex-
posure of the men. It became apparent that in an hour or
tA\'o every man must be either killed or wounded.

It was now nearly 11 o'clock and matters were becoming
momentarily worse. Commodore Barron called a council
of all the staff officers and Captains, at the end of the para-
pet I have so long been speaking about. He said : "You see
hoAv it is. We cannot do the enemy any harm. Our guns
do not reach them. Our men are all exposed and we cannot
protect them. What shall be done ?" We discussed the
propriety of a retreat. All favored this if it were practica-
ble, in preference to a surrender. There were serious doubts
of this. All the vessels were a mile or more from us and we
had no boats. They would be exposed to the enemy's shells
if they came in, and the men would suffer dreadfully in get-
ting to them. Commodore Barron and Colonel Martin were
both very reluctant to surrender.

In deference to their wishes it was at first resolved to try
to effect a retreat, and to spike the guns. Lieutenant John-
ston was ordered to make a signal from the top of the bomb-
4

50 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

proof to the vessels and steamers in the sound to come in.
He performed this duty, and reported that the signal had
been answered by Captain Mnse. Lieutenant Johnston was
then ordered witli such means as were at his command to
S]iike the gnus. He went to ;i gun <in the east side of the
fort tn\v;ii(U the Wood, ;ind began liis work, ninl was ordered
to desist.

-Fust at this stage of affairs it was I'ciiorled that the mag-
azine was on tire. Tlie men came pouring out of the bomb-
])roof ])anic stricken. It is said that they ran over the
wounded in getting out. I saw just here Wm. H. Harvey,
one of my men, ])icked u]) dead as 1 tbonght. It turned out
otlierwise, as his hi]) was only dislocated. It was in this
stage of affairs tliat the council i-esolved that it wouhl be the
best to surrender. All were nnanimous in this final, but
reluctant conclusion. Accordingly a white Hag was ordered
to be raised upon the ])ara])et. Lieutenant Johnston, I
think it was, got a piece of while canvas or sheet — a sort of
feti'camer. and waved it on the ]iarai)ei fronting the ocean.
No notiee of it was taken by the encMiiy. Some one then
got a large Confederate flag, tore all but the white bar from
it, attached this to a pole and jdanted it on the l)omb-proof.
Two shots only from the enemy were tire(l after this. Both
fell, 1 think, into the fort. The firing then ceased.

The bomb-proof was not on fire, but a shell had penetrated
through one of the ventilators and exploded, falling among
the men below. The smoke caused them to think it was on
fire. It fell between two of my men. X(uie were injured.

A feeling of sadness ]n'evailed on e\'ery countenance after
the firing had ceased. Lieutenant Carraway, Ordnance Of-
ficer, of Martin County, raved like a nuul man. He swore
he wanted to die right there and never surrender. Two
of my men, Schenck and Hall, both Northerners, wept like
children. Many would have run for the shore to escape, but
T forbade them. E. B. Shaw and W. J. Pedrich did so.

As soon as the firing ceased the land forces at Fort Clark,
under Colonel ^lax. Weber and Hawkins, both Germans,
came over the beach with the ''Star Spangled Banner" to-
wards Fort Hatteras. They ])lanted their two flags in the

The Fall of Hattekas. 51

sand and formed alxnir them at the distance from the fort of
several hundred yards.

General Bnth'r, in the steamer Faimy. carrying two rifle
o-nns, ran into the inlet and fired a gun at the WinsJmv.
Til is ir((s an oiifra(/e. as it was tahing undue advantage of a
flag of Truce. Had the negotiation failed he never would
have got out again.

During the morning the Colonel Hill had come down from
Portsmouth l)efore the firing began, but not in time, I sup-
pose, to land more of my men, who were no doubt on board.
After the surrender she with the Winslow and all the other
steamers and vessels made the best of their way up the sound.
They were spectators of the whole bombardment, and a very
grand s])ecta(de it must have been to them.

Colonel ]\Iartin and Major Andrews went out to the near-
est flag of the enemy to bear Commodore Barron's terms to
them. It Avas a \*)u<x time before an answer was received, as
they had to send to the tlag-ship to General Butler and Com-
modore Stringham.

In the meantime the enemy sauntered about the lieach in
some order, and our oflicers and men strolled about the fort
looking at the damage done in various quarters. A cut of
this in one of the pictorial papers of Xew York is tolerably
correct.

During this interval the (Jhaplain from Fortress Monroe,
C. W. Denison l)y name, was going about the fort, notebook
in hand, examining everything, asking questions of oflicers
and men, picking up and begging relics, and talking very
patriotically. There was a wounded man in one of the tents,
thought to be dying (as lie was), and for him this Chaplain
offered up a prayer, a crowd around him. He told me he
was a special corresytondent of the New York Tribune. The
articles in that paper are no doubt from his pen. Like every
man connected with the press North, he deals in falsehoods,
knowing them to be such.

Finally Colonel Max. Weber, a tall, sharp-featured Dutch-
man, that could hardly speak English, came into the fort,
went into the oflficers' tent and carried General B. F. Butler's
answer. It was a refusal to grant our terms.

52 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Commodore Barron called a council of officers and siibmit-
ted the matter. He drew a final proposal and submitted it.
We discussed it. There was no alternative but to surrender
unconditionally, except that we were to be treated as prison-
ers of war. The terms were to be arranged on the flag-ship.

Commodore Barron, Colonel Martin and Major Andrews
were taken by one of the smaller steamers off to the Minnesota
to arrange the particulars. They then surrendered their
swords to Commodore Stringham and did not return to the
fort.

GENERAL B. F. BL'TI.EE.

This worthy, with his blue coat and brass buttons, his lop-
eyelids, and swaggering, fussy, waddling mien, came to re-
ceive the surrender of the fort and to embark the prisoners.

The Adelaide and another large passenger boat came into
the inlet for this purpose, besides several of the tug boats.

I -was introduced to General Butler at the door of the of-
fiers' tent. Forgetting myself, and indulging in my usual
politeness, I said, when shaking his hand, "I am glad to see
you, sir." He replied in a familiar manner, *'That is not
true; you are not glad to see me." "Oh! no," said I, slap-
ping him on the shoulder, "I forgot myself. I am not glad
to see you. 1 beg your pardon."

Major Andrews (who had returned) ordered all the Cap-
tains to form their companies for the General's inspection,
and to stack arms. We formed on the parapet facing the
inlet near the sally-port. Formed in two ranks and stacked
arms. Companies formed in different parts of the forts.
The enemy landed near a thousand of their forces and formed
from the sound side up to the sally-port, on one side of the
causeway.

The General (Butler) inspected my men, as also the rest.
I offered him my sword. He refused to receive it, and told
me to hang it on the muskets, which I did. The other officers
did the same.

Some one asked him if he were not going to march his
men in before we marched out. His reply was, "No, I will
never take possession until the men who have made so gallant

The Fall of Hatteras. 53

a defence have marched out." The only honorable senti-
ment I have ever heard attributed to him. I heard the re-
mark.

My company was about the second that left the fort. We
also formed in two ranks in the causeway from the sally-port
to the sound. The gun-boat Fanny was at the landing to re-
ceive us and take us to the Adelaide, anchored in the road-
stead. General Butler superintended the embarkation him-
self— stood at the landing — passing and giving orders, boat-
swain's mate or boss Avorkman totally destitute of all dignity
or propriety.

It was an hour before we were all on board. While stand-
ing in line I gave C. K. Gallagher my torn coat to carry
home, and v/rote a hasty note to my wife. He had been re-
leased by General Butler and they promised to set him across
the inlet. This they never did, but took him as prisoner to
Fortress Monroe.

As we embarked on the Farmy the German mercenaries
marched in. They raised the Stars and Stripes in several
places on the bomb-proof, and formed on the parapet from
sally-port to sally-port, one dense mass. Cheer after cheer
rent the air, and they fired a salute of thirteen guns, some of
them as they had been shotted by ourselves. I saw the grape
scatter across the water from one on that face of the fort.

The Adelaide is one of the oSTorfolk and Baltimore bay
steamers, a fine boat and the one on which I traveled with
my family on the way to Illinois. She was anchored about
half a mile from the shore. The forces were taken on the
gun-boat Fanny and taken off to her, I went in the first boat.
The men were confined to the lower deck, and the officers and
wounded were assigned to the upper or berth saloon.

Ofileers and men had been without food since early morn-
ing, and were very hungry, an unfortunate circumstance, as
no arrangements had been made to feed us on the Adelaide,
Even water was scarce, and this we were greatly in need of.
Servants were scarce, there being only one man servant for
the whole force. After an hoiir or tAvo we had a tolerable
supper, rather scant, and the men had to be content with a
little bread. They were glad to get this.

54 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

General Butler busied himself iu chuckling and talking
familiarly to the officers in the after saloon. His aim seemed
to be to make himself free and easy with everybody, aoid to
a])pear to be very clever.

The wounded were brcjught to the after part of the upper
saloon, and arranged iu beds as comfortable as possibly, with
passage ways between. There were fourteen or fifteen, some
of them very badly wounded. Only one made much ado,
most of them lying perfectly quiet. They were heroes.

The state-rooms were assigned to the officers, l)ut it was a
late hour before many of them could get to bed. The one
servant having riKU'e than he could do. When I got hold of
him there was not a room to be had. The servant, however,
told mo to follow him. I did so, through various apartments
of llie ship, an<l finally found myself in the ladies sleeping
saloon, where the berths and sheets were very nice. An old
negro ^\•oman was there in her night clothes and seemed very
much astduished at our advent. She rul)bed her eyes and
shifted her quarters. Lieutenant Allen, Ordnance Officer,
was with me. We wei-e soon asleep, and had a good night's
rest.

Thomas Spakrow.

Hatteras, N. C,

29 August, 1861.

Note.— At the date of this action Major Sparrow was Captain Company
G, Seventeenth Regiment N. C. T.— Ed.

CHICAMflCOMICO,

4 OCTOBER, 1361.

By E. C. yellow LY, Lieutenant-Colonel Sixty-Eighth Regiment
North Carolina Troops.

"Sure enuuiih oli" we went Friday morning last. We got
<»n Ijoard nur steamers and transjxirts the evening before and
lay at anchor off the island until i o'clock next morning.
Our forces consisted of the Second Georgia and our regiment,
and a small detacliment of the Seventh Xorth Carolina Vol-
unteers (later Seventeenth IJegiment. Ed.), all under com-
mand of C'oloncd A. R. Wright, of the Georgia Regiment, as
senior officer. ■ At daylight, we were in sight of Chicamacom-
ico, where it was supposed that the enemy was encamped. Our
steamers, commanded hy (-ommodore Lynch, took position
about three and a half miles from the shore, as near as he could
get, and commenced firing towards the woods with his rifled
cannon to drive the enemy from cover. This fi.ring was kept
up for an hour, when Colonel Wright, Avith his Georgians on
some boats, commenced td land. The enemy saw him coming
and began to run, leaving everything licliind tliem, except
their arms and accoutrements. We took everything, besides,
they bad. Their tents, cam]) equipages, haversacks, blan-
kets. ])r()visions, etc. This ])a])er 1 am writing on was taken
from them. You must keep it as a relic.

Our boys found Bibles, likenesses, pajier and a great many
things of like character. They found great numbers of let-
ters, which they kept and read. Some were funny, some
vulgai-, some from sweethearts, fathers, mothers, sisters,
brotbers and friends. And some written bv the soldiers,

Note. — At the time Yellowly was Captain Company G, Eighth Regi-
ment. He was promoted to Major, August, \>*&?> and to Lieutenant-
Colonel Sixty eighth Regiment October, 1863. He was a leailing lawyer
in Greenville. N. C, and died some years since. This article is taken
from a letter he wrote to a relative 8 October, 1861, four days after the
events he narrates. — Ed.

56 North Carolina Troops, ]861-'65.

which they did not have time to finish and maiL They all
breathed hostility to the South.

Our regiment tried to head off the enemy. We could not
get nearer to the land where we were sent, than two miles.
We got out of our boats and tried to get ashore, but after
wading about a mile, the water got too deep, and we had to
go back. Our boys hated to go back. We were close to Hat-
teras light house, and in sight of the enemy's shipping at
Fort Hatteras. Night overtook us by the time we re-em-
barked and we could not try to land any more that day. We
were about twenty-five miles distant from the Yankees' camp
at Chicamacomico. The Yankees had named it Live Oak
Camp. They were the Twentieth liegiment of Indiana
troops, commanded by Colonel Brown. We heard next day
that they saw our regiment tiying to land, and being broken
down running from the Georgians., who were pursuing them,
they prepared to surrender to us, 15y stopping and shooting
off their guns. The people on the island told this. They
got rested before the Georgians came up with theui and went
on and were reinforced from Fort Hatteras next day. Had
we landed, we would have taken them all prisoners and blown
up Hatteras light house. Bad generalship on the part of
Colonel Wright prevented it. He had made boats, but would
not let us have them to land in. He kept them to make good
his retreat. Next day the Pawnee steamship came up from
Hatteras and commenced firing at the Georgians. We could
see it all from our boats out in Pamlico Sound. She fired
about 200 guns at them, but never killed a man. The bombs
would sometimes fall among them, but did not burst. Colo-
nel Wright got back at night and all his men got off safely
except one, who died from fatignie. It was a warm day.
We got back here on Sunday night last, hungry, dirty and
greatly fatigued. We had the enemy completely in our
powei", but owing to his bad management and want of mili-
tary skill, we failed to catch them."

E. C. Yellowly.
Roanoke Island,
8 October, 1S61.

THE NEW YORK

P-UBUC LIBRARY.

astor, lenox and
tilDEn foundations.

BATTLE OF ROANOKE ISLaNK. FEB. 8, 1862.

LOSS OF ROAflOKE ISLAND.

8 FEBRUARY, 1562.

Report of Investigating Committee Confederate Congress.

The committee to whom was referred a resolution of the
House of Eepresentatives, instructing them to inquire and re-
port the cases and circumstances of the capitulation of
Roanoke Island, have had the same under consideration and
have ffiven all the facts and circumstances connected with
the defences of said Island and its adjacent waters, and of the
capitulation on 8 February, a most elaborate investigation.
The conunittee find that on 21 August, 1861, Brigadier-Gen-
eral Gatlin was ordered to the command of the Department
of Xorth Carolina and the coast defences of that State. On
29 September Brigadier-General D. H. Hill Avas assigned to
duty in Xorth Carolina and charged with the defences of
that portion of said State lying between Albemarle Sound
and the iSTeuse river and Pamlico Sound, including those
waters, and was directed to report to Brigadier-General Gat-
lin. On 16 November Brigadier-General L. O'B. Branch
was directed to relieve Brigadier-General Hill in command of
his district in Xorth Carolina. On 21 December that part
of the North Carolina coast east of the Chowan river, to-
gether with the counties of Washington and Tyrrell, was, at
the request of the proper authorities of Xorth Carolina, sepa-
rated from the remainder and constituted into a military dis-
trict under Brigadier-General II. A. Wise, and attached to
the command of Major-General Huger, commanding the De-
partment of Xorfolk.

At the time therefore of the surrender of Roanoke Island
on 8 February, 18(>2, it was within the military district of

Note.— This is the report made by the Roanoke Island Investigating
Committee by its Chairman, Hon. Burgess S. Gaither, to the House of
Representatives in the Confederate Congress. — Ed.

58 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Brigadier-General Wise and attached to the command of
Major-General linger.

The military defences of Roanoke Island and its adjacent
waters on the said 8 Febrnary, 1862, consisted of Fort Bar-
tow, the most southern of the defences on the west side of the
island, a sand fort well covered with turf, having six long 32-
ponnd guns in embrasure and three 32-pounders en barbette.

The next is fort Blanchard, on the same side of the island,
about U\'<) and a half miles from Fort Bartow, a semi-circular
sand fort, turfed, and mounting four 32-pounders en barbette.

Next on the same side and about 1,200 yards from Fort
Blanchard, is Fort Huger. This is a turfed sand fort, run-
ning along the line of the l>each and closed in the rear by a
low breastwork with a banquette for infantry. It contained
eiglit 21-ponnd gnins in embrasure, two rifled 32-pounders en
l:)arbette and two 32-pounders en barbette on the right.

About three miles beloAv Fort Bartow on the east side of
the island was a battery of 32-pound guns en barbette, at a
]ioint known as ^Midgett's llannnock. In the center of the
island about two miles from Fort Bartow and a mile from
IMidgett's Hammock, was a redoubt or breastwork thrown
across the road, about 70 or SO feet long, with embrasures
for Three guns, on the right of which was a swamp, on the-
left a marsh, the redoubt reaching nearly between them and
facing to the south. On the Tyrrell side on the main land
nearly o]){)osite to Fort linger, was fort Forrest, mounting
seven 32-pounders.

In addition to these defences on the shore and on the
island, rherc was a l)arrier of ]>iles extending from the east
side of Fulker Shoals towards the island. Its object w^as to
com]3el vessels ])assing on the west of the island to approach
within reach of the shore batteries, but up to 8 February there
was a span of 1,700 yards open opposite Fort Bartow. Some
vessels had been sunk and piles driven on the west side of
Fulker Shoals to obstruct the canal between that shoal and
the main land, which comprised all the defences, either upon
the land or in the waters adjacent.

The entire military force stationed upon the island prior
to and at the time of the late engagement consisted of the

LoBB OF Roanoke Island. 59

Eighth Regiment North Carolina State Troops under the
command of Colonel H. M. Shaw ; the Thirty-first Regiment
of North Carolina Volunteers, under the command of Colonel
J. V. Jordan ; and three companies of the Seventeenth Regi-
ment North Carolina Troops under the command of Major
G. H. Gill. After manning the several forts, on 7 February,
there were but 1,024 men left and '200 of them were upon the
sick list. On the morning of 7 February, Brigadier-General
Wise sent from Nag's Head, under command of Lieutenant-
Colonel Henderson, a reinforcement numl)ering some 450
men — this does not include the commands of J^ieutenant-Col-
onel Green and Major Fry, both of whom reached the scene
of action after the battle was closed. The committee do not
think there was any intentional delay in the landing of the
commands of Colonel Green and Major Fry. The former.
Colonel Green, exhibited great anxiety to get into the fight,
when he did land, and acted with great gallantry in the skir-
mish be (lid bavc witli tbe enemy in the vicinity of the camps.
The whole was under the command of Brigadier-General Wise
who, upon 7 and 8 February was at Nag's Head, four miles
distant from the island, confined to a sick bed and entirely
disabled from ])articipating in the action in person. The im-
mediate command, therefore, devolved upon Colonel H. M.
Shaw, the senior officer present.

On 0 February it Avas discovered that the enemy's fleet was
in Pamlico Sound, sonth of Roanoke Island, and apparently
intending to attack the forces upon the island. Colonel Shaw
immediately communicated the fact to Brigadier-General
Wise, and issued orders for the disposition of his troops pre-
paratory to an engagement. The points at which it was
supposed the enemy would attempt to land troo])s were Ash-
by's and Pugh's Landings. Ashby's is situated on the west
side of the island about two miles south of Fort Bartow, and
Pugh's on the same side about two miles south of Ashby's.
On the night of the 6th, or early on the morning of the 7th,
a detachment of one piece of artillery was sent to Pugh's
Landing and one with two pieces of artillery, was sent to
Ashby's, and the remainder of the forces was stationed in
the immediate vicinitv of Ashbv's. On the morninc; of the

60 North Carolina Tkoops, 1861-65.

7tli, the enemy's fleet passed by both of the landings and pro-
ceeded towards Fort Bartow, and the detachment of infantry
stationed at Piigh's immediately fell back to the vicinity of
Ashby's Landing and joined the detachments there, all un-
der the command of Colonel J. V. Jordan.

In the sound between Roanoke Island and the main land,
upon the Tyrrell side, Commodore Lynch with his squad-
ron of seven vessels had taken position, and at 11 o'clock the
enemy's fleet consisting of about thirty-nine gun-boats and
schooners, advanced in ten divisions, the rear one having the
schooners and transports in tow. The advance and attacking
division again subdivided, one assailing the squadron and
the other firing upon the fort, with 9-inch, 10-inch and 11-
incli shell, spherical case, a few round shot and every variety
of rifled projectiles. The fort replied with but four guns,
v-liich were all that could be brought to bear, and after s+ril<:-
ing the foremost vessels several times, the fleet fell back so
Ps to mask one of the guns of the fort, leaving but three to
reply to the fire of the whole fleet. The bombardment was
continued throughout the day and the enemy retired at dark.
The squadron under command of Commodore Lynch, sus-
tained their jiosition most gallantly, retired only after ex-
hausting all their ammunition, and having lost the steamer
Curlew and the Forrest disabled. Fort Bartow sustained
considerable damage from the fire of the day, but the injuries
were jiartially re]>aired by the next morning, and the fort put
in a state of defence. About 3 :80 o'clock on the evening of
the 7th, the enemy sent off from their transports about twenty-
five men in a launch, apparently to take soundings, who were
fired u])on and retreated. Whereupon, two large steamers
having in tow, each thirty boats filled with troops, approached
the island under the protection of their gun-boats, at a point
north of Ashby's Landing, know^n as Haymon's, and did ef-
fect a landing. The point selected was out of the reach of
the field pieces at Ashby's, and defended l)y a swamp from
the advance of our infantry, and protected by the shot and
shell thrown from their gun-boats. Our whole force there-
upon withdrew from Ashby's and took position at the re-
doubt or breastwork, and placed in battery the three field

Loss OF Roanoke Island. 61

pieces with the necessary artillerymen, under the respective
commands of Captain Schermerhorn, Lieutenants Kinney
and Selden. Tavo companies of the Eighth and two of the
Thirty-first were placed at the redoubt to support the artil-
lery ; three companies of the Wise Legion deployed to the
right and to the left as skirmishers — the remainder of the
infantry in position 300 yards in the rear of the redoubt as a
reserve.

The enemy landed some 15,000 men with artillery, and at
7 o'clock a. m. of the 8th, opened fire upon the redoubt, which
was replied to immediately with great spirit and the action
soon became general and was continued without interrup-
tion for more than five hours, when the enemy succeeded in
deploying a large force on either side of our line, flanking
each wing. The order was then given by Colonel Shaw to
spike the guns in the battery and to retreat to the northern
end of the island. The guns were spiked and the whole force
fell back to the camps.

During the engagement at the redoubt, the enemy's fleet
attempted to advance up Croatan Sound, which brought on
a desultory engagement between Fort Bartow and the fleet,
which continued up to 12 :30 o'clock, when the coimnanding
ofiicer was informed that the land defences had been forced
and the position of the fort turned. He thereupon ordered
the guns to be disabled and the ammunition destroyed, which
was done, and the fort abandoned. The same thing was done
at Forts Blanch ard and Huger, and the forces from all the
forts were marched in good order to the camps. The enemy
took possession of the redoubts and forts immediately, and
proceeded in pursuit, with great caution, towards the north-
ern end of the island, in force, deploying so as to surround
our forces at the camps. Colonel Shaw arrived with his
whole force at his camps in time to have saved his whole
command, if transports had have been furnished, but none
were there, and finding himself surrounded by a greatly supe-
rior force upon the open island, with no field works to protect
him, and having lost his only three field pieces at the redoubt,
had either to make an idle display of courage in fighting the
foe at such immense disadvantage, to the sacrifice of his com-

<62 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

jnand, oi- to capitulate and surrender as prisoners of war.
He wisely determined upon the latter alternative.

The loss on our side in killed and wounded and missing, is
.as follows: Killed, 23; wounded, .58; missing, 62. The
loss of the Ft)rty-ninth and Fifty-ninth Virginia Volunteers
is: Killed, 6; wounded, 28; missing, 11); that of the Eighth
and Tliirty-tirst North Carolina and Second Xorth Caro-
lina Battalion, is Ki kiHed, 30 wounded, 43 missing. Of
the engineer department, Lieutenant Selden killed, who had
patriotically volunteered his services in the line and was as-
signed to the connnand of the (J-pounder which he handled
with so much skill as to ]»roduee immense havoc in the en-
emy's ranks, and to elicit the unbounded admiration of all
who witnessed it. I'nhappily, however, that gallant officer
received a rifle ball in the head and he fell without a groan.

The committee are satisfied that Colonel Shaw held pos-
session of that ])ost as long as he could have done without use-
less sacrifice of human life ; that on the 7th and 8th the of-
ficers and men in Fort Bartow displayed great coolness, cour-
age and persevering efforts to s\istain their position and drive
back the enemy's fleet. Tn the battle of 8 February, at the re-
doubt, the officers and men exhibited a cool and deliberate
<;ourage, worthy of veterans in the service, and sustained
their positions under an uninterrupted and deadly fire for
more than five hours, repulsing the enemy in three separate
and distinct charges, and only withdrrnv from the deadly con-
flict after exhausting their ammunition for their artillery,
and being surrounded and flanked by more than ten times
their number. Instead of the result being "deeply hmnili-
ating" it was one of the most brilliant and gallant actions of
the war ; and in the language of their absent commanding
general, "both oflicers and men fought firmly, coolly, ef-
ficiently and as long as humanity would allow."

Burgess S. Gaither^

Chairman.
Richmond, Va.,

May, 1862.

THE FALL OF ROANOKE ISLAND.

5 FEBRUARY, 1662,

By E. R. LILES, Lieutenant-Colonei, Thirty Fikst Regiment,
North Carolina Troops

About two weeks before the enemy made his ai)])earaiK'e,
my eompany (B) ami the Hatteras Avengers (Company F),
■Captain Charles W. Knight, of ]\lartin County (both of the
Thirty-first Regiment), were ordered to Ashley's Landing,
r. distance of eiglit miles from oiir camp, and nearly two
miles below our lowest battery, Fort Bartow. Two brass
field pieces. 12 and 18-])ounders, were put in my charge,
and I was ordered to defend the T^anding and, at crcry haz-
ivrd, to save the artillery. An officer from the Eighth Ueginient
Avas detailed to drill scpiads from ('aptain Ivnight's and my
<^om})any on the cannon, but he only visited us twice, spend-
ing each time about half an hour. All that our men really
learned of artillery was taught them in an hour by Colonel
Jordan and one or two short lessons by Lieutenant Kinney, of
Wise's Legion, who came to the island about three days be-
fore the battle. ] had no horses, and the mongrel ''bank
Ironies" which Colonel Shaw ordered me to press into service
were untractable and of little use. We felt that our posi-
tion was an important and responsible one. This landing,
wliere vessels drawing eight feet could land at any time, had
been neglected to the last moment, and the ninety men, badly
prepared as above shown, were placed to defend it as long as
possible, with strict orders to carry away the artillery in
case of a retreat being unavoidable. On Thursday morning,
^) February, at a very early hour, W. Riley Diggs, of Compa-
ny B, being on the lookout, discovered two of the enemy's ves-
sels coming up the Sound, some ten or twelve miles away.
By aid of a glass, I soon made out four large steamers, and
immediately dispatched a message to convey the news to
<;amp. One by one the vessels, of all sorts and sizes, rounded

64 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

the point and come in view until the number reached sixty-
four. They were drawn across the sound in a long line.
One of our little gun-boats went down to take observations,
but did not, of course, venture within shot. There they lay,
forming a picture rare and beautiful, though probably not so
fully appreciated by us as it might have been under different
circumstances. At 8 o'clock on Friday morning, they began
to move, and coming cautiously along, by 10 :30 o'clock were
nearly abreast of us, when the "ball opened." The men un-
der my command were ordered to keep concealed, so as not to
draw the enemy's fire, but it seemed impossible for them to
do so. Loolc ivc must, and in looking, the wuld grandeur
and sublime novelty of the scene drew us unconsciously from
our hiding places. The Yankee vessels lay from one to two
and a half miles from us, and a few shells would have played
havoc with us. But we received no attention, and we had
nothing to do for several hours, but eagerly watch the con-
flict. Fort Bartow replied most nobly to the thunders
directed against her, and our little fleet did good service.
From my position I could see the effect of nearly every shot.
I saw many strike the vessels, and often found myself hur-
rahing for the gallant Hill and the men at the fort.

About 3 o'clock, p. m., Avhen three or four vessels had been
disabled and hauled off", a small boat, containing some twelve
or fifteen men, left one of the steamers and made for the
shore at a point nearly half a mile above us, evidently with
a vicAv of trying the soundings and the landing, which had
been represented to us as utterly insufficient for any but very
small boats. Colonel Jordan, who had arrived at our post
some time before, ordered Lieutenant Lindsay and myself to
take twenty men each, and proceed through an intervening
swamp, and capture or kill the boat's crew. This marsh was
almost impassable, but we got through at last, and were
advancing cautiously, in sight of the Yankees, who had just
landed, when two men, one attached to the Thirty-first Reg-
iment, and the other unknown to me, rtished forward, hal-
looing loudly, firing their guns at the enemy, and, of course,
giving them the alarm. Lieutenant L's detachment and my
own (all from Company B),were now together and within 100

The Fall of Roanoke Island. 65

yards or less of the enemy, and but for this piece of impru-
dence, we Avould have easily captured them. As they turned
to flee, we rushed through mud and water, firing as we went,
but all were got into the boat, and the living pushed off, and
were soon out of range. We killed four and wounded two.
We immediately fell back under cover, expecting a shelling,
which, hoAvever, still did not come. On the arrival of the
small boat at the flag-ship, two very large steamers having
some thirty small boats in tow, all packed with men, started
for the landing above us. Knowing they must cut us off
from the rest of our forces, it being impossible to get the ar-
tillery through the marsh, and considering it folly for his-
small force to attack the thousands of the enemy with uuis-
ketry, Colonel Jordan ordered a retreat. Our heaviest gun
was hauled off by two ponies and two old mules, the other we
carried off by hand under a storm of shot and shell from ves-
sels in the sound, none of which, however, did any damag;e.

We retreated about one mile and a half to the small bat-
tery, or redoubt, across the road, and placed one cannon, to-
gether with a brass 6-pounder, in battery. It was near
night, raining slowly, the men were weary and hungry. We
bivouacked then for the night, having some refreshments sent
us from camp.

Early on the morning of the 8th, the advance guard of the
enemy made its appearance, the Richmond Blues and McCul-
longh Rangers were thrown out on either flank as skirmishers,
and firing commenced. Several regiments of the enemy
were now drawn up at three or four hundred yards distance
upon which our artillery opened, and as they came nearer, our
small arms. There were in the battery my company, num-
bering forty-three ; Captain Knight's, about fifty (including
detachments from each for the artillery) ; a detachment from
the Eighth of say ten in charge of the 6-pounder, and about
forty Rangers from Wise's Legion, Colonel ShaAv in com-
mand, and Colonels Anderson, Jordan and Price being also
present. Gallantly, nobly and gloriously did every man

fight (except , who ran like a whipped dog). As

far as the eye could reach the enemy stood in compact mass,
and we mowed them down by hundreds. Often did they at-
5

66 North Carolina Troops, J 861-65.

tempt to advance, but as often was death spread in their
ranks, and they were repulsed. Like a hail shower their
niinie balls fell around us while shell and shot hurtled over
lis going wide from their mark, and placing our reserve force,
portions of the Thirty-iirst and Eighth, half a mile in our
rear, in more danger than ourselves. Xot a cheek blanched
among us with fear, and as I watched most ])articularly my
own gallant boys, not a trembling hand or faltering eye could
I see.

Nor was it different with the "Hatteras Avengers," (Com-
pany F), who fought with the spirit and determination of
l>rave men, under a brave leader, and a braver man than Cap-
tain Knight no men ever fought under. His voice was heard
at all times cheering his men, and his example, with that of
his First Lieutenant, S. J . T^atham, inspired all with courage.
After about two hours, our skirmishers being hard pressed by
overwdielming numbers, were gradually falling back fighting
most gallantly, when the lamented Wise fell. His men bore
him off and I saw them no more. The enemy pushed regi-
ment after regiment into the swamp on either side to flank us,
Tout tliey were for a long time driven back. For over three
liours the numbers above mentioned kept at bay at least 10,000
of the enemy ^ as acknowledged by themselves), and when at
last ^\'e were flanked, as a Major of one of the regiments who
did it, told me, they crossed that miry swamp on a bridge of
dead men.'^ Only three men of ours were killed at the redoubt,
one of them the brave Seldon, who fell near me, shot through
the head. He, Captain Schermerhorn and Lieutenant Kin-
ney (all of Wise's Legion), had command of our three guns.
Captain f^chermerhorn, who has been fighting ever since he
was old enough, and has five balls now in his body, had
charge of Company B detachment and complimeiited them
very highly, ].)articu]arly James Flowers, who, he said,
though much exposed, fought with the firm courage and un-
flinchiiig coolness of a veteran. A compliment from such a
man is worth something. But all did well, and their country

* General Burnside's Official Report shows his loss was 5 officers
and 32 men killed ; 10 officers and 204 men wounded. 13 missing, total
264.— Ed.

The Fall of Roanoke Island. 67

ought to be proud of them. Probably had others been in
their places, the same might be said justly, but this is certain,
the "O. K. Boys,'- of Anson County, and the "Hatteras
Avengers," of Martin County, fought four hours and twenty
minutes, and only retreated Avhen the whole Yankee force
was close upon them, and the field officers had left our bat-
tery. In ten minutes more the enemy would have sur-
rounded us and cut us to pieces. Just before the retreat, re-
inforcements arrived, swelling our numbers to probably four
hundred men, who did but little good. The retreat was con-
ducted in good order, no guns were thrown away, as has been
gtated. and our whole force, except a few stragglers, pro-
ceeded slowly up the road expecting every minute to hear the
order to "Fall in" for another fight, than which no order
could have been more welcome. But this came not, and they
went sullenly and silently to our old encampment, where
about an hour after our arrival, we saw the white flag borne
by us to meet the enemy. The surrender of all the forces on
the island was made and a strong Federal guard placed
around us. The victorious army treated us with kindness,
particularly General Foster and the officers of the Eighth
and Fifty-first New York, the Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and Twenty-first Massachusetts Regiments. We were de-
prived of all small arms, upon a promise of having them re-
turned whenever we were exchanged, which promise was only
partially complied with on our release. We had the morti-
fication of seeing many of the articles prepared for the use of
our sick and wounded by the kind w^omen of Anson, seized
by the rascally Zouaves, but as soon as complaint was made
to General Reno, he promptly ordered any man trespassing
thus to be placed in irons.

OwY beautiful flag was gallantly borne away from the bat-
tlefield by Corporal H. M. May, but to our great regret was
taken by the enemy after the surrender, and by Dr. Cutler,
Surgeon of the Twenty-first Massachusetts Regiment, was
sent as a present to the Governor of that State, a brother-in-
law of my informant. It was never disgraced, and bore
many marks in the shape of bullet holes. We remained on
the Island much crowded and closely guarded, until the

68 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Wednesday morning following, when we were removed (the
officers only), to the steamer Syauldiyig in the sound, fiilly
expecting to start immediately for New York. We were
allowed to take our baggage and servants. The ten days
following were the most miserable I ever passed. Confined
to the damp, dark and dirty lower deck greatly crowded, fed
on hard crackers, fat pork (which they said was cooked before
leaving the North, but which seemed to us raw), and coffee
tAvice a day, you may imagine our condition. On Sunday,
the l(!th, General Burnside came aboard and announced that
we could all be released on a parole of honor, of which the
following is a copy :

"Having been taken a prisoner of war by the forces of Gen-
eral A. E. Burnside, on Roanoke Island, I do solemnly pledge
my sacred word and honor, that if released, I will give no one
any information I may have derived, or mention anything I
may have heard or seen since my capture, that might injure
the Government of the United States of Ameriea, or aid their
enemies by word or act until I am regularly exchanged ac-
cording to the usages of war; the information to me, of said
exchange to be beyond the possibility of a doubt."

This was about the first intiination we had of anything of
the kind and upon the assurance that the same privilege
should be offered to our men, we gladly accepted the proposi-
tion. But it was not until the next Thursday that they
moved with us, then steamers, bearing all the prisoners
taken, started for Elizabeth City where, on Friday, we landed,
and after a tedious process of verifying rolls, we Avere re-
leased. The meeting here between officers and men w^as in
some instances very affecting. You may be sure that we
gladl}^ took up our line of march homeward, and bore the
many hardships and privations of the journey with more
cheerfulness than under other circumstances. At Ports-
mouth we were furnished with a good meal. At Weldon,
Colonel O. H. Dockery most kindly prepared for and enter-
tained my company, on Tuesday morning, from which time
until our arrival at Florence — thirty-six hours — we had noth-
ing to eat. At the latter place a bountiful repast was spread
for us, Mr. Gamble, the proprietor of the hotel, only

The Fall of Roanoke Island. 69

charging us half price — to his credit be it spoken. We are
all now safely at homewwith one exception, and impatient to
hear of our exchange. Joseph E. Liles has not been seen or
directly heard from since the fight, though we have the
strongest reasons for believing that he was alive on the island,
though sick when we left. He was quite unwell with the
mumps on the day of the battle, though he fought most
bravely, and was with us when Ave started to retreat. He
was doubtless taken prisoner, and I fully hope and believe,
for various reasons, that he will soon be returned to his home
and friends. May this be so — for a nobler boy, or one more
beloved, never pulled trigger on an enemy. I had several
men wounded, though none seriously. Our whole loss,
killed and wounded, is about forty — that of the enemy but
little, if any, under two thousand killed, and I know not how
many were wounded. This information was gained in vari-
ous ways, as it was most studiously kept secret by most of
the officers, but is reliable. Captain Knight's men and the
others in the battery, fired thirty to forty rounds of buck and
ball cartridges, and for a large portion of the time, the en-
emy was just where we wanted them to make our shots tell,
and every discharge of our artillery opened a perfect lane
through the enemy's ranks. Wlien we saw them advancing
the last time upon us, the order to "Fix bayonets" was given,
and I never saw it obeyed more cheerfully on drill — though
every man expected a hand-to-hand conflict. All those pretty
stories about crying and breaking swords, are gammon. I
could not make this communication shorter and do the l^orth
Carolina companies engaged justice.

E. R. Liles.

LiLESVILLE, N. C. ,

1 March, 1862.

NoTK. — At the time of this battle E R. Liles was Captain Company B,
and later Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment. His estimate of the ene-
my's loss is very far above the mark (see Burnside's report above) as
perhaps was natural at the time. — Ed.

SHflRFSBURG (OR ANTIETAM).

17 SEFTEHBER, 1862.

By WALTER CLARK, Lieutenant-Colonel Seventieth N. C. T,

After the "seven days fight" aroimd Richmond in July,
1862, when McCUellan took refuge from utter destruction in
his gun-boats it was resolved that we should return the unso-
licited visit w^hich had been made us.

A few weeks later, with blare of bugles and roll of drums,
we set our faces northward. At Cedar Mountain we crushed
the enemy, Chantilly saw our victorious columns and the field
of Manassas a second time welcomed us to victory. When

" August with its trailing vines
Passed out the gates of Summer,"

we were in full march for the Potomac, which was crossed
simultaneously at several points, the bands playing ''Mary-
land, My Maryland." Walker's Division, to which I be-
longed, with McLaws' and A. P. Hills' Divisions, recrossed
the Potomac to surround Harper's Ferry, while the rest of
the army, moving towards Hagerstown, was suddenly attacked
at Boonsboro 14 September, and falling back the hostile lines
again confronted each other about noon on 16 September, the
Federals lining Antietam creek while the Confederates held
the village of Sharpsburg, hence the double name of this fa-
mous battle. For a similar reason the great battle known
to the English-speaking people the world around as Waterloo,
is called the battle of Mont St. Jean by the French and La
Belle Alliance by Germans.

The l)attle of Antietam (commonly known at the South
as the battle of Sharpsburg), was one of the bloodiest of the
whole Civil War. It was fought 17 September, 1862, be-
tween the Federal army commanded by General George B.
McClellan, and the Confederate army under General R. E.
Lee.

72 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

The Federal army was composed of six Corps : First
(Hooker's), Second (Sumner's), Fifth (Porter's), Sixth
(Franklin's), A'^inth (Burnside's), Twelfth (Mansfield's),
besides Pleasanton's Cavalry Division.

On the Southern side were two Corps: Longstreet's and
Jackson's, with Stuart's Cavalry. The morning reports for
that day of the Federal army show 101,000 "effective;" but
General McClellan, in his report of the battle, places his
number of men in line at 87,000. General Lee, in his re-
port simply ])uts his force at "less than 40,000." General
Longstreet estimates them at 37,000, and General D. H. Hill
at 31,000. The best estimate of numbers actually in line
.vould be 87,000 Federals and 35,000 Confederates. Of the
latter, only 27,000 were in hand when the battle opened.
The arrival of the divisions of McLaws and A. P. Hill from
Harper's Ferry during the battle, raised Lee's total to 35,000.
Over a fourth of these were from North Carolina, which had
thirty-two regiments and three batteries there.

The battle was fought in a bend of the Potomac river, the
town of Sharpsbuvg, Md., being the center of the Southern
line of battle, wlinse right flank rested on the Antietam creek,
just al:)Ove where it flows into the Potomac, and the left flank
on the Potomac higher u}). General Lee had braved all
rules of sti'ategy by dividing his army in the presence of an
enemy treble his numbers. He had sent Jackson, with
nearly half the army, to the south side of the Potomac to in-
vest Llarper's Ferry, while with the other ]iart of the army
he himself advanced on Hagerstown. General McClellan,
who slowly and with caution was following Lee's movements,
found at Frederick, ]\ld., a dispatch from Lee to General D.
H. Hill, which had been dropped in the latter's encampment.
This disclosed to him Lee's entire plan of campaign and the
division of his army. With more than his usual promptness,
McClellan threw himself (on 14 September), upon Turner's
(Boonsl)oro) and (^ram])ton's Gaps. These were stubbornly
lield till next day, when Lee fell back to Sharpsburg. For-
tunately for Lee, Harper's Ferry surrendered with 12,000
prisoners early on the morning of the 15th, releasing the be-
sieti'ina,' force. Of these. Walker's Division, with Jackson

Sharpsburg (or Antietam),

73

himself, rejoined Lee north of the Potomac, at Sharpsburg,
on the afternoon of the 16th. Me Laws and A. P. Hill joined
him there during the battle on the 17th — McLaws at 9 a. m.,
and A. P. Hill at 3 p. m. — and each just in time to prevent

SHARPSBURG AND VICINITY.

the destruction of the army. With 87,000 men in line, as
against Lee's 3."), 000, General McClellan should have cap-
tured the (.'onfederate army, for lighting with the river at its
back any <lisasrer could not have been retrieved. Besides,
till !• a. m., Lee bad only 27,000 men. and this number was
not finally raised to lb"), 000 till the arrival of A. P. Hill after
3 p. in. Lbere were no breastworks and neither time nor op-
portunity to make any. General McClellan was an excellent
General, luit bis over-caution saved Lee's army. He greatly
overestimated tbc nuud>ors o]iposed to him. He telegraphed
to President Liiu-ohi (hiring the battle that Lee had 95,000
men. Had he known that in truth Lee had only 27,000 men
when the battle opened, the history of the war and General
McClellan's fortunes would have been essentially different.

74 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

During- the battle General McClellan telegraphed President
Lincoln "one of the greatest, and probably the greatest bat-
tle, in all history is now in progress."

This much has been said to give a general idea of the "sit-
uation" before and during the battle. I was Adjutant of
the Thirty-fifth Xorth Carolina Regiment commanded by
Colonel M. W. Eansom (afterwards Brigadier-General and
United States Senator.) The brigade was commanded by
his brother, General Robert Ransom, a West Pointer, and
hence a personal acquaintance of most of the Federal lead-
ers. The division was commanded by General John G. Wal-
ker, another old army officer. We were at the taking of Har-
per's Perry, where our division held Loudon Heights, and
Ave were the first to recross the Potomac and join General
Lee at Sharpsburg, on the afternoon of the ICth.

I was then a mere boy, j ust 16a few days before, and have
vivid recollections of the events of the day. About an hour
before day, on tlie 17th, our division began its march for the
position assigned us on the extreme right, where we were to
oppose the Federals in any attempt to cross either the bridge
(since known as Burnside's) or the ford over the Antietam
beloM' it, near Shiveley's. Along our route we met men,,
women and children coming out from Sharpsburg, and from
the farm houses near by. "^rhey were carrying such of their
household belongings as were portable ; many women were
weeping. This, and the little children leaving their homes,
made a moving picture in "the dawn's early light." On
taking ])osition, we immediately tore down the fences in our
front which might obstruct the line of fire. About 9 a. m.,
a pressing order came to move to the left ; this we did in
quick time. As we Avere leaving our ground, I remember
looking np the Antietam, the opposite bank of which was
lined with Federal batteries. These were firing at the left
Aving of our army to the support of Avhich we Avere moving.
The Federal gunners could be seen Avith the utmost distinct-
ness as they loaded and fired. Moving nortlnvards, Ave Avere
passing in rear of our line of battle and met constant streams
of the Avounded coming out. Among them I remember meet-
ing Colonel W. L. DeRosset, of the Third North Carolina,

Sharpsburg (or Antietam).

75

being brniii>ht out badly wounded, and many others well
known in North Carolina.

All this time there was the steady booming of the cannon,
the whistling of shells, the pattering of fire-arms, and the
occasional yell or cheer rising above the roar of battle as some
advantage was gained by either side. Soon after passing the

BATTLE-FIEI.D OF SIIAKPSKl RG.

town tbe division was de])loyed in column of regiments.
.Vround and just beyond the Dunkard church, in the center of
the Confederate left, our line had been broken and was com-
])letely sv/e^^t away. A flood of Federals were pouring in;
we were just in time — ten minutes', five minutes' delay, and
our army would have ceased to exist. We were marching
up behind our line of battle, with our right flank perpendicu-

76 North Carolina Troops, 186] -65.

lar to it. As the first regiment got opposite to the break in
our lines it made a wheel to the right and "went in." The
next regiment, marching straight on, as soon as it cleared the
left of the regiment ])receding it, likewise wheeled to the
right and took its place in line, and so on in succession. That
is, we were marching north, and thus w^ere successively
thrown into line of battle facing east. As these regiments
came successively into line they struck the Federal lines
which were advancing ; the crash was deafening. The sound
of infantry firing at short distance can be likened to nothing
so much as the dropping of a shower of hail-stones on an enor-
mous tin roof. My regiment wheeled to the right about 150
yards north (and west) of the Dunkard church. In the wheel
we passed a large barn, which is still standing, and entered
the "West Woods." Being a mounted officer, I had a full
view ; our men soon drove the Federals back to the eastern
edge of these woods, where the enemy halted to receive us.
The West Woods had already l)een twice fought over that
morning ; the dead and \\'ounded lay thicker than I ever seen
on a battlefield since. On the eastern edge of these woods
the lines of battle came close together and the shock was ter-
rific ; here Captain Walter Bryson, of our regiment, was
killed, along with many others in the brigade. All the
mounted officers in the division instantly dismounted, turn-
ing their horses loose to gallop to the rear. It being the first
time I had been so suddenly thrown in contact with a line of
battle, and not noticing, in the smoke and uproar, that the'
others had dismounted, I thought it my duty to stick to my
horse ; in another moment, when the smoke would have lifted
(so the Federal line of l)attle, lying down fifty yards off,
could have seen me) I should have been taken for a general
officer and would have been swejit out of my saddle by a hun-
dred l)ullets. A kind-hearted veteran close by peremptorily
pulled me oft' my horse. At that instant a minie ball, whist-
ling over the just emptied saddle, struck the back of my left
hand which was still clinoing to the pommel, leaving a slight
scar which I still carry as a memento. The Federal line
soon fell back. We then charged in pursuit as far as the post
and rail fence at the turnpike. It was Gorman's Brigade,

Sharpsburg (or Antietam). 77

Sedgwick's Division, of Sumner's Corps our brigade was
fighting. This was composed of troops from Massachusetts,
New York and Minnesota, and from their returns they left
750 killed and wounded by our lire ; this was about 10 a. m.
i\ terrific shelling by the enemy followed, which was kept up
for many hours, with occasional brief intermissions, caused
probably by the necessity of letting the pieces cool. The
shelling was terrible, but owing to protection from the slope
of the hill, and there being a limestone ledge somewhat shel-
tering our line, the loss from the artillery was small.

Tn the brief intermission, after the Federal infantry had
fallen back and before the artillery opened, a cry for help was
heard. Lieutenant (later Captain) Sanford G. Howie and
myself going out in front of our line, found the Lieutenant-
Colonel of a Massachusetts regiment — Francis Winthrop Pal-
frey— l^'ing on the ground wounded, and brought him and
others into our lines. With some reluctance he surrendered
his very handsome sword and pistol and was sent to the rear.
The sword bore an inscription that it had been presented to
him by the town of Concord, Mass. He remarked at the
time, he wished them preserved, and sure enough, after the
war he wrote for them, and they were restored ; he was ex-
changed and became subsequently General Palfrey. He has
published a volume, "Antietam and Fredericksburg."

There was another intermission in the shelling about 12
o'clock, when we were charged by the Second Massachusetts
and Thirteenth iSIew Jersey of Gordon's Brigade, who ad-
vanced as far as the post and rail fence at the Hagerstown
turnpike, about 100 yards in our front, but were broken there
and driven back, leaving many dead and wounded. There
was another intermission about 2 o'clock probably. Word
was then brought us that we were to advance. It was then
that Stonewall Tackson came along our lines ; his appearance
has been so often described that I will only say that I was
reminded of what the Federal prisoners had said two days
before at Har])er's Ferry, when he rode down among them
from his post on Bolivar Heights : "My ! boys, he ain't
much on looks, but if ire had had him, Ave Avouldn't have been
in this fix." Stonewall remarked to Colonel Ransom, as he

78 North Carolina Troops. 18f)l-'65.

■did to the other Colonels along the line, that with Stuart's
■Cavalry and some infantry he was going around the Federal
right and get in their rear, and added "when you hear the
rattle of my small arms this whole line must advance." He
Avished to ascertain the force ojjposed, and a man of our regi-
ment named Hood was sent up a tall tree, which he climbed
-carefully to avoid observation by the enemy; Stonewall called
out to know how many Yankees he could see over the hill
^nd beyond the "East Woods," Hood replied, "Who-e-e!
there are oceans of them. General." "Count their flags,"
rsaid Jackson sternly, who wished more definite information.
This Hood proceeded to do until he had counted thirty-nine,
when the General told him that would do and to come down.
By reason of this and other information he got, the turning
iriovcment was not attem])ted, and it was probably fortunate
for us that it was not.

During the same lull, our Brigadier-General (Robert Ran-
som) received a flag of truce which had been sent to remove
some wounded officers, and by it sent his love to General
Hartsuff (if I remember aright), who had been his room-
mate at West Point ; but Hartsuff, as it happened, had been
wounded and had left the field. Soon after our regiment
Avas moved laterally a short distance to the right, and we
charged a piece of artillery which had been put in position
near the Dunkard church ; we killed the men and horses, but
did not bring off the artillery, as we were ourselves swept by
artillery on our left posted in the "old corn-field."

Just to the right of the Dunkard church was the "peach
orchard" lying between the church and the town of Sharps-
burg, where General D. H. Hill held our line for hours with
a line of men four feet apart. A half mile in front of the
orchard, early in the day, Anderson's Brigade had made the
name of the "Bloody Lane" forever famous. Its position
thrust out in front resembled that of the "Bloody Angle" at
Spottsylvania later. It was overwhelmed by Richardson's
Division, losing its Brigadier, Geo. B. Anderson, mortally
wounded. Colonel Tew killed. Colonels Parker, Bennett and
others wounded. Its loss was great, but the fame of its deeds
that dav will abide with N^orth Carolina forevermore.

Sharpsburg (or Antietam). 79

About -i p. 111., Burnside on our right (the Federal left)
advanced, having crossed the bridge about 1 p. m., until
which hour his two corps had been kept from crossing the
bridge by Toombs' Brigade of 400 men. Tliough it crossed
at 1 ]). 111., Burnside's Corps unaccountably did not advance
till o {). m. Then advancing over the ground which had been
abandoned by our division early that morning, utter disaster
to our army was imminent. -lust then A. P. Tlill's Divis-
ion arrived from Harper's Ferry, where it had been parol-
ing ju'isoners. A delay of ten iiiinutes by Hill might have
lost us the army; as it was, the division arrived just in time.
The roll of musketry was continuous till nightfall and Burn-
side was di'iven back to the Antietam. Here General L. O'B.
Branch was kilh^d. About dark onr brigade was moved to the
right a half mile and bivouacked for the night around Heel's
house near a l)iii'ning barn. As we were moving by the right
flank, we were seen by the Federal signal station on the high
liills on the east bank of the Antietam. A shell sent by signal
fell in the rear com])aiiy of the Forty-ninth Xoi'tli Carolina
liegiment, just ahead of us, killing Lieutenant Greenlea
Fleming and killing or wounding thirteen others. It rained
all next day. We were moved back that morning to our old
position of the Dunkard church; neither army advanced.
That night our A\l!ole army quietly moved off and crossed the
Potomac, the passage of the river being lighted up by torches
held by men stationed in the river on horseback. The army
came off safely without arousing the Federal army, and left
not a cannon nor a wagon behind us. On the 19th Fitz John
Porter's corps attempted to follow us across the river at Sliep-
herdstown, and was driven back with disastrous loss.

During the battle of the l7th, McClellan's headquarters
were across the Antietam at the Fry house. There he had
his large spy-glasses strapped to movable frames, and could
take in the whole battlefield ; besides, from his signal station
on the high hills, which border the Antietam on the east side,
he could learn all the movements of our army. With this ad-
vantage and his great preponderance of numbers, 87,000 to
101,000 as against our 35,000 to 40,000 (giving the margin
to each allowed by the official reports), it is clear that he

80 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

should have captured Lee. The latter had comiuitted a grave
military fault by dividing his army by a river and many
miles of interval in the presence of an enemy greatly his su-
perior in nund)ers. Besides, he ought not to have fought
north of the Potomac. Lee was saved from the consequences
of his boldness l)y the o]iposite quality of over-caution in Mc-
Clellan ; the hitter erroneously estimated Lee's force at
9.5,000, when it was a little more than one-fourth of that
number at the time the battle opened. Then, when the Fed-
erals fought it was done in detail. At daybreak Hooker's
Corps went in ; he was wounded, and his corps badly cut up
and scattered. Then Mansfield with the Twelfth Corps,
came on ; he was killed and his corps was driven out. Then
Sumner's Corps was launched at us and came on in good
style ; it broke our line, and was only driven back by fresh
troops — Walker's Division taken from the right, as above
stated, and by McLaws' Division, just arrived from Harper's
Ferry. Sumner's Corps was driven back but fought well, as
is shoAvn hy the fact that its loss, which was over 5,000,
was more than double that of any other corps. When
they went back Franklin's Corps came up, but had small op-
portunity, as is shown by its loss of less than 500 in the
whole battle. By 1 1 o'clock the battle on the left wing was
practically over, except by artillery : on the other wing at 1
p. m., Burnside's Corps crossed the Antietam over the bridge,
but his corps did not move forward till 3 p. m., at which in-
stant A. P. Llill's Division, arriving from paroling prison-
ers at Harper's Ferry, met and overthrew it. The other
corps (Fitz John Porter's) was in reserve and did not fire a
gun, except some detachments sent to other commands during
the battle. With six corps the weight of McClellan's fight-
ing at any moment was that of one corps only. Had he, with
Xapoleonic vigor, dropped his four corps — full 60,000 men —
simultaneously on our thin left wing of 15,000 men like a
massive trip hammer, it must have shattered it. Had he
moved his other two cor]")s of 30.000 at the same moment in
rear of our right, the fight would have been over by 9 a. m.,
and Appomattox would have been antedated two years and a
half. The star of the Confederacy would have set in night.

Sharpsburg (or Antietam). 81

and Sharpsburg' miglit have Taken its phice in th.e history
of onr race by the side of Hastings and Flodden. The loss
of that army, with Lee, Jackson and the other Generals there,
would have been fatal. We know what happened when the
same glorions army, even with smaller numbers, disappeared
at Appomattox. From this fate tlie leadership of our Gen-
erals and the superb valor of our soldiers could not have saved
us. had not McClellan singularly overrated our numbers.
Bnt he should have known that if Lee and Jackson had really
had 95,000 men they would not have waited for him to at-
tack; thej would have taken possession of his army.

Thirty-nine years after the event it is hard to realize the
misap])rehension which then existed in the minds of others
as well as General McClellan as to the size of Lee's army.
As an example, read the following from the 28 (Serial ISTo.)
Official Records Union and Gonfcd. Armies, 2G8, from the
war Governor of Pennsylvania, Andrew G. C'urtin :

''HAKKisiuRa. Pa., 11 September, 18G2.
"His Excellency the President:

* * "You sliould order a strong guard placed upon
the railway line from Washington to Harrisburg to-night,
and send here not less than 80,000 disciplined forces, and
order from ISTew York and States east all available forces to
concentrate here at once. To this we will add all the militia
forces possible, «nd I think that in a few^ days w^e can mus-
ter 50,000 men. It is our only hope to save the j^orth and
crush the rebel army. * * * The enemy will bring
against us not less than 120,000, with large amount of ar-
tillery. The time for decided action by the j^ational Gov-
ernment has arrived. What may we expect ?

"A. G. CUETIN.^'

To this President Lincoln very sensibly replied, at p. 276,
same volume :

''* * If I should start half of our forces to Harrisburg,

the enemy will turn upon and beat the remaining half and

then reach Harrisburg before the part going there, and beat it

too when it comes. The best possible security for Penns^lva-

6

82 North Carolina Troops, 1 861-65.

nia is putting the strongest force possible into tlie enemy's
rear.

"September, 12, 1862. A. LmcoLN."'

The same day (12 September j, Governor Curtin tele-
graphs the President that he has reliable information as to
the rebel movements and intentions, which he details, and
says: ''Their force in Maryland is about 190,000 men.
They have in Virginia about 250,000 more, all of whom are
being concentrated to menace Washington and keep the
Union armies employed there while their forces in Maryland
devastate and destroy Pennsylvania."

In fact, as we now know from the Official Records, Lee, by
reason of his losses at Second Manassas and from sickness and
straggling, had only about 40,000 men in Maryland, and
there were probably 10,000 more in Virginia, exclusive of
the stragglers from his army, around Richmond, a total
of 50,000 effective, while opposed to them was McClellan im-
mediately in front with an army of 101,000 "effective,"
12,000 more Federals (afterwards captured) were at Har-
per's Ferry, 73,000 "effective, fit for duty" were in the
intrenchments round Washington, 10,000 under General
Wool at Baltimore — total, by morning reports, of 195,000
effective, besides the Federal and State troops under arms in
Pennsylvania.

Su.ch are the illusions and confusion which disturb even
the clearest minds under such circumstances.

Singularly enough, too, General McClellan gave as his
reason for not putting in Fitz John Porter's Corps and fight-
ing on the 18th, that it was the only force that stood intact
between the Capital and possible disaster. Yet on that day
73,000 other soldiers were behind the ramparts around
Washington. The publication of the Official Records has
thrown a flood of light on the history of those times.

Raleigh, N. C,

17 September, 1901 X/^i^Z^

BATTLE OF WHITE HALL,

13 DECEnBER. 1562.

By colonel S. D. POOL, Tenth Regiment ( 1 Art. ) N. C. T.

The winter camiDaigu of 18(32 was initiated early by the
Federal commander.

In the months of October and jSTovember feints were made
along the Confederate lines from iSI^orth Carolina to the
BlackAvater. These movements were instituted to divert
forces from the Army of Northern Virginia to the apparent
points of attack previous to the decisive assault on General
Lee's position at Fredericksburg, and which, they expected,
would work the overthrow of the Confederacy. Shortly be-
fore that attack should take place, a subordinate, though real,
attack was to be made on Goldsboro, ISTorth Carolina, by the
advance of General Foster from ISTew^ Bern, which, wdiile
weakening General J^ee by the division of his forces, would
also, if successful, interrupt his communications, and further
the general plan. Great activity was shoAvn in Suffolk,
where General Peck had command. Large reinforcements
were sent to that garrison in November. The Blackwater
was the r\)nfederate line ; and the twenty miles between the
river and Suffolk, covered with low brushwood, and of level
surface, intersected by innumerable roads, constituted a neu-
tral ground traversed by the foraging parties of both armies,
and became the theatre of frequent skirmishes of cavalry.
Colonel Teventhorpe, of the Eleventh North Carolina Regi-
ment, in command of two North Carolina infantry regiments,
Ferrebee's Cavalry (Fifty-ninth North Carolina) and a Pe-
tersburg Battery (Captain Graham's), had charge of this line
from September to the end of November. Towards the end
of November an attack in force was made upon Franklin —
the Confederate headquarters — and a flank attack at a fort on
the Blackwater, on the left of, and seven miles from, Frank-
lin. Marshall's Regiment (Fifty-second North Carolina)

84 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

was stationed to guard the ford. The enemy crossed the river
at that point, and formed a line to cover the passage of their
artillery. They were repulsed there and at Franklin. Col-
onel Leventhorpe was reinforced by several additional regi-
ments of infantry, and two Virginia batteries ; and some
heavy guns were sent from Richmond and placed in position.
The works about Franklin were enlarged and strengthened.
General Pryor assumed the command on the Blackwater
about 1 December. Soon after his arrival the General
learned by his scouts that the enemy had left Suffolk in large
force, and that Franklin was the supposed object of attack.
Subsequent information was received that the enemy was
marching into Gates County, iSTorth Carolina. The design
of this movement was not understood ; but it was imagined,
either that a large foraging party had been sent into Gates,
or that the General was making a reconnoissance in person.
With a view to determining this question, and diverting the
enemy from his object, whatever it might be. General Pryoi*
made a night advance towards Suffolk. At about 2 a. m.,
and whilst the troops were in bivouac, heavy cannonading
was heard in the rear, and apparently at Franklin, Avhich
was parti all}' uncovered. General Pryor withdrew towards
his OM^n lines. The cannonade, it was afterwards discovered,
originated with a party of cavalry from Suffolk, 500 strong,
which had run a battery to the bank of the Blackwater to shell
a Confederate regiment encamped on the low-lands on the
opposite side. This party learned that General Pryor was
in the field in force, and retreated precipitately on Suffolk,
affording, with the withdrawal of the Confederates towards
Franklin, the somewhat singular incident of the retreat of
two parties, by contigiious roads, each urged by the ajiprehen-
sion that their separate fastnesses had been attacked during
their absence.

On the following day it was known that the large Federal
force, last traced to Gates County, had embarked on the
Chowan, and that it was destined to aid General Foster in
an expedition into N^orth Carolina. Immediately after this
reinforcement reached him, General Foster marched frort
jSTew Bern. He was encountered bv General N. G. Evans be-

Battle of White Hall. 85

I ween New Bern and Kinston, and delayed for several days
by the obstinate stand made by that officer at every point
where it was possible with his limited numbers, to oppose,
with any advantage, the overwhelming strength of the Fed-
eral advance. Intelligence of this movement was sent to Gen-
eral Pryor, who was .ordered to dispatch Leventhorpe's Regi-
ment immediately to Goldsboro. As General Evans was in
need of reinforcements General Robertson, commanding at
Garysburg, was ordered to dismount Evans' (Sixty-third
N^orth Carolina) and Ferebee's (Fifty-ninth North Carolina)
Regiments of cavalry, and proceed to his assistance. At Golds-
boro, Colonel Leventhorpe received instructions to report to
General Evans, who, rumor stated, was contendino' success-
fully with General Foster. The train conveying the Elev-
enth ]S[orth Carolina, was met on its way by an up train
which the President of the road was conveying out of dan-
ger, and, then, for the first time, the true condition of affairs
was known, and that General Evans, who had bravely dis-
puted every inch of ground, had been attacked by irresisti-
ble numbers, defeated, and driven from Kinston, which was
then occupied by the enemy. General Evans had been well
aware, from the first, that he coidd only delay the Federal
columns. But he appreciated justly that every considera-
tion should be subordinate to this object. This resistance
gained time for General Gustavus W. Smith, and enabled the
latter to procure those reinforcements, which placed it in his
power to meet Foster successfully, and defeat the aim of his
expedition.

When the train had gone as far as its safety would war-
rant, it was stopped, and the troops bivouacked by the road.
General Robertson and Colonel Leventhorpe proceeded to-
gether on the engine to seek General Evans, who was quar-
tered at a house on the bank of a small creek a few miles dis-
tant from Kinston, his late headquarters. General Evans
explained his disaster to the two officers who visited him.
His little band of about two thousand men had been crushed
by the enemy, nimibering twenty-two thousand men, and
having eighty pieces of artillery. When General Evans' force
was broken it was partly dispersed, and the position of his

86 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

artillery was uncertain. General Evans had kept up the un-
equal contest so long that his troops had barely time to reach
Kinston by the bridge ere they were overtaken and scattered
by Foster's forces. Evans' South Carolina Brigade could
alone be mustered, and was picketing the banks of the small
stream which he had chosen for a stand should Foster ad-
vance from Kinston. General Evans was made aware that
General Smith intended to reinforce him largely on the mor-
row, and he expressed his resolution to send Leventhorpe's
Kegiment forward in the morning to feel the enemy. But
this determination was changed on the following day as it
Avas thought probable that Foster might recross the river,
march up the N euse on its southern bank to White Hall and,
passing th" river on the bridge, interpose his force between
General Evans and Goldsboro. General Kobertson was,
therefore, ordered to march with Evans' (Sixty-third North
Carolina) and Ferebee's (Fifty-ninth North Carolina) Reg-
iments of dismounted cavalry, and Leventhorpe's (Eleventh
North Carolina) and Jordan's (Thirty-first North Carolina)
Begiments, prevent the enemy from crossing at White
Hall and, in furtherance of that object, destroy the bridge
there, if necessary. White Hall was, at that time, a small
hamlet on Neuse river which was spanned by a substantial
county bridge. The river, though much narrower at White
Hall, is dec^p and navigable. On the northern side the river
has a gentle slope to the stream, which, in 1862, was bor-
dered by a swam]i in which there was a somewhat dense
growth of tall timber. A quantity of this timber had Jjeen
felled and cut into logs, which lay around the bank of the
river, and through the swamp, affording admirable protec-
tion for riflemen, of which good use was made on the follow-
ing day. A gun-boat was in course of building, and stood,
prop])ed on rollers, in the upper end of the swamp, and near
the rivei- not far from the l)ridge. A bridge road ran through
and about equally divided the swamp. There was perhaps a
depth of rather less than a hundred yards of tind^ered swamp
land on the left side of the bridge road, and between it and
the river. The little hamlet of White Hall, built on the
southern bank of the Neuse, consisted of two or three stores

The Battle of White Hall. 87

and warehouses, and a straggling street with some neat dwell-
ings and enclosures. The warehouses Avere on the bluff
which is lofty on the southern side ; and some eminences fur-
ther from the river, and commanding the much lower level
of the northern shore, gave great advantage to the former as
a military position. The Confederate troops reached the
neighborhood of the bridge about sunset and stacked arms
whilst the mounted officers rode over the bridge to the village.
Some scouts were sent out immediately on the Kinston road.
They returned at sunset reporting the enemy advancing, and
his scouts quite near. The bluffs were crowded with piles of
crude rosin, and barrels of spirits of tiirpentine. By Gen-
eral lioliertson's orders these comlmstibles were arranged on
the l)ridge and a party detailed tn fire them when the order
should be given. As subsequent reports convinced General
Kobertson that the whole force of the enemy was advancing
on him, he considered that it would be impossible, with his
small force to jtrevent his crossing should the bridge remain
undestroyed. Tt was therefore fired after nightfall, as the en-
emy came up and the burning fabric, thoroughly saturated
with turpentine, fell into the Xeuse and floated down its
waters a blazing wreck. This Avork was scarcely accom-
plished when the enemy entered and occupied the village. A
strong picket from the Eleventh ]^orth Carolina was posted
in the swamp fronting White Hall. The Confederate troops
bivouacked within short distance. The enemy was active
during the night, and could be heard throwing up works, and
preparing for coming operations. Some sharj) picket firing
occurred during intervals, and an occasional shell disturbed
the sleeping Confederates. About midnight the Federals
Inirned the warehouses and some other buildings at White
Hall. Witli what object this was done was uncertain, but,
whether in order to avail themselves of the temporary light
(if this conflagration in directing their missiles of death, or
whether from a wanton spirit of cauI, the act proved highly
disastr(ms to its perpetrators in the ensuing engagements, as
it destroyed what would have been a safe shelter for skirmish-
ers, and exposed the infantry, without cover, and on a high
elevation, to the balls of the Confederate soldiers. In the

88 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

morning- (Jolonel Leveuthorpe relieved his two companies
wliieli had been engaged (Captains Bird and Small), with
two other companies of the Eleventh North Carolina, which
v\ere placed nnder command of Captain M. D. Armfield, a
noble old man, and a soldier of the purest type, who after-
wards, as a Gettystmrg prisoner, and in confinement at John-
son's Island, gave his life for the cause which he had espoused.
The enemy's ])reparations being complete his guns began
to open quite briskly upon the pickets in the swamp. Gen-
eral Robertson formed his troops in line, and within easy
sup])ort of the pickets should there be any intention exhib-
ited, on the part of the enemy, to cross the river on pontoons.
Some casualties occurred amongst the dismounted cavalry,
and two men of Captain Bryce's company. Colonel Ferebee's
Regiment, were killed by a shell. General Robertson ordered
Jordan's Regiment into the swamp to relieve Leventhorpe's
picket companies. This intention, however, was changed.
Colonel Jordan was counter-ordered, and Colonel Leven-
thorpe instructed to join his two picket companies, with
his eight remaining companies, and to use his judgment
as to the best mode of engaging the enemy, but, in any event,
to resist the crossing of the Neuse river to the last ex-
tremity. The Eleventh Regiment moved forward at the
doul)lc-quick, tiled to the right through the timber on the
river bank. It was halted, and fronted towards White
Hall in rather extended order, to meet the large front shown
by the enemy, as well as to lessen, by the extension of the files,
the danger of loss by his artillery. In the meantime, al-
though there Wi\s no vantage ground for artillery in the Con-
federate position. General Robertson placed two small guns,
his sole ordnance, and directed the Lieutenant (Nelson Mc-
Clees) who commanded, to engage the enemy's batteries.
Some seven hundred men, therefore, of the Eleventh
Regiment and two small howitzers of this North Car-
olina liattcry ( Company B, Third North Carolina Bat
talion), formed the only fighting force opposed to thirty
pieces in position, and Foster's whole command. The
other Confederate troops, which were present, are nev-
ertheless entitled to their full share of the credit

Battle of White Hall. 89

of this engagement, as tliey were placed under circum-
stances of peril highly tr^dng to their steadfastness, without
that stimulus of action which renders most men insensible to
danger. A lull in the firing enabled the officers and men of
the illeventh to hear the order of their commanding officer,
which was to keep their order, but avail themselves of such
shelter as the ground afforded, and to commence independent
firing. Tlie answer came in that wild cheer, which many
have lieard and know as the Southern soldier's expression of
ardor and determination. The enemy's guns were arranged
on the heights at and around White Hall in a kind of semi-
line so as, without actually enfilading the swamp, to expose
those who held it to a direct and oblique fire. The infantry
which engaged the Eleventh Itegiment was drawn up in line,
on the high ground fronting the swamp. The thirty guns
opened at once, and fired as fast as they could be loaded and
fired, for four hours without intermission. The Federal in-
fantry fired \)\ volleys and at the word of command. They
were answered by the file-firing of the Confederate Kegiment
and by the section of a battery which might be heard occa-
sionally through rhc din of battle in its unparalleled strug-
gle against odds. The position of the enemy's infantry, as
well as that of his batteries, although commanding that of the
Confederates, had this disadvantage that it was necessary to
depress the aim. In fact the Southern riflemen "were too
near their enemy, and his artillery and infantry overshot the
mark. Had the thirty guns been more depressed, or had the
Soutliern infantry been a hundred or even fifty yards further
to the rear, it really seems impossible that any troops could
liave endured such a fire. The enemy's infantiy fought well
for four hours under a destructive fire. Their line, how-
ever, was frequently broken, and as frequently reformed.
Some regiments faltered and ^^•ithdrew in disorder, as their
files were thinned by the Confederate rifles, but others sup-
plied their ])lace. At length the Federal commander con-
ceded a repulse, withdrew his guns, and then his infantry,
and was seen moving in the distance, with a long ambulance
train containing the wounded. Leventhorpe's Regiment,
the m^'n's cartridges all spent, was relieved by Jordan's,

90 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

which engaged and drove away the skirmishers which General
Foster had thrown out to cover his retreat.

Such, on 6 December, ISG:^, was the engagement at White
Hall between the Confederate and Federal forces.

An examination of the iiekl next day resulted in the dis-
covery of one hundred and twenty-six of the Federal dead,
and nineteen horses left on the field. It is not probable that
this was the sum of the killed, but only comprehended those
whom it was inexpedient to remove under a galling fire.

The exact object of General Foster in this engagement is
doubtful. It seems nevertheless, as a jjontoon train accom-
panied him that it was his design to cross the Neuse at White
Hall, and advance from that point on Goldsboro. It is
hardly to be supposed that, in order to overcome an unlooked
for resistance only, ho should have sacrificed a day's time,
and subjected himself to a loss of probably a thousand men
in killed and wounded, with a vast expenditure of ammuni-
tion.

The writer deeply regrets that General Robertson's report
of this engagement,* which resulted so honorably to North
Carolina soldiers, fighting on their native soil, as well as the
general orders of Major-General G. W. Smith and Major-
General S. G. French, which were in his possession until
lately, have been destroyed In' fire. The section of artillery
gave excellent aid in this fight. One of the two small guns
was dismounted early in the fight, and the giinners killed ;
but despite this discouragement the remaining howitzer was
fought to the last against the thirty opposing guns of large
calibre, and made havoc amongst the enemy, particularly his
horses, which were found lying thick around those batteries
which received the special attention of this gallant subaltern.

The Confederate loss was slight in the engagement at

*The report of General B H. Robertson will be found in 26 {Serial
Number) Off. Rec. Union & Coitfed. Armies 121. General Smith's at p.
109. General Evans' at p 112, and the Federal General Foster's at p. 54,
all in same volume They cover the entire operations from Kinston to
Goldsboro and contain interesting information upon an important cam-
paign on our soil. The casualties on each side are given. Q. S. 92 killed,
487 wounded, 12 missing. C. S. 71 killed, 2(38 wounded, 400 missing,
though the Federal reports state they paroled 496.— Ed.

Battle of White Hall. 91

White Hall (10 killed and 42 wounded), including few men
killed and wounded in the force present, but not actually
engaged. Of those engaged the writer believes that two men
were killed in the command of the Lieutenant of artillery
when his gun was dismounted, and that the casualties in the
Eleventh A'orth Carolina were seven men killed and forty
wounded. The total number of Confederate soldiers pres-
ent was fifteen hundred,

Stephen D. Pool.
Ealeigh, N. C,

16 December, 1874.

rinnw nflRCH at chancel-

LORSVILLE.

2 AND 3 MAT, 1863.

By brigadier-general JAMES H. LANE.

On the morning of 1 May, 1863, my Brigade moved from
its position, near Hamilton's Crossing, in the direction of
Chancellorsville. That night we formed line of battle with
skirmishers thrown forward on the right of the road, about a
mile and a half from Chancellorsville. Next morning be-
tween 8 and 9, I think, after the artillery duel on the road
to our right, where one of our caissons was blown up and the
Eighteenth North Carolina suifered a slight loss, we were
ordered to the left on that memorable flank movement.

General Jackson's front line was composed of Rodes' Di-
vision, his second of Colston's and his third of A. P. Hill's,
with the exception of McGowan's Brigade and mine. Our
two brigades moved by the flank along the plank road immedi-
ately in rear of our artillery — mine being in front.

We crossed the plank road where Generals Lee and Jack-
son were sitting on their horses, and took the road to Wel-
ford's Furnace, on a part of which we were in full view of
the enemy who shelled us vigorously. From Welford's Fur-
nace we took a circuitous route across fields and along roads
until we struck the road on the enemy's right flank, where
Rodes and Colston were forming their lines of battle. This
was between 5 and 6 in the afternoon of the same day. Mc-
Gowan's Brigade and mine moved down the road, mine being
in front and close behind the artillery. After the enemy
had been swept back to Chancellorsville, and we had reached
their last breastworks, the artillery halted, as did my com-
mand. This was a little before dark.

We remained standing in the road for some time. Gen-
eral A. P. Hill then ordered me to form across the road —
two regiments to the right, two to the left, and one thrown
forward as a strong line of skirmishers — for the purpose of

94 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

making a niglit attack ; but soon after the order was given our
artillery opened and the enemy's replied. I at once or-
dered my men to lie down, as I was unwilling to attempt to
manoeuver them in the dark, and in such a woods, under such
a deadl}' fire. Colonel William H. Palmer gallantly crossed
the road to know why I did not move my command. I re-
quested him to tell General Hill that if he wished me to do
so successfully he must order his artillery to cease firing.
The order was given and the firing ended on both sides.
I now formed my brigade as I had been ordered, putting
the Seventh and Thirty-seventh on the right of the road,
and the Eighteenth and Twenty-eighth on the left, the
right of the Eighteenth resting on the road, while the Thir-
ty-third under Colonel Avery, was thrown forward as skir-
mishers. On account of the artillery fire the line was not
formed till about 9 o'clock. The woods in front of our right
consisted of large oaks with but little undergrowth ; in rear of
our right there was a pine thicket, and to the left of the road
there was a dense growth of scrubby oaks, through which it
was very difficult for troops to move. Our skirmish line oc-
cupied the crest of the hill, separated, on the right of the road,
from the Chancellorsville hill by a deep valley. I cautioned
all of my field officers to watch closely the front, as we were
then occupying the front line and were expected to make a
night attack. After forming my line I rode from my right
to the road to ask General A. P. Hill if we must advance or
wait for further orders, and on reaching the plank road I met
General Jackson alone, I think, and he at once wished to
know for whom I was looking. It was too dark to recogiiize
any one, and when I was calling and asking for General A.
P. Hill, General Jackson recognized me, as I have always
thought, from my voice, I having been a cadet under him at
the Virginia Military Institute. I told him, and to save
further delay, I asked for orders. In an earnest tone and
with a pushing gesture of his right hand in the direc-
tion of the enemy, he replied, ''Push right ahead. Lane," and
then rode forward. On reaching the right of my command
to put it in motion I found that a Lieutenant-Colonel Smith,
of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania Regi-

Flank March at Chancellorsvilt.e. 95

ment, had conie up between our line of battle and the skir-
mish line, with a white handkerchief tied to a stick, to learn,
as he stated, whether we were friends or foes. This officer
seemed surprised at my not allowing him to return after he
had gratified his curiosity. T was still further delayed by
officers of the Seventh liegiment reporting that during my ab-
sence troops of seme kind had l:ieen talking on our right.
Lieutenant Emack, with four men, was at once sent out to re-
connoitre, and he soon returned with the One Hundred and
Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania IJegiment, which had thrown
down their arms and surrendered (jn being told that they were
cut off. Just as Captain Young (our gallant boy-captain,
about IS or 19 years old) was ordered with his company to
take this regiment to the rear, the right of the skirmish line
fired, as I afterwards learned from Colonel Avery, at a person
who rode up from the direction of the enemy and called for
"General Williams." This unknown person escaped, but the
firing at him caused the whole skirmish line to open, and the
enemy responded. Much heavier infantry firing was heard
immediately afterwards in the direction of the plank road, fol-
lowed by a reopening of the enemy's artillery. General Pen-
der now rode up and advised me not to advance, as General
Jackson had been wounded, and, he thought by my com-
mand. I did not advance, but went to the plank road, where
I learned that General Hill had also been wounded. I there,
moreover, learned from Colonel John D. Barry, then Major
of the Eighteenth jSTorth Carolina Regiment, that he knew
nothing of Generals Jackson and Hill having gone to the
front; that he could not tell friend from foe in such woods;
that when the skirmish line fired there was heard the clatter-
ing of approaching horsemen and the cry of cavalry, and
that he not only ordered his men to fire, but that he pro-
nounced the subsequent cry of friends to be a lie, and that his
men continued to fire upon the approaching party. It was
generally understood that night, by my command and others,
that the Eighteenth Regiment not only wounded Generals
Jackson and Hill, but killed some of their couriers and per-
haps some of their staff officers, as some of them were miss-
ing. Colonel Barry, who was one of my bravest and most ac-

96 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

complislied oiiicers, always thought that Generals Jackson
and Hill were both wounded by his command.

After the wounding of these two Generals, General Heth
assumed command of Hill's Division, countermanded the
order for an advance, and directed me to form the whole of
my brigade on the right of the plank road. We were the
only troops in line on the right of the road until after we had
repulsed Sickles' formidable midnight attack, in which we
captured a few prisoners and the colors of the Third Maine
Regiment. McGowan's Brigade then prolonged our right,
and we rested on our arms until the next morning. I did
not see General Stuart that night, but understood he did not
arrive to take command of Jackson's Corps until after my
brigade had repulsed Sickles' midnight attack.

On the morning of the 3d we were ordered to make a direct
attack upon the enemy's works, which were composed of logs
hastily thrown together the night previous, in our front and
on the slope of the hill facing the Chancellorsville hill. We
carried the works, but could not hold them on account of the
concentrated, murderous artillery fire from the Chancellors-
ville hill, under which the enemy threw forward fresh in-
fantry. The brigade that was to have supported us did not
come to our assistance, and before General Ramseur (then a
Brigadier), could get up with his ISTorth Carolinians, we w^ere
driven back with a loss of over nine hundred out of about
twenty-seven hundred carried into action. Of the thirteen
field officers of my command that participated in this charge,
only one — Barry- — was left for duty. General Ramseur
would go forward, though I advised him against it. His
command reached the same works, but had to retire with a
similar terrible loss.

The enemy was finally driven from the Chancellorsville
House by the Confederates carrying the salient to our right,
where General Stuart, in command of Jackson's Corps, elic-
ited loud shouts of admiration from the infantry as he in per-
son gallantly rushed them over the Avorks upon Hooker's re-
treating columns.

James H. Lane.
Auburn, Ala.,

2 May, 1901.

THE WOUNDING OF JACKSON.

2 MAT, 1563.
By spier WHfTAKEIJ, Adjutant Thirty-third Regiment N. C. T.

Early on the inorninc; oi2May, 1863, Gen. Jackson marched
by the Furnace and Brock roads and reached the okl turnpike
aliont three miles in the rear of Chaneellorsville, at 4 ]x m.
As the different divisions arrived they were formed at right
angles to the road, liodes' in front, Trimble's under Colston
in the second, and A. P. Hill, marching down the turnpike
in column of fours in the third line, with the Thirty-third
North Carolina, of Lane's Brigade, at the head of the column.
At (J ]). m. tlie advance ^\'as ordered. The enemy were taken
by surprise and fled after a brief resistance. Kodes' men
])ushed forward witli great vigor and entliusiasm, followed
closely by the second and third lines. Position after posi-
tion was carried, the guns caj->t.ured, and every effort of the
enemy to rally defeated by the impetuous rush of our troops.
In the ardor of pursuit through the thick and tangled woods^
the first and second lines at last became ndngled, and moved
on together as one. The flight and ])ursuit continued until
our advance was arrested by the abatis in front of the line of
works near the central position at Chaneellorsville. Tt was
now dark, and General Jackson ordered the third line, un-
der General A. P. Hill, to advance to the front and relieve the
troops of Tiodes and Colston, who were completely Wended
and in such disorder from their rapid advance through intri-
cate woods and over broken ground, that it was necessary to
reform them. Lane's Brigade was formed across the road,
the Eighteenth and Twenty-eighth on the left, the Seventh
and Thirty-seventh on the right, and the Thirty-third in skir-
mish line in front of the entire Brigade. Colonel Avery being
at the center of his line, at the road. It was so dark and the
woods so thick that the men could not be properly located or
7

98 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

deployed by a mere word of command, and I was sent by the
Colonel to the left to see that this w^as done. When I had at-
tended to this, I returned to Colonel Avery and informed him
that the line was ready to move forward, when he told me
that Generals Jackson and Hill with their staffs, had just
gone forward in front of our line reconnoitering and that
we must wait until their return. Soon we heard firing in
front ; the Generals and their staffs came galloping back and
across our line bearing to the right of the road to escape the
artillery fire. We, of course, permitted them to pass us,
but the Eighteenth Tiegiment in our rear shouted, "Yankee
cavalry I" and under orders from their officers, fired on them.
As the bullets were coming from the front and the rear at the
same time, our line protected themselves by lying down. We
soon learned that Jackson had been terribly wounded by our
own men and taken to the rear. There was no further ad-
vance that night and the battle for that day had about ended.
Thus was the greatest of our Generals killed by his own men
while in the midst of a glorious victory and on the point of
capturing an army three times as large as the one which was
commanded in part by himself.

Spiee Whitaker.
Raleigh, N. C,

2 May, 1901.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

By ALFRED H. H. TOLAR, Captain Company K, Eighteenth
Regiment North Carolina Troops.

As an eye witness to the affair I desire to make some state-
ment of facts as they have impressed themselves on my mind
and to call as witnesses for concurrence the gallant Major T.
J. Wooten, of the Eighteenth iSTorth Carolina Troops, the
chivalrous Captains V. V. Richardson and Thomas L. Lewis,
of the Eighteenth ISTorth Carolina Troops, and other officers

The Wounding of Jackson. 99

of that regiment avIio Avere in line at the time this sad affair
was enacted.

Under the circumstances it would have been utterly impos-
sible for any one to know who fired the fatal bullet or bullets.
That the ^rounds were from the firing line of the Eighteenth
JSTorth Carolina troops, officers and men of that regiment will
testify with regret. If my memory serves me true, the Eigh-
teenth regiment was the only regiment on the left of the Turn-
pike, the remainder of the brigade (Lane's) being on the right
of the road as we faced the enemy at Chancellorsville. About
dark, General Jackson and staff, accompanied by General A.
P, Hill and staff, rode down the Turnpike in advance of our
line of battle, and, coining closer to the enemy's line than they
expected, were fired on from a regiment of infantry ; and then
some batteries of artillery turned loose with a heavy firing,
sending shot and shell down the pike. The General and staff
left the road, and the two Generals (Jackson and Hill), with
staffs and couriers, came down on the Eighteenth at a rapid
gait. The night was calm and the tramp of thirty horsemen
advancing through a heavy forest at a rapid gait, seemed to
the average infantryman like a brigade of cavalry. Noting
the approach of horsemen from the front, and having been
advised that the enemy was in front, with no line of pickets
intervening to give the alarm, the brave Colonel Purdie gave
the order "Fix bayonets ; load ; prepare for action !" as fast as
the command could be given. When the supposed enemy was
within 100 yards, perhaps, of our line, the Colonel gave the
command, "Commence firing," and from that moment until
notified by Major Holland (or Harris) of General Jackson's
staff, that we were firing on our own men, the firing was kept
up by the entire regiment with great rapidity. The horse of
Major Harris (or Holland) was knocked down with a blow
from the butt of a gun in the hands of Arthur S. Smith, Com-
pany K, Eighteenth North Carolina Troops, and at that
moment we were notified by the Major of the sad mistake that
had been luade.

It was during this continuous firing that General Jackson
received his wounds, and if any other troops except the Eigh-
teenth fired a shot I did not hear of it. The soldier on the

100 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

firing line knows how impossible it would be for any one to
know who fired the fatal shot, and the man who would at-
tempt to set 11]) such a claim would certainly presume on the
intelligence of the average Confederate soldier.

Alf. H. H. Tolae.
Damon, Tex.,

2 May, 1901.

Note. — Thus fell in the glory of his prime the greatest soldier the war'
produced, wlien the war was only half through. What heights he might
have reached if he had lived, we know not for he was constantly growing.

It is a singular reflection that notwithstanding the countless tons of
bullets, cannon balls and shell fired during those four eventful years
two niinie balls in all human probability, decided the result as it was.
The bullet that slew Albert Sidney Johnston when in another hour he
would have captured the Western Army witli Grant and Sherman at its
head and that other bullet which prostrated " Stonewall" .Jackson when
on the eve of capturing Hooker's array destroyed our hopes of success.
There were other occasions when mismanageinent intervened, among
them the failure to push our success. on the second day at Gettysburg,
and Whiting's failure to capture Butler when "bottled up" at Bermuda
Hundreds, but the deaths of Jackson and .Johnston were fatalities.

The splendid courage of our soldiery and the patriotism of our people
would have conquered success, but, as Napier said of Napoleon, "Fortune,
that name for the unknown comhinations of an infinite power, was wanting
to us and without her aid, the designs of man are as bubbles upon a
troubled ocean."— Ed.

i^^^llC LIBRARY.,

^«

>

C on-fed &ra/te Lines

ffUUtUMUUtgiggtigi

FIELD OF LOXGS

Gettysljurg,

T'tdeyTcil Lines

EET'S ASSAULT.
Y 3, 1863.

■ NEW YORK

■uDL.iC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX A«0
TILOtN FOUNOATlONa.

LONGSTREET'S flSSflULT AT
GETTYSBURG.

3 JULY. 1863.

By major W. M. ROBBINS.

It is not singular that students of history ' shoiild feel a
deep interest in the stoiT of Gettysburg and especially of the
final assault made by the Confederates on the third day of the
battle, the result of'whieh foreshadowed the issue of the war
between the States and the fate of the Southern Confederacy.
So much has already been written concerning it that only ur-
gent solicitations, from a source which I cannot disregard,
have moved me to make this brief contribution to the story.

The number of Confederates engaged in the assault was
about 1 4,000, composing nine brigades, Kemper's, Garaett's,
and Armistead's of Pickett's Division ; Archer's, Pettigi'ew's
(under command of Colonel J. K. Marshall), Davis' and
Brockenborough's of Heth's Division, commanded by General
Pettigrew ; and Scales' and Lane's of Pender's Division, com-
manded by General Trimble. They formed two lines of bat-
tle, the front line composed of Kemper's, Garnett's, Archer's,

^^E —This valuable article was written by my request for this work
bv Hon W M R:.bbins who since 1894 has been one of the "Gettysburg
National Park Conunissioners" and therefore possessed of tl^^ J" ^st 'nf^r-
Son from the thousands of participants, coming from both armies
^ih.vei^^sitTd the grounds. He himself was in the battle, though not
i"^ t'J« chaif ' nrwS o^^^^ day Major Fourth Alabama Regiment on

onr ri^ht \fter the war. Maj. Robbins returned to North Carolina^ Ins
^^HvHtate and served with high distinction in the State Senate and the

within qvard« of that wall. This settles that the men from this State
nies this sketch and corroborates Maj. Robbins.-i.D.

102 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Pettigrew's (under Marshall), Davis' and Brockenbrough's
Brigades in the order named from right to left; and the sec-
ond or supporting line composed of Armistead's, Scales' and
Lane's Brigades. In the front line were thirteen Virginia
Eegiments and one battalion in Kemper's, Garnett's and
Brockenborough's Brigades ; five ISTorth Carolina Regiments,
four of them in Pettigrew's Brigade (under Marshall), and
one of them in Davis' Brigade ; three Mississippi Regiments
in Davis' Brigade; three Tennessee and one Alabama Regi-
ment and Battalion in Archer's Brigade, making twenty-five
regiments and two battalions in this line. In the second line
were five Virginia Regiments in Armistead's Brigade and ten
North Carolina regiments in Scales' and Lane's Brigades,
making fifteen regiments in this line.

The ridge on wliich the Confederates formed their lines for
the assault is called Seminary Ridge and is 1,400 yards west-
ward from Cemetery Ridge, which was occupied by the Union
army. These ridges are parallel with each other, the last
named being somewhat the higher of the two, and between
them are cultivated fields with many fences running hithei'
and thither about them. Tbe Emmitsburg Road also passes
obliquely in front of the Union line, enclosed on both sides by
post and rail fences which are almost immovable and consti-
tute a formidable obstacle to the orderly advance of a charg'
ing line of battle.

Codori's house and barn just east of that road also dis-
turbed the compactness and continuity of Kemper's line as he
advanced.

The Union position on Cemetery Ridge was exceedingly
strong and formidable. From the elevated plateau, called
Cemeterv Hill, whei'e the National Cemeterv is, the ridffe
extends southward towards Round Top, a distance of more
than two miles, and overlooks and dominates every foot of
the ground over which the Confederates charged. Along
its crest from Cemetery Hill to Round Top was a line of
Union batteries which General Himt, Chief of Artillery,
shrewdly divining what the great cannonade meant, had kept
in reserve until the crucial moment and hurried into position
w^hen he saw the Confederate infantry begin its advance.

Longstreet's Assault at Gettysburg. 103

All along the front where the assault was made there was
also a double line of Union infantry ready to resist the as-
sault, and the front line of that infantry was posted behind a
stone fence which served as an almost impregnable barrier
against assailants. Strong details of skirmishers were out
along the fences of the Emmitsburg road and also along the
fence running ^\esterly from that road past the Confederate
left flank. Another point in relation to the Union defences
should be stated, which is, that the stone fence above men-
tioned as a strong defense for tlie Union forces does not run
in an unbroken straight line north and south, but after run-
ning from its southern terminus due north for several hun-
dred yards, it turns due east at what is called "The Angle,'"
and runs SO yards in that direction, and then turns again and
runs due north for several hundred yards to ilie Bryan barn.
Its length from north to "^outh almost exactly equalcl the
length of the Confederate front line when it reached there.
The important influence of its angular course upon the isoue
of the Confederate assault will be shoAvn later on.

The cannonade preceding the advance of the Confederate
infantry opened about 1 o'clock, p. m., and continued nearly
two hours. It was one of the greatest cannonades of modern
times, but it nevertheless failed to accomplish the results ex-
pected. Artillery will do to batter down fortifications, shell
towns, sink ships and cut in pieces with grape and canister ad-
vancing lines of infantry ; but ever>' old soldier knows that
ordinarily it is much less to be dreaded than the "blue whist-
lers" from the musketry. So it w%as at Gettysburg. A num-
ber of Union gun carriages were ruined, caissons blown up,
and now and then a soldier hugging the ground was struck
and torn to pieces ; but there was no important weakening of
the Union infantry lines, and the manner in which General
Hunt saved his artillery for the crisis he foresaw has already
been mentioned.

As soon as the cannonade ceased the Confederate infantry
moved forward to the assault. Only the three brigades of
Pickett were fresh troops. All the other brigades had par-
ticipated in the fighting of the previous days, and suffered
heavy losses. Both their division commanders, Heth and

104 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Pender, had been wounded, the latter mortally. Three bri-
gades were without their Brigadiers, Scales having been
wounded, Archer taken prisoner, and Pettigrew placed in
command of Heth's Division. Many Colonels and other field
officers and a long list of company officers had been killed and
wounded, and the losses from the ranks had been heavy- in
most of the regiments and extraordinary in some, the Twenty-
sixth jSTorth Carolina, for instance, having lost over 71 per
cent, of its numbers in killed and wounded in the first day's
fight. As the lines moved out in that fatal, final charge, a
number of the men wore bloody bandages on account of
wounds received in the first day's fight, and it is said that
General Lee obsei*ved and spoke of this with much feeling
and moistened eyes. ISTo wonder his soldiers loved their
noble commander and were ready to march under his orders
even into the cannon's mouth.

]\rany Union officers and soldiers who were there and saw
it have stood with me on Cemetery Pidge and spoken with
admiration of the magnificent spectacle presented by the lines
of Confederate veterans as they advanced deliberately, with
muskets at right shoulder shift, across those broad fields. A
storm of shells, grape and canister, poured upon them and
cut wide gaps in their ranks, but these were promptly closed
up without retarding the advance. The duty of indicating
the general direction to be followed by the whole force Avas
very properly assigned to Pickett's fresh division. The oth-
ers were ordered to dress to the right and keep in touch with
his left and he was ordered to move directly towards a small
unbrella-shaped copse of chestnut oaks inside the Union lines
a short distance south of ''The Angle." That copse of trees
is still there, looking exactly as it did thirty-eight years ago.
Tt is enclosed by an iron fence to keep people from carrying
off every splinter of it as a ''relic." A large tablet has been
erected near by containing the inscription, "The High Water
Mark of the Rehellion." T often remind our Union friends
good humoredly that the waves dashed up pretty high several
times afterwards, at Chickamauga, Wilderness, Spoftsylva-
nia, Cold Plarbor and elsewhere. They take the reminder

Longstreet's Assault at Gettysburg. 105

pleasantly and, to tell the truth, are ahnost as proud of our
Southern soldiery as we are.

When Pickett's line had advanced to the summit of the
ridge which had sheltered it. during the great cannonade, he
perceived that his center was not moving directly towards the
above-mentioned copse of trees as intended, but tO' the right
and south of it. Thereupon he very properly ordered his bri-
gades to incline considerably to the left, which they did and
they continued on the same course until they reached the en-
emy's lines. The order to the other brigades from the first
was "Guide right, and keep in touch with Pickett's left;" and
therefore, on starting they inclined somewhat tO' their right
SO' as to join his left. His change of direction being unfore-
seen by them and occurring whilst the whole line was in
motion, the result, for which none of them can be censured,
v/as that very considerable crowding and intermingling of the
ranks on Pickett's left and Pettigrew's right took place by
the time they reached the Union breastworks, the effect of
which will be noticed hereafter.

One of the great obstacles encountered by the Confederates
in their advance was the Emmitsburg road with its post and
rail fences on each side and, as heretofore mentioned, running
obliqueh' to the lines of battle. Where Pickett's right crcssed
these fences is about 600 yards from the ITnion line and
where Pettigrew's left crossed tliem is about 1 50 yards from
that line. The reader can imagine how difficult it was to
preserve an orderly alignment of the men crossing these
fences in succession from the right flank to the left under a
fierce storm of grape and canister and, on the left, of mus-
ketry also, for the Emmitsburg road there is in easy musket
range of the Union lines. Another important fact which
should not be omitted is that the Eighth Ohio Regiment and
a large detail from Wi Hard's ISTew York Brigade, having
been thrown out from the Union right as skiriuishers beyond
the Emmitsburg road, did not withdraw to their main battle
line as the Confederates were advancing, but formed in com-
pact ranks under cover of the fence west of the Emmitsburg
road, perpendicular to the Confederate line and near its left
flank. From this shelter they poured in a severe and unex-

lOG North Cakolina Troops, 1861-'65.

peeted cnlilaclc fire on that flank of Pettigrow's Division, con-
sisting- of Brookenborough's and Davis' Brigades. This oc-
curred wliilo the Confederate brigades further to the right
were crossing the Emniitsburg road, but it was followed up
by tlio«e llankers with energy and not without considerable
effect on Pettigrew's left, even to tlie close of the battle.

As soon as the Confederate front line had crossed the
EiMmitsburg road it raised tJie well-kno^^■n battle yell and
pressed forward against the Union breastworks. Kemper
and Garnett were met. by the fire of Plarrow's and Hall's and
part of Webb's Brigades in front, and Kemper also received
an oblique fire on his right froui two regiments of Stannard's
Vermont Brigade which had been moved out somewhat in ad-
vance of the main line. This caused Kemper's men to in-
cline still more to their left, whereupon Stannard wheeled
those two regiments to his right aiul struck Kemper's right
fi:ink, inflicting severe losses in killed aud wounded and cap-
turiug over :200 men. General Kemper also fell desperately
wounded about this time 75 yards froui the Union Avorks ; but
his brigade, thougli nuicli disorganized by its losses, especially
of oflicers, pushed on until it reached the stone fence or wall
behind which was the Union front line, just west of the copse
of trees heretofore mentione«i as the giiide point for Pickett's
Division. Garnett's Brigade, though suffering fearful losses,
also pushed on to the stone wall. General Garnett himself fall-
ing dead from his saddle twenty-five yards west of it. Petti-
grew and his division, with heavy losses and himself painfully
wounded, had kept on a line with the brigades of Kemper
and Garnett and reached the stone wall at the same time; but
this stone wall, as has been previously stated, turns squarely
eastward near the point reached by Garnett's left and Petti-
grew's right, forming what is known as "The Angle," and
after nmning 80 yards in that direction turns again and runsj
northward to the Bryan bam near the left of the ContVlerate
front line. Tt is not amiss to state that this last-mentioned
section of the wall is much higher than the section ninning
from the angle southward, the latter being about three feet
high and the other five feet, coming up to one's chin on its
western side. The wall is there still, presen-ed just as it was

Longstkket's Assault at Gettysburg. 107

in 1863 for the inspection of visitors. Behind this wall and
close to it from its last turn northward, was a double line of
Union infantry composed of Webb's right regiment and
Smyth's and Willard's Brigades. There were also two Union
lines from the Angle southward, but only one of them was
near the wall and the other was 80 yards to the east of it.

As ah-eady intimated, Kemper's and Garnett's Brigades
and Pettigi'ew's Division when they reached the Angle were
greatly weakfiied and almost disorganized by their heavy
losses of men and officers. Their ranks on Garnett's left and
Pettigrew's right had also become much intermingled from
the crowding together of their flanks during the advance, by
reason of iheir different understanding, heretofore alluded
to, as to how their march was to be guided. After crossing
the Emmitsburg road, Archer's small brigade had been almost
absorbed by the left of Garnett >ind the right of Pettigrew's
North Carolina brigade.

It was but a few minutes after the weakened front line
reached the Angle when the brigades of Armistead, Scales
and Lane rushed forward and mingled with it. And now we
come to the last act of the great tragedy which only an in-
spired pencil could worthily paint. Armistead sprang on the
wnl] with iiis hat on the point of his sword, called to his men
tf) follow, and leaping down on the other side, pushed forward
towards Cnshing's battery. He was followed by two or three
hundi-cd \'irginians, a number of Archer's Tennesseeans and
Alabamians, and a few of Pettigrew's North Carolinians.
Judge Josf'])h J. Davis, of blessed memory, was one of them ;
go he told me years ago. Some Confederate flags were
planted on the wall and a few beyond it within the Union
lines, but only for a very short time. General Armistead
soon fell mortally wounded just forty steps east of the wall.
The spot is marked with a Memorial stone. A number of the
men who followed him over the wall were killed, most of them
were captured, but a few made good their escape. Among
these was Captain F. S. Harris, of the Seventh Tennessee
Regiment, Archer's Brigade, who has shown me the spot
where he was knocked down but rose again and made off and,
for a wonder, got clear away. Armistead sent his watch,

108 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

purse, and some keep-sakes to his old comrade, General Han-
cock, to be forwarded to his family, and then passed "over the
river to rest under the shade of the trees."

And while Armistead and his heroic followers were over
in the Angle, where were PettigTew's and Trimble's thinned
but gallant l)attalions ? They were making a desperate ef-
fort to stoi-ni the high stone wall eighty yards east of the
Angle and were being moAved down like grain before the
reaper by the douljle line of infantry behind that wall. A
few men reached it, but finding it too high to leap over, could
do nothing but surrender. Others made a near approach to
it, but found their ranks so thinned that further effort was
plainly useless. The larger proportion, both of officers and
men, v\ere stretched upon the ground killed or disabled about
half way between the Angle and the stone wall which -they
were assailing. General Trimble, Colonel Marshall and Col-
onel Fry were wounded and made prisoners. General Pet-
tigrew had his horse killed under him. Brockenborough's
Brigade, weak in numbers, and a few companies of the left
of Davis' Brigade, forming the Confederate line north of the
Bryan 1iarn, had been from the first vigorously assailed by
fiankei's, as has been already mentioned, and when they were
charging on the main Union line posted there on a high em-
bankment, the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Xew York
Regiment was wheeled to its left and throA\n upon their
left flank, inflicting heavy losses, and a terrific fire from the
line of infantry in their front and a storm of grape and canis-
ter from Woodruff's Battery soon cut them to pieces and ren-
dered further efforts hopeless. By this time the entire line
under Pickett, Pettigrew and Trimble, was over^vlielmed and
repulsed. The defeated Confederates fell back shattered and
disorganized across the fields over which they had advanced
so gallantly and proudly and the famous assault was over.

I have not mentioned Wilcox's Alabama, and Perrv's Flor-
ida Brigades because they, in fact, and without any fault of
theirs, really had no part in the assault. About twenty
minutes after Pickett's Division started, they were ordered
to advance and support it on its right. But tlie dense cloud
of smoke over the field concealed from them the left oblique

Longstreet's Assault at Gettysburg. 109

course which Pickett had taken after passing them, and so
they marched straight forward, which caused a wide, wedge-
shaped gap between them and Pickett's right, into which
Stannard threw one of his \'ermont regiments and captured
the flag and about 100 men of the Eighth Fkirida. Colonel
David Lang, who commanded the Florida Brigade, once
visited Gettysburg and went Avith me over the ground; and he
told me that when they reached the Emmitsburg road near the
Rogers House, lie saw through a rift in the smoke that Pick-
ett's and Pettigrew's forces were being overwlielmed, and he
would have turned back at once, but he thought it safer for
his brigade to go forward at a double-quick and thus reach the
bushy swale on Plum Run and escape by going down that
southward to the Trestle Place and thence westward, as this
route was not so directly swept by the Union artillery ; and
both his and Wilcox's Brigades did this, with the above-men-
tioned loss to the Eighth Florida and considerable losses also
to the other regiments of both brigades.

A few more words will close this paper, and those words
will be devoted to showing how unwise and undeserved it is
for any of the magnificent heroes who took part in that final
bloody struggle at Gettysburg ever to impugTi each other's
chivalry on that occasion. I was not myself a participant in
it; I was away over at Round Top with the Fourth Alabama,
hammering aAvay at the Yankee infantry and cavalry and,
strange as it may seem, we did not even know of that fatal ep-
isode two miles north of us until about sunset, and coiild
scarcely believe it then.

I have re-affirnied the well-known and truthful account of
how gallantly Pickett's men fought, what they did, and how
far they went. They had not been in the battle on the pre-
vious two days and were fresh and well organized with all
their officers in their places. Their losses in that assault in
killed, wounded and captured were a fraction over 63 per
cent., which is mucli above the average losses of troops in bat-
tle.

I have also stated whither and how far the faithful veterans
of Pettigrew and Trimble advanced, which was near the high
stone wall before mentioned eighty yards farther east than

110 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

the Angle and to' the left and northward of the spot where
the noble Armistead fell. Does any one doubt the accuracy
of that statement'^ If so, I must suggest the undisputed
fact that the best proof of where a line of soldiers went to
is wliere they left their dead ; and A\'here that was in this
case is established beyond question by multitudes of disin-
terested witnesses. A great many officers and soldiers of
the Union Army, who were in the battle here and went over
the ground where that final struggle took place, very soon af-
terwards, have talked with me about it and emphatically con-
fimied the facts as stated above. For instance, (to name one
of them), Colonel E. B. Cope, the Engineer of our Gettys-
burg Park Commission, a gentleman of the highest character
and a Union officer in the battle here, has often told me of
how he was invited by one of Greneral Meade's staff officers
in the evening of that third day, to go with him up on the
ridge and (to quote the words of the officer who invited him),
''see such a sight as he had never before seen on a battlefield."
The Colonel says he went and was deeply impressed by what
he saw. The dead, he says, were very numerous in the Angle
around the spot where Armistead fell and between that and
the stone wall over which he and his men had charged south
of the Angle; but they were much more thickly strewn on the
ground in front of the high stone wall which Pettigrew's and
Trimble's men had tried to storm and wliich runs northward
to the Bryan barn.

In 1895, Colonel John K. Connally, of Asheville, who was
Colonel of tlie Fifty-fifth North Carolina Begiment of Davis'
Brigade, Lieutenant T. J. Falls, of Cleveland County, and
Sergeant J. A. AVhitley of Martin County, N. C, who had
also served in that regiment and been in the battle here, made
a visit to Gettysburg and went with me over the field. Colo-
nel Connally had lost an arm in the first day's fight; and (by
the way) Lieutenant-Colonel M. T. Smith had been killed
and Major A. H. Belo had been wounded on that day, so that
the regiment on the third day was under command of a Cap-
tain. Lieutenant Falls and Sergeant Whitley showed me the
ground over which they had charged and the point they
reached, which point, as noted on our maps and in my journal,

Longstreet's Assault at Gettysburg. Ill

is twenty steps south of tlie Bryan bam and just nine yards
west of the stone wall which Pettigrew and Trimble tried to
storm. Whilst we were driving stakes to mark the exact
spots reached by them and also where Captain Satterfield, of
Person County, had fallen dead near by them, several officers
and men of the Thirt}--ninth Xew York Regiment of Wil-
lard's Brigade, who were on a visit to the battlefield, came up
to the stone wall near us and said that while, of course, they
could not identify the men, they could swear that a thin line
of "rebels" did reach the very spot where v/e were driving
those stakes, and that it extended all along in front of the wall
and about the same distance from it all the way to the Angle;
which w^as the whole front of Pettigrew's and Trimble's
column.

By reason of the death or disability of their generals and
other officers, very imperfect reports have come down to us as
to the numbers of men in the six brigades under Pettigrew
and Trimble in that final assault and of the losses they suf-
fered ; and the reports we have do not discriminate between
the losses of the first and third days. We have, however,
some scant data from which one can in a measure divine how
those battered battalions of the first day suffered also on the
third. For instance, tlie T\venty-sixth ISTorth Carolina, of
Pettigrew's own brigade, had entered the battle of the first
day with 820 muskets, and lost in killed and wounded 584
men (71 per cent.), and also its Colonel, the gallant Bur-
g%vyn. It went into the fight of the Third day with 236 men
and had but 80 left, a loss of over 66 per cent. Its brigade
(Pettigrew's own) lost its commander, Colonel Marshall,
mortally wounded and captured, and came out commanded
by Major John T. Jones, the only field officer left, and its reg-
iments led by Lieutenants. Archer's Brigade lost five out of
seven field officers, and its commander, Colonel Fry, was
wounded and captured. All the field officers of Davis' Bri-
gade were disabled, and the losses of Scales' and Lane's were
as heavy as those of the other brigades. But why prolong this
story, already much longer than I had intended ? As the old
Quaker once remarked at the close of the meeting, ''A suf-

1 rj North C\vkoi.ina Tkoots. 18(>l-'l»o.

tioioiu'v has Kvn said. That is my opinion. 1 feel that
way."

The simph\ hone^st truth is that Pickett's Virginians did
as nobly as they and their friends have ever ehiinied, and the
Xorth t^awlinians, TennesstH:'ans, Ahibamians and ^lissiissip-
pians, muier Pettigrew ami Trimble, did fnlly as well.

All old soldiers know that in the thiek of a great bat-
tle men are tcx^ entirely absorbed in their own part of it to
look mueh about them atid observe what others are doing.
Furthermore, when a battle ends in defeat, everybody knows
how prone men are to lay the responsibility for it on other
shoulders than their own. Si> it has betni in this ease. Cor-
respondents of the prt^s of Kiehnioud. the capital of the Con-
federacy, where they had the ear of the world, reported that
the failure of Longstreot's assault and our defeat at Gettys-
burg was chargeable to Pettigrew's and Trimble's men.
This is a great mistake and a bitter wrong. That defeat was
inevitable, as one can readily set^ now as he stands on the
groiind and observes how strong, how advantag"eons, how im-
pregnable the Union position was. When the shattered rem-
nants of that heroic column were falling back, our l>eloved
conuuaiuier. General Lee, met them and said : "This is all my
fault. It is I who have lost this battle. Fall in, men, and
help rae out of it." He was too magnanimons and too truth-
ful to blan\e any of them. Let his noble example be followed.
Let history be just and place a wreath of immarteUes on the
graves of them all.

Wm. ^[. ROBBINS.
Gbttysbukg, Pa.,

3 July. 1901.

FETTICREVS BRIGADE AT
GETTY5BURQ.

1-3 JULY, 1663.

By captain LOUTS G. YOUNCJ, A. A. G.

The battle of Gettysburg was not a victory for either side,
yet paradoxically, but rightly, it goes into history as one of
the decisive battles of the war between the States, for it
checked the conquering career of the Southern army, and re-
vived the broken spirit of the Xorth at a most critical time.
A great battle, re])lete with valiant deeds, heroic efforts, and
fatal mistakes, on ihc part of the Army of Northern Virginia,
it has been more written of, and has produced more contro-
versy, than all the other battles of the war; and many able,
some brilliant, accounts have been put forth, for the most part
by non-participants, in all of whicli vital errors are to be
found ; and while truth, with its proverbial slowness, has been
taking time to put on its boots, many a falsehood has run its
league and obtained credence. Against some of these my ef-
forts will be directed, with statements of whtt I saw. and
what 1 know to be true. Before beginning my narrative,
however, it will be well to recall some of the incidents con-
nected with the campaign into Pennsylvania, which arc so
striking that it seems as if an unseen hand had directed them.

General T^ee expecting from General Stuart, in command
of his cavalry, a report of the movement of the Army of the
Potomac, and not receiving it, supposed the enemy was still
on the south side of the Potomac, and only on 28 -Tune did he
learn from a scout that they had crossed into Maryland and
were then at and about Frederick. Hitherto General Lee's
march had been northward with Harrisburg as the objective
point for concentrating his columns. T^Tow, the position of
the enemy's forces was a menace to his line of communication
8

114 North Cakolkna Troops. 1861-'65.

and he turned to the east and ordered his columns to concen-
trate near Gettvsburu'. At the same time fateful changes
had luH'u iiiadi' in the Army of the Potomac. Hooker, who
had nor shown himself an ahle commander at Fredericksburg
and C'hancellorsviHe, hut who liad wisely asked for the with-
drawal of the troops from llarj^er's Ferry, to be united with
a portion of his army to operate against Lee's rear, tendered
his resignation, because his request was refused; and Lin-
coln, api»arcntly glad to get rid of him, contrary to his theory
and saying, "Never swap lu)rses while crossing a stream,"
accepted Hooker's resignation, and gave to the Army of the
Potomac an abler conunander in Meade, who was waked up
late on the night of 27 .Tune, only three days before the bat-
tle he was destined to direct, to receive his appointment.
This change of connnanders meant a change of plans, and
Meade, a cautious commander, determined to maneuver so
as to force Lee to attack him; and in making disposition for
the defense of the line he liad selected, ordered a portion of
his army to Gettysburg as a mask to his movements. Thus it
was that the two armies were nearing eai'h other, neither of
them ready for (U- exptx'ting the impending conflict, and not
aware that Gettyslnirg like a highly charged magnet was
drawing them to it.

On the night of 30 J une, without thought of battle on the
next day. Hill's Corps was in bivouac eight miles to the west
of Gettysburg, the town was occupied by Buford's Division
of cavalry; and four miles to the southwest were the corps of
Reynolds and llowai'd; with that of Sickles in calling dis-
tance, these three under command of Reynolds, a Kentuckian,
and perliaps the most capable ofiicer in the Army of the Po-
tomac.

Xow to my narrative, which will be chiefly of Pettigrew
and his brigade. I was tlien General Pettigrew's Aide-de-
Camp with the rank of First Lieutenant.

Pettigrew's Brigade was composed of the Eleventh, Tw^en-
ty-sixth. Forty-fourth, Forty-seventh and Fifty-second North
Carolina Troops. The Forty-fourth was left in Virginia on
duty at North Anna river so was not present at Gettysburg.

Hill's Corps had arrived at Cashtown, about eight miles

Pettigrkw's Brigade at Gettysburg. 115

west of (jf'ttv.shui'fi-, (HI -ZU June. On the following morning
Genei-al Pettigrew was ordered by General Ileth, his division
conirnander, to go to Gettysburg with three of his four reg-'
iments present, three field pieces of the Donaldsonville Artil-
lery, of Louisiana, and a number of wagons, for the purpose
of collecting conmiissary and quartermaster stores for the use
of the army, (jeneral Early had levied on Carlisle, Cham-
bersburg and Shippensburg, and had found no difficulty in
having his requisitions filled, it was supposed that it would
be the same at Gettj^sburg. It was txjld to General Pettigrew
that he might find the town in possession of a home guard,
which he would have no difficulty in driving away ; but if,
contrary to expectations, he should find any organized troops
capable of making resistance, or any portion of the Army of
the Potomac, he should not attack it The orders to him
were peremptory, not to precipitate a fight. General Lee
with his columns scattered, and lacking the information of
bis adversary, which he should have had from his cavalry,
was not ready for battle — hence tlie orders.

On the marcli to Gettysburg we were passed by General
Longstreet's spy who quickly returned and informed General
Pettigrew that Biiford's Division of cavalry — estimated at
three thousand strong — had arrived that day and were hold-
ing the tov/n. This report was confirmed by a Knight of the
Golden Circle who came out for the purpose of giving us
warning. Buford's presence made it evident that the Army
of the Potomac, or at least a ])ortion of it, was not far off,
and General Pettigrew sent immediately to General Heth, a
report of what he had learned and asked for further instruc-
tions. The message received in reply, was simply a repeti-
tion of the orders previously given coupled with an expres-
sion of disl^elief as to the presence of any portion of the Army
of the Potomac. As the presence of Buford's Cavalry was
certain, and it would not be possible for him to enter Gettys-
burg without a fight, which he was forbidden to make, Gen-
eral Pettigrew withdrew from before Gettysburg. This he
did, not as was reported to General Lee, ^'because he was not
willing to hazard an attack with the single brigade," (he had
only three regiments of his brigade), thoTigh with Buford's

116 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Cavalry, supported no doubt by a home guard, to fight, the cost
of the stores when gotten would have been dear, still General
Pettigrew was willing to niahe the attack had not his orders
forbidden it. Buford's Cavalry followed us at some dis-
tance, and Lieutenant Walter H. Kobertson and I, of Petti-
grew's staff, remained in the rear to watch it. This we easily
did, for the country is rolling, and from behind the ridges we
could see without being seen and we had a perfect view of the
movements of the approaching column. Whenever it would
oome within three or four hundred yards of us we would
make our appearance, mounted, when the column would halt
until we retired. This was repeated several times. It was
purely an affair of observation on both sides and the cavalry
made no effort to molest us.

My object in mentioning so minutely what might seem
unimportant and purely personal will appear when I narrate
what happened the next day, and will help to show how the
great battle of Gettysburg was stumbled into. Blindness in
part seemed to have come over our commanders, who, slow to
believe in the presence of an organized army of the enemy,
thought there must be a mistake in the report taken back by
General Pettigrew, but General Heth asked for and ob-
tained permission to take his division to Gettysburg on the
following day, for the purpose of reconnoiteriug, and of
making the levy which had been the object of the expedition
on the day before. Neither General Heth nor General Hill
believed in the presence of the enemy in force, and they ex*
pressed their doubts so positively to General PettigrcAV that
I was called up to tell General Hill what I had seen while re-
connoitering the movements of the force which had followed
us from Gettysburg. As a staff officer with General Pender,
I had served under General Hill in the seven days fights
around Pichmond and at Cedar Run, and because I was well
known to General Hill, General Pettigrew supposed that my
report might have some weight with him. Yet, when in an-
swer to his inquiry as to the character of the column I had
watched I said their movements were undoubtedly those of
well-trained troops and not those of a home guard, he replied
that he still could not believe that any portion of the Army of

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 117

the Potomac was up ; and in emphatic words, expressed the
hope that it was, as this was the place he wanted it to be.
This spirit of unbelief had taken such hold, that I doubt if
any of the commanders of brigades, except General Petti-
grew, believed that we were marching to battle, a weakness
on their part which rendered them unprepared for what was
about to happen. General Archer with his Tennessee Bri-
gade, was to lead, and General Pettigrew described to him
minutely the topography of the country between CashtoA^m
and Gettysburg, and suggested that he look out for a road that
ran at right angles to the one we were on, and which might be
used by the enemy to break into his line of march. And, as
he had carefully observed the configuration of the ground
in the vicinity of the town, told General Archer of a
ridge some distance out of Gettysburg on which he would
probably find the enemy, as this position was favorable for
defense. He found him there. General Archer listened,
but believed not, marched on unprepared, and was taken by
surprise, his command routed, a part captured and he himself
taken prisoner. Davis' Mississippi Brigade, close on to
Archer's, felt the im]>act, and a portion of it, carried away
by the break in front, made the mistake of seeking shelter in
an adjacent railroad cut, and about four hundred of them
were captured there. For want of faith in what had been
told, and a consequent lack of caution, the two leading bri-
gades of Heth's Division marched into the jaws of the enemy,
met with disaster, and, contrary to General Lee's wish,
brought on an engagement with the Army of the Potomac be-
fore we were ready, and precipitated one of the greatest bat-
tles of modern times.

Buford, informed by his scouts of the approach of Heth,
posted his connnand, dismounted and acting as infantry, on
McPherson's Hidge to the west of Gettysburg, and notified
Reynolds, who, according to the testimony before the commit-
tee on the conduct of the war, had just received orders to
withdraw to Afiddleburg and Manchester, Imt who, Swinton
says, "was with Wadsworth's Division moving on to Gettys-
burg according to prescribed orders." Be this as it may,
Reynolds was up immediately; and Wadsworth's Division

118 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

arrived in time to strike Archer as he was crossing Willough-
by Run, and to cause the disaster I have described. Blood
now having been drawn, there seemed to be no calling off the
battle; and disposition was immediately made by Heth for a
charge upon the enemy's position. By this time Buford'a
Cavalry had been replaced by Wadsworth's Division, with
the famous ''Iron Brigade*' posted directly in front of Petti-
grew's Brigade. The other two divisions of the first corps
arrived before the advauce could be ordered, and were placed,
Doubleday's to the left and Robinson's to the right of Wads-
worth, forming a long line in front of, and overlapping the
single division of Heth. It was scarcely prudent for this
division, two of its brigades maimed in the start, to make an
attack on so large a force, strongly posted on a commanding
ridge, so Pender's Division was marched to supportiug dis-
tance, and the attack postponed.

Pending these movements on our side, the Eleventh Corps
of the Army of the Potomac had arrived, and the command
of the two corps fell to Howard, Reynolds having been killed
in the first engagement. More troops were therefore neces-
sary to us, for we had only two divisions of infantry up
against six of the enemy, and their cavalry hovered on our
right, while Ave had none to oppose it. It was decided there-
fore to wait for R. H. Anderson's Division of Hill's Corps,
not far oft", and for Ewell's Corps, which under the insti-uc-
tions previously given to concentrate in the neighborhood of
Gettysburg, was on the march for Cashtown, but on hearing
our guns, was shaping its course for Gettysburg. Rodes'
Division coming up first, immediately attacked Robinson on
our left, and was followed soon by Early, who turned How-
ard's left and put to flight the army of the aliens — Schurz'
Division of Geraians. Acting in concert with Ewell's two
divisions— his third did not arrive until later — Heth's Divis-
ion was ordered to charge the enemy in its front. We had
confronted each other from early in the morning until the
afternoon had well advanced, both sides understanding that
a conflict of arms was in store for them, we ready to make the
attack and they prepared to receive it. Only a few hundred
yards separated us ; they were advantageously posted in three

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 119

lines on McPherson's Tiidge, their right in a wood of large
trees, no nnderbnish; and a wheat field lay between us with
no other obstruction than the nearly ripe wheat.

As I have before stated, the ''Iron Brigade" was posted
directly in front of ns. It was the finest brigade in the Army
of the Potomac, and up to this time it had indulged in the
proud boast that it had never been defeated. On the right
of us, Archer's Brigade met with little opposition, and on
our left Brockenborough's and Davis' Brigades Avere not so
hotly engaged. Thus the brunt of the attack fell to Petti-
grew's Brigade, more especially to its left. When the order
came to advance, Pettigrew's Brigade about 3,000 strong,
marched out in perfect alignment, and under as hot a fire as
was ever faced, moved steadily through the wheat, reserved
its fire for close range, which when delivered, it pressed on
until it overcame its adversary. It was a hotly contested field,
and the stubborn resistance of the ''Iron Brigade" was met
with more than equal determination on the part of Petti-
grew's Brigade. For a short time the battle raged at forty,
then twenty, yards between the contestants.

In the Twenty-sixth North Carolina thirteen standard-
bearers were shot down ; and around a flag of the enemy,
which was planted beside a large tree, the dead and wounded
were piled up. At last with a rush the ridge was carried,*
and the famous "Iron Brigade" nearly annihilated. Only a
small remnant was left, to be easily driven from its second
position on Seminary Ridge by Pender's Division.

Of this charge the prisoners testified, that in defence of
their own country, they fought as they had never done before,
but that there was no withstanding such an attack. Petti-
grew's Brigade, although it took only twenty to thirty min-

*When we occupied the wood recently held- by the enemy my atten-
tion was attracted by the dreadful — not moans but — howls of some of
the wounded. It was so distressing that I approached several with the
purpose of calming them if possible, and to my surprise I found them
foaming at the mouth as if mad, and evidently unconscious of the sound
of their voices This was the only occurrence of the kind which came
under my observation during the war, and I attribute it to the effect
upon the nerves of the quick, frightful conflict following several hours of
suspense.

120 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

utes to cover the groimJ between it and the enemy, was more
hotlv engaged than were any of the troops that participated
in the first day's fight, and more of the enemy were killed
and wounded in front of it than on any other part of the field.
I have taken part in many hotly contested fights, but this I
think, was the deadliest of them all, not excepting the third
day's charge on Cemetery Eidge; and never have I seen or
known of better conduct on the part of any troops, under any
circimistances, or at any time. The marked achievement of
Pettigrew's Brigade on this occasion was accomplished only
at great sacrifice of life. It lost not one prisoner, but its loss
in killed and Avounded was 1,000 to 1,100, including a num-
ber of its best officers. The Twenty-sixth Xorth Carolina
Regiment lost 549 out of 800. The Eleventh Regiment some
250 out of 550. The five field officers present with these two
regiments were killed or. wounded. The Inspector-General
of the brigade was killed, and its Ordnance Ofiicer wounded.
In the many so-called histories of the battle of Gettysburg,
which I have seen, I have found no record of these facts. The
brilliant achievement of Pettigrew's Brigade on this day, its
persistent courage, and its great sacrifice, have never met
with merited acknowledgment.*

In the midst of the engagement General Ileth was wounded
and General Pettigrew was placed in command of the divis-
ion. Colonel Burgwyn, of the Twenty-sixth, had been killed,
and Colonel Leventhorpe, of the Eleventh, had been wounded,
so the command of General Pettigrew's Brigade fell to Col-
onel Marshall, of the Eifty-second, a very able young officer.

I vividly recall my impression after the attack. The bril-
liant success of Rodes and Earty on our left, ours in driving
the enemy from our front into a position on Seminary Ridge

*In Hoine accounts it is stated that we were fighting for several hours.
On the skirmish line there was firing for several hours, but the charge
on the enemy's line was quick work. To confrrm my imi>ression of the
time taken, which I remember as about twenty minutes. J took occasion
at the Confederate reunion in Charleston to look up evidence, and I
found two privates who had taken part in the charge. They were not
together when I put the question as to the time occupied in the charge;
both answered promptly, one said twenty minutes and the other about
half an hour.

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 121

from which he was quickly driven by Pender, left us with
troops enough to follow up our success, and I wondered
that we did not do so and take possession of Cemetery Kidge,
which I believed then, and believe now, we could have
done easily. The troops which had been engaged, although
they had suffered severe losses, were in high spirit and
ready to go on. In Ewell's Corps, Johnson's Division had
come up fresh, and in Hill's Corps, Pender's Division had
been only slightly engaged, while Anderson was in bivouac a
short distance away. That we did not continue the fight
was the first opportunity frittered away. If Ewell's and
Hill's Divisions had pressed forward when the enemy re-
tired to Cemetery Kidge, the battle of Gettysburg would have
ended on the day it began. Ewell did not advance when Gen-
eral Lee wished him. Hill's Corps was halted, and the enemy
availed of our delay to hasten \\\) fresh troops and to
strengthen his jjosition.'"

The 2 July was also a day of lost opportunities for the
Confederates. An early attack on either flank of the enemy
could scarcely have failed of success. His line, three miles
long, a])tly described as resembling a fish hook, with Round
Top Mountain to the south the end of the shank, and Gulp's
Hill, to tbe north the end of the curve, was a very strong de-
fensive position if thoroughly fortified and manned with
troops ; but either end taken by us would have rendered it un-
tenable, and would have enabled us to sweep down upon the
enemy and destroy him before he could escape. It was evi-
dent that Meade's whole army could not all be up. The fact
is, that only the First, Eleventh and a part of the Third
Corps were present, the Second was distant thirteen miles.

* General R. H. Anderson, of South Carolina, told me after tlie war,
that hearing our gnns early in the day, he was hastening with his brig-
ade to join ns; was not more than two miles away, when he was met by
a messenger from General Lee with an order for him to halt and bivonac
his brigade. Surprised at this, he first obeyed the order, and then rode
on to Gettysburg to see General Lee and learn from him if this message
was correctly delivered General Lee replied that there was no mistake
made, and explained that his army was not all up, that he was in igno-
rance as to the force of the enemy in front, that his (General Anderson's)
alone of the troops present, had not been engaged, and tliat a reserve in
case of disaster, was necessary.

122 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

the Fifth 23 miles, and the Sixth (16,000 strong) 34 miles.
Here was an opportunity to crush the enemy in detail ; and
General Lee having nearly the whole of his army with him,
was ready and anxious to avail of it. Meade's refused right
on Gulp's Hill, if driven in, would have placed Lee's left
partly in rear of it ; this therefore seemed to be the most vul-
nerable point, and General Lee at first wished Ewell and Hill
to commence the attack, to be followed up by Longstreet, on
Hill's right ; but Ewell's and Hill's trooj)s had been hotly en-
gaged, and the enemy's position in their front would be very
formidable if fortified during the night, which it was, so
Longstreet was instructed to open the attack on the enemy's
left, as soon as possible in the morning, (he was expected to
do so at sunrise), while Ewell should make a demonstration
on his right, so as to prevent reinforcements being sent to re-
lieve the point of the main attack in front of Longstreet.
Had this simple plan been carried out, one cannot doubt that
the enemy's left positions would have fallen into our hands ;
and with little Round Top, which Meade said rightly was
the key to his whole position, in our possession, three of the
corps of the Army of the Potomac would have been crushed
before they could have received assistance, we would have oc-
cupied Cemetery Ridge, and the battle of Gettysburg ended
early on the second day. But Longstreet's heart was not in
the attack ; his troops were near the battle field at day break,
ready and waiting, while he ''went to General Lee's headquar-
ters at daylight and renewed his (my) views against making
an attack." (Longstreet's words). Every moment lost by
us was gain to the enemy, whose distant corps were hurrying
to Gettysburg. Yet General Lee, not desiring to force Long-
street against his will, again reconnoitered the right of the
enemy's position to see if it might not be better to make his
main attack there ; but he found that during the night Gulp's
Hill had been turned into a fort. He therefore at 1 1 o'clock
ordered Longstreet to attack, which order was not obeyed, on
the plea of waiting for Law's Brigade, which was on picket.
The attack, therefore, instead of being at sunrise, or at 11
o'clock, was postponed to late in the afternoon, some nine
hours later than it should have been. Bv this time Meade

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 123

had strengthened his left, new troops had arrived and what
would, without doubt have been an easy and brilliant success
in the morning, was a cruel failure in the afternoon.
Heth's Division was not engaged on the 2d.
The third day found the Army of JSTorthern Virginia weak-
ened by the hard fighting of the first day, and by the dis-
jointed efforts of the second, but there was still left in its
"incomparable Southern infantry" the spirit and strength to
achieve success if a proper concert of action could be obtained.
General J^^e, therefore, decided to renew the attack, this time
on the enemy's left center, his flanks being now too strongly
fortified and guarded. The attack was again unfortunately
intrusted to Longstreet, who, if he had little heart for the sec-
ond day's iight, made no concealment of the fact, that he had
none at all for the third day's ; and to this cause, without seek-
ing any other, may be traced its failure. The weight of ev-
idence goes to prove that it was General Lee's intention that
Longstreet should make the attack with his entire corps, to be
supported l)y half of Llill's Corps, all of it if necessary, and
should this force succeed in penetrating the enemy's line, all
the troops on the right to be pushed forward. Meanwhile
Ewell on our left, acting in concert, was to assail the enemy's
right so as to prevent him from reinforcing his center, and to
assist in crushing his right wing. The artillery Avas to pre-
pare the way, and before the smoke of the guns should have
cleared away the attacking column was to be started. All
this required concert and prompt, spirited action. But this
is what happened. "General Longstreet's dispositions were
not completed as expected," (General R. E. Lee's report)
and therefore Ewell could not be notified, his attack, which
was to have been simultaneous with that of Longstreet's, was
made and repulsed. Thus the object of the diversion on the
enemy's right was defeated. At 11 o'clock Colonel A. P.
Alexander, in charge of the artillery, with nearly 150 guns
ranged along Seminary Ridge, reported that he was ready;
but not until 1 p. m. was the order given by Longstreet to
commence firing. At the appointed signal our artillery
opened on the enemy with its 150 guns, and kept it up for
nearly two hours. Meanwhile the assaulting column had

124 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

been formed, but its composition was not on tbe scale contem-
plated by General Lee. Instead of its being the entire First
Corps with the Third to support it, Longstreet had selected
only Pickett's Division from his corps, to which were added
from Hill's Corps Heth's Division, two brigades from Pen-
der's and one from Anderson's. Pickett's Division of three
brigades was posted in two lines behind a rise on which
runs the Emmettsburg road, its right supported by Wilcox's
Brigade. Heth's Division to the left of Pickett's, and fully
one hundred yards further back, was in one line behind the
crest of Seminary Pidge, with Lane's and Scales' Brigades
under Trimble in rear of its right.

When Pettigrew, commanding Heth's Division, reported
to Longstreet he was instructed to form in rear of Pickett
as a support to his division, but before the order could be ex-
ecuted it was countermanded, and directions given to place
the division under the nearest cover to the left of Pickett's
Division, with which it would advance in line. The align-
ment of the divisions from right to left, w'as, Archer's Bri-
gade of Tennesseeans under Colonel B. D. Fry ; Pettigrew's
North Carolinians under Colonel James K. Marshall ; Davis'
Mississippians under General Joseph Davis, and Brockenbo-
rough's Virginians under Colonel Pobert Mayo. Pickett's
was the directing division ; when it moved, Heth's Division
was to move and as soon as possible overtake Pickett and
continue the advance in line with it on its left. After much
delay and uncertainty as to whether the attack would be made
at all, Longstreet at last, with a nod of the head, started Pick-
ett, and immediately Archer's and Pettigrew's Brigades
moved forward. Pettigrew had taken every precaution to
insure concert of action in the division ; l:)ut this was no easy
matter, for the woods which concealed us from view of the
enemy, and to some extent sheltered us from his shells, con-
tained other troops seeking the same shelter, and it so hap-
pened that General Davis, who afterwards told me that he
had been indignant with General Pettigrew for cautioning
him so frequently to conform promptly to the movement of
Pettigrew's Brigade on his right, mistook other troops for
Pettigrew's and did not discover his mistake until the two

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 125

right brigades had advanced some distance. When we
emerged from the wood into the plain, the absence of the two
left brigades was discovered, and General Pettigrew instruct-
ed me to go for them with all speed, but I had scarcely turned
to do so, when out came Davis from the woods with a rush,
but not Brockeuborough's Brigade, and I asked General Pet-
tigrew if I should go for it. He replied, ''K'o," that it might
foUoAv, and if it failed to do so it would not matter. This
was a small brigade that had suffered from frequent change
of commanders, and had been so badly handled that it was in
a chronic state of demoralization, and was not to be relied
upon ; it was virtually of no value in a fight. Afterward it
advanced to the protection of some rifle pits in front of Sem-
inary Kidge, but it took no part in the charge.

The day was beautifully clear; the smoke from the guns
of the artillery, which was to have concealed our start, had
been blown away. Before us lay bright fields, and a fair
landscape, embracing hill and dale and moimtain ; and be-
yond, fully three-fourths of a mile away loomed up Ceme-
tery llidge, for two miles, its heights capped with cannon,
and behind them the whole Army of the Potomac waiting
for our little band. Davis' Brigade with its impetuous rush
soon caught up with the two brigades of Heth's Division
which had preceded it, and then the three, pushing forward
together, caught up with Pickett's Division, making one line
of the two divisions, which first through shot and shell, then
grape and canister, then a hail of bullets from the musketry,
marched over the plain, surmounted every obstacle, and
reached the enemy's position, the strength of which was all he
could desire. From the crest upon which he was entrenched
the hill sloped gradually, forming a natural glacis and the
configuration of the ground was such that when the left of
our line approached his line it must come within the arc of a
circle, from Avhich an oblique and the enfilade fire could be,
and was, concentrated upon it. On the right Pickett's Divis-
ion, Archer's and a part of Pettigrew's Brigade had pene-
trated the w^orks, and so would all of it have done, but in the
advance the pressure had been from right to left, and when
the line reached the ridge, it vras sKghtly oblique ; consequent-

126 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

ly tlie left of Heth's Division was thrown back somewhat.
Wlien not far from the stone fence behind which the enemy's
infantry was entrenched, Davis' Brigade, reduced to a line of
skirmishers, broke. It had suffered a great deal in the first
day's fight ; and in its rush from the wood on Seminary
Ridge, it had arrived right oblique on Pettigrew's left, and
in process of forcing its line back to the left, in order to get
into position, there was for a little while a huddling of the
men together, which exposed them to greater loss than should
have been, but the line was soon straightened out, and no
troops could have done better until they broke; but this bri-
gade was on the extreme left, not a support of any kind to
brace it up, and exposed to flank, oblique and direct fire, what
hope or confidence could be left to the few men, that if they
held on they could succeed. General Fitzhugh Lee, in his
work entitled ^'General Lee," says of the left brigades of our
assaulting columns, which includes Davis', Pettigrew's and
Archer's :

"They made their assault in front of Hay's and Gibbon's
Divisions, Second Corps, in the vicinity of Ziegler's Grove.
Stormed at with shot and shell this column moved steadily
on, closing up the gaps made, and preserving the alignment.
'They moved up splendidly,' wrote a iSTorthern otficer, 'deploy-
ing as they crossed the long, sloping interval. The front of
the column was nearly up the slope, and within a few yards
of the Second Corps' front and its batteries, when suddenly
a terrific fire from every available gun on Cemetery Ridge
burst upon them. Their graceful lines underwent an instan-
taneous transformation ; in a dense cloud of smoke and dust,
arms, heads, blankets, guns, and knapsacks were tossed in the
air, and the moans from the battlefield were heard from amid
the storm of battle. Sheets of missiles flew through what
seemed a moving mass of smoke ; human valor was powerless,
and the death-dealing guns were everywhere throwing blazing
projectiles in their faces.' No troops could advance and live.
The fiery onslaught was repulsed as Pickett's Division had
been, and then the survivors of both came back to their former
positions, but not one-half of the fourteen thousand. The
famous charge was over."

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 127

General Pettigrew had assigned me to the left of the divis-
ion, and my duty was to see that the proper alignment was
kept and if necessary to encourage the men, should there be
any sign of faint-heartedness. At first I found it difficult
to keep the men from crowding, and to make them give way
to the pressure from the right, and this may have given the
impression to some lookers on that our line wavered, but this
trouble was soon remedied by the thinning of the ranks, done
by shot and shell. As to my secoiul duty, that of encouraging
the men to move forward, there was no need of a word from
me. When gaps were made in tlie line the ranks closed up
of their own accord, and continue*! to advance, until the catas-
trophe, which I have described. Of course no troops, it mat-
ters not what their straits, should retire from an attack with-
out orders to do so ; but there is certainly mitigation for those
who had none of their company officers to look to, and there
were many companies, reduced to a few men, whose officers
had all fallen. When what was left of Davis' Brigade broke
it did so in an instant, there was none of the before-hand wav-
ering reported by Longstreet and others, who were looking on
from afar or not at all. This, like many others of the reports
concerning the charge, was wholly imaginary. When Davis'
Brigade broke, I reported to General Pettigrew and he imme-
diately sent me to General Trimble to ask him to hasten for-
ward to our support. I was then on foot. My gallant mare —
and that she was gallant, her groom,* who was with me all
during the war, and who has been my friend and servant for
forty years, can testify — had succumbed to three wounds;
and do not think me heartless, when I tell you, that when I
placed a wounded soldier on her and sent them out, the
thoughts of my heart were more with the spirited animal
which had borne me bravely through many perils, than with
my hurt comrade. I ran as fast as I could to deliver the mes-
sage entrusted to me. General Trimble and his brigade were
not and had not been in supporting distance ; they also must
have been delayed, as was Davis' Brigade in the wood on
Seminary Ridge. Be this as it may, they were too late to

* James R. Norwood, a colored man.

128 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

give any assistance to the assaulting column. When I deliv-
ered mv message, I knew it was too late, and I recall my sad
reflection, "What a pity that these hrave men should be sacri-
ficed." Already had the remnants of Pickett's and Heth's
Divisions broken. They broke simultaneously. They had
together struck the stone fence, driven back the enemy posted
behind it, looked down on the multitude beyond ; and in the
words of General McLaws, who was watching that attack,
"rebounded like an India rubber ball." The lodgment ef-
fected, was apparently only for an instant. No twenty min-
utes expired, as claimed by some, before the hand full of
brave men was driven back by overwhelming numbers. Then
Trimble's command should have been ordered to the rear.
It continued its useless advance alone, dinly to return before
it had gone as far as we had.

After delivering my message to General Trimble I re-
turned to General Pettigrew. I found him walking out qui-
etly ; he too had been dismounted, and together we returned
to our starting point, arriving there after most of the survi-
vors from the two divisions. Thus ended the famous battle
of Gettysburg. Notwithstanding the failure of its efforts,
the army was still unconqnered in spirit, and had Meade fol-
lowed us back to Seminary Ridge, he would have found our
troops read}^ to mete out to him what he had given us. But
according to General Sickles, before the committee on the con-
duct of the war, "it was by no means clear, in the judgment
of the corps commanders, or of the general in command,
whether they had Avon or not," they therefore made no coun-
ter attack, and scarcely molested General Lee's army, as it
slowly and deliberately withdrew, and returned to Virginia.

The number composing the assaulting cohimn on this last
day is variously estimated at 13,500 to 18,000 men. The
troops actually engaged were in reality, only Pickett's Divis-
ion of 4,500 to 5,000, and three brigades of Heth's, which
were at the outside not over 4,000. Wiloox on the right ad-
vanced only a small part of the way and was of no assistance
to Pickett, and Trimble's advance was too late to be of the
least support to our left. The little band of less than 9,000
men had traversed the wide plain, intersected with fences

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 129

mnniiio', some parallel, some oblique to our line, without shel-
ter of any kind, without assistance from our artillery which
had expended its ammunition, and had done no damage to
that of the enemy or its infantry. The charge was grand,
but that is all it was. "Some one had blundered." Said
General Lee, "had I had Stonewall Jackson at Gettysburg I
would have won a great victory." So I believe, but the man-
tle of Elijah had not fallen on Elisha. Longstreet was not
Jackson.

There was, now is and always will be given to Pickett's
Division exalted ]jraise for its part in this famous charge
upon the heights of Gettysburg and it deserves it ; but I claim
for Pettigrew's and Archer's Brigade not only equal, but a
larger share of the honors of the day ; and even to Davis' Bri-
gade, although the first to break, is due the tribute which is
the meed of noble effort and heroic sacrifice in face of certain
defeat. Whatever might have been the probabilities on the
right and center of the assaulting column, there was no hope
for the left, its flank stormed on by every conceivable missile
of destruction. In its shattered condition it could have made
no lodgment. Pickett on the right, although not supported
by Wilcox as was intended, had the advantage of having been
formed in two lines — two brigades on the front, one on the
second line as a support ; whereas Heth's Division, unde-r or-
ders, advanced in one line. Pickett's Division having been
posted more than one hundred yards in advance of. Heth's,
had a shorter distance to go; and above all, Pickett's Division
was fresh. It had not yet participated in the battle ; its or-
ganization v.'as complete, with a full roll of staff and field of-
ficers. Heth's Division had suffered groat loss on the 1st,
and General Pettigrew had with him as division staff, only
the young volunteer aide, W. B. Sheppard, and myself;
therefore the brigades of Archer and Pettigrew, which did in
all respects as well as did Pickett's Division, are entitled to
more credit, whereas they have been often included in the
number of those blamed for the failure of the charge on Cem-
etery Ridge.

'No State in the Confederacy contributed braver, more de-
voted or better soldiers, or a greater number of them than did
9

130 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

ISTorth Carolina ; and yet in this instance, for some unaccount-
able reason, they were made a mark for ignorant or vicious
and false disparagement. In Heth's Division, of the sixteen
regiments present at Gettysburg, only five were from North
Carolina, yet such stufl:" as this, conceived in the brilliant im-
agination of Swinton, finds credence and is repeated in other
histories of like kind. Says Swinton : "It happens that
the division on the left of Pickett under command of General
Pettigrew was in considerable part made up of North Caro-
lina troops, comparatively green. To animate them they
had been told that they would only meet Pennsylvania mili-
tia; but when approaching the slope they received the feu
d'enfer from Henry's line, there ran through the rank a cry
the effect of which was like that which thrilled a Greek army
when it was said that the god Pan was among them: 'The
Army of the Potomac' Then, suddenly disillusioned re-
garding their opponents, Pettigrew's troops broke in disorder
leaving tAvo thousand prisoners and fifteen colors in the hands
of Ilejiry's Division." Brilliant rhetoric, but not truth.
Think of the audacity of the manufacture. It says of Heth's
Division, that it was ''in considerable part made up of North
Carolinians," when they were only as five to sixteen; and
then that they were frightened at a cry, "The Army of the
Potomac." This, two days after Pettigrew's Brigade of
North Carolinians had neaidy annihilated the best brigade in
the Northern army.

Another matter of no little importance. The division,
even by such authority as Colonel AValtcr H. Taylor, of Gen-
eral Lee's Staff, is spoken of as "Pettigrew's Division." Pet-
tigrew had no division. The division was Heth's, and should
be so spoken of whether in praise or blame. "In war," said
Napoleon, "men are nothing, a man is everything." Troops
are what their commanders make them; and General Petti-
grew had no hand in molding Heth's Division. Nor is it
fair to blame Hetli for the shortcoming of Brockenborough's
Virginia Brigade, under Robert Mayo, the only troops on the
ground which really behaved badly, for the division had been
formed only a few weeks before, and had been constantly on
the march since. There was not time for the influence of

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 131

the commander to be felt. In this matter not even a suspi-
cion of blame must be attached to the name of Pettigrew,
whose genius was such that its influence inspired and became
a part of the humblest soldier in his command. He had in
a few months made of his brigade as fine a body of infantry
as ever trod the earth, and his men would have followed him
wherever lie led, or gone wherever he told them to go, no mat-
ter how desperate the enterprise. The brigade never lost the
inspiration of his name, and from first to last was one of the
very best in the army of the Confederate States. Its bap-
tism of blood at Gettysburg prepared it for all subsequent
hardships, and never, until included in the surrender of the
9,000 at Appomattox, did it fail to respond to the command
to go forward. Its career was brilliant, and its history
should be written and preserved. Its losses at Gettysburg
attest its fierce struggle in that famous battle. On the morn-
ing of 1 July it numbered 2,800 to 3,000, on the 4th 935. All
the field officers, save one who was captured, were killed or
wounded ; and the Ijrigade Avas commanded after the repulse
from Cemetery Ridge by Major Jones, of the Twenty-sixth
North Carolina, who had been struck by a fragment of a shell
on the 1st, and knocked down and stunned on the 3d ; Gen-
eral Pettigrew Avas painfully wounded, two of his staff Avere
killed,* and one so seriously Avounded as to deprive the bri-
gade of his services. On 1 July, Captain Tuttle, of the
TAventy-sixth North Carolina, led into action tAvo Lieuten-
ants and 84 men. All of the officers and 83 men Avere killed
or Avounded. On the same day Company C, of the Eleventh,
lost tAvo officers killed and 34 out of 38 men killed and wound-
ed. Captain Bird Avith the four remaining, participated
in the fight of the 3d ; of these the flag bearer Avas shot, and
the Captain brought out the flag himself. These I give as ex-
amples to shoAv hoAv persistently our men fought. The losses
in several other companies Avere nearly as great as these.
In the engagement of 1 July Ave lost no prisoners. After

* Captain W. W. McCreery. Inspector General, was killed on 1 July.
Captain N. C Hughes, A A. G., Avas mortally wounded nn the 3rd when
with the Brigade under Colonel Marshall. "Lieutenant Walter H. Eob-
ertson, Ordnanee Officer, was wounded on the 1st.

132 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

the repulse of 3 July, the enemy advanced a heavy line of
skirmishers and captured some of the brigade, hnt no blame
is to be attached to these.

Lieutenant-Colonel John A. Graves, of the Forty-seventh
ISTorth Carolina, whose courage often elicited comment and
praise, would not permit those of his regiment in his hear-
ing, some 150 men, to retire, telling them to wait the arrival
of the supports, with which they would advance; they were
then not far from the stone fence. The supports never
reached this point, and the Lieutenant-Colonel and his men
were taken prisoners.

It is said that the Northern soldiers cheered the gallant
charge made by the assaulting column on the third day, and
of Lincoln it is reported that, looking from the steeps of Cem-
etery Ridge, he said, 'T am proud to be the countryman of
the men wdio assailed these heights." Is it not a crying
shame that while our very enemies do us honor, there should
be some among our own people to slander our brave soldiers ?
The historian of the future Avill weigh the evidence in the
scales of truth, and do justice to all.

Praise is due to their memory, and for ourselves it is good
to render it, since "we in some measure take part in good ac-
tions when we praise them sincerely." Heroic deeds are
torches to light the paths of our young, and —

"Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
Not hght them for themselves."

I would like especially to tell of General James Johnston
Pettigrew^, who was a soldier of the highest attainments ; in
strength of intellect approaching nearer the attributes of
genius than any it has been my fortune to meet, and in char-
acter like Robert E. Lee. But this article is full long, and I
can only say of our dead heroes, that —

"They died
As they wished to die, the past is sure ;
Whatever of sorrow may betide,
Those who still linger by the stormy shore,
Change cannot harm them now nor fortune touch them more."

Louis G. Young.
Savannah, Ga.,

3 July, 1901.

FETTIQREV'5 BRIQADE AT
GETTYSBURG.

By JOHN T. JONES, Lieutenant-Colonel Twenty-Sixth Regiment
North Carolina Troops.

Our division was in the front line on the left of Pickett,
and a i3rolongation of the same line. Onr brigade was on the
right of the di^dsion — onr regiment (Twenty-sixth) on the
right of the brigade — consequently immediately on the left of
Pickett. When we started, we were on the diameter of a cir-
cle, and as we advanced, Pickett following the arc of the cir-
cle, necessarily rather contracted the lines towards the cen-
ter. We all moved oft' in as magnificent style as I ever saw,
the lines i)erfectly formed. On we went. When we had
crossed about half the intervening space the enemy opened
on us witli a tremendous shower of grape and canister, but
on we dashed, our l)rigade and Pickett's men. I could see
nothing of the rest of our division, as they were too far to
the left. My whole attention was directed to our own bri-
gade and Pickett's Division, as we had been ordered to keep
dressed to the right. When we had gotten within about 100
yards of the enemy's works, we commenced firing, but still
advancing. The storm of lead which now met us is beyond
description. Grape and canister intermingled with minies
and buckshot. The smoke was dense and at times I could
scarcely distinguish my own men from Pickett's, and to say
that any one a mile off could do so, is utterly absurd. On

Note.— This article is an extract from a letter to the father of Colonel
Henry K. Bnrgwyn written from Culpepper C H., 30 July, 1863, by John
T Jonesof the Twenty sixth North Carolina Regiment who as Major came
out of the charge at Gettysburg in command of Pettigrew's brigade and
was published in the FaiietteHlle Ohm-rer 18 April, 1864. It has the great
merit of being cotemporaneous evidence from a most unquestionable
source This gallant young officer was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel
to date from 1 July, 1863, and was killed at the Wilderness 6 May, 1864.
—Ed.

134 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

we pushed, and were now right upon the enemy's works when
we received a murderous fire upon our left flank. I looked
to see where it came from, and lo, we were completely flanked
upon our left, not only by infantry, but by artillery. Here
candor compels me to admit that one of the brigades of our
division had given way, the enemy had seized upon the gap,
and now poured a galling fire into our left, which compelled
the troops to give way in succession to the right. What could
we do now ? At the very moment I thought victory ours, I
saw it snatched from our hands. With no support upon the
left, I asked myself what we should do. I had only about
sixty men left in my regiment, and that small number dimin-
ishing ev M-y moment. The others had suffered as badly.
The order ame from the right to fall back. We did so at the
same time with Pickett. The day was lost. You must ob-
serve I do not attach any blame to Pickett. I think he did
his duty, and if he did, we certainly did ours, because I know
we went as far as he did, and I can safely assert some distance
beyond, owing to the shape of the enemy's Avorks, which ran
backward in our front in the form of a curve, and which
compelled us to go beyond where Pickett's men were already
at their works in order to reach them ourselves. The color-
bearer of my regiment Avas shot down while attempting to
plant the flag on the wall. I will here mention a remark
made to me afterwards by General Pettigrew. With tears
in his eyes he spoke of the loss in his brigade, and then re-
marked: ''iMy noble brigade had gained the enemy's works,

and would have held them had not 's brigade given

way. Oh ! had they have known the consequences that hung
upon their action at that moment, they would have pressed
on."

It is well to be remembered that while Pickett's men were
perfectly fresh, having nevei' fired a gun and having just come
up, our brigade had been terribly cut up on the 1st, especially
two of the regiments. The Twenty-sixth, which went into
action on the 1st 850 strong, on the 3d only had for duty 230
men, and not officers enough to command the companies. If
some troops can gain so much credit for being defeated, is it
not strange that nothing is said of us when we (on the 1st)

Pettigrew's Brigade at Gettysburg. 135

drove line after line of the enemy from their positions like
sheep, and pnrsued them for two miles. What I say of our
brigade I might say of the whole division. JSTo troops ever
fonght better than ours. We were engaged for hours with
five times our number, and routed them completely; but our
loss was fearful — about 50 per cent. — among them our best
officers. Our Major-General was wounded the first day.
Captains and Lieutenants were in command of regiments on
the 3d. Still we were put in the front rank, the post of
honor, and not in support, as the Enquirer has it, when there
were other troops comparatively fresh, who might have taken
our place. Does not this show the confidence of our general
in us ?

Then look at our losses, which leaving out of account the
first day, greatly exceed those of any other troops. Had Gen-
eral Heth not been wounded, or had the lamented Pettigrew
lived they con Id have told a tale that would have made those
blush who are now trying to bear off the honors so nobly won
by others. But alas, we have not even enough left to refute
the foul calumny of those who would basely endeavor to pluck
from our brows the laurels placed there at the sacrifice of so
many of our noble companions.

That we still retain the confidence of our commander is
shown by our being placed as rear-guard, the post of honor,
while the other troops were safely crossing the river (Poto-
mac. ) It was hei'e in an attack made upon our lines that the
brave Pettigrew fell, while setting an example of heroic cour-
age and presence of mind to those who had followed him un-
faltering through so many dangers and hardships. In him
the brigade sustained its heaviest loss. In him our State lost
one of her brightest stars, and the Confederacy one of her
ablest defenders.

John T. Jones.

Culpepper C. H., Va.,

30 July, 1863.

THE FETTIGREy-PlCKETT
CHARGE.

GETTYSBURG, 3 JULY, 1563.

By captain S. A. ASHE, A. A. G., Pender's Brigade.

The rhird day ot the struft'gde between the contending
armies near Gettysbnrg- opened clear and chadless. The
July sun beamed down on the battlefield of the previous day
majestically serene — thro^^■iniI,• into bold relief the outlines of
the picture.

Standing- on Cemetery Hill, a mile south of the little town
of Gettysburo-. one saAV the range continue to the southward,
now jutting <Mit into the valley to the west, and then receding
in strong curves eastward, now falling with even slo]ies and
then spelling again in graceful contour — but further away
breaking into precipitous promontories whose rocky knobs
were veritable Ivoniid To])s and fitly associated with Devil's
Dens.

Almost parallel and about a mile away to the west could
be traced the course of Seminary liidge, gently rising from
the intervening valley and still covered with a growth of orig-
inal forest trees. Along the slope are fences inclosing fields
with patches of wood here and there and a little swale down
the valley where it narrows as the ridge throws out a spur to
the eastward.

Coming from the town is the Enmiettsburg Pike which
after ])assing the summit of Cemetery Hill swerves off along
a lower and divergent ridge that trends across the valley.
Overlooking the pike is a stone wall following along the up-
per slope of C^emetery Ridge and conforming generally to
the line of its crest, but, at a ])oint some six hundred yards
away where the hill grows holder and juts well out into the
valley, this wall makes a right angle and comes straight to-
wards the ])ike, and then again follows the crest, which soon

138 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

retreats and falls away, leaving a slight depression embayed
in the general outline.

On this headland, that like a bastion front projects itself
into the valley, stands a clump of trees which served to guide
the right of tlie attacking column on that fateful day ; and a
quarter of a mile in front, but further down the valley, stood
the farm house of Cordori on a little knoll surrounded by a
sparse grove.

Beyond the Cemetery to the north the range bent sharply
to the right, forming a difficult eminence known as Culp's
Hill; and on the curve from Culp's Hill west to the Ceme-
tery and thence south to Round Top, was massed the Federal
army, some 100,000 strong: while on an exterior line of sis-
ter hills lay Lee's forces, with Ewell on the left in possession
of a part of Culp's Hill, and Longstreet on the right towards
Eound Top, while A. P. Hill covered the centre ; a total force
of about 60,000 troops.

Dispositions had been made for an early morning attack
on the 3d, simultaneous by Ewell on the right and Longstreet
on the left ; and with that view the artillery had been massed
against the Federal center, Colonel Alexander, acting as
Longstreet's chief of artillery, having occupied, during the
night, an advanced ridge that lay several hundred yards be-
yond Longstreet's front, and covered it with batteries.

But Meade himself had not been inactive, and, at 4 o'clock
in the morning, he unsettled this plan of attack by driving
back Earh-, whose lodgment on Culp's Hill was an essential
part of Lee's proposed movement. Later in the morning,
then, Lee determined on making that assault which has since
been so famous in history.

General Long, the author of Lee's Memoirs and then on
Lee's staff, says: ''This decision was reached at a confer-
ence held during the morning on the field in front of Round
Top, there being present Generals Lee, Longstreet, A. P. Hill
and Heth and Colonel Long and Major Venable."

Longstreet made some objection, his idea being to move
farther to the right and entice Meade to abandon his posi-
tion and give battle on more favorable ground ; but the attack
was ordered nevertheless and Longstreet was directed to carry

The Pettigrevv-Pickett Charge. 139

it into execution. The object of General Lee was to pene-
trate Meade's line in the depression on the south of Cemetery
Hill and thus turning his position, move up and dispossess
him.

When the morning broke and the Federal forces beheld so
great an armament as one hundred and forty pieces of artil-
lery in position on the crest of Seminary Ridge, they knew
that an assault was intended on some part of their line and
every preparation was at once made to receive it.

The batteries on Cemetery Ridge were strengthened by
new ones from the reserve, and soon eighty pieces of artillery
were in readiness to respond to the expected cannonade which
was awaited with increasing solicitude as the morning wore
on in ominous silence.

In early morning Pickett's fresh division had arrived and
two of his brigades had been placed under cover of the ad-
vanced ridge which CVolonel Alexander had seized the night
before. Armistead's Brigade lay back protected by the main
ridge in a line with Heth's Division, while the North Caro-
lina brigades of Scales and Lane were still further in the
rear. These were the troops selected to make the assault:
Pickett's Division being fresh, and Heth's Division, com-
manded by Pettigrew, and Lane's and Scales' Brigades, al-
though badly cut up on the first, not having been engaged on
the second, and being troops of the highest re]^utation for
constancy and endurance.

In Heth's Division were Archer's Brigade, composed of
two Alabama and three Tennessee Regiments; Pettigrew's
Brigade, which had present the Eleventh, Twenty-sixth, For-
ty-seventh and Fifty-second ISTorth Carolina Regiments ;
Davis' Brigade constituted of three Mississippi and one
jSTorth Carolina Regiment, and Brockenborough's or Field's
Brigade, which was composed entirely of Virginians. Petti-
grew's Brigade was commanded by Colonel ]\Iarshnll, Gen-
eral Pettigrew being in command of the division.

Lane's Brigade was formed of the Seventh, Eighteenth,
Twenty-eighth, Thirty-third and Thirty-seventh ISForth Car-
olina Regiments, and in Scales', then under Colonel Low-
rance, were the Thirteenth, Sixteenth, Twenty-second,

140 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Thirty-fourth and Thirty-eighth North Carolina Regiments.
These troojjs had suffered so severely on 1 July that many
companies were mere skeletons and some regiments were com-
manded by Captains.

Pickett's Division, composed entirely of Virginians, had
just arrived and was in excellent condition in all respects.

The movement was in double column, the first line con-
sisting of Kemper's and Garnett's Brigades on the right, with
Heth's Division (under Pettigrew) on the left; and for the
second line Armistead in the rear 'of Pickett's other brigades,
and Scales' and Lane's Brigades of North Carolinians, under
General Trimble, in the rear of Heth's division.

Wilcox's and Perry's Brigades were to move out on the ex-
treme right and protect the column from any flanking force,
while P. li. Anderson's Division covering the left, was to be
in readiness to act as opportunity should permit. Prelimi-
nary to the movement, the artillery was to silence the enemy's
guns and as far as possible demoralize their infantry before
the attem])t should be made to carry the works by storm.

At 1 o'clock two guns were discharged by the Washington
Artillery as the signal for the cannonade to begin. Imme-
diately the line of batteries o]iened with salvos of artillery
evoking a ({uiek reply from the enemy, and the engagement
soon Ijecame one of the most terrific bombardments of the
war. Its fury was inconceivable. "From ridge to ridge
was kept up for near two hours a Titanic combat of artillery
that caused the solid fabric of the hills to labor and shake,
and filled the air with fire and smoke and the mad clamor of
two hundred guns." The exi^osed batteries were greatly
damaged. Both horses and men suffered fearful destruc-
tion. Caissons exploded, limbers were blown up and guns
wei'c crippled on every side. In ]iarticular was the Confed-
erate fire, concentrated on the point of attack, very effective.
But still the enemy's batteries were not silenced. Their fire
did not slacken, for as fast as the Federal batteries expended
their ammunition, they were replaced by new ones from the
reserve, and the fire continued without abatement, until at
length the Confederate ammunition began to run low.

Colonel Alexander, to whom had been committed the duty

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 141

of indicating- the moment for beginning the charge, felt the
awfnl responsibility of the dilemma that presented itself,
and hurriedly cominnnicated to Pickett that he should wait
no longer, but should begin the movement at once, notwith-
standing the terrific energy of the artillery that crowned the
enemy's stronghold. But if the Confederate chests had been
deplete*!, so at last had become those of their antagonists, and
General Hunt, Meade's chief of artillery, finding it unsafe
to move \^\) new supplies, and anticipating that the assault
would be made on the center, conceived it well to husband
his resources and ordered the fire to slacken, and so, unex-
pectedly, the embarrassing difficulty of the Confederate sit-
uation vanished.

Immediately the order to advance was given along the
whole line, and some twelve thousand veterans, with alacrity
and high elation, moved forward over the crests that had
sheltered tlieni, and passed down the slopes of Seminary
Ridge, their bright guns gleaming in the noonday sun and
their innmnerable battle flags flying in the breeze, making as
fine a pageant as was ever seen on any field of battle. They
moved in quick time and with admirable precision, as if on
some gala day parade. It was a glorious spectacle, evoking
admiration from foe and friend alike, and being the theme of
unstinted praise from every one who witnessed it.

But hardly had the line reached the downward slope of
that extensive valley when the Federal batteries Avere again
unloosed and the carnival of death began.

"Though stormed at with shot and shell, it moved steadily
on and even when grape and canister and musket balls began
to rain upon it, the gaps were quickly closed and the align-
ment preserved."

The line of grey, a full mile in length, Avith its second
line following at easy distance, marched indeed in fine style
down that valley of death, reckless of peril and animated
with that soldierly zeal and confidence which ever inspired the
troops of Lee when moving in the immediate presence of that
trusted commander.

From Pickett's advanced position down the valley the
clump of trees which gave him direction bore far to the left,

142 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

and soon reaching the ridge on which the Turnpike ran, he
wheeled to the left and moved up towards Cordori's House.
By this movement he presented his ilank to the batteries
posted on Little Round Top and received a severe enfilading
fire, while General Stannard, whose division was in his imme-
diate front, threw out tw^o Vermont regiments to contest the
ground with him. But Colonel Alexander had himself
hastily followed with a battery of artillery and opened on
this force with spirit, in a measure dispersing it and neutral-
izing its power for serious work. But still it could not be
entirely driven off, and when Kemper, on the extreme right,
having passed to the east of Cordori's house, moved by the
left flank to close up with Garrett's Brigade, the Vermonters
also moved by the flank to keep pace with him, and continued
to annoy him. As the line advanced there loomed up in the
distance the works it was to assault.

Immediately in front of Archer's Brigade and Pickett's
left lay the projecting stone wall standing out into the valley,
and held by "Webb's Brigade of Gibbon's Division ; and op-
posite the Confederate left was the retired wall held by Hays'
Division, with Smyth's Brigade towards the cemetery and
Sherrill's Brigade between that and Webb. This part of
the wall was eighty yards behind the front of the projection
held by Webb.

South of the projection Hall's and Harrow's Brigades con-
tinued the Federal line, behind breastworks of rails covered
with earth and with rifle pits and shallow trenches in their
front. Further on were Stannard's and other brigades of Dou-
bleday's Division. On the crest of the hill, a few yards behind
the line of works, was thickly massed the artillery. Skirmish-
ers lay out several hundred yards in front in the clover and
grass, while a first line of infantry held a strong fence along
the pike in front of Hays and a low stone wall further down
the valley, and lay concealed in the grass in the intervening
space. At the stone wall and breastworks was a second line
in readiness to receive the attack, while behind the artillery,
some thirty paces off, was still another, occupying higher
ground and protected by the backbone of the ridge, and

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 143

further on the flanks were heavy masses of infantry ready to
be concentrated if occasion required.

As the Confederate line moved forward, in constant sight,
momentarily drawing nearer to the point of attack, all was
expectation and anxiety along the Federal front. The heavy
artillery fire of the Confederates had ceased and the demoral-
ization incident to it rapidly gave place to a feeling of reas-
surance and determination. While it had destroyed the
two batteries in the rear of We])l), leaving only one piece that
could be worked, the guns in rear of Hay's division were in
better condition, and Howard's fresh battery had been
brought up and posted on the slope of Cemetery Hill. And so
it happened that while the troops on the Confederate right
were fortunately not subjected to an artillery fire from the
front and were exposed only to an enfilading fire from the ex-
treme left of the Federal line, it was far different with Pet-
tigrew's command, the batteries in his front being well served,
firing first solid shot, then shell and spherical case — and at
last canister — double charged, as Pettigrew's line drew nearer
and nearer.

The movement of the Confederates was made in quick
time over a clear field, beneath the burning rays of a fiery
July sun, and was attended with considerable fatigue and ex-
haustion. But those veterans who had been trained to the
vicissitudes of war well knew that at the final assault, dash
and vigor would be necessary, and they therefore husbanded
their strength and moved forward steadily and resolutely un-
der the galling fire that was rapidly thinning their ranks.
Speaking of the troops in front of Hay's Division, General
Bachelder says that when they had reached a position "half
way across the plain they encountered a terrible artillery fire,
but against wbicb, as a man })resses against a blinding storm,
they moved steadily on as if impelled by a will greater than
their own — some mighty unseen power which they could not
resist.

"Solid shot ploughed through their ranks, spherical case
rattled in their midst and canister swept them by hundreds
from the field, yet on they pressed unflinchingly.

It was an awful experience to pass nearly a mile across an

144 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

open plain siibjected to such a terrible fire, with no hope of
protection and without power to resist. But each brave
spirit in Pettigrew's command recognized the necessity of
immolation if need be, and offered himself a willing sacrifice ;
and so closing up the great gaps in its ranks, the lines on the
left continued to face the furious storm and silently moved
on upon the deadly batteries.

At length having made two-thirds of the distance, and
being only three Inindred yards away, Pickett's troops with
Garnett in front, Kemper on the right, l)ut somewhat in rear,
and Armistead a hundred yards behind, turned towards the
point they were to assail. On Garnett's left was Archer's
Brigade, under Colonel Fry, whose numbers had been largely
reduced in the first day's fight — and which had moved
directly forward as tlije brigade of direction. Close joined
with it were Pettigrew's Xorth Carolinians under Colonel
Marshall, Pettigrew himself being in command of the divis-
ion ; and further on were Davis' Mississippi ans and Brock-
enborough's Virginia Brigade, all Avell aligned, while a hun-
dred and fifty yards behind Trimble led Lane's and Scales'
Brigades, the latter under Colonel Lowrance, Scales having
been severely wounded two days before.

Although the right had not suffered greatly during its
shorter progress up the valley and being somewhat protected
by favoring ridges, heavy loss had been inflicted on the center
and on the left, which w^ere fearfully cut up during their long
and exposed march. But though sorely distressed on front
and flank, with ranks largely depleted, the left brigades main-
tained their original alignment and still pursued their on-
ward course.

As the attacking column, now uuu'h narrowed, moved up
the slope that formed a natural glacis to the enemy's works,
the batteries opened still more rapidly with grape and canis-
ter, and the front line of the enemy that lay in advance, to-
gether with the second line at the stone wall, poured into the
Confederate column volley after volley of musketry — sending
out a perfect sheet of lead and iron — a storm of murderous
fire. The ranks of the first Confederate line, in the immediate
front of Hays' artillery, were mowed down as grass by the

The Pettigrbw-Pickett Charge.

145

THE FIELD OF GETTYSBURG.

The first positions of the Confederate brigades are shown on the left
and then two subsequent intermediate positions, while the final posi-
tion attained is marked : by the tliin line in front of the stone wall and
within Gibbon's line on the south of it.

Webb's position in the angle is marked W. Hall's and Harrow's bri-
gades continued the Federal line towards Stannard's brigade.

10

14G North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

scytlie. The carnage was terrible. The piercing cries of
the dying and wounded conld be heard over the field amid
the shrieks of shells and the roar of the cannon. Trimble,
in command of the two North Carolina Brigades, says of
Heth's Division, "that it seemed to sink into the earth under
the tempest of fire poured into them."

"We passed over the remnant of their line and immedi-
ately some one close to my left sung out, 'Three cheers for the
Old North State,' when both brigades sent up a hearty shout."
It was the cry of l)rave men rushing into the jaws of death.

So furious A\'a^ the fire and so murderous that it staggered
the line — which ''halted, returned the fire and with a wild
yell dashed oii." The first line of the enemy, wdiich lay a
hundred yards in front, was thrown back against the wall,
many being captured and hurried to the rear without guard.
But yet the roar and din of the conflict continued and, though
the smoke of battle obscured the front, the carnage went on
as the columns drew closer and closer to the enemy's works.
A front that had been originally more than a mile in length
had now been compressed into less than eight hundred yards
and the concentrated fire of the enemy's artillery, as w^ell as
musketry, from the flanks as well as f r(jm the front, told with
fearful effect.

As the line approached the enemy's works, Pettigrew see-
ing Brockenborough's Virginia Brigade and Davis Mississip-
pians give way under the murderous fire that assailed them,
hurried his aid, Captain Shepard, to rally them — but all of
Captain Shepard's efforts were without avail. They had be-
come separated some distance from Pettigrew's North Caro-
lina Brigade and lacked the support imparted by the immedi-
ate co-operation of other troops. They could not be rallied,
but broke and fell back at the critical moment of the ordeal.
It was then that Trimble ordered his North Carolina Bri-
gades to close up on the first column, and Lane bearing to the
left, with well aligned ranks and in handsome style, covered
the position made vacant on the left by the broken brigades,
while Lowrance led Scales' brigade directly forward to unite
with the front line then one hundred yards in advance.

In this hasty movement of Lane's, however, because of a

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 147

niisimderstandiiig as to whether the guide was right or left,
the Seventh iS^orth Carolina and a part of the Thirty -third,
[being on Lane's right, became separated from the larger part
of the brigade, which continued its movement well to the left,
leaving some si)ace intervening between it and Pettigrew's
Brigade.

The position of the troops just before the final charge was :
Pickett's line was in front of a part of the projecting wall,
with Kemper's Brigade extending to the right of it, covering
the front of the Federal brigades of Hall and Harrow. Arch-
er's Brigade was in front of the rest of the projection, and
along witb Pettigrew's North Carolina Brigade extended in
front of the retired wall, with Scales' Brigade coming up in
the rear, wdiile Lane, with nearly four regiments, was some
distance to the left.

On the right Pickett's confmand had crossed the pike, while
the line further to the left had yet to pass it. General Pick-
ett and staff, however, did not cross the pike and did not ac-
company the troops further in the charge.

As the troops in their progress reached the fences enclos-
ing this road, the obstruction tended greatly to break up their
alignment. Many were killed and wounded there and others
sought protection from the fearful iire by lying in the road.
The column advancing beyond the pike was thus consider-
ables' weakened, and especially was this the ease on the cen-
ter and left where the road ran closer to the stone wall and
was stoutly held by the front line of the enemy. Pickett's
troops, however, crossing at a ]ioint nearly a quarter of a mile
distant from the enemy's works, escaped the full effect of this
damaging obstacle and maintained a more perfect organiza-
tion. And in like manner, the right of the Confederate
column had the good fortune of not being subjected to a simi-
lar artillery fire to that which mowed down the ranks of Pet-
tigrew's command.

It is narrated by General Doubleday that all of the artil-
lery sup])orting Webb's brigade, being destroyed except one
piece in Cushing's Battery which was in rear of Webb's right,
and nearly all of the artillerymen being either killed or
wounded, as the Confederates came close, Cushing, himself

148 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

mortally wounded, with his bowels protruding, exclaimed,
"Webb, I must have one more shot at them," and caused his
piece to be run down to the stone wall and fired, immediately
expiring. This incident not only illustrates how Pickett's
Division during its advance fortunately escaped the artillery
fire that Avas so efl^ective against Pettigrew's troops, but ac-
counts for the presence of a gun at the angle where Major
Englehard subsequently found it. A few moments later a
fresh battery reached Webb's left and opened a murderous
fire on Pickett's charging column. Colonel Peyton, Avho
came out of the fight in command of Garnett's brigade, in his
official report, speaks of having routed the advanced line of
the Federal infantry a hundred yards in front of the stone
wall, and says:

"Up to this tiuie we had suffered but little from the en^
emy's l)atteries with the exception of one posted on the moun^
tain about one mile to our right, which enfiladed nearly owt
entire line with fearful efi"ect. Having routed the enemy
here. General Garnett ordered the brigade forward, which
was promptly obeyed, loading and firing as they advanced.
From the point it had first routed the enemy, the brigade
moved rapidly forward towards the stone wall, under a gall-
ing fire, both from artillery and infantry, the artillery using
grape and canister. W^e were now within about seventy-five
paces of the wall, unsupported on the right and left ; General
Kemper being some fifty or sixty yards behind and to the
right, and General Armistead coming up in our rear.

Our line, much shattered, still kept up the advance until
within about tw^enty paces of the wall, when for a moment
they recoiled under the terrific fire poured into our ranks,
both from their batteries and from their sheltered infantry.
x\t this moment General Kemper came up on the right and
General Armistead in the rear, when the three lines joining
in concert rushed forward. His strongest and last line was
instantly gained, the Confederate battle flag waved over his
defenses and the fighting over the wall became hand-to-hand
and of the most desperate character, but more than half
having already fallen, our line was found too weak to rout
the enemy. We hoped for a support on our left (which had

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 149

Btarted simultaneoTislj with ourselves), but hoped in vain.
Yet a small remnant remained in desperate struggle, receiv-
ing a fire in front, on the right and, on the left many even
climbing over the wall and fighting the enemy in his own
trenches, until entirely surrounded, and those who were not
killed and wounded were captured, with the exception of
about 300 who came oft" slowly, but greatly scattered — the
identity of every regiment being entirely lost, every regimen-
tal commander killed or wounded."

We have no official report from either Armistead's or Kem-
per's brigades. The latter was on the extreme right, extend-
ing south of the stone wall and in its advance suffered greatly
from the flanking fire of tbe two Vermont Regiments thrown
out by General Stannard against it. A Federal account says:
'^The Confederate line is almost up to the grove in front of
Robinson's. It has reached the clump of scrub oaks. It has
drifted past the Vermont boys. Tbey move upon the run up
to the breastworks of rails, bearing ITancock's line to the top
of the ridge — so ])0werful their momentum.

Men fire into each other's faces not five feet apart. There
are bayonet thrusts, sabre strokes, pistol shots, cool, deliber-
ate movements on the part of some ; hot, passionate, desper-
ate efforts on the part of others ; hand-to-hand contests ; reck-
lessness of life, tenacity of purpose, fiery determination,
oaths, yells, curses, hurrahs, shoutings. The Confederates
have swept past the Vermont regiments. 'Take them on the
flank,' says Stannard. The Thirteenth and Sixteenth Ver-
mont swing ont from their trench line. They move forward
and pour a deadly volley into the backs of Kemper's troops.
With a hurrah they rush on to drive home the bayonets. Other
regiments close upon the foe. The Confederate column has
lost its power. The lines waver. * * Thousands of Con-
federates throw down their arms and give themselves up as
prisoners."

Another Federal account of Kemper's attack says — "up to
the rifle pits, across them, over the barricades — tbe momen-
tum of the charge swept them on.

''Onr thin line could fight, bnt it had not weight enough
to resist this momentum. It was pushed behind the guns.

150 North Carolina Troops, i861-'65.

Tliglit on caine the enemy. They Avere upon the guns — were
bayonetting the gunners — were waving their flags above our
pieces. But they had penetrated to the fatal point. A storm
of grape and canister tore its way from man to man and
marked its way with corpses straight down its line. They
had exposed themselves to the enfilading fire of the guns on
the western slope of Cemetery Hill. That exposure sealed
their fate.

''The line reeled back, disjointed already, in an instant in
fragments. Our men were just behind the guns. They
leaped forward in a disordered mass. But there was little
need of fighting noAv. A regiment thrcAv down its arms and
Avith colors at its head, rushed over and surrendered. All
along the field detachments did the same. Over the field the
escaped fragments of the charging line fell back— the battle
there Avas over. A single brigade, HarroAv's, came out with
a loss of 54 officers and 793 men. So the Avhole corps fought
— so too they fought further down the line."

Colonel Fry, Avho so gallantly led Archer's Brigade, says:
"I heard Garnett giA^e a command. Seeing my gesture of
enquiry he called out, 'I am dressing on you !' A fcAV seconds
later he fell dead. A moment later a shot through my thigh
prostrated me. The smoke soon became so dense that I could
see luit little of Avhat Avas going on before me. A moment
later I heard General Pettigrew calling to rally them on the
left. All of the five regimental colors of my command
readied the line of the enemy's Avorks and many of my men
and officers were killed after passing over it." Colonel Shep-
herd. Avho succeeded Frye in command, said in his official re-
port that "every flag in Archer's Brigade except one was cap-
tured at or Avithin the Avorks of the enemy."

Scales' Brigade closely folloAved Archer's, dashed up to
the projecting Avail and planted their battle flags u]ion the
enemy's breastv/orks. PettigrcAv's and the left of Archer's
had surged forAvard beyond the projecting Avail, and had
firmly established themselves along the retired portion of the
Avail. General Baehelder, of the Federal army, Avho thor-
oughly studied the field for days after the battle, than Avhom
no one kncAv so Avell the details of that affair, saA^s: 'The

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 151

left of the column continued to move on towards the second
wall, threatening the right and rear of Gibbon's Division
which held the advanced line. General Webb, whose bri-
gade was on the right (in the projection), had hurried back
to bring up his right reserve regiment from the second line.
But before this could be accomplished the first line broke un-
der the tremendous pressure which threatened its front and
flank, and fell back upon the reserve."

Thus while Garnett was struggling for the possession of
the stone wall on the Confederate right, and Kemper was en-
gaged with Harrow^ and Hall still further to the right, seek-
ing unsuccessfully to penetrate into the enemy's line and
turn the left of the hill, the advance of Pettigrew's command
beyond the projecting wall, taking Webb's exposed brigade
on the riglit flank, caused it to give back from the wall and
yield that part of the projection to the regiments of Archer
and Scales that pressed them in front.

Captain JMcIntyre, acting Adjutant-General of Scales' Bri-
gade, says: ''^ly brigade, or a larger part of it, went inside
of the enemy's works."

Captain Guerrant, acting as Brigade Inspector, says that
"Scales' Brigade entered the breastworks and remained in
possession until driven out by the enemy's advancing on their
flanks." Major Engelhard, the gallant Adjutant-General of
the two brigades of Pender's Division commanded by Trim-
ble, says : "The point at which the troops with me struck the
enemy's Avorks projected farthest to the front. T recollect
well, my horse having been shot, I leaned my elbow upon
one of the guns of the enemy to rest, while I watched with
painful anxiety the fight upon Pickett's right, for upon its
success depended the tenableness of our position.

''Surrounding me were the soldiers of Pender's, Heth's
and Pickett's Divisions and it required all the resources at
ray conimand to prevent their following en masse the retreat-
ing enemy, and some did go so far that when we were com-
pelled to withdraw, they were unable to reach our lines, the
enemy closing in from the right and left. We remained in
quiet and undisputed possession of the enemy's works, the
men flushed Avith victory, eager to press forward.

152 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

"But when the right of Pickett's Division was compelled
iby the overpo^vering attack upon its right flank to give way,
there was nothing left for us to do hut surrender ourselves
prisoners or withdraw in confusion before the converging
lines of the enemy, those in our immediate front not having
rallied.'"'

The retired wall in front of Fettigrew's North Carolina
Brigade "was higher and stronger than at the projection and
along it skirted a lane enclosed by a strong fence.

Hays' Division clung to the wall with great pertinacity and
the second line, })rotected by the high crest of the ridge, com-
manded it completely, while Howard's fresh artillery on the
sloi)e of Cemetery Hill swept the front with an enfilading
fire. But while it was impracticable for any troops to carry
it by assault, the Confederate line much weakened by the
losses suffered in the march, silenced the batteries in their
front and suppressed the infantry fire from the wall, and
maintained the unequal contest there to the last.

Some of Pettigrew's North Carolinians advanced to the
wall itself, doing all that splendid valor and heroic endur-
ance could do to dislodge the enemy — but their heroism was
in vain.

Majo'- Jones, in command of Pettigrew's Brigade, says:
"On we pushed and were now right on the enemy's works,
wlien we recei^'cd a murderous fire upon our left flank. I
looked to see where it came from and lo ! we were completely
flanked upon our left not only by infantry, but artillery.
One of our brigades had given way. The enemy had seized
upon the gap and now poured a galling fire into our troops,
forcing them to give way in succession to the right. The
color-bearer of the Twenty-sixth North Carolina Regiment
was shot down while attempting to plant the flag on the wall."
Gaston Broughton, commanding Company D, Twenty-sixth
North Carolina Begiment, says: "We crossed the road and
went to the enemy's works, where we continued firing until
most of the regiment were ca|)tured, the enemy closing in on
us from our rear." Lieutenant W. N. Snelling, Company B,
of the same regiment, says: "We went to an old road some
ten sto])s from the rock fence behind which was the enemv."

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 153

Major Haynes, of the Eleventh North Carolina : "I was
about fifty yards (I think nearer) of the wall when I was
shot down. When shot we were in line going towards the
cemeter}' wall. We were all cut down — no one but wounded
left in my company, save two."

Captain J. J. Davis (since Judge) : "My company was
next to the extreme left of the regiment, Forty-seventh l^orth
Carolina Kegiment, and when not far from the enemy's
works, say not more than 100 yards, a sergeant of an adjoin-
ing regiment called my attention to the fact that the troops to
the left had given away. I looked and saw that at some dis-
tance to the left, the troops had given way, but our supports
were then advancing in admirable style. (Lane's Brigade.)
Colonel Graves, who was to the right of me, had kept the reg-
iment well in hand and was urging the men on." "And we ad-
vanced," says Captain Davis, "to the plank fence that ran
alongside the lane just under the stone wall." Here he and
part of his regiment were afterwards captured.

Lieutenant-Colonel B. F. Little, of the Fifty-second
iS^orth Carolina Kegiment: "I was shot down when in about
fifty yards of the enemy's works, and the ground between
where I lay and the works was thickly strewn with killed and
wounded, some of them having fallen immediately at the
works. I do not think a single one of my men ever got back
to the rear except those who were slightly wounded before
they got to the place where I w^as wounded. And such was
the case with the companies on either side of mine. When
T was taken prisoner and borne to the rear, I passed over
their works and found some of my men killed and wounded
immediately at their works."

It is of Pettigrew's Brigade that Colonel Swallow writes
as follows : "Pettigrew's Brigade now united with Archer's
Regiment wliich had not entered the fortifications and at-
tacked the enemy with the most desperate determination.
While the writer (Colonel Swallow) lay wounded with Gen-
eral Smyth, of Hays' Division, at Gettysburg, that officer
told him that Pettigrew's Brigade all along his front were
within thii-ty or forty feet of his line and fought with a de-
termination he liad never seen equalled." This encomium.

154 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

so richly merited, is, however, to be shared by Lane's Bri-
gade equally with Pettigrew's, for Smyth's front was the ex-
treme left where l.ane fought as well as Pettigrew's Brigade.

While snch Avas the position of affairs on the right and
center when the smoke of battle lifted somewhat, Brocken-
borough's Virginians and Davis' Mississippians not having
rallied from the deadly discharge that had hurled them back,
Lane's ^orth Carolinians were alone on the left and bore the
brunt of the conflict on that part of the field. In his report
Lane says :

''My command never moved forward more handsomely.
The men reserved their fire in accordance with orders until
within good range of the enemy and then opened with telling
effect, driving the cannoneers from their pieces, completely
silencing the guns in our immediate front and breaking the
line of infantry on the crest of the hill.

"We advanced to within a few yards of the stone wall, ex-
l^osed all the while to a heavy raking artillery fire from the
right. My left w;is here very much exposed, and a column of
infantry was throAvn forward in that direction that enfiladed
my entire line."

This was a column of regiments that was thrown forward
from Hay's right : and despite an enfilading artillery fire,
Lane broke off' a regiment from his left to face this threat-
ened danger.

Captain Lovell, Company A, Twenty-eighth N'orth Caro-
lina, Lane's Brigade, says: "Some of my men were wounded
and captured inside the works."

Captain Norwood, Company E, Forty-seventh North Caro-
lina, says that regiment, along with the brigade, advanced to
within thirty yards of the enemy's works, where they encoun-
tered a plank fence. Several officers, myself among them,
sprung over the fence, followed by the whole command so far
as T know. The cannoneers then left their pieces."

Lieutenant-Colonel Morriss, of the Thirty-seventh N'orth
Carolina, says: "T^ettigrew's and Archer's men reached
the enemy's works a little in advance of us and succeeded in
driving the enemy from their works in their front, but were
exposed to a flank fire both right and left. We drove the en-

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 155

emy from his position on the road and from behind the stone
fence. The enemy having disappeared from onr front, we
became engaged with a flanking party on onr left and were
surronnded and captured. Six officers on the right of my
regiment were wounded in the enemy's works and captured."

The brave Major Jos. H. Saunders, of the Thirty-third,
says : "1 went, by a subsequent measurement, to within
sixty yards of the stone wall, where I was wounded. Just
before 1 was shot I saw a Federal color-bearer just in front
of the left wing of tlie regiment, get up and run waving his
flag and followed by his regiment, so that there was nothing
to keep our regiment from going right into the enemy's works.
I Avas shot by the troops on our left flank. At the time I was
acting as left gnide to the line of battle, directing the line of
march more to the right so as to strike the enemy's works in a
straighter line."

Rev. Dr. George W. Sanderlin, who was (Captain of Com-
pany E, Thirty-third iS^orth Carolina, says: ''Our bri-
gade being in the second line, advanced in fine style over the
field. When we were about two hundred yards from the en-
emy's works. General Lane ordered a half wheel to the left
and Ave continued our advance, our organization being excel-
lently preserved, close up to the enemy's Avork. We were
subjected to a rapid artillery fire from our front as Avell as a
deadly musketry fire, and also an enfilading artillery fire
from the loft. My regiment, the Thirty-third l^orth Caro-
lina, rested at the enemy's works, the artillerymen being
driven aAvay from their pieces and the infantry having been
driA'en from their breastAvorks. For some five minutes all
Avas comparatively quiet in our front except a desultory ^I'ing
here and there. We could hear the Federal officers just over
the ridne trving to rally and reform their men. Attention
was called to a piece of artillery just at hand Avliich had been
struck in the muzzle b\' a shell from a gun of like calibre from
a Confederate battery, Avhich remained fastened in the bore.
W^e noticed the situation on the extreme right of the line and
finally saAv it driA^en off by the enemy. A coh;mn had been
thrown out on the enemy's right that flanked us. We, being
in danger of being cut off, Avere ordered back, Pickett's troops

156 North Carolkna Troops, 1861-'65.

on our right having in the meantime been repulsed. Just
then the enemy opened on us a most heavy and destructive
fire, and as \ve began to retreat the enemy in our front rallied
and rushed down, crossing their breastworks, attacking us
also on our right. Our line on the extreme right (Pickett's)
had given away before this, and we made the best retreat we
could. Our organization was well ju-eserved up to the time
we retreated. I am absolutely confident that Lane's Brigade
held its position at the enemy's w^orks longer than any other
command, and that we did not move towards the rear until
the rest of the line was in full retreat, the extreme right being
well advanced to the rear."

Tlie Seventh North Carolina and that i:)art of the Thirty-
thii'd which became separated from the rest of Lane's Bri-
gade uioved forward gallantly, drove the enemy from the
stone wall, silenced the guns in their front and lost ofiicers
and men at the stone wall, many being captured there.

Tn the brief minutes that had elapsed since the final rush
on the enemy's works had begnn the carnage had indeed been
terrific. Garnett had fallen near the wall. Kemper was
desperately wounded at the wall. Pettigrew was disabled by
a ball. Trimble was knocked hors du combat. Fry, Mar-
shall and Lowrance had fallen among the thousands of ofiicers
and men whose life-blood was ebbing on that bloody field.

But if the Confederates had suffered fearfully, they had
also inflicted heavy loss upon their opponents. "Hancock
lay bleeding upon the ground, Gibbon was being taken from
the field wounded. Webb had been hit. Sherrill and Smyth
both wounded, the former mortally. Stannard had received
a painful wound, but liis troops continued to pour volley
after volley into Pickett's flanks."

When the front line of Webb's Brigade gave way under the
pressure of Pettigrew's men on the flank, they had fallen
back, some to the cover of a chuup of trees in the rear and
others to a stone wall that crossed the ridge. From these
points they maintained a desultory firing upon the Confeder-
ates, who having possession of the wall now used it as a pro-
tection for themselves. The projection was practically
cleared, but, though Archer's and Scales' and Pickett's men

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 157

held the angle next to Pettigrew, there was no general effort
made to penetrate into the enemy's line. In the meantime
regiment after regiment had hurried to cover the break in the
Federal line nntil the men stood four deep, ready to hurl back
the Confederates if they should seek to advance. Such was
the condition of comparative repose when Armistead's Bri-
gade reached the wall in Garnett's rear.

"Seeing his men were inclined to use it as a defence, as the
front line were doing," Armistead raised his hat upon his
sword, and springing upon a broken place in the wall, called
on his men to follow him. Nearly one hundred of the gallant
Fifty-third Virginia, led by Colonel Martin and Major Tim-
berlake, responded with alacrity and entered the works, "only
four of whom advanced with these officers to the crest, pass-
ing, as they advanced. General Webb, who was returning to
his front line." Armistead there received his mortal blow,
and forty-two of his men fell within the works as the enemy
rushed forward to recover the position. It was the work of
brief moments, for as the pressure on the Federal line had
been sharp the recoil was quick and decisive.

On the right Xemj^er had been driven back, and the battle
having now ceased in front of Hall's and Harrow's Brigades,
these were hurriedly advanced, at the moment the force col-
lected in the rear of Webb rushed forward, taking Garnett
and Armistead's troops in the flank as well as front, and en-
tirely routing and dispersing them.

As the right was hurled back and the fragments of General
Pickett's Division were hurrying to the rear, the battle be-
gan to rage more furiously on the left. The artillery swept
the front occupied by Pettigrew's command and Hays'
Division renewed the contest with increased ardor. A Dela-
ware regiment on Smyth's left sprang over the wall and pene-
trating the Confederate line opened a fire to the right and left
and hurried the drama to its close.

The remnants of Pettigrew's and Archer's and Scales' Bri-
gades that could not escape, were taken prisoners by the victo-
rious columns closing in on them from the rear, while most
of ]^ane's Brigade further to the left had the better fortune
rtf avoiding a like fate by a speedy retreat ; but they were the

158 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

last to relinquish tlieir position in the immediate front of the
enemy's works. As they withdrew they saw the field far
down the valley dotted with squads of Pickett's broken regi-
ments, while nearer were the fragments of the other com-
mands in full retreat. Thus ended the events of those brief
ten ininutes — tlie gallant charge — the successful planting of
the Confederate standards along the entire line of the Federal
works — the comparative lull, save on the right, where Kem-
j^er made his fierce entrance into the enemy's line, his speedy
repulse — and the overwhelming rally of Hancock's forces,
enveloping and dispersing Pickett's Division — the terrible
onslaught on the left, and the dispersal of the last of that
sjilendid body of twelve thousand picked troops who had es-
sayed to do what was impossible of accomplishment. Con-
spicuous gallantry had brought to the Confederate banner an
accumulation of martial honor, but on no field was ever
more devotion shown, more heroism, more nerve than on that
day which has been justly considered the turning point in the
tide of Confederate achievement.

It was indeed a field of honor as well as a field of blood,
and the sister States of Virginia and J^orth Carolina had
equal cause to weave chaplets of laurel and of cypress. On
their sons the heaviest blows fell, and to them is due the meed
of highest praise. Archer's brave men doubtless suffered
heavily, but the chief loss was borne by the three ISTorth Car-
olina and the three Virginia Brigades that participated in
the assault upon the A\'orks.

The losses of the latter are easy of ascertainment — for they
were fresh and bad been in no other conflict ; while the former
having suffered heavily on the first day and having lost most
of their regimental and company officers, made at the time
no special return of the loss in this now celebrated charge.

Lane carried in 1,300 and lost GOO, nearly all killed and
wounded. Pettigrew's Brigade was about 1,700 strong, and
lost 1,100, the greater part killed and wounded. Scales' Bri-
gade suifered in the like proportion. These three brigades
doubtless lost in killed and wounded 1,500 men.

The three Virginia brigades numbering over 4,700 strong,
lost 224 killed and 1,140 wounded, a total of 1,364. They

The Pettigrew-Pickett Charge. 159

had besides 1,499 missing. While the North Carolina bri-
gades did not have so many captured as Pickett's troops, they
doubtless suffered a heavier loss in killed and wounded, al-
though they took into the fight a smaller force, and their or-
ganization was much disturbed by the severe loss in regimen-
tal and company officers in the battle of the first. But despite
this drawback, they exliibited a heroism, a constancy and an
endurance unsurpassed upon that field where they accom-
plished as much as any other troops, suffered greater losses,
advanced the farthest, and remained, the longest. Indeed it
was to them a day of immortal glory as of mournful disaster.

S. A. Ashe.
Ralkigh, N. C,

3 July, 1901.

DEFENCE OF FORT VAG/^EK,

nORRIS ISLAND, 5 JULY. 1S63.

By E. K. BRYAN, Adjutant, and E. H. MEADOWS, Sergeant Co. K.
Thirty-First N. C. Regiment.

The following sketch has been prepared largely from report
of Major Robert C Gilchrist, together with the personal rec-
ollection of the writers, who were participants.

BATTEKY WAGXER^ S. C.

Skirting along ship channel, the main entrance into
Charleston harbor, and commanding the only approach for
large vessels to the city, is Morris Island, forever prominent
in the historv of the United States for beina- the site of the
battery that fired the first shot in the war between the States ;
still later for giving to the world its first lesson in iron-clad
armor, and more than all, for being the theatre of a defence
of an earthwork more stnbborn and grave, of a siege as mem-
orable and bombardments the most formidable in the annals
of war.

This island is three and three-fourth miles long, and varies
in width from twenty-five to one thousand yards.

At its northern extremity it is flat, and with the exception
of a low line of sand hills is only two feet above high tide.

At the northern extremity (Cumming's Point) was situated
Battery Gregg. The marsh on the west, at a point about three-
fourths of a mile from Gregg e^ncroached upon the sea face of
the island leaving a narrow strip of 250 yards. At this
point was located the famed Fort Wagner. The island is
composed of quartjz sand, which has no cohesion and weighs
when dry 86 pounds per cubic foot. To its power in resisting
the penetration of shot and when displaced of falling back
again to the very spot it had occupied, is due the comparative
invulnerability of the works erected on the island, advanta-
geous alike to its defenders and assailants. It is distant from
11

162 North Carolina Troops, lSf)l-'()5.

Fort Sumpter 2,780 yards. Wagner was an enclosed Earth-
work measuring within the interior slojDe froin east to west
six hundred and thirty (630) feet, and from north to south
in extreme width tAvo hundred and seventy-five (275) feet.
The sea face measuring along the interior crest two hundred
and ten (210) feet, contained a bomb-proof magazine, twenty
by twenty feet, forming a heavy traverse to protect the three
^ms north of it from the land fire. Behind the sea face was
the bomb-proof, thirty by one hundred and thirty, within
which could not l)e accommodated more than 900 men,
standing elbow to elbow and face to back (not 1,500 to 1,600
men, as General Gilmore said), and this capacity was further
reduced by cutting off more than one-third for hospital pur-
pose.

The Confederate force which had been doing such ardu-
ous service, were no^v relieved by the Fifty-first Xorth Caro-
lina Eegiment, 687 men under Colonel H. McKethan; detach-
ments from Captains Buckner's and Dixon's companies of the
Georgia artillery; Captains Tateni's and Adams' companies
of First South Carolina artillery; one section of howitzers,
DeSaussure Artillery, Captain DePass ; one section Blake
Artillery, Lieutenant Waties ; Cliarleston Battalion, Lieuten-
ant-Colonel P. C. Gaillard, and Thirty-first Regiment Xorth
Carolina Troops; Brigadier-General William Taliaferro in
command of the whole.

ASSAULT OF 18 JULY^ 1863.

About daylight on IS July, the Federal mortars com-
inenced their practice which they kept up at intervals until
noon. The new Ironsides, the monitors 3IontavJc, Catshill,
NantucTiet, Weeliavl-en and Patapsco,, the gunboats Paul
Jones, OUciiva, Seneca, Chippeva and Wissaliickon steamed
in and took position abreast of Wagner. At 12 o'clock M.,
all the land and naval batteries opened a "feu d' enfer" upon
the devoted work. For eight long hours it was as a continued
reverberation of thunder, peal followed peal in rapid succes-
sion. Nine thousand shells were hurled against Wagner
— twenty each minute. It ceased only when darkness came
on, as its further continuance Avould have involved the

. Defence of Fort Wagner. 163

slaughter of the assauking cohimn of the enemy, now mass-
ing in cohimn in front of the fort. It now hecame evident
that the assauh woukl be made at dark, so all the guns were
loaded with dotihle charges of grape and canister, trained so
as to sweep the beach about 500 to (300 yards in front. Thus
the guns on the fort being pre])ared for the attack which was
soon to come, paid no attention to the fleet, preferring to save
their ammunition and tlieir range for the more deadly con-
flict soon to ]>e enacted. Battery Gregg and Fort Surapter
were made ready to fire over Wagiier on the advancing
column, and the batteries on James Island to enfilade its
face. General Hagood was ordered to be in readiness to sup-
port or relieve General Taliaferro and proceeded to reinforce
the garrison with the Thirty-second Georgia Regiment, Colo-
nel Harrison.

On the part of the Federals Brigadier-General Strong's
Brigade was to lead the assault. It was composed of the Fif-
ty-fourth Massachusetts Itegiment, Colonel Shav/; the Sixth
Connecticut Regiment, Colonel J. L. Chatfield ; a battalion of
the Seventh Connecticut Regiment, Colonel Barton; the
Third ^N'ew Hampshire; the Forty-eighth ]^ew York Regi-
ment, Colonel Jackson ; the Xinth Maine Regiment, Colonel
Emery ; and the Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Regiment, Col-
onel Strawbridge, and was to be supported by Colonel Ptit-
man's Brigade, composing his own Regiment (the Seventh
Xew Hampshire), Lieutenant-Colonel Abbott; the One Hun-
dredtla JSTew York Regiment, Colonel Dandy ; the Sixty-sec-
ond Ohio Regiment, Colonel Pond : and the Sixty-seventh
Ohio Regiment, Colonel Voris. Brigadier-General T. Sey-
mour was to command the assaulting column and to arrange
the details for attack.

Some time before sunset these regiments were formed on
the beach in rear of their batteries, in columns of eight com-
panies, closed at half distance. The Sixth Connecticut Reg-
iment was to lead and attack the southeast salient angle of
Wagner. The Forty-eighth ]Srew York was to pass along the
sea front and facing inward, to attack there ; the other regi-
ments of the brigade to charge the south front, extending in-
ward toward the marshes, on the left ; the Fifty-fourth Massa-

164 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

chiisetts (colored), 1,000 strong, was in advance of all and to
be the "enfans pe^^dus." Thej formed in two lines ahead of
the brigade. Their commander was Colonel Robert G. Shaw.
He was slender and under the medium height, with light hair,
a beardless face, and looked like a boy of 17 years, when seen
at daylight the morning after the assault, cold and stiff in
death on the very tojj of our breastworks and at the muzzle of
our best Columbiad with three mortal wounds, either of which
must have been a death woimd, a bullet wound througli the
forehead, another through the lower body, and a bayonet
thrust in his chest. His Adjutant lay dead only three feet
to his right, and his Sergeant Major about the same distance
to his left. Had the supporting column of 6.000 came to the
relief Wagner would have undoul)tedly fallen that night,
but the dreadful slaughter of the assaulting column, their
cries of agony and death so paralyzed them that they broke
in gTcat disorder and fled to the rear. Colonel Shaw with
his colored troops, led the attack. They came forward at a
'^'double-quick" with great energy and resolution; but on ap-
proaching the ditch they broke, the gi'eater part following
their intrepid Colonel, bounded over the ditch, mounted the
parapet and planted their flag in the most gallant manner
upon the ramparts, where Shaw was shot and bayonetted to
death ; while the rest seized with a furious panic acted like
wild beasts let loose from a menagerie. They came down
first on the Ninth Maine, and then on the Seventy-sixth Penn-
sylvania, and broke them both in two. Portions of the Ninth
and Seventy-sixth mingled with the fugitives of the Fifty-
fourth (colored), and could not be brought to the front. The
Sixth Connecticut (Colonel Chatfield) succeeded in passing
through the deadly fire, and made a furious charge on the
southeast angle and took it and held it for three hours, no sup-
port having dared to follow across the fatal stretch before the
fort. To retreat was worse than to advance.

During the three hours that tliis portion of the works was
held by Colonel Chatfield (it was on top of the bomb-proof
about thirty feet above the heads of the defenders) several of
our men were shot in the back, while standng ready to defend
the fort from any other advance; when this became known,

Defence of Fort Wagner. 165

as it did in a few moments, General Taliaferro, in command
of the fort, called to a Federal soldier on the bomb-proof and
told him to say to his commanding officer that he wished to
speak to him. In a moment an officer came to the edge of the
bomb-proof, inquired what was wanted of him.. General
Taliaferro said to him in substance: '"Your men have fired
into the backs of my men from your position on the bomb-
proof, and have wounded several. ^NTow what I wish to say
is this : 'If another shot is fired into my men, I will put to
death every officer and man I find up there. You are my
prisoners. If you do not consider that you are, you Jiave my
permission to make your escape, and not one man will be able
to reach his lines.' " This quieted matters, and in a short
time the Thirty-first Georgia Eegiment and two companies
of the Charleston Battalion deployed along the western face,
when the Sixth Connecticut surrendered.

The assault was bravely made, but was doomed to failure
from the onset. The demoralization of the negro troops at
the supreme moment threw the ranks of the Federals into dis-
order. The converging fire of the artillery and infantry on
the narrow approach prevented a rally. Few could move
within that fatal area and live. The situation of the works
for])ade any feint or diversion, so that the garrison could con-
centrate their attention on one point alone. Besides the in-
creasing darkness rendered more dense by the smoke of con-
flict, added to the confusion of the assailants, and helped the
assailed, and thus the fortunes of war once more smiled on
Fort Wagner, giving to the Confederates a complete victory
and to the Federals an overwhelming defeat.

Language has not the power to describe the horrors of the
niglit of the assault. The shattered column of the enemy was
driven back to the shelter of the sand hills. Four thousand
men had been dashed against Fort Wagner ; when reformed
within the Federal lines only 600 answered to their names.
Brigadier-General Strong was mortally wounded and Colo-
nels Chatfield, Putman and Shaw were left dead within our
lines. A desnltnry fii-e oi small arms wiih an oceasi'inal dis-
charge of grape and canister was kept up for a time at an
unseen foe from the ramparts of Wagner. Soon silence and

166 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

stillness reigned supreme, broken only by the moans of the
wounded and dying, xit last the long night was ended and
the sun of a peaceful Sabbath rose revealing the sickening
scene. ''131ood, mud, water, brains and human hair matted
together; men lying in every possible attitude, with every
conceivable expression on their countenances ; their limbs
bent into unnatural shapes by the fall of twenty or more feet,
the fingers rigid and outstretched as if they had clutched at
the earth to save themselves; pale, beseeching faces looking
out from among the ghastly corpses, with moans and cries
for hel}> and -water and dying gasps and death struggles. In
the salient and on the ramparts they lay heaped and pent up,
in some places, three deep.

All of Sunday was employed in burying the dead. Eight
hundred ^\-ere buried by the Confederates in front of Wag-ner.
The wounded and dead more remote from Wagner were cared
for by their friends. We took prisoners, including wounded
and not wounded, about six hundred.

For fifty-eight days Wagner and Gregg with a force never
exceeding sixteen hundred men, had withstood a thoroughly
equijjped army of eleven thousand five hundred men, the Iron-
sides, eight monitors and five gunboats. For every pound of
sand used in the construction or repair of Fort Wagner, its as-
sailants had exploded two pounds of iron in the vain attempt
to batter it down. At the end of the liombardment, as at the
commencement, Wagner stood sullen, strong and defiant as
ever.

Federal history calls the capture of Batterv Wagner a
great victory. Victory? Seven hundred and forty men
driven out of sand hills by eleven thousand five hundred.
Ta\'o months in advancing half a mile towards Charleston,
they made their boast that Sumpter was demolished over
Wagner. This only teaches the world that sand batteries
are more impregiiable than the most solid masonry, especially
when men are behind them ^vho know ho\v to fio-ht in them by
d.ay and repair them by night.

To-day that famed fort is leveled, its bomb-proof, parapets
and traverses are blotted out ; not by the iron hail of hostile
batteries, but by the wind of heaven and the tides of ocean.

Defence of Fort Wagxer. 167

What the wrath of man could not accomplish, the ''still small
voice" of the Almighty has done.

Ere long the sea with its white capped waves will sweep
athwart the page of our country's history, which has been
written in blood ; even the site of Fort Wagner will be gone.
ISTot so its name and fame. Sooner will Thermopylae, Mar-
athon, Salamis, Sebastopol and the other places where in the
past men have dared, endured and died, be lost to memory,
than will be forgotten the heroic patience and devoted courage
of the soldiers who manned the defences of Morris Island.

In consequence of the great importance of a proper defence
of Wagner, the command devolved on some officer of high
rank, as for instance during this siege by General W. B. Tal-
iaferro and Colonel Graham, General Johnson Hagood, Gen-
eral A. H. Colquitt, General T. L. Clingman (of our bri-
gade), Colonel Geo. P. Harrison and L. M. Keitt succeeded
each other in command, serving generally about five days
each.

The Confederate forces engaged in repelling this famous
assault on 18 July, 1863, was as follows: The Fifty-first
^orth Carolina Regiment; detachment of Captains Buckner's
and Dixon's companies of Sixty-third Georgia Artillery ; Cap-
tains Tatum's and Adams' companies First South Carolina
Infantry (as artillery) ; section of howitzers of DeSaussure
Artillery, Captain DePass ; section of howitzers Blake's Ar-
tillery, Lieutenant Waties ; Charleston Battalion, Lieutenant-
Colonel P. C. Gaillard, and Thirty-first ISTorth Carolina Reg-
iment, General W. B. Taliaferro in command — about fifteen
hundred men all told.

E. K. Bryan,
E. H. Meadows.
New Bern, N. C,

18 July, 1901.

CHlCAnflUGA.

15-20 SEFTEMBER. 1863.

By captain C A. CILLEY, A. A. G.. Van Derveer's Brigade.

Governor C'arr, in order that the valor and devotion of
the five regiments from this State which fonght at Chica-
manga, hitherto unnoticed and uncelebrated, should not be
forgotten, took advantage of the Act of Congress, and during
the past summer (1893) appointed Commissioners to proceed
to the field, locate the position of the Sixty-fifth North Caro-
lina (Sixth Cavalry), Twenty-ninth, Thirty-ninth, Fifty-
eighth and Sixtieth North Carolina Infantry, and secure the
permanent designation of the same upon the maps and upon
the ground.

Five, of the seven, gentlemen appointed by him, on the even-
ing of 25 October, 1893, met upon the battle field, and duly
organized the Commission by electing Captain Isaac H.
Bailey, the senior Confederate officer, chairman, and Clinton
A. Cilley, secretary and historian. The other members pres-
ent were Lieutenants I). F. Baird and Wm. S. Davis, of Wa-
tauga County, and J. G. Hall, of Hickory.

Before going to the field, the reports of every Confederate
officer who had commanded North Carolina troops there,
from Ca]:)tain to General, were read, compared and carefully
collated. Maps, furnished by the War Department were
laboriously examined, compared with the reports, and the re-
sults thus obtained again gone over in the light of the reports
of the Federal Commanders. Letters received from survi-
vors were also filed with the reports, and a history, as accu-
rate as the times and material at our conmiand would allow,

* It may appear singular that this account of North Carohna troops
should be written by a Federal officer, but he was in the battle on the
other side and as it happened just opposite North Carolina regiments.
Being well informed as to the location he was appointed by Governor
Carr Chairman of the Conmiission to visit the field and locate the posi-
tion of the troops from this State. This sketch is an extract from the
report of the Commissioners. After the war he located in this State
and was one of its best citizens — Ed.

170 North CarolIxXa Troops, 1861-65.

was written out, of each regiment in action, giving its halting
places, line of march, jilaces where engaged, and where finally
located at the end of the battle.

This preparation showed four pliases of the battle of Chic-
amauga especially Avorth our attention, not only as attended
with the most important results to both armies, but as show-
ing most conspicuously the gallant conduct of the soldiery of
North Carolina. We may perhaps be pardoned for saying
that, since this great struggle has of late been given its true
place in the history of the war, as the most critical of any in
the West, and will surely take its position in the history of
the world as one of the few decisive battles of the century, it
becomes more and more necessary to put in enduring form
the record of North Carolina's achievements there, thus
grown to be of even more than national importance. We
noted down and each of these subjects was fully and patiently
discussed between the National Commission and ourselves the
night before we went over the gTound.

1. The attempt of General Bragg to turn the Federal left,
and thus secure control of the contested State road leading
from LaFayette to Chattanooga. The attack was opened by
Forrest's horsemen. Davidson's Brigade, in which was the
Sixty-fifth North Carolina ( Sixth Cavalry) took part in the
movement, and we had already secured evidence of the Sixth's
honorable position on the right of the line. Some Ex-Confed-
erates, who had served under Forrest here, and who visited
the field a few days before our arrival, had so located the
positions as to corroborate in every way our views.

Forrest was soon reinforced by Ector's infantry brigade,
containing the Twenty-ninth North Carolina, who formed,
advanced and fought over substantially the same ground as
the cavalry.

As neither the reports of the brigade or regimental com-
manders of either the cavalry or infantry detachments have
been found or printed, we had to rely upon other evidence as
to the locations. General H. V. Boynton, of the United
States Commission, had commanded a regiment, and one of
our Commission had been a staff officer, in the brigade which
successively met the assaults of Forrest, and Ector, so that

Chicamauga. 171

their recollection, aided by information collected before leav-
ing home, enabled us to fix the position of the Sixth and
Twenty-ninth, accurately, and to the satisfaction of all pres-
ent.

2. The famous break through the Federal centre about
noon on Sunday. Here it was, according to the report of
Colonel David Coleman, Thirty-ninth iSTorth Carolina, who
towards the close of the day took command of his brigade in
consequence of General McISTair having been disabled, that
the brigade, under Coleman's command, charged across an
open field in face of the heavy fire, and captured nine cannons
whicli had been playing upon it from the eminence. Colonel
Coleman, with the modesty of the soldier, contents himself
with the simple statement, and says no more.

The commander of another brigade also claims the honor
of the capture, fortifying his statement by certificates from
various subordinates. The division commander refers to
both reports, bnt does not decide between them. He inti-
mates, however, that out of the abundance of captured can-
nons, both brigades may have taken the number claimed.

This made it necessary for us to collect all available evi-
dence, and subject it to the United States Commissioners the
night before our actual inspection of the ground. Reports,
maps and other printed matter were thoroughly examined
and discussed, and we were assured that should the morning
survey confirm the conchision arrived at, we could regard our
contention as successful.

The next day, after establishing the point where the guns
Avere massed, we walked up the long slope of Dyer's field,
over which ten or twelve divisions had fought, and a second
comparison of all the evidence available, made on the very
spot of the conflict, so plainly showed the justice of Colonel
Coleman's claim, tliat we were directed to drive down a stake
marked with the regiment's name, the date and fact of the
exploit, at the location contended for.

3. The attack by Breckinridge on the Federal left, Sunday
afternoon, and the desperate fighting for the State road in
Kelley's field. We had no member of the Sixtieth ;N"orth Car-
olina with us, their regiment having participated in the bat-

172 North Carolina Troops, 1S61-'65.

tie here as a member of Stovall's brigade, bvit as two of our
party on the field were engaged with the brigade which re-
ceived the charge of the Confederates, and had special cause
for remembering every incident of the struggle there, we had
no difficulty in establishing the location. Again reports and
majjs were brought out, one paced off the distance, another
read the statement of brigade and regimental commanders,
General Stewart consulted the maps and announced the de-
cision. The result was that an oaken tablet, suitably in-
scribed, was put up on the side of the road, marking it as the
spot where the Sixtieth North Carolina Infantry, at noon 20
September, reached the farthest 'point attained by the Confed-
erate State Troops in that famous charge.

•1. It remained now only to trace the route of the Fifty-
eighth Infantry from where it crossed the river, to the scene
of its magnificent achievement on Snodgrass Hill. Three of
our Commissioners were survivors of that regiment, and un-
der their guidance, consulting as ever the reports and maps,
we had no lr(nible in following its ]jath from its first service,
supporting batteries, across the field just traversed by the
Thirty-ninth, to the place where, about the middle of the
afternoon, this command, never before under fire, plunged
into the bloodiest struggle of the battle, and one of the dead-
liest conflicts of the war. Here it was at the base and up to
the crest of a wooded hill, that Longstreet hurled six divisions
in an attempt to drive Thomas to retreat. The slopes up
which it toiled, the ravines through which it fought its way,
were again trodden by some of its old officers, and after the
fullest discussion, careful examination of printed and verbal
testimony, inspection and measurement of the ground, the
point vherc the topmost vare of the tide of Southern battle
brolce nearer than any other to the unbroken lines of Thomas'
defence, was agreed by us all to have been reached by the
Fifty-eighth North Carolina Infantry. During its three
hours fighting here, the command lost one-half of its men
killed and wounded. This point designated by the tablet
which we jnit up, was not a stone's throw from the place
selected l)y the Second Minnesota (Federal) Regiment,
(whose loss was precisely the same), for its monument.

Chicamauga. 173

We mav be pardoned for saying that such an interview has
seldom taken place upon the battlefield as we witnessed.
There were six veterans, some from each contending army,
who had borne, among them, every commission from Second
Lieutenant up to Lieutenant-General, who thirty years ago
had met almost face to face in the conflicts intent only on
designating without error, the exact position of their ancient
commands.

Plaving made this location, our task was over. We beg
leave to express the hope, however, that men Avho so highly
distinguished themselves as the troops of this State did in
Kelley's and Dyer's fields, and on Snodgrass Hill, should re-
ceive from i^orth Carolina statelier monuments and more
enduring memorials than simple tablets of oak or iron.

This battle field is now visited almost daily. It will surely
become the point to which students and travellers will turn
by thousands every year, and when it is seen that the South-
ern State, which sent the bravest soldiers to the field, has neg-
lected them, it will read ill for this Commonwealth.

]S[o official location being as yet allowed upon Missionary
liidge, we did not attempt to make any there.

While at Chattanooga we were visited by Mr. J. P. Smartt
and Mr. E. S. Pinion, the former a soldier in Cheatham's
Division, who knew the position of the cavalry brigade and
Ector's Infantry, the latter a soldier of the Twenty-ninth
^orth Carolina from Jackson County.

Their recollection perfectly coincided with the results we
had reached as to the location of these troops.

Clinton A. Cilley.

Chairman.

Lenoir, X. C,

3 November, 1893.

Note — The North Carolina regiments at Chicamauga were brigaded as
follows:

Twenty-ninth — in Ector"s Brigade, Walker's Division.

Thirty-ninth—m McNair's Brigade, Johnson's Division, Buckner's
Corps.

Fifty-eighth— \n Kelly's Brigade, Preston's Division, Bnckner's Corps.

Sixtieth— in Stovall's Brigade, Breckinridge's Division, D. H. Hill's
Corps.

Sixty-fifth {Sixth Cavalry) — in Davidson's Brigade, Pegram's Division,
Forrest's Corps. — Ed.

frHE NEW YORK

1 PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOK AND
TILOEN FOUNOATiON^

BATTLE OF PLYMOUTH.

1. R. F. Hoke, Major-General
a. M. W. Ransom, Brigradier-General.
3. W. G. Lewis. Lieut -Colonel, Com-
manding Hoke's Brigade.

4. J. W. Cooke, Commanding the " Albe-

marle."

5. John W. Graham, Major, 56th N. C. T.,

Historian of the Battle.

THE CAPTURE OF FLYHOUTH

20 APRIL, 1664.

By major JOHN W. GRAHAM, Fifty-Sixth Regiment N. C. T.

The Confederate forces on this expedition under command
of Brig-adier-General E. F. Hoke, were Kemper's (Va.) Bri-
gade, under Colonel Terry ; Hoke's Brigade composed of the
Twenty-first Georgia, Sixth, Twenty-first and Forty-third
Xorth Carolina Regiments under Colonel Mercer, of the
Twenty-first Georgia, the Senior Colonel ; and Eansom's Bri-
gade under Brigadier-General M. W. Ransom, composed of
the Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, Eighth and
Thirty-fifth iNrorth Carolina Regiments.

The Eighth, which belonged to Clingman's Brigade, had
been temporarily substituted for the Forty-ninth, left on
picket duty on the Chowan river. There were also a part of
a regiment of cavalry under Colonel Bearing, and several
batteries of artillery, under Lieutenant-Colonel Branch and
Major Reid, all from Virginia, except a section of Captain
Miller's (Co. E, 10th K. C. Regiment) Capt. Lee's Mont-
gomery Blues, of Alabama, and Bradford's (Miss.).

The Federal foi'ces under command of Brigadier-General
H. W. Wessels, consisted of the Eighty-fifth IsTew York, Six-
teenth Connecticut, One Hundred and First and One Hun-
dred and Third Pennsylvania, two companies of Second Mas-
sachusetts Heavy Artillery, Twenty-fourth JSTew York Inde-
pendent Battery of Light Artillery (six guns), two compa-
nies (A and F) of the Twelfth ISTew York Cavalry, besides
two companies recruited in iSTorth Carolina, aided by the gim-
boats Miami, Soutlifield, WJiitehead and Ceres.

The ram Albemarle , which had been partially completed
at Edwards' Ferry on the Roanoke river, was expected to go
down and join in the attack, and especially to encounter the
four gunboats above named, commanded by Captain Flusser,
a Eentuckian, said to be an officer of rare intrepidity and

176 North Carolina Troops, 186l-'65.

merit. In order to give a better understanding of the natural
strength of Plymouth and its surroundings, I will state that
there are two creeks emptying into the Eoanoke above the
town of Plymouth, the land between them l^eing called War-
ren's iSTeck, on which ^^'as erected a fort of three guns — one
100-pounder, and two 32-pound Parrotts. Immediately
west of the town and outside of the fortifications was a marsh
extending around to the southwest corner, and crossed only
at one point by a causeway on the Boyle's Mill road. The for-
tifications were somewhat in the shape of a parallelogram, the
longest side parallel to the river, Fort Williams with six
guns about the center of the line, and projecting forward to
the south.

On the lo^wer side of Plymouth Conaby creek flows into the
Roanoke, but a mile or more to the east of the town.

AVhere the Columbia road enters on this side, the breast-
works were not continuous, btit the road was commanded on
the left as yoii enter, near the town boundary by redoubts
Avith two guns each at James Bateman's and Charles La-
tham's, and to the right was Port Comfort with three guns, and
between that and the river was a swamp, the passage through
which was very difficult, and these together were considered a
sufficient defence for that side. Two roads entered the town
from the south, the Lee's Mill road a little to the east of Fort
Williams, and the Washington and Jamesville road near the
southwest comer. To more effectually command this last
road, and a road which branched off to the left, the Eighty-
fifth redoubt, with three guns, called Fort Wessels (or Fort
Sanderson) had been erected to the left of the Washington
road, aliout half a mile from the line of breastworks, and be-
yond the ravine which goes intO' the swamp heretofore de-
scribed. Inside of the fortifications a marsh commences near
the corner of Monroe and Water streets, and extends out be-
yond the fortifications. Between this marsh inside the town
and the Eoanoke river, on a mound or hill now" called Fort
Worth, was an intrenched camp, where the line of breast-
works came to the river, and sweeping over it had been placed
a 200-pound gun, intended expressly for the ram Albemarle.

Between Second and Third streets, where they reached the

The Capture of Plymouth. 177

line of breastworks at the west, and across another ravine ex-
tending out into the swamp, had been erected an intrenched.
canip with redoubt, and also another redoubt was at the south-
west corner of the intrenchments near the Toodles house.

As the Federal forces had occupied Plymouth for more
than twelve months, every effort had been made to ren-
der the place secure from attack, the different forts and
other redoubts along' the line of breastworks being protected
by moats, palisades, chevaux de frise, and made as strong to
resist bombardment or assault as engineering skill could de-
vise. The Confederate forces had been collected rapidly at
Tarboro, from which the expedition started on 15 April,
1864, and arrived within five miles of Plymouth by 4 p. m.,
on Sunday, the ITth, capturing the pickets and routing a
company of cavalry.

The First Virginia Regiment, under ]\Iajor Xorton, was
thrown forAvard as skirmishers, and Kemper's Brigade, with
Bearing's cavalry and two batteries of artillery under Major
Reid turned off on a road to the left leading to Warren's
Neck, to threaten the town from that direction ; and Generals
Hoke and Ransom, with their brigades, not following the
direct road from Jamesville, as the bridge across the creek
had been destroyed, turned to tlie right and crossing the
troops on a mill dam, made a circuit around into the Wash-
ington road, a mile below its junction with the Jamesville
road. Sending on a company of cavalry, two Yankees were
killed of the picket at this post (Red Top), two only escap-
ing.

Soon we hear the "long-roll" of the enemy, and our line
is formed to receive a shelling.

General Hoke's Brigade is some distance in advance and
on both sides of this road, and Ransom's further to the right
and along a road Avhich goes perpendicular to the line of
breastworks on the south of the town.

Skirmishers are sent forward by both sides, the enemy also
opening briskly with his artillery. I^ight soon comes on,
and all is quiet on this part^ of the line except an occasional
interchange of shots between the skirmishers.

It is understood that the women and children in the town
12

178 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

were sent off to Roanoke Island Sunday night. During the
night and next morning Hoke's Brigade is moved entirely to
the left of the Washington road and all his skirmishers in
front of Ransom's Brigade are relieved by the Twenty-fifth
and companies from the other regiments. A detail of 250 men
has been engaged during the night, under CoIodcI l'ais(m, in
building works near the Washington road from which our ar-
tillery can play upon Fort Sanderson (or Wessels). These
are so far finished next morning that one company at a time
is left to complete the work, and three guns were placed in
position.

The enemy can now see what has been done, and open upon
them. The fire is returned, but slowly at first. Company H,
of the Fifty-sixth Regiment, still continuing the work for
•other guns, and some of them being wounded by a shell.

After a while our pieces began in earnest and nearly
silenced Fort Sanderson, though receiving a hot fire from
Fort Williams. The day is passed in shelling by our artil-
lery at different points, our cavalry being around on the Co-
lumbia road to watch any movements in that direction.

In the afternoon Dearing and Reid, with field artillery,
had opened a brisk fire on Fort Warren on the river above the
town at 1,500 yards, with marked effect, soon cutting down
the garrison flag staff".

The gun boats steamed up to the assistance of the fort, but
one was so seriously disabled that she sank on her return
down the river. Late in the afternoon we learn that General
Hoke, with his brigade, will assault Fort Sanderson, while
Ransom's Brigade with fourteen pieces of artillery under
Lieutenant-Colonel Branch, will make a demonstration on
the enemy's left center (that part of the works on tlie long
side of the parallelogram, on the enemy's left east of Fort
Williams.) About 5 p. m.. Ransom's Brigade moves to the
right through some woods, and at the open space in front
skinnishers are throA\m forward from the different regiments
to relieve the Twenty-fifth, which now assembles to the left,
and connects with Hoke's right, distant about three-fourths of
a mile from Ransom's left.

Four companies of the Fifty-sixth on its right, B, I, E and

The Capture of Plymouth. 179

A (Captains Roberts, Harrill, Lockhart and Hughes), go
forward as skirmishers, and the brigade (Ransom's) now
moA^es by the right flank and at the edge of the woods forms
line of battle in the following order: the Twentv-foiirth on
the right, next the Eighth, Fifty-sixth and Thirty-fifth.

The line is now in full view of the enemy, as for a mile
out f]*om the fortifications everything had been cleared up,
and targets planted to indicate distance, upon which frequent
practice had been made.

The skirmishers, under Captain Jno. C. PegTam and Lieu-
tenant Applewhite, of the brigade staff, rush forward, those
of the enemy giving way after a slight resistance. Our ar-
tillery, consisting of Pegram's, Bradford's, ]\Iiller's and other
batteries, gallop to the front and quickly unlimber. It is
now tbat we learn that our demonstration is to march behind
these batteries, and receive the fire of the enemy from more
than twenty pieces of artillery, besides two gun boats, throw-
ing every grade of shell from the 200-pound gun to the 12-
pound iS[apoleon.

vSteadily our line advances, lying down at every halt, the
iron bolts falling thickly in front and rear, and sometim<^s
in the line itself. Our skirmishers have run those of the
enemy over their In-eastworks, and are now lying down to
avoid as far as possible the heavy shower of grape with which
they are greeted. The demonstration is kept up from 6 until
nearly 10 p. m., our guns having fired rapidly and the cais-
sons several times bringing up new supplies of ammunition,
and our line has advanced three-fourths of a mile and within
800 yards of Fort Williams, the infantry being ordered to
reserve their fire.

A correspondent of the Richmond Examiner signed "R."
on 24 April, 1864, says: "The action commenced about
sunset, the night being perfectly clear with a full moon, every
object was visible. The sight was magTiificent^ — the scream-
ing, hissing shells meeting and passing each other through
the sulphurous air, appeared like blazing comets with their
burning fuses, and would burst with frightful noise, scatter-
ing their fragments as thick as hail." To show how deadly
were some of these missiles, I quote from the sketch of the

180 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'G5.

Eig-lith Regiment bv Prof. Lnchvig, Vol. 1 of this work,
jiage 399: "The gimboats in the river also took part in
shelling our batteries and line. One shell from a gunboat
came o^'er the town, stimck the ground about one hundred and
fifty yards in front of the Eighth, ricocheted, and the next
time struck the ground in the line of the regiment and ex-
ploded, killing and wounding fifteen men of Company H.
Three of the men were killed outright, two were mortally
wounded, and of the others some were severely and some
slightly wounded."

Lieutenant C. R. Wilson, of Company D, and fourteen
men of the Fifty-sixth Regiment, were wounded, several seri-
ously, but none mortally. In the Twenty-fourth Lieutenant
Wilkins was killed and five men wounded. I do not know
the casualties in the Thirty-fifth and TAventy-fifth.

At 12 o'clock Ransom's Brigade is moved back, leaving a
line of skirmishers.

While this demonstration was going on, Hoke's Brigade
had gallantly charged Fort Sanderson from Welch's creek
swamp, and supported by artillery, a fierce fig-ht had raged,
the enemy opposing a spirited resistance. Our infantry
again and again charged the fort, the enemy hurling at them
hand grenades, while the strong stockade, deep ditch and'
high parapet prevented our men from scaling it. During
one of these charges, the intrepid Colonel Mercer, command-
ing Hoke's Brigade, fell mortally wounded at the head of his
command. Also Captain Macon, of the Forty-third North
Carolina, was killed and twenty or more of the brigade.
Finally the infantry having entirely suiTounded the fort,
the artillery was advanced to within 200 yards, when a sur-
render was made. Captain Chapin, of the Eighty-fifth New
York, commanding this fort, was also killed. This was
deemed an important position, where the artillery could be
concentrated and an assault made on the town, if the gun-
boats could be driven off by our iron-clad Albemarle.

A contemporary letter to the Raleigh Confederate makes
this statement as to the cause of the delay in her arrival:
'Tt was intended that she should go down, engage the enemy's
g-unboats and pass below on Sunday night. With that pur-

The Capture of Plymouth. 181

pose she left Hamilton on Sunday at 3 o'clock, and took on
her deck enough iron to tack on imperfectly on the way down.
Twenty sailors overtook her on the Cora below Hamilton, in-
creasing her crew to fifty; but her machinery became dam-
aged on the way — her rudder head twisted off. This de-
layed her twelve hours, and she only reached Gray's Land-
ing at 8 p. m. on Monday. The Yankee steamer Wliitehead
•was at the mouth of the thoroughfare when the Albemarle
passed, and immediately steamed into the Cashie and to Ply-
mouth, and reported her coming.

Cooke's passage was slow, to avoid obstructions and torpe-
does. Having passed them safely, he steamed past Plymouth
and without answering the shots from the forts, made for the
Miatni (Flusser's), and the South field (French's) Yankee
boats. They had been chained together that they might get
Cook betAveen and press him back upon a river flat. He
avoided the trap and ran into the SoiithfieJd, his prow was so
sharp and his momentum so gTc-at that he rail ten or twelve
feet into her, sinking her instantly. The whole weight of
the sinking boat rested on his bow, depressing it so that water
poured into the forward ports. The Souihfield had deliv-
ered her broadside of eiglit guns, making not the least impres-
sion, as this was on the bow which had been finished. The
current swept his stern around and disengaged him from the
wreck. ]\Ieantime Flusser seeing his companion wrecked,
loosed the chains and steamed to Cooke's stern, gave him a
broadside of six 100-pound rifie gims at a few feet distance,
upon the iron that !iad been imperfectly l)olted, and dam-
aged this iron in three places." An account in the Richmond
Examiner, writtten on 24 April, 18G4, says: "The Miami
fled, but not nntil she was seriously punished, her commander
(Flusser) and inany of lier crew being killed. Eighty of the
BovfJificId's crew were said to have been killed."

Commander James ^\^ Cooke was an accomplished officer,
who had entered tlie United States Xavy from Xortli Caro-
lina in 1828.

The noise of the guns betvx'een 2 and 3 a. m. on Tuesday
morning had informed us of Cooke's arrival, and we were
glad to hear of his success in relieving us from further an-

182 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

noyaiice from the gunboats. This morning General Ransom
is ordered to take the Twentj-fourth and Fifty-sixth Regi-
ments to the riglit of the Lee's Mill road, and make a demon-
stration against the enemy's works from that quarter. The
other three regiments of his brigade, with Branch's artillery^
are held by General Hoke to su]^port an attack, if after
thorough reconnoissance, he shall detennine to make an as-
sault with Hoke's and Kemper's Brigades from the direction
of Fort Sanderson, captured the night before. Heavy firing
between the artillery is kept up with an occasional shot
from the ram Albemarle now below the town, and also the
guns from Fort Sanderson are turned against the enemy, and
the skirmishers are pushed close to the works at various
points.

After this reconnoissance. General Hoke determined not to
make this attack, and the three regiments and Branch's artil-
lery are sent to rejoin General Ransom; and the Virginia
brigade, except a small portion left near Warren's jSTeck, is
brought around to the south of the town. This brigade had
by its sharpshooters, prevented the enemy from working the
guns at the fort wp the river, either upon the ram Albemarle
or upon our forces to the left of the town. Ransom's Bri-
gade is ordered in the afternoon to cross Conaby creek to the
east, and make a detour of four or five miles around to- the
Columbia road. Colonel Bearing, with some cavalry and
artillery, comes up, and is allowed to pass the brigade in the
road. That intuitive perception, Avith wliich tlie private sol-
diers could often foretell the intent with Avliicli a move is
made, now comes into play, and through the brigade the feel-
ing becomes universal that it has been determined to make the
final assault from the east side of the town, and that Ran-
som's Brigade would be required to perform this duty.
Laughing and joking almost cease, and a grim determination
to do all that could he expected seems to pervade the ranks.
Although marching at will, there is no straggling, and tlie
companies close up and each soldier is glad to feel the touch
of a comrade's elbow. A screen of woods hides the move-
ment from the enemy. About sunset the column strikes
the Columbia road and now turns west towards Plvmouth.

The Capture of Plymouth. 183

After dark we reach Conaby creek, about a mile or more
from the town, and the skirmishers thrown fonvard find the
enemy in strong position on the opposite side, and the bridge
destroyed. Three pieces of artillery under Captain Blount
are advanced to within 300 yards, and the enemy soon dis-
lodged. Our sharpshooters again advance and the enemy
reappear. Some gallant member of the Twenty-fourth
plunges into the creek, swims across and brings back a skiff
and a party soon crosses in it. The pontoons w^hich are in
charge of Lieutenant-Colonel S. D. Pool, of the Tenth, are
hurried to the front, placed in the creek, and three or four
companies pass over and are deployed as skirmishers and
drive the enemy back.

The pontoons are then swung around, and a bridge rapidly
constructed on which the infantry pass over, and are formed
into line about a mile from the enemy's forts on the (Colum-
bia) road, the right flank resting on the Roanoke and the left
extending beyond the road in the following order: Pifty-
sixth, Colonel Faison, on the extreme right ; then the Twenty-
fifth, Colonel Rutledge; Eighth, Colonel Murchison ; Thirty-
fifth, Colonel Jones, and then the Twenty-fourth, Colonel
Clarke, successively to the left. It is now near midnight^
as we had thrown up a slight breastwork, and the men lie
down to sleep on the bare ground, covered with their blankets
in groups of two or three for warmth, as the air is sharp and
piercing, so as to get soane rest for the morrow and the terri-
ble work ahead. The enemy keep up a shelling through the
night, but without much effect. Our gunboat, Albemarle^
now on the right of our line, exchanges shots with the 200-
pound gun at the upper end of the town. The night was
perfectly calm and cloudless, with a full moon lending beauty
to the scene and the skirmishing is at times sharp and ter-
rific, but the enemy are kept off at some distance froin our
line. Just as the moon is going down (and day breaking)
the troops are aroused and the line of battle formed, and the
signal rocket gives notice to General Hoke, who is with his
Brigade near Boyle's Mill, on the west side of the town, that
Ransoin is ready to advance. The skirmishers under the
gallant Captain Cicero Durham, the fighting quartermaster

184 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

of the Fortv-ninTli, now on Ransom's staff, drove those of the
enemy before them. Tlie infantry now moA^e forward, and
the artillery, consisting of Blount's, Pegram's, Marshall's
and Lee's batteries, under Colonel Branch, dash forward on
the left at a full gallop and o^^en upon the town and the forts
ahead on both sides of the Columbia road.

The enemy has brought to bear both siege and field guns,
and concentrated a terrible fire in the face of our assaulting
column. Just at this time General Hoke opens with his ar-
tillery under Majors Moseley and Reid a rapid fire, and his
infantry sent up yell after yell as if about to charge. The
Virginia Brigade on the south is also obeying the command
to "shout,'' and several of that brigade are killed and
wounded by the enemy slijelliiig; them from Fort Williams.

As our artillery is kept soiiiewhat in rear of the advancing
line, the enemy fire over the heads of Ransom's Brigade at
first, but so<in get a more accurate range.

Steadily the line goes forward, and performs the duty .as-
signed, carrying out to the letter the precept, ''Whatsoever thy
hands find to do, do it with all thy might."

It will be best to describe the course taken by each regi-
ment of the brigade, so far as can be gathered from the ac-
counts written shortly after the battle, or subsequent authen-
ticated statements.

In the communication of ''Lone Star" on 22 April, 1S64,
the Twenty-fcTirth is fortunate in having its deeds recorded,
which shows that regiment took the two works immediately
on tlie Columbia road — ''the one on the south of the road, by
the left of the I'wcnty-fourth, led by Colonel Clarke, an.d the
one on the uortli by tlie right of the Twenty-fourth, assisted
by the Thirty-tifrli." And the account further states: "We
were now in the town, and the head of every street running
east and west, -was licld by one or more of our regiments, but
their positions in line were somewhat changed. The Twenty-
fourth was still on the Columbia road, now street (Second),
witli the Fifty-sixth and Twenty-fifth to the* right, and the
Thirty-fifth and Fighth to llie left. Halting a moment to
breathe the men and dress the line, we pushed slowly and
carefullv forward, clearing the enemv from everv street, vard

THE NEW YORK

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ASTOB, L£NOX AtMO
TILOEW FOUNOATIONS.

MAP OF

April 17- 20, 1864.

By Capt R. D. Graham, 56tt> Reg. N.C.S.T.

Affer Or'ginal by Solon E. All is, Zl^Reg. Mass.V.Milifla ,

Ocfobe^r, 1665.

And Comrmnfs of W. M. Bateman, Superior Court Clzrk. ,

I90t.

SCALE OF FEET.
0 500 1000 1500 2000

-^^

AStoft

*" - ON*.

^Sliisr^

The Capture of Plymouth. 185

and liouse, from the windows of wliich and from behind the
fences they poured an incessant fire. But nothing could
check our progress, and witliin an hour they were driven into
Fort Williams, or into the entrenched camp at the west of
the town. The fort was on our left, and the camp in front.
In a few minutes the Fifty-sixth came up on our right hx an-
other street, and by their arrival decided the contest, for im-
mediately on the appearance of this additional force, the en-
emy threw down their arms and raised the white flag. Cap-
tain Locldiart, of the Fifty-sixth, ran in to receive the sur-
render and instantly both regiments poured into the camp."
This sho^\-s beyond question that the Twenty-fourth Kegi-
ment, when it reached the town, kept its right on Second
street and passed through the town to the west end, keeping
between Second and Third, or on Third street, as nothing
could pass up Second street, OA\ing to the rapid fire kept up
by the battery at the west end.
' In the account given by ]\Ir. Ludwig of the part taken by
the Eighth Regiment on page -tOO of Vol 1, it is stated: "At
earlv dawn on the morning of the 20th the signal rockets went
up, and the order came to advance. In the meantime a bat-
tery of artillery took position in front (on the left) of the
Eighth Eegiment and opened a rapid fire on the fort in our
front. The regiment, in fact the whole lu'igade, as ordered
moved oft" in common time. Xot a rifle was fired, not a
word spoken. The artillery was doing its full duty in keep-
ing the enemy's infantry quiet. When the regiment had
advanced to within al:)0ut 150 yards of the fort, the order to
charge was given. The ''yell" was raised, and the regiment
rushed forward to mount the fort. Just at the moment the
"veil" was raised, the enemy's infantry poured a destructive
fire into the ranks of the regiment. Our artillery ceased
firing as the regiment approached near the fort. The men
rushed on, leaped into the ditch and attempted to scale the
fort. While the men were attempting to climb over the out-
side of the fort, the enemy threw hand grenades into the
ditch. Those who were in the ditch had to get out of it.
The regiment then swung around to the right, and attempted
to break through the palisades <.n that side of the fort. The

186 North Carolina Troops, 1S61-'65.

palisades had loop holes through which the enemy fired on
our line. At this puint many of the men were shot through
the head. The regiment rushed up to the palisades, and as
the enemy pulled their guns out our men put theirs in and
fired at tho.se on the inside. Such deadly work could not
last long. The Eighth Eegiment swung a little further
around to the gate leading to tlie rear of the fort. The gate
was burst open. The regiment rushed in and the fort surren-
dered. "Three cheers for North Carolina" were given by
the regiment, thus announcing that the assault had l^een suc-
cessful."

The question naturally arises, what fort was this? As
will be hereafter stated, the capture of "Fort Comfort" on
the right of the road was conceded by General Ransom to the
Thirty-fifth. Where the advance of the brigade began, the
Columbia road does not run parallel to the river, but obliquely
to the right. The Twenty-fourth kept on both sides of the
road; the command given to the brigade had been "Guide
center." There is a pressure to the left by the Thirty-fifth
to avoid the branch, canal and the SAvamp which the Twenty-
fifth and Fifty-sixth had to cross, and in this pressure the
Twenty-fourth passes ahead, and leaves the left flank of the
Eighth exposed to an enfilade fire from the left, and the regi-
ment naturally swings around in that direction to meet the
gi-eatest danger and injury to them. This brings them around
towards the fort south of Charles Latham's liouse, less than
three hundred yards from Fort Comfort, and called "Conaby
Redoul)^;' ^^■hich was opposite or near the head of Third
street, and thus carried the Eighth Regiment to the extreme
left of the brigade, as stated in the contemporaneons account
given by "Lone Star," and on the direct conrse to Fort, Wil-
liams; and Conaby Redoubt answers exactly the description
of the Fort wath palisades, which Mr. Ludwig says the
Eighth Reg-iment attacked and carried, and its capture is
claimed by no other regiment and would he otherwise unac-
counted fr)r.

The graphic history of Mr. Ludwig continues: "But a
strong fort (Fort Williams) remained in possession of the
enemy. The Eighth Regiment formed and attempted to

The Capture of Plymouth. 187

storm that. The men charged np to the edge of the siir-
rounding ditch, only to find that it could not be crossed.
There was but one of two courses to t^ke, to-wit : either to fall
back or to surrender. The regiment chose the former. When
the retreat began, the enemy poured a fearful volley into the
ranks, killing and wounding many of the men. This charge
was reckless and unnecessary. It was made under the flush
of victory, and not by order of the commanding general.
The fort being surrounded, would have had to surrender any
way, as it did a few hours aftersvards."

In the Tayetteville Observer of 9 May, 1864, it is said:
We have received a communication from an oflicer of the
Thirty-fifth Xorth Carolina Troops complaining that the
Richmond papers have given to others the credit due to that
regiment. He says "Ransom's brigade charged the Yankee
fortifications, and our regiment (Thirty-fifth) took the first
fort, the key to the position. Its Colonel, J. G. Jones, of Per-
son County, was the first to mount the fortifications and in
honor of him and his regiment, General Ransom changed the
name from Fort C<>mfort to Fort Jones. To Colonel Jones
the Yankee commander of that fort surrendered, and a detail
of that regiment took charge of the first prisoners captured
(on that day) at Plymouth, and conducted them to the rear.
Our three centre companies covered the front of the fort, and
our rigbt and left wings completely surroun;led it. Our dead
were around the fort, and the dead of no other regiment."
I regret that I have no fuller account of the operations of this
regiment, whose noble Colonel, in less than two months af-
terwards, on the night of IT June, 186-i, yielded his life in
a heroic and successful charge at Petersburg made by Ran-
som's Brigade to recapture works lost by another command.

Before the capture of Fort Comfort has been completed by
the Thirty-fifth, and the works in their immediate front car-
ried by the Twenty-fourth, the Eighth Regiment is found
doing equally effective work to the left of both of them, as
shown above. The Twenty-fifth Regiment after getting
through the swamp, finding the Fifty-sixth across its course,
obliqued to onr right, and proceeded up Water street and be-
tween that and the river, and assisted in the capture of the

188 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

intrenched cam]) beyond Fort Worth at the northwest corner
of the town. Company I, of the Fifty-sixth, under Captain
Harrill, was sent in advance of the regiment with orders to
keep along the river, and was thus the first company to enter
the town, and aljoiit sunrise captured twenty artillerists, who
were serving the 200-pound gun intended for the Albemarle,
which was proceeding up the river with our line and secured
Captain Cooke from further opposition of any moment.

A cotem]3oraneous account of the operations of the Fifty-
sixth, dated 1 May, 1864, was written by Major Jno. W.
Graham signed "Tar Heel," and at the special request of
Captain Frank X. Roberts, who sent it to the Fayetteville
Observer, and this has been elaborated from his war journal
and researches by its historian. Captain E. D. Graham.
Out of somewhat voluminous data, what is here stated must
be condensed to come within the proper limits.

Fortunately we had no forts to encounter directly in our
front, but there were other obstacles nearly as fonnidable.
First, a large herd of cattle, which we drive to a deep canal
in our front, when with wild snorts of terror, they turn and
break through our line of battle. Into this ditch more than
six feet deep, we have to go and climb out on the other side
and ag-ain form our line. The next obstacle is a terrible
swamp of untried and therefore unknown bottom, through
which we flounder, many ^vet to the waist, and some all over,
from falling down.

Getting through the swamp our line is quickly formed
again, but here we receive an oblique fire from our left, and
under a heavy shower of "niinies" go up a hill and drive an
opposing regiment from the shelter of houses and palings on
the eastern end of the town, between Water and Second
streets. Here the Twenty-fifth comes up and enters the
town on our right. We have several killed and \vounded,
and among the killed, Jas. W. Hall, of Company D.

A part of the Fifty-sixth enter on Second street and pro-
ceed as far as Madison street ; but Major Graham appre^
hending that this (Second) street would be swept by artil-
lery, as we have reached an open square, throws the regiment
forward into line with the left resting on Second street, and

The Capture of Plymouth. 189

the right extending- over to Water street, which the other
part has entered under Colonel Faison. Lieutenant-Colonel
Luke has been gallantly leading the extreme right.

Second street is now swept by a ten^ific fire from the guns
at the western end. The advance is steadily continued, but
bullets seem to come from every direction, both from houses
and excavations in the ground. Our line pushes down fences,
jerks oft palings and presses forward, passing Adams, Wash-
ington and Jefferson streets. On this last we get a cross fire
from Fort Williams which is especially severe. Lieutenants
Palmer, Holton and Thornton have fallen wounded, and
many of the men. We next reach Monroe street and in ad-
vance of any other regiment on either side.

Here Company B, under Captain Roberts, with Colonel
Faison, keep to the right of the swamp beginning at this
point, as heretofore described. They thus become detached
and aid in the capture of Fort Worth and the intrenched
camp, at the west end of Water street, which makes a liot
fight kept up until about 10 a. m., when Colonel Bearing
reaches this point with one of his guns, and its capture is ef-
fected. Company I, under Captain Harrell has, as already
stated, captured the artillerists around the big gim, and also
strikes the entrenchments just north of the marsh, and secures
the surrender of prisoners at that point, and the most efi^ec-
tive service during the rest of the battle is to hold them
securely — the intervening hill and swamp separating them
from Ijoth contending forces who are continuing the contest.

The other eight companies of the regiment keep to the
left of the swamp, nnder !^^ajor Graham, and capture the
batteiy of artillery which has been raking Second street.

As we now pass from beyond the cover of the houses, the
Yankees are pouring a hot fire into us from the intrenched
camp ou the western breastworks between Second and Third
streets, somewhat to our left, and we find the Twenty-fourth
engaged with them in front. As we are about to charge, the
Avhite flag goes up, and the surrender is made to Major Gra-
ham, who directs Captain Lockhart, of Company E, to take
charge of the prisoners. The flag of the Fifty-sixth is handed
to Major Graham on the breastworks and waved bv him to

190 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Hoke's Brigade, on the west of the town, which had been
aAvaiting our progress, more than 600 yards distant, as the
works were too strong to be carried from the west side. Pass-
ing over another ravine, we receive the last prisoners on that
side of the town. Hoke's Brigade under Colonel W. G.
Lewis, of the Forty-third i^orth Carolina, now comes up,
and it is a relief when he suggests that no further charging is
necessary, as in the opinion of himself and General Hoke the
surrender of Fort "W^illiams can be compelled by artillery.
The town was now entirely ours, except this last strong fort
on the south, and its surrender was demanded and refused.
Sharpshooters occupy all advantageous positions in houses
and other points to keep the enemy from serving their guns,
and our artillery fire is concentrated on the doomed fort and
a shell from the Albemarle explodes upon it. General Wes-
sels has made a gallant fight, but as "the stars in their courses
fought against Sisera," the converging batteries and mus-
ketry now jDrevent him from firing a gun. General Hoke
informs him that, if he provokes a useless sacrifice of life in
requiring an assault, not a man in the garrison will be
spared, and between 11 and 12 o'clock a. m., the flag comes
down on Fort Williams and success crowns our struggle. All
fighting is now over, except the pursuit of some Yankees and
negroes who escaped from the fort at the left of Fort Wil-
liams, and some Buffaloes who had crossed the river, many
of whom Avere captured.

General Wessels' oflftcial returns of casualties with the
loss of Plymouth, was a total in killed, wounded and missing
(not distinguished by him) of 127 officers and 2,707 men.

Our losses were understood to be 125 killed and between
400 and 500 wounded in the brigade and artillery altogether,
though I have seen no official returns, being greatest in the
Eighth North Carolina, as it is stated by Mr. Ludwig: "The
regiment lost one hundred and fifty-four men killed and
wounded, about one-third of its number." In the Thirty-
fifth twenty were killed and 84 wounded, including Major
S. B. Taylor. The losses in other regiments are supposed
to be stated in their separate history, as I know is the case
in that of the Fiftv-sixth. In this regiment the colors were

The Capture of Plymouth. 191

borne by Ensign Jas. M. Clark, of Orange County, whose
stalwart figure was conspicuous at every step, and he never
swerved from any point to which he was directed. He came
through with a rent banner, but untouched himself, though
his color guard suffered a loss of one-third, as shown in the
history of the regiment.

It will be interesting to survivors to here record the regu-
lar order of succession from left to right in which the ten
companies of the Fifty-sixth stood in line of battle. It
was C, K, G, F, H, D (colors), A, E, I and B. The action
of the two right companies under their captains have been
given above. The other eight going through to the end of the
battle with the Hag, l^eginning with E, were led respectively
by Captain Joseph G. Lockhart, Captain Xoah H. Hughes,
Captain Robert D. Graham, Captain Wm. G. Graves, Lieu-
tenant Valentine J. Palmer, Lieutenant Otis P. Mills, Cap-
tain Frank R. Alexander, and Captain Alexander P. White.
When Lieutenant Palmer fell in the charge wounded as the
regiment passed the jail, Company F pressed steadily for-
ward with Lieutenant John R. Williams in command. All
these officers and their men without an exception, displayed
a coolness, discipline and courage that any commander might
be proud to witness. I would be glad to mention by name
officers and men of other conuuands, reported as conspicuous
for bravery, but where all so well did the work assigned, I
have deemed it best to narrate the main facts as I have col-
lected them, and not attempt details of individual prowess
or give names except of those directing some separate move-
ment, and of those under my immediate command, from
whom I could not withhold the meed of praise to which they
are justly entitled. But I do not wish to seem to ignore the
splendid work done hy Hoke's Brigade or the Virginia Bri-
gade under Colonel Terry.

An officer in the line, will of course be unable to do more
than observe the part taken by his own regiment or one im-
mediately adjoining, and has little opportunity of gaining
correct information, except in a general way, of the opera-
tions of other commands at distant points.

A correspondent of the Richmond Examiner of 24 April,

192 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

■^igiKd "Tt,'' savs : "'The result ct tlii^ uiost 'n'illianr suc-
cess Avas the capture of some 2,500 prisoners, 28 pieces of ar-
tillery, heavy and light, some 500 horses, 5,000 stands of
small arms, TOO harrels of flour, with other commissary and
quartermaster supplies, immense ordnance stores, and the
strong position of Plymouth, which protects the whole Roan-
oke Valley, and furnishes a base for our iron-clad to drive out
from Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, the large fleet of the
enemy's gunboats, and open a large and rich counti*y from
which we can obtain supplies. General Hoke, who com-
manded the expedition, though only 27 years of age, may
well rank with our ablest division commanders in the service.
He has wonderful tact, force, activity and an endurance
that despises fatigue ; handles troops with great ease and
celerity, and has their unbounded confidence. Ransom's
charge has not been surpassed at any time : his military
genius coniprehended the situation, and he was master of
it ; he determined on the charge, knowing what dash and
pluck could accomplish, when satisfied as to the proper point
of attack. Colonel Dearing, of the cavalry, not ojily handled
his own connnand with great success, but in the charge of ar-
tillery and infantry at Port Warren, and both on the right
and left with Ransom and Hoke, and on Wednesday morn-
ing in Ransom's charge, his services were invaluable."

Tn the message of Governor Vance to the General Assem-
bly of North Carolina 17 May, 1864, he says: "In addition
to the manv brilliant victories, which have crowned our arins
this spring in all parts of the Confederacy, I have the sincere
pleasure to congratulate you upon the splendid success of
the opening of the campaigii in our State, resulting in the
recapture of the towns of Washington and Plymouth, and the
rescue of a considerable portion of our territory from the en-
emy. This is the more gratifying because it was accomplish-
ed by troops under the command of two distinguished sons
of North Carolina — Brigadier, now ]\rajor-General, Hoke,
commanding the land forces, and Commander Cooke, with the
steam ram Albemarle. I doubt not you will see .the propri-
ety of rendering suitable thanks to these gallant officers, and
the brave officers and men under their command, for the con-

The Capture of Plymouth. 193

spieiions heroism which has been rewarded by such splendid
results."

How the result was viewed at headquarters is shown by the
telegram sent by President Davis :

"Brigadier-General Hoke: In the name of the Confeder-
acy, I thank you for your success. You are a ]\Iajor-Gen-
eral from the date of the capture of Plymouth."

CASUALTIES AT PLYMOUTH.

Twentij-fiftli Notih Cavolina : The killed reported at the
time were: In Company A, Jos. L. Edney and W. W.
Owenby ; in Company B, W. B. Grant ; in Company H, J. M.
Cartland; and in Company K, G. W. Black. Its wounded
were 20.

Tirenty -fourth Noiili Carolina. Lieutenant Wilkins was
killed, and five men wounded on the night of IS April. In
the same regiment 20 April, the killed were: J. W. Puck-
ett, of Company B ; E. K. Hocutt, of Company C ; A. J.
Young and K. B. Taylor, of Company E ; Jos. Mangum, of
Company H; Joshua Canady, of Company I; and J. F.
Baker, of Company K ; Lieutenants E. S. Sanders and T. T.
Lee, of Company E, and Ca])tain W. J. Squiggins, of Com-
pany D, and 84 men wounded.

Thirty- fifth North Carolina. The killed reported were:
Robert W. BroAvn, of Company A ; Corporal W. H. Council,
of Company I) ; Lieutenant J. X. Loy, Sergeants H. W.
Oakley and J. J. Yarborough, and T. S. Drake, T. R. Gen-
try and \. Evans, of Company E ; Sergeant John Dulin, J.
E. Harris and John Xoles, of Com])any H; and Sergeant T.
W. Conley, J. AV. Abernathy, D. Denton, D. Moore, J. C.
Whisenhundt and P. S. Whitener were killed, and Lieutenant
D. P. Glass mortally wounded in Company K. Major S. B.
Taylor and 84- men were vrounded.

Eighth North Carolina. The killed were: H. C. Stoke-
ly, of Company A ; George W. Graves, of Company B ; W.
J. Baker, of Company C ; B. F. Patterson, of Company D ;
Lieutenant D. A. Patterson and John Coddle, of Company
E; Lieutenant L. D. Lauirley and Sergeant J. J. Tunnage, of

13

194 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Company G; First Sergeant J. A. Barringer and J. C.
Klutts, W. M. Sides, ]Srelson Barringer, Moses Dvy, J. C.
Linebei'gcr, E. J. Patterson and J. E. Barringer, J. J.
Ketchey, John Raney, J. S. Murph, and Wiley S. Seaford.
Lieutenants A. II. Gregory, D. W. Weaver, S. J. Thornton,
James K. McKethan and P. J. Miller, and Ensign Frank
Perkins, and 101 others were wounded.

Sixth North Carolina. The killed were: John McDan-
iel, of Company C ; Harvey Hanna and Joshua Johnson, of
Company H; John W. Faucett, of Company F ; Henry Capps
of Company K, mortally, and Lieutenant W. S. Clinton and
29 others severely wounded.

Tivcnty-first North Carolina. The killed were : Sergeant
F. C. Clinard, of Company A ; J. W. Hodges and A. F. Pat-
terson, of Company C ; Corporal J. F. Beek and Chas. K.
Kallum, of Company D ; Wm. Hancock and Cal. Edwards,
of Company F; Captain J. O. Blackburn, of Company G;
D. A. Pay, of Company H; S. W. Dick, of Company I; B.
F. Loinhack and Jos. Long, of Company K ; Corporal J. G.
Wilkinson, of Company L ; and M. M. Wright, George Wy-
rick and Wm. Pichardson, of Company M. The wounded
were 35 and one missing.

F orty-tliird North Carolina. The killed were: P. B.
Mclv orkle, of Company B ; Stephen Penf ree, of Company
C ; Captain H. A. Macon, of Company F, and Lewis Duke, of
Company G. There were 13 wounded, including Lieutenant
H. Brown and Sergeant T. H. Bobbitt. It is to be regretted
that a full list of casualties in the gallant Twenty-first Geor-
gia Pegiment, forming with the above named, Hoke's Bri-
gade, was not given to the T^orth Carolina papers. It is
noted that the list of wounded at Plymouth and received at
the hospital in Wilson, jST. C, including the following from
the Twenty-first Georgia: D. Dyal, J. F. Cook, W. M.
Hensly, F.' M. Pawls,"w. B. Phillips, L. W. Jones, L. A.
Hudgins, P. Marshall, J. C. Booles, J. B. Peid, J. T. Wil-
liams, John Dempsey, L. B. Davis, B. F. Gross, and G. L.
Fennell.

At the same hospital there were from the Seventh Vir-
ginia Pegiment Heniw Bowen, and from the Twenty-fourth

The Capture of Plymouth. 195

Virginia W. D. Mountcastle, H. A. Mills, James Thomason,
G. H. Rut ledge and J. P. Wyson.

From Bradford's Mississippi Battery, Corporal T. L. Rns-
sell.

John W. Graham.

HiLLSBORO, N. C,

20 April, 1901.

SECOND COLD HARBOR.

By BRIGADIER-GENERAL THOMAS L. CLINGMAN.

x\bout 2 o'clock in the morning of 3lMay, 1864, while lying
in the trenches at Bermiida Hundreds, I received an order to
move to join General Lee's army^ directing, however, one
regiment of my brigade to hold temporarily the line I was
leaving. I at once moved to the railroad station with the
Eighth, Thirty-first and Fifty-first Regiments, !N^orth Caro-
lina Troops, the Sixty-first being left in position. A little
after daylight, at the railroad station, the brigade of Hoke's
Division which was to have moved first, not being there, I
was ordered to take the lead. I arrived in Richmond
soon after sunrise ; on calling to see General Bragg, was
directed by him to take the railroad to Atlee's Station, and
report to General Lee — then having his headquarters there.
Two miles short of that place I met Colonel Crawley, Gen-
eral Lee's Quartermaster, who delivered to me an autograph
letter from General Lee, directing me to proceed by Mechan-
icsville and Gaines' Mill to Old Cold Harbor, and there sup-
port Major-General Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, and also direct-
ing me to communicate this order to any other portion of
Major-General Hoke's Division. After I had passed two or
more miles beyond Mechanicsville, I received an order from
Major-General Hoke directing me to await further orders at
that place. After remaining there about three hours, I re-
ceived a second order from General Hoke to move on to Cold
Harbor. On arriving there, I found General Hoke, who
directed me to take a position on the left of that occupied by
the main body of the cavalry. The Thirty-first Regiment,
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Knight, was placed on my
right : the Eighth, under Lieutenant-Colonel Murchison, in
the center, and the Eifty-first under Colonel McKethan, on
the left. Soon after, Major-General Hoke ordered that the

198 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'6o.

Fifty-first should move forward and to the left about four or
■five hundred yards, to support a portion of the cavalry who
were acting as infantry, and engaged with the enemy. I
therefore carried forward this regiment and placed it in posi-
tion, and as this was the most exposed and dangerous part of
my line, I remained with it. We, though subjected to a
heavy fire both of artillery and musketry, sustained little
loss. After we had been engaged for some time, the cavalry
on my left gave way, and the enemy's advance then enabled
them to annoy us a good deal by their fire on the left flank of
our position where I was stationed. Two companies de-
tached from the Fifty-first to the left, owing to the miscon-
duct of their commander, Captain - — . • — . , failed to

drive back the enemy there. Though he was three times or-
dered to open on them, yet he failed to do so, but kept his
men lying down in the road about one hundred and fifty
yards on my left.

A half hour, or perhaps an hour later, the cavalry on my
right all gave way, and passed to the rear in squads, alleging
that their ammunition had given out. Seeing the enemy
would soon pass me on both sides, I ordered Colonel Mc-
Kethan, after a few minutes, to fall back to the fence, a feW
hundred yards to the rear, and sent one of my couriers to the
otlier two regiments, who were only a hundred yards in ad-
vance of the fence, to occupy the same line. As I was retir-
ing to point out the several positions each regiment was to
occupy, a ]xjrtion of a shell took away the front of my hat
and slightly wounded my forehead. Though somewhat
stunned for an instant, I was not disabled at all, but observ-
ing that all the cavalry in reserve on my right had likewise
retired, as my several regiments came back, they were
placed in position on the other side of the field to the rear
of the place I had intended them to occupy. A few of my
command were captured by that portion of the enemy who
came between the Fifty-first and Eighth Regiments. Our
loss in all was less than one hundred. My Adjutant-Gen-
eral, Captain Edward White, was severely wounded by a
shell while in line with the Eighth Regiment where I had
left him when I moved forward. We held this position

Second Cold Harbor. 199

during the night, having been reinforced by the arrival,
about dark, of the Sixty-first Regiment of my brigade, un-
der Colonel J. D. Radcliffe, and also by General Colquitt's
Brigade, which took position on my right.

At daylight in the morning of 1 June, 1864, to obtain a
better line, my left was drawn back about two hundred yards,
and took a position selected by General Hoke, while the right
of my brigade united with General Colquitt's. My left
rested at the bank of a branch. Soon after sunrise. General
Kershaw's Brigade took position on the hill on my left,
but with an interval of about seventy-five yards between their
right and my left. I rode over and expressed to the officer
in command of the nearest regiment, a wish that he would
extend his right to the branch, so as to unite with my com-
mand, but he declined to do so. I was about to extend my
line across the branch, though contrary to the orders I had
received, but soon after was informed by Major-General Hoke
that this was unnecessary, as General Hagood's Brigade
would be stationed in front of my left and cover this inter-
val. About 9 o'clock General Hagood's Brigade did take
position about one hundred and fifty yards in front of my
line, so that his right regiment was in front of the left regi-
ment of my brigade, while the rest of his command was in
front of General Kershaw's position.

The Sixty-first Regiment occupied the right of my line,
next it was the Thirty-first, then the Fifty-first, and my left
was held by the Eighth Regiment. The men all went vigor-
ously to work and with their hands and bayonets had made
with rails each a pretty good entrenchment as against mus-
ketry by midday. After 1 o'clock I passed along the line of
General Hagood's Brigade in my front to be assured that
they were still in the position in which they had been placed
in the morning. About 3 o'clock, however, this brigade, in
obedience to Major-General Hoke's orders, was moved away
to the right without my knowledge. General Hagood subse-
quently told me that he notified General Kershaw of his
movement, but he gave me no notice. Had I not felt sure of
his still being there, I should have sent companies of my com-
mand across the branch on my left, and might thus have pre-

200 North CarolixNa Troops, 1861-65.

vented most of the loss subsequently sustained. Shortly
after 3 o'clock the enemv opened heavily with their artillery
on us, and after an interval of perhaps three-quarters of an
hour, their infantry advanced. Just as they were getting
within good range, there was a heavy discharge of musketry
from Kershaw's Brigade on my left, and then a cessation
of firing in that quarter. I then supposed that the enemy
had only made a feint in that direction, whereas, in fact.
as I have subsequently learned, this brigade fled precipitately
from the field after discharging their muskets.* Believing
that tlie point of greatest danger was on my left owing to the
cover which the thick woods there afi'orded the enemy in their
advance, I took my position in the line near the left of the
Fifty-first Regiment. A^^ien the enemy were first seen ad-
vancing through the trees at a distance of nearly one hundred
and fifty yards, supjiosing they were a portion of General Ha-
good's Brigade, which was falling back, I ordered my men not
to fire. As soon as their true character was ascertained, we
opened on them. They were then in line of battle and about
one hundred yards distant. Though the places of those in
front were for a time supplied by fresh troops, they ulti-
mately gave way and Avere driven back out of sight. I or-
dered my men t(T stop firing to allow the smoke to be dissi-
pated. Tmmediarely in my front for seventy or eighty yards
the groimd slightly descended, then rose up into the slope of
the liill. But a lirtle to the left where the branch came down
the raA^ne was continuous. Along this de])ression a large
column of the enemy following their lines of battle advanced
Avithout being observed by us. As soon as they Avere draAvn
in the bottom they changed their route somcAvhat, inclining
toAvards our right. They Avere in this manner brought up
directly in front of the left of the Fifty-first AA'here I Avas
standing. After I had ordered the firing to cease and the
smoke had partially been dissipated, I directed there should
be no firing until the enemy should be seen again.

As the hill Avhere the enemv's line of battle had been, in

* Keitt's "big regiment" broke first and Colonel Keitt was killed
while trying to rally them. — Ed.

Second Cold Harbor. 201

o^l^ front, was much elevated above us, we did not from our
position behind our hastily made earthworks, observe the low
ground in front and to the left. On my repeating the order
tc- look out for the approach of the enemy, Captain Fred. R.
Blake, of my staff, who was just by my side on the right,
elevated himself so as to overlook the heads of our men, who
after loading their guns, were in a stooping position, sud-
denly exclaimed: "'Here they are, as thick as they can be!"
Kising immediately as he had done, I saw there was within
eight or ten paces of us, a heavy column of the enemy. They
showed probably about thirty men in front and were closed in
mass very compactly. They had an apparently new blue
uniform, and were marching at a quick-step. Prisoners sub-
se(piently taken stated that they were fresh troops that had
been in garrison and had not previously been engaged, and
had expressed great confidence that they would march into
Richmond. It was also stated that they had orders not to
fire a gun or to cheer until they had carried our works.
From the fact that the column displayed four flags, I took it
to consist of four regiments. The instant I saw them, as my
men had been firing at objects elevated on the hill, I was ap-
prehensive that they might fire too high, I therefore in a
loud voice, said: "Aim low and aim well!" As I did this
a tall and uncommonly fine looking oflficer in the front rank
of the enemy's column, hearing the order and looking me
directly in tlie face, though he changed countenance for a
moment, took off his cap and waving it al:)0ut his head,
cheered his men in words which I could not catch. Just as
he had jdaced his hat back on his head, and before he had
time to lower his hand again to his side, a soldier immedi-
ately on my right discharged his musket and the liall entered
the u])per part of his forehead, and he fell backAvard stagger-
ing the two men behind him.

The discharge from my line at once knocked down the
front ranks of the column, while the oblique fire along the
right and left cut down the men rapidly all along the column
towards the rear. In a few moments the whole column either
acting under orders, or from panic, lay down. Xothing
could have been more unfortunate for them. While they

202 North Carolina Troops, i861-'65.

thus lay there, the men of niv command continued to reload
and discharge their pieces into the thick, dark mass. The
officers fired their repeaters, while such as had none occa-
sionally borrowed muskets from privates and discharged them
at particular individuals. As the survivors lay still to avoid
attracting particular attention, it was soon impossible to dis-
ting-uish the living from the dead. After some fifteen or
twenty rounds had been fired into the prostrate mass, I
directed the firing to cease. Upon this occurring, a portion
of the column, not I think, more than one-tenth, arose and
fled to the rear ; many of these, however, were shot down as
they attempted to escape.

On the right of my line, ^^'here the Sixty-first Regiment
was stationed, the enemy made a vigorous attack in line of
battle, but as the ground was more open, they were not able
to ai^i^roach nearer than either eighty or one hundred yards,
but left large numbers of dead on that part of the field. Un-
der cover of thick undergrowth they approached somewhat
nearer the Thirty-first but were repulsed with much slaughter.
After the enemy had thus been driven entirely away, the men
cheered all along our lines. Before the smoke had been en-
tirely dissi]:)ated, however, there was a sudden attack on my
left, under the following circumstances : When General

's Brigade on my left abandoned the field, in the

beginning of the engagement, a large force of the enemy
passed quietly to llie rear of my left. This they did without
observation on account of the thickness of the woods there.
We had been too constantly engaged to have time to ascer-
tain that the troops on our left had, more than an hour pre-
vious, left the field. The enemy had full time, therefore, to
make their arrangements to attack us both on the left flank
and in our rear. Favored by the thick bushes and smoke,
they had gotten within fifty yards of the rear and left of
the Eighth Regiment, and suddenly, just as our men had
ceased to cheer, they opened on them a heavy fire at short
range against their backs and from the left simultaneously.
Though under these circumstances surprised, the men of the
Eighth faced about, and. with the left of the Fifty-first, en-
deavored to keep up the contest. The odds in such a strug-

Second Cold Harbor. 203

gle were too great, and our men fell so fast that, seeing it
impossible for them longer to maintain the contest there, I
directed Lieutenant-Colonel Murchison, who, though flushed
and excited by such a disaster, showed the greatest self-pos-
session and courage, to withdraw the survivors so as to form
a new line of battle perpendicular to the first one, extending
from the right of the Fifty-first to our rear. In this posi-
tion the survivors of the Eighth and Fifty-first held their
ground for some time against the greatly superior forces of
the enemy. I then ordered the Thirty-first to file out of the
intrenchment and form with theiu. With this force we
charged the enemy, and drove them back so as to enable us to
reoccuj)y our original line for a few moments only; because
the enemy being posted along the branch, and also on the
hill, rendered it impossible for my small force to resist them,
and it Avas again driven back. While I was endeavoring to
reform the line, Captain Henderson, of the Eighth, said to
me, "Colonel Murchison is dead." I replied, "I hope not,
for I spoke to him but a few minutes since." In fact, as I
soon learned, just as he had gotten back into the trench, which
he had with his regiment occupied during the day, he re-
ceived a ball in the head which terminated his life. Finding
that no enemy was immediately in our front then, but only a
heavy artillery fire kept up, I ordered Colonel Radcliffe to
file his regiment out of the trenches so as to aid us in the next
attack. As I afterwards learned, he himself, with the larger
part of his command, did not obey this order and stayed in
the trench. Being busied with forming the line under the
heavy fire of the enemy, I observed soon, however, the delay
of this regiment in getting into position, and going up to its
left, I ordered them to file out to the rear, so as to form the
right of our new line of battle. Lieutenant-Colonel Devane
took out a portion of the regiment, and I thus su])posed they
were all following. While the line was being formed, Colo-
nel Zachary, of General Colquitt's Brigade, with five com-
panies of the Twenty-seventh Georgia Regiment, came up
and charged with us. The struggle had continued for sev-
eral hours, and it was now after sunset. We drove the en-
emy back again and reoccupied the left of our original line.

204 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

Captain Henderson, who had succeeded to the command of
the Eighth, was, however, slain in this last charge.

Before night closed, we thus held again our original line
intact, but the thick woods and dusk of the closing evening,
allowed the enemy to rest within fifty yards of our left. I
then received an order from ]\Iajor-General Hoke, through
one of his staif, to vacate so much of my line on the left, as
was within the woods, as it was said that Hunton's Brigade

was moving up to occupy the ground that had

lost. I told this staff officer that it was better for me to hold
my whole line until this brigade arrived, for that if .any part
was vacated the enemy would occupy it. The officer insisted,
hoAvever, that I must withdraw at once, as the other brigade
was approaching, and confusion might be produced. I was
thus compelled to give up, reluctantly, about one hundred
or one liundred and fifty yards of my line on the left. Hun-
ton's brigade did not, in fact, come up until the next morn-
ing, but as I had foreseen, the enemy immediately extended
tiieir lines until within twenty or thirty yards of my left,
being protected by a little elevation of the ground between us.
One Virginia regiment came up and took position in rear of
ijiy left, at right angles to it, extending to the rear. While
1 was standing at the angle thus formed at my left a body of
troops was seen moving by the flank from the left, but just
in front of our old lines. Not knowing but that this was a
part of Hunton's command, I hailed them. Some of my
officers said, "These are our pickets coming in." I replied,
''We have no pickets out." As this body of troops was by
ijiis time just opposite my left, about eight or ten feet in its
front, but just as near as they could get by reason of the
slight work thrown u]5 high enough to cover a man to the
hijis, T said very loud: "Speak or you will be fired into."
Getting no answer, I ordered my men to fire, and myself
barely escaped our own fire by falling to the ground as the
miiskets were discharged over me. After a few volleys, the
enemy had disappeared. It was evident that they expected
under cover of the darkness, by moving up silently to occupy
a still larger share of our original line. The two lines were
during the night separated by less than fifty yards, and by

Second Cold Harbor. 205

morning work enough had been done to perfect each. During
the following day there was only skirmishing, but on the next
(Friday, the 3d), the enemy made an attack on several parts
of the Confederate lines, though not heavily in my front,
only engagiiig the right of my line, with General Colquitt's
Brigade. They lost again so heavily on this day that there
.was no further attempt by them, except by slow approaches.
At daybreak on the morning of the 13th, it was seen that they
had abandoned our front and moved on towards Petersburg.

In the engagement of 1 June, Captains Blake and
Burgwyn, of my staff, both fell, severely wounded ; and as
Captain White had on the previous evening been disabled, I
was without a single staff officer present. In this engage-
ment though my brigade, deprived suddenly of its support,
was at the same time assailed in front, on its left flank and
from its rear, at close quarters and by vastly superior num-
bers, it was neither panic-stricken or beaten. After a strug-
gle which continued for three hours, and after losing more
than one-third of its strength, it recovered all its ground and
repulsed its assailants.

The important position at Cold Harbor Avas thus preserved
to General Lee. Its conduct in similar circumstances in
front of Petersburg, a little later on the evening of 17 June,
1864, was detailed in my official report of that engagement.

T. L. Clingman.

ASHEVILLE, N. C,

3 June, 1874.

REAMS STATION,

25 AUCiUST. 156^.

By major CHAS. M. STEDMAX, Forty-Fourth Regiment, N. C. T.

Upon the investment of Petersburg, the possession of the
Weldon road became of manifest importance, as it was Lee's
main line of communication with the South, whence he drew
his men and supplies. On 18 August, 1864, General G. K.
Wari-en, Avith the Fifth Corps of Grant's Army and Kaut'z's
Division of Cavalry, occupied the line of the Weldon road
at a poijit six miles from Petersburg. An attempt was made
to dislodge them from this position on the 21st, but the effort
failed. Emboldened by Warren's success, Hancock was or-
dered from Deep Bottom to Reams Station, ten miles from
Petersburg. He arrived there on the 22d, and promptly
commenced the destruction of the railroad track. His in-
fantry force consisted of Gibbon's and Miks' Divisions, and
in the afternoon of the 25tli, he was reinforced by the divis-
ion of Orlando B. Wilcox, which however, arrived too late
to be of any substantial service to him. Gregg's Division of
cavalry, with an additional brigade, commanded by Spear,
was with him and abundant artillerj-.

On the 22d Gregg was assailed by Wade Hampton with one
of his cavalry divisions, and a sharp contest ensued. Gen-
eral Hampton from the battle field of the 22d, sent a note to
General K. E. Lee, suggesting an immediate attack with in-
fantry; that great connnander realizing that a favorable op-
portunity was offered to strike Hancock a heavy blow,
directed Lieutenant-General A. P. Hill to advance against
him as promptly as possible. General Hill left his camp
near Petersburg on the night of the 24th, and marching south,
halted near Armstrong's Mill, about eight miles from Peters-
burg.

On the morning of the 25th he advanced to Monk's JSTeck
bridge, three miles from Beams Station, and awaited advices

208 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

from Hampton. The Confederate force actually present at
Reams Station consisted of Cooke's and MacRae's Brigades,
of lleth's Division ; Lane's, Scales' and McGowan's Brigades,
of Wilcox's Division ; Anderson's Brigade of Longstreet's
Corps; two brigades of Mahone's Division; Butler's a; 'd
W. H. F. Lee's Divisions of Cavalry and a portion of
Pegram's Battalion of artillery. General Hampton, com-
manding cavalry, marched at daylight on the morning of
the 25th, and drove the Federal cavalry before him at all
points. Both of his divisions united at Malone's Crossing,
about two and a half miles from Reams Station, having
moved against the enemy by different routes. Here Hamp-
ton A\'as attacked by a portion of Hancock's infantry, when he
dismounted his entire force and a spirited light was in pro-
gress when the columns of A. P. Hill appeared in sight, with
the purpose of attacking Plancock's force from the front,
Hancock's infantry, who were expecting an attack from Hill,
had entrenched themselves strongly on the west side of the
railroad and a short distance from it. Hill ordered the first
assault about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The assaulting
column consisted of Anderson's Georgia Brigade and Scales'
JSTorth Carolina Brigade. These two brigades, after a severe
conflict in which both fought well, were repulsed. The sec-
ond assault was made about 5 o'clock in the afternoon by the
three Xorth Carolina Brigades of Lane, Cooke, and MacRae,
from left to right, in the order named. These troops had
become famous throughout the entire army for their fighting
qualities. How could it be otherwise with such brigade com-
manders ? On this day General Conner, of South Carolina,
was commanding Lane's Brigade, as General Lane had been
severely wounded at Cold Harbor.

In front of Lane and Cooke the enemy had felled trees,
sharpening the limbs and making it very difficult to get
through them. MacRae had an open field between him and
the enemy's breastworks, and for this reason, as the other two
brigades would be necessarily retarded by the abatis, which
was exceedingly formidable wdiere Lane's men had to pass,
they were ordered to advance somewhat sooner that MacRae's
men. MacRae's line of battle was in the edge of a pine thick-

Reams Station. 209

et about three hundred yards from the breastworks to be as-
saulted. Walking along the line MacRae told the men that he
knew they would go over the works, and that he wished them
to do so without firing a gam. "xVll right, General, we will go
there," was the answer which came from all. The men were
in high spirits, jesting and laughing, and ready to move on
an instant's notice. In the meanwhile Lane's and Cooke's
Brigades advancing were received by a heavy fire of
both musketry and artillery. As the fire became more vio-
lent, especially in front of Lane, MacRae, prompted by that
great and magnanimous spirit -which ever characterized him,
and realizing that the crisis of the conflict was at hand, said
to Captain Louis G. Young, his Adjutant-General, ''I shall
wait no longer for orders. Lane is drawing the entire fire of
the enemy ; give the order to advance at once." Hitherto his
brigade had received but slight attention from the enemy, the
greater portion of tlieir fire having been directed against
Lane's and Cooke's Eidgades. But warned of the danger
which threatened them, by the loud cheers from MacRae's Bri-
gade, as it emerged from its covering of pines and advanced
to the assault, they o])ened a tremendous fire of small arms,
with a converging fire of artillery along MacRae's whole front.
It was all in vain. MacRae's men in a line almost as straight
and unbroken as they ])resented when on parade, without
firing a gun, threw themselves forward at a double-quick,
and mounting the entrenchments, precipitated themselves
among the enemy's infantry on the other side, who seemed to
be dazed by the vehemence of the attack, and made a very fee-
ble resistance after their works were reached. Lane's and
Cooke's men, stimulated by the shouts of jMacRae's Brigade
on their right, redoubled their exertions and advancing with
great rapidity through the fallen timl^er, were close under
the works when MacRae struck them. In fact, portions of
the three brigades crossed the embankment together, and the
glory of the victory belongs equally to them all. Xor were
our cavalry idle spectators of the ficht. As soon as it was
evident to General Hampton that Hill's infantry had com-
menced the second assault with the three jSTorth Carolina
14

510 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Brigades, lie ordered his entire force, which had been dis-
mounted, to attack the enemy in tlank and rear. This was
done most gallantly and snccessfnlly. General Rufus Bar-
ringer, of North Carolina, commamled W. II. F. Lee's Divis-
ion wit.h marked skill and gallantry, whilst Colonel W. H.
Cheek, of Warren county, led Barringer's Brigade with his
accustomed dash. The cavalry vied with the infantry in
their headlong assault upon the enemy's lines. The ISTine-
teenth North Carolina {'2 Cav.) under General W. P. Roberts,
of Gates County, carried the lirst line of riflr>pits on the right,
and the cavalry all swept over the main line. Their works
stormed in front, their lines carried in tlank and rear, the en-
emy's infantry gave way at all points and abandoned the field
in confusion and without any appearance of order. In
truth, the Federal infantry did not show the determination
which had generally marked the conduct of Hancock's Corps.
Xot so witli the Federal artillery. It was fought to the last
with unHinchiug courage. Some minutes before the second
assault was made. General ]\IacBae had ordered Lieutenant
W. E. Kyle, with the sharpshooters, to concentrate his fire
Ti]:»on the Federal batteries. Many men and horses rapidly
fell under the deadly fire of these iutrepid marksmen. Yet
still the artillerists who were left, stood by their guns. When
MacRae's Brigade crossed the embankment, a battery which
w^as on his right front as he advanced, wdieeled to a right angle
wuth its origiual position, and opened a fire of grape and can-
ister at close quarters, enfilading the Confederate lines ; Gen-
eral MacRae immediately ordered this battery to be taken.
Although entirely abandoned by its infantry support, it con-
tinned a rapid fire upon the attacking column until the guns
were reached. Some of the gunners even then refused to sur-
render and were taken by sheer physical force. They were
animated in their gallant conduct by the example of their com-
manding officer. On horse back, he was a conspicuous target,
and his voice could be distinctly heard encouraging his men.
Struck ^^•ith admiration by his bravery, every effort was made
"by General MacRae, Captain W. P. Oldham, Captain Robert
Biugham, and one or two others who were among the first to
reach the guns, to save the life of this manly opponent. Un-

Reams Station. 211

fortunately he Avas struck l)_v a ball which came from the ex-
treme flank, as all firing had ceased in front of him and he
fell from his horse mortally wounded, not more lamented by
his own men than by those who combatted him. This bat-
tery, when captured, was at once turned upon the retreating
columns of the enemy. It was manned by a few of MacKae's
sharpshooters, all of whom were trained in artillery practice.
They were aided ly Captain Oldham, Lieutenant Kyle and
others, not now remembered. Captain Oldham sighted one
of the guns repeatcMlly. and when he saw the effect of his ac-
curate aim upon the disordered masses in front, was so jubi-
lant that General MacRae, with his usual quiet humor, re-
marked, '^Oldham thinks he is at a ball in Petersburg."

After the capture of the breastworks. General McGowan's
Brigade Avas sent in on the right. That generous hearted
old hero declined to make any official report of the conduct
of his brigade, giving as a reason therefor, that he ''supposed
he Avas only sent in to help the Xortli Carolinians in the pur-
suit, and gather u]i the spoils of war which had been captured
hy them.'' His unselfish example was well worthy of imita-
tion. Mahone's old brigade subsequently advanced over the
same field, but the hard fighting was over.

The Federal loss in this battle was between six hundred and
seven Inmdved killed and wonnded, two thousaml one hun-
dred and fifty prisoners, three thousand one hundred stand
of small arms, twelve stand of colors, nine guns and caissons.
Among the prisoners ca]Unred was General Walker, of Han-
cock's staff, who surrendered to Lieutenant Kyle. Kyle here,
as elsewhere, was in the very front of the assaulting column.

The Confederate loss was small, and fell prineijially upon
Lane's Brigade. In the second and final assault it was about
five hundred in killed and wounded. The result of this bril-
liant engagement was hailed with great rejoicing throughout
the South, and shed a declining lustre upon the Confederate
l»attle flag, upon which the sun of victory was about to go
down forever. General R. E. Lee publicly and repeatedly
stated that not only Xorth Carolina, but the whole Confed-
eracy, owed a debt of gratitude to Lane's, Cooke's and Mac-
Kae's Brigades which could never be repaid. He also wrote to

212 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Governor Vance expressing his high appreciation of their
services. From his letter I make this extract :

"Headquarteks Army NoRTiiERiS^ Virginia^

''August 29, 1864.
"His Excellency Z. B. Vance.

Governor of North Carolina, Raleigh :
"I have frequently been called upon to mention the services
of North Carolina soldiers in this army, but their gallantry
and conduct were never more deserving of admiration than in
the engagement at Reams Station on the 2.5th ultimo.

"The brigades of Generals Cooke, MacRae and Lane, the
last under the temporary command of General Conner, ad-
vanced through a thick abatis of felled trees, under a heavy
fire of musketry and artillery, and carried the enemy's works
Avith a steady courage that elicited the warm commendation
of their corps and division commanders, and the admiration
of the army.

"On the same occasion the brigade of General Barringer
bore a conspicuous part in the operations of the cavalry,
which were no less distinguished for boldness and efiiciency
than those of the infantry.

"If the men w^ho remain in North Carolina share the spirit
of those they have sent to the field, as I doubt not they do, her
defence may securely be trusted to their hands.
'T am, with great respect,

"Your obedient servant,

R. E. Lee,
"General."

The regiments from North Carolina engaged in this battle
again illustrated those high qualities which will perpetuate
the name and fame of the Confederate soldier in the years
to come. Unshaken by the fall of Vicksburg and the disaster
at Gettysburg, undismayed amidst the general gloom which
was settling upon the fortunes of the South, they exhibited
the same enthusiasm and valor which had marked their con-
duct upon every field where they stood for the honor, glory
and renown of their State.

Charles M. Stedman".

Greensboro, N. C,

25 August, 1901.

THE THIN QRAY LINE OF TflR
HEELS."

WINCHESTER, 19 SEFTEHBER, 1S6*.

By brigadier-general BRADLEY T. JOHNSON.

In September, 1864, Early's army was lying about Win-
chester. We had been through Maryland, and terrified
Washington into fits, and had gotten safely back into Vir-
ginia, with thousands of horses, cattle, medical stores and
hundreds of wag'on loads of edibles of every kind. I had a
cavah'y brigade of wild, southwestern Virginia horsemen, as
brave and as undisciplined as the Virginia Rangers Colonel
Washington surrendered at Fort Xecessity, or Andrews
fought Cornstalk with at Point Pleasant. I was bivouacked ;
we had no tents. About three miles north of Winchester, on
the Valley pike, and picketed from the Valley pike to the
Berryville pike, running east from Winchester, General Rob-
ert D. Johnston, of Xorth Carolina, had a brigade of from
800 to 1,000 muskets on the Berryville pike, on the top of the
ridge running across the road. My pickets were a mile in
advance of his in Ash Hollow. vSheridan, with 45,000 in-
fantry and 10,000 cavalry, lay eight to fifteen miles beyond
our picket lines, from Berr^wille and Ripon to Charlestown
and Ilalltown, in Clarke and Jefferson Counties, Va. ITow,
every morning the Yankee cavalry would rush my pickets in
on Johnston's posts. He would stop them until I got up,
and tlien I'd drive the Yankees back and re-establish my orig-
inal picket posts. This done, I would send my command
back to camp.

1 had about eight hundred mounted men, and I would ride
up to Bob Johnston's headquarters, which was a wagon under
a tree, one camp stool and a frying pan sizzing with bacon,
and a pot of rye coffee and sorghum. I'd get my breakfast.
But after a week of this proceeding it either became monoto-
nous or my appetite showed no sigTis of weakening. I don't

214 North Carolina Troops, 1S61-'65.

know Avliieli. One morning 1 dismounted after my usual
morning call to boots and saddle, and swung myself very com-
fortably into Johnston's single and only camp stool. I
smelled the bacon and sniffed the coffee, and waited. In a
few moments the cook handed me a chip for a plate and a
tin cup of reddiot coffee^ — so hot I had to set the cup on the
grass, when Bob spoke, saying: "Bradley, you let those
Yankees do you too bad. You have got so scared of them
that you all run the very lirst dash they make at you."

"Is that so, Robert V 1 said. "That's a pity, but I don't
know how to help it. I do the best I can. How many Yan-
kee cavalry <;l<) you think you are good for ^"

"Well," said he, "I've got eight hundred muskets present
for duty. By a week's time, as the boys get back from the
hospital, I'll have one thousand. Well, with one thousand
muskets, I think I can take care of live thousand Yanks on
horseback."

"All right," said I, "wait and see. I hope you can."

So I got my breakfast and went off mightily tickled at the
conceit of the Tar Heel ; for Sheridan's cavalry, with Custer,
Torbett and Devens, were about as good soldiers as ever took
horse or drew saber. We had drilled them so that in three
years we had taught them to ride. They were always drilled
enough to light, and they learned the use of the saber from
necessity.

Well, things went on as usual. Every morning Sheridan
would send a regiment out to feel Early — to drive in his
pickets — so as to nu^ke sure wliere he was, and to know where
to find him ; and every morning I would ride over to the Ber-
ryville road, re-establish my lines, and get my breakfast off
of Johnston.

By daylight 19 September, a scared cavalryman of my
own command nearly rode over me, as I lay asleep on the
grass, and reported that the Yankees were advancing with a
heavy force of infantry, artillery and cavalry up the Berry-
ville road. Early was up toward Stephenson's depot, and
Jc)hnston and I were res]ionsible for keeping Sheridan out of
Winchester and protecting the Confederate line of retreat
and of conununication up the valley. In two minutes my

The Thin Gray Line of Tar Heels. 215

comniand was moiinted (we always saddled up and fed au
hour before dawn) and moving at a trot across the open fields
to the Berryville road and to Johnston's assistance. There
was not a fence nor a house nor a bush nor a tree to obscure
the view. Away off, more than two miles, we could see the
crest of the hill covered with a cloud of Yankee cavalry, and
in front of them (five hundred yards in front) was a thin,
gray line moving oft" in retreat stolidly, and with perfect cool-
ness and self-possession. As soon as I got to realize what was
going on I quickened our gait, and Avhen within a mile broke
into a gallop. The scene was as plain as day. A regiment
of cavalry would deploy into line, and then their buglers
w^ould sound the charge and they would swoop down on the
thin gray line of iSTorth Carolinians. The instant the Yankee
bugle sounded, ]^ortli Carolina would halt, face to the rear,
wait until the horses got within one hundred yards, and then
fire as deliberately and coolly as if firing volleys on parade
drill. The cavalry would break and scamper back and North
Carolina would "about face" and continue her march in re-
treat as solemnly, stubbornly and with as much discipline and
dignity as if marching in review. But we got there just in
time as cavalry aid to the Tar Heels. Certainly half a dozen
charges had been made at the retreating thin gray line, and
each and every time the charging squadrons had been driven
back, when the enemy sent their line with a rush at the bri-
gade of Tar Heels, and one squadron overlapped the infantry
line, and w^as just passing it when we got up. In another
minute they Avould have been behind the line, sabering the
men from the rear while they were held by the fight in front.
But we struck a head-long strain and went through the Yan-
kees by the flank of the North Carolinians, and carried their
adversaries back to the crest of the hill, back through the
guns of their battery, clear back to their infantry lines. In
a moment they rallied, and were charging us in front and on
both flanks ; and back we went in a hurry, but the thin gray
line of Old North Carolina was safe. They had gotten back
to the rest of the infantry and formed lines at right angles to
the pike west of Winchester.

I rode up to Bob Johnston, very "pert," as we say in North

216 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Carolina, and said : ''Pretty close call that, Mr. Johnston.
What do you think now of the Yankee cavalry's fighting qual-
ities V And the rest of the day we enjoyed ourselves. We
could see everything for miles around. The country was en-
tirely open. The day was beautiful, clear and bright — 19
September. They would form for a forward movement —
three lines, one after another — march sedately along until
they got within touch of our lines, then raise a hurrah and
rush in a charge, and in two minutes the field would be cov-
ered with running, flying Yankees. There were 45,000 in-
fantry, 10,000 cavalry and 3,000 mounted gunmen. The
thing began at daylight and kept up till dark, when, flanked
and worn out. Early retreated to escape being surrounded.

This is the story of the "Thin Gray Line of North Caro-
lina," and the cavalry charge, a feat of arjns before which Sir
Colin Campbell's "Thin Red Line" at Balaklava fades into
insignificance. y

Bradley T. Johnson.

Baltimore, Md.,

19 Sept., 1864.

Note. — The above is an extract from a very interesting address by
General Johnson. — Ed.

« 9

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THE DEFEriCE OF FORT FISHER.

By its Commander, WILLIAM LAMB, Colonel Thirty Sixth Regiment
North Carolina Troops.

The capture of Fort Fisher, X. C, on 15 January, 1865,
Wcis followed so quickly by the final dissolution of the South-
ern Confederacy that the great victory was not fully realized
by the American people. The position commanded the last
gateway between the Confederate States and the outside
world. Its capture, with the resulting loss of all the Cape
Fear river defenses, and of Wilmington, the great importing
depot of the South, effectually ended all blockade-running.
General liCe sent me word that Fort Fisher must be held,
or he could not subsist his army.

The indentation of the Atlantic Ocean in the Carolina coast
known as Onslow Bay and the Cape Fear river running south
from Wilmington form the peninsula known as Federal Point
which, during the Civil War, was called Confederate Point.
Xot quite seven miles north of the end of this peninsula stood
a high sand hill called the '"Sugar Loaf." Here there was
an intrenched camp for the Army of Wilmington, under Gen-
eral Braxton Bragg, the department commander, that was
hid from the sea by forest and sand hills. From this in-
trenched camp the river bank, with a neighboring ridge of
sand-dunes, formed a covered way for troops to within a
hundred yards of the left salient of Fort Fisher. Between
this road and the ocean beach was an arm of Masonboro
Sound, and where it ended, three miles north of the fort,
were occasional fresh-water sAvamps, generally wooded with
scrub growth, and in many places quite impassable. Along
the ocean shore was an occasional battery formed from a nat-
ural sand hill, beliind which Whitworth guns were carried
from the fort to cover belated blockade-runners, or to protect

This is reprinted from Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, by
courtesy of the Century Company, New York.

218 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'Go.

more unfortunate ones that liad been chased ashore. About
half a mile north of the fort there was a rise in the plain form-
ing' a hill some twenty feet above the tide on the river side,
and on this was a redoid)t commanding the approach to the'
fort by the river road. Thus Xatnre, assisted by some slight
engineering vork. had given a defense to Confederate Point
which would have enabled an efficient commander at the in-
trenched camp, co-operating with the garrison of Fort Fisher,
to have rendered the Point nntenal)le for a largely superior
force at night when the covering tire of the Federal navy
could not distinguish between friend and foe.

At the land face of Fort Fisher, five miles from the in-
trenched camp, the peninsula was al)0uthalf a mile wide.
This face connnenced about a hundred feet from the river
with a half bastion, and extended Avitli a heavy curtain to a
full bastion on the ocean side, where it joined the sea face.*

The wf)rk was built to withstand the heaviest artillery fire.
There was no moat with scarii and counterscarp, so essential
for defense against storming ])arties, the shifting sands ren-
dering its construction im]iossib]e with the material availa-
ble. The outer slope was 20 feet high from the berme to the
to|) of the ])arapet, at an angle of 45 degrees, and was sodded
with marsh grass, which grew luxuriantly. The parapet was
not less than twenty-five feet thick, with an inclination of only
one foot. The revetment was five feet nine inches high from
the floor (:>f the gun chambers, and these were some twelve
feet or more from the interior ])lane. The guns were all
mounted en barbette, on Columbiad carriages ; there was not
a single casemated gun in the fort. Experience had taught
that casemates of timber and sand bao-s were a delusion and a

*When I assumed command of Fort Fisher, 4 July, 1863, it was
composed of several detached earth-works, with a casemated battery of
sand and palmetto lop;s, mounting four guns and with only one heavy
gun in the works. The frigate Mumci^ota could have destroyed the
works and driven us out in a few hours. I immediately went to work,
and with 500 colored laborers, assisted by the garrison, constructed the
largest earth-work in the Southern Confederacy, of heavy timbers cov-
ered by sand from 15 to 20 feet deep and sodded with turf. The fort
was far from complete when it was attacked, especially as against an as-
sault by land : the sides exposed to the sea being first constructed, on
the theory that the Array of Wilmington would prevent an investment.
— W. L. ^

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 219

suare against heavy projectiles; and there was no iron to
construct them with. Between the gun-chambers, containing
one or two guns each (there w^ere twenty heavy guns on the
land face), there were heavy traverses, exceeding in size any
known to engineers, to protect from an enfilading fire. They
extended out some twelve feet on the parapet, and were twelve
feet or more in height above the parapet, running back thirty
feet or more. The gun-chambers were reached from the rear
by steps, hi each traverse was an alternate magazine or
bomb-proof, the latter ventilated by an air chamber. Pas-
sageways ]jenetrated the traverses in the interior of the w^ork,
forming additional l)ond>pr()ofs for the reliefs for the guns.

The sea face for a hundred yards from the northern bastion
was of the same massi^'e character as the land face. A cres-
cent battery inteuded f(.»r four guns, joined this. It had
been originally built of palmetto logs and tarred sand-bags and
sand revetted with sod ; but the logs had decayed, and it was
converted iut<:) a hospital bond>])roof. In its rear a heavy
curtain was thro^vn u}) to protect the chambers from frag-
ments of shells. From this bomb-proof a series of batteries
extended for three-quarters of a mile along the sea, connected
by an infantry curtain. These batteries had heavy traverses,
but were not more than ten or twelve feet high to the top of
the parapets, and were built for riv-<)chet firing. On this
line was a boud>proof electric battery connected with a sys-
tem of submarine torjjedoes. Farther along, where the chan-
nel ran close to the beach, inside the bar, a mound battery 60
feet high was erected, with two heavy guns, which had a
pluuiiing fire on the channel; this was connected with the bat-
tery north of it by a light curtain. Following the line of the
works, it v/as over one mile from the mound to the northeast
bastion at the angle of the sea and land faces, and upon this
line twenty-four heavy guns were mounted. From the mound
for nearly a mile to the end of the point was a level sand plain
scarcely three feet above high tide, and much of it was sub-
merged during gales. At the point was Battery Buchanan,
four guns, in the shape of an ellipse, commanding the inlet,
its two 1 1-inch gTins covering the approach by land. It w^as
garrisoned by a detachment from the Confederate States navy.

220 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

An advanced redoubt with a 24-ponnder was added after the
attack by the forces under General Butler and Admiral Por-
ter on Christinas, 1864. A wharf for large steamers was in
close proximity to these works. Battery Buchanan was a cit-
adel to which an overpowered garrison might retreat and with
proper transportation be safely carried off at night, and to
which re-enforcements could be sent under cover of darkness.

Thus Fort Fisher, being designed to withstand the heaviest
bombardment, was extremely difficult to defend against as-
sault after its guns were destroyed. The soldiers in the gun-
chambers could not see the approach in front for a hundred
feet, and to repel assailants they had to leave all cover and
stand upon the open parapet.

As a defense against infantry there was a system of sub-
terra torj^edoes extending across the peninsula, five to six
hundred feet from the land face, and so disconnected that the
explosion of one would not affect the others ; inside the torpe-
does, about fifty feet from the berme of the work, extending
from river bank to sea-shore, was a heavy palisade of shar-
pened logs nine feet high pierced for musketry, and so laid
out as to have an enfilading fire on the center, where there
was a redoubt, guard iiig a sally-port, from which two ISTapo-
leons were run out, as occasion required. At the river end
of the palisade was a deep and muddy slough, across which
was a bridge, the entrance of the river road into the fort;
commanding this l)ridge was a Xapoleon gun. There were
three mortars in rear of the land face.

It was after a careful reconnoissance on 25 December,
1864, having drawn our fire by an advance of his skirmish
line to within 75 yards of the fort, that General Godfrey
Weitzel, finding the works substantially uninjured by the ex-
plosion of the ]>owder ship and the two days' terrific bom-
bardment of Porter's great armada, reported to Butler that
the fort could not be carried by assault.* In the works on that

*General B. F Butler in his report of the operations of his troops, saj'S
in part : "Brevet Brigadier-General [N. M.] Curtis, who deserves well
for his gallantry and conduct, immediately pushed up his brigade within
a few hundred yards of Fort Fisher, capturing the Half-moon battery
and its men, who were taken off by the boats of the navy. In the mean-
time the remainder of Araes'.'^' division had captured 218 "men and 10 com-

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 221

afternoon were over DOO veteran troops and 450 Junior Ee-
serves, reinforced after dark by 60 sailors and marines. As
soon as the fire of the fleet ceased, the parapets were not only
manned, hut half tlie garrison was stationed outside the
work behind the palisades. There was no fear of an assault
in front ; what most disturbed the defenders was a possible
landing from boats between the Mound Battery and Battery
Buchanan. Admiral Porter was as much to blame as Gen-
eral Butler for the repulse.*

missioned officers of the North Carolina reserves and other prisoners.
From them I learned that Kirkland's and Hagood's brigades of Hoke's
division had left the front of the Army of the .Tames, near Richmond,
and were then within two miles of the rear of my forces, and their skir-
mishers were then actually engaged, and the remainder of Hoke's divis-
ion had come the night before to Wilmingtion, and were theji on the
march, if they had not already arrived. General Weitzel reported to
me that to a.ssault the work, in liis judgement, and in that of the expe-
rienced officers of his command who had been on the skirniish-line,
with any prospect of success, was impossible. This opinion coincided
with my own, and much as I regretted the necessity of abandoning the
attempt, yet the path of duty was plain. Not so strong a work as Fort
Fisher had been taken by assault during the war, and I had to guide me
the experience of Port Hudson, with its slaughtered thousands in the re-
pulsed assault, and the double assault of Fort Wagner, where thousands
were sacrificed in an attempt to take a work less strong than Fisher,
after it had been subjected to a more continued and fully as severe fire,
And in neither of the instances I have mentioned had the assaulting
force in its rear, as I had, an army of the enemy larger than itself. I
therefore ordered that no assault should be made, and that the troops
should re-embark." — Editors.

* General Butler was blamed by contemporaneous writers for not cap-
turing the works. For this criticism he had himself to blame. On the
evening of the '2.5th, before waiting for official reports, he listened to
camp gossip and wrote to Admiral Porter:

"General Weitzel advanced his skirmish-line within fifty yards of the
fort, while the garrison was kept in their bombproofs by the fire of the
navy, and so closely that three or four men of the picket-line ventured
upon the parapet and through the sally port of the work, ca]ituring a
horse, which they brought off. killing the orderly, who was the bearer
of a dispatch from the chief of artillery of General Whiting, to bring a
light battery witliin the fort, and also brought away from the parapet the
flag of the fort."

This piece of romance was sent North, and has gotten a lodgment in
current history, and is actually repeated by General Grant in his "Me-
moirs," though General Butler corrected the error in his official report
of 3 January, I860. No Federal soldier entered Fort Fisher Christmas
day. except as a prisoner. The courier was sent out of the fort without
my knowledge, and was killed and his horse captured within the ene-
my's lines. The flag captured was a small company flag, placed on the
extreme left of the work, and which was carried away and thrown off the
parapet by an enfilading shot from the navy. It was during a terrible

222 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

The garrison of Fort Fisher was composed altogether of
Xorth Carolinians. For two years and a half the force had
been nuder my command, and in that time only two compa-
nies, temporarily there, were from ontside the State. After
the repnlse of Bntler and Porter, although some important
guns As-ere destroyed l)y the bombardment and by explosion,
little or nothing Avas done to repair damages or strengthen the
armament of the work. Tieqnisitions were made for addi-
tional ammunition, especially for hand grenades, to repel as-
sault, but it was impossible to obtain what Avas needed.
Application was made for the placing of marine torpe-
does where the iron-clads had anchored, and whither they
returned, but no action was taken on it. Although we
heard on 8 January that the fleet had returned to Beau-
fort, and we knew that Fort Fisher was still its objec-
tive point, General Braxton Bragg withdrew the support-
ing army from Sugar Loaf and marched it to a camp sixteen
miles distant, north of Wilmington, and there had a grand
review. Tlie f'jrt A\as not even advised of the coming of the
fleet, whicli should have been seen off Masonboro during the
day ; and its arrival was reported from Fort Fisher to head-
quarters in Wilmington.

The night of 12 January, from the ramparts of Fort Fisher
I saw the great armada returning. ]\Iy mounted pickets had
informed me of its coming. I began at once to put my works
in order for action. I had but 800 men — the Thirty-sixth
Nm-ih Cai'<;)lina — at least 100 of whom were not fit for duty.

bombardment of the land-face, when I had ordered my men to cover
themselves behind parapet and traverses as well as in the bomb proofs.
Amid the smoke of bursting shells, Captain W. H. Walling, of the 143d
New York, gallantly crawled through the broken palisade and carried off
the flag, doing what two or more men could not have done without ob-
servation. The angle of the work hid him from the sharp-shooters on
the front, who, from behind traverses, were watching for an advance.

When Butler's skirmish-line approached I purposely withheld the fire
of the infantry and artillery until an attack should be made in force.
Only one gun on the land-face had been seriously disabled, and I could
have opened a fire of grape and canister on the narrow beach, which no
troops could have survived. In the second attack by the army, as the
reader will see, all my heavy guns on the land-face but one "were dis-
abled ; my torpedoes were useless, and my palisades were so torn up and
cut down that they furnished a protection to the assailants instead of a
formidable impediment.— W L.

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 223

Sunrise the next niorjiing revealed to lis the most formidable
armada the world had ever knoAvn, supplemented by trans-
ports carrvinii' aljont S,.';*)!) troops. Snddenly that long line
of floating fortresses rained shot and shell, npon fort and
beach and Avooded hills, causing the very earth and sea to
tremble. I had telegraphed for reinforcements, and during
the day and night foll()\\-ing about TOO arrived — companies
of light and heavy artillery, Xorth Carolina troops, and some
50 sailors and marines of the Confederate States navy —
giving me 1,500, all told, up to the morning of 15 January,
including the sick and slightly Avunnded. On Friday, the
13tli, in the midst of the Unnbardment, General W. H. C.
Whiting, the district commander, and his stall", arrived in
the fort. They had walked up from Battery Buchanan. I
did not knov; of their ap]U'oach until the general came to me
on the works and remarked, "Lamb, my boy, 1 have come to
share your fate. You and your garrison are to be sacri-
ficed." I replied, "Don't say so. General; we shall certainly
whip the enemy again.'' He then told me that when he left
Wilmington General Bragg was hastily removing his stores
and ammunition, and was looking for a place to fall back
upon.* I offered him the command, although he came un-
armed and without orders ; but he refused, saying he would
counsel with me, Init would leave me to conduct the defense.
In the former bomljardment the fire of the fleet had been
difi'use, not calculated to eftect any particular damage, and
so wild that at least one-third of the missiles fell in the river
'beyond the fort or in the bordering marshes ; but now the fire
was concentrated, and the definite object of the fleet was the
destruction of the land defenses by enfilade and direct fire.

*In a report to General Lee, dictated at Fort Fisher 18 January, 1865,
and another (inclosing the tirst one) dated Fort Columbus, New York
Harbor, 19 February, I860, General Whiting blamed General Bragg
for the loss of Fort Fisher, and asks that the latter's conduct be investi-
gated. He says : "I went into the fort with the conviction that it was
to be sacrificed, for the last I heard General Bragg say, was to point out
a line to fall back on if Fort Fisher fell " General Hragg was "charged
with the command and defense of Wilmington," by the Secretary of
War, on 24 October 1864 ; and General Whiting concludes with a feeling
reference to the fact that he was not allowed to conduct the defense of
''a harbor on which I had expended for two years all the labor and skill
I had." — Editors.

224 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

and the ships took position accordingly. When attacked in
December, I had had for my 44 heavy guns and three mortars
not over 3,600 shot and shell; and for the most effective gun
in the work, the 150-pounder Armstrong, there were but 13
shells, and we had no other annnunition that could be used in
it. The frigates Minnesota and Wabash each had an arma-
ment superior to ours, and these two vessels alone fired more
shot and shell at the works in the last attack than we had, all
told or on hand, in both engagements. During the time be-
tween the two expeditious we had begged for more ammuni-
tion, but none came except a few useless bolts designed for the
Armstrong gun. In the former fight we had fired 1,272 shot
and shell; leaving about 2,328, exclusive of grape and shrap-
nel, to resist a passage of the ships and an assault by land. I
was obliged to husband my ammunition even more than in
the previous battle, and therefore gave the same orders that
each gun should be fired only once every half hour until disa-
bled or destroyed, exee]~)t when special orders were given to
concentrate on a particular vessel, or in case an attempt were
made to cross the bar and run in, when every available gun
should be used Avith all possible effectiveness. It was this
slow firing from the fort, at times not over forty-four guns
in thirty minutes, compared to the naval fire of from one to
two guns a second, that gave the navy the erroneous idea that
they had silenced the fort. But no attempt was made to run
by the fort, which was a great surprise to us. Occasionally
a wooden vessel, more daring than her consorts, would come
close in, when the guns of several batteries would be concen-
trated upon her and she would be quickly withdrawn more or
less injured.

All day and night on 13 and 14 January the navy con-
tinued its ceaseless torment ; it was impossible to repair dam-
ages at night on the land face. The Ironsides and monitors
bowled their eleven and fifteen inch shells along the parapet,
scattering shrapnel in the darkness. We could scarcely
gatlier up and bury our dead without fresh casualties. At
least two hundred had been killed and wounded in the two
days since the fight began. Only three or four of my land
guns were of any service. The Federal army had been ap-

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 225

preaching on the river side during the day ; but they were
more or less covered by the formation of the land, and we
con Id only surmise their number. I had seen them pass
Craig's Landing near mj cottage and occupy the redoubt about
half a mile from the fort. We had tired some shot and shell
at their approaching columns, but it was at a fearful cost of
limb and life that a land gun was discharged; for to fire from
that face was to draw upon the gunners the fury of the fleet.
Early in the afternoon, to my astonishment, I saw a Confed-
erate flat-bottomed steam transport, loaded \vith stores, ap-
proaching Craig's Landing, which was now in the enemy's
lines. 1 had a gun fired toward her to warn her off, but on
she came, unconscious of her danger, and she fell an easy ca])-
tive in the enemy's hands. Shortly after, the Confederate
steamer Cliicl'atiunifja. which had been annoying the enemy
from the river, fired into and sank the stu})id craft. This in-
cident gave me the lirst intimation that we were deserted.
From the conformation of the Cape Fear river. General
Bragg could have ])asscd safely froivi Sugar Loaf toward
Smithville, and with a glass could have seen everything on
the beach and in the fort, and in person or through an aide,
with the steamers at his conunand, could have detected every
movement of the enemy; but now, thirty-six hours after the
fight had commenced, several hours after Craig's Landing
had been in the possession of the enemy, he sent into the en-
emy's lines a steamer full of sorely needed stores, which at
night could have gone to Battery Buchanan in safety. We liad
both telegraphic and signal communication between Fort
Fisher and Sugar Loaf, Bragg's headquarters, and I got Gen-
eral Whiting to telegraph him to attack the enemy under cover
of night when the fleet could not co-operate, and we would do
the same from the fort, and that thus we could capture a por-
tion or the whole of the force, or at least demoralize it. jSTo
reply was received. Still I thought General Bragg could
not fail to respond ; so, after the dead were buried, ten com-
panies were put in readiness for a sortie, and I carried Cap-
tain Patterson's company out in front of the work beyond the
]ialisade line and the range of the enemy's fire, and threw
them out as skirmishers with orders to disco^^er the position
15

226 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

■t)f the enemy. We found none on the sea shore within half
a mile, luit on the river shore they were occupying the re-
doul)t, wliero tlieir skirmishers extended toward the left of
the fort. Some of them fired on us, but we remained there
awaiting' a message from Bragg, or the sound of his guns from
the north, hut in vain, and before daylight we retired to the
fort.

With llie rising sun, on the 15tli, the fleet, which had been
annoying us all through the night, redoulded its fire on the
land face. The sea was calm, the naval gunners had become
accurate by practice, and before noon but one heavy gun, pro-
tected by the angle of the northeast bastion, remained ser-
viceable on that face. The harvest of wounded and dead was
increased, and at noon I had not 1,200 men to defend the long-
line of works. The enemy were now preparing to assault ;
Ave saw their skirmish line on the left digging rifle pits close
to our torpedo lines and their columns along the river shore
massing for the attack, while their sharpshooters were firing
upon every head that showed itself upon our front. Despite
the imminent danger to the gttnners I ordered the two Napo-
leons at the central sally-port and the Napoleon on the left to
fire grape and canister tt]ion the advancing skirmish line.
They fearlessly obeyed the order, and with effectiveness, but
at a sad sacrifice in killed and wounded. At the same time
on ihe ocean side a cohtmn composed of sailors and marines
was seen to apj^roach, the ach^ance throwing up slight trenches.
On these we brought to bear otir single heavy gttn, while the
two guns on the mound battery turned their attention from
the sailors afloat to the sailors on shore, but at too long range
to be very eftective. Ilagood's Brigade, sent by Bragg, was
now arriving at Battery Bticluman, but the steamer bearing
tbem was driven olf by the fire of the fleet after it had suc-
-ceeded in landing tAvo South Carolina regiments, Avhich came
at a doable-quick to the mound under a heavy fire. The mtm-
ber of these reinforcements Avas reported to me by the officer
in command as 350. They reached the fort less than thirty
minutes before tbe attacking columns came like avalanches
itjjon our rigbt and left. The South Carolinians Avere ottt
of breath and more or less disorganized and demoralized by

Front ofWILMINGTON.N.C,

inFebruary,1865.

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 227

the oi'deal throiigli wliicli, by Bragg's neglect, they had been
forced to jmss. I sent them to an old commissary bomb-
proof to recover .breath.

^ly lieadqnarters during the tight were the pulpit battery
on the sea face, one hundred yards from the northeast salient
find adjoining the hospital bomb-proof, commanding the best
view of the aj^] roaches to the land face. At 2:30, as I was
returning froin anotlier battery, Private Arthur Muldoon, one
of my lookouts, called to me, "Colonel, the enemy are about
to charge.'' I informed General Whiting, who was near,
find at my request he immediately telegraphed General Bragg,
fit "Sugar Loaf" :

"The enemy are about to assault ; they outnumber us heav-
ily. We are just manning our parapets. Fleet have ex-
tended down the sea front outside and are firing very heavily.
Fnemy on the l)each in front of us in very heavy force, not
more than seven hundred yards from us. Xearly all land
guns disabled. Attack ! Attack I It is all I can say and
all you can do."'^

I then ])assed hurriedly down in rear of the land face and
through the galleries, and although the fire of the fleet was
terrific, I knew it must soon cease, and I ordered additional
sharpshooters to the gun-chambers with instructions to pick
oif the officers in the assaulting columns, and directed the
battery commanders to form their detachments and rush to
the top of the parapets when the firing stopped and drive the
assailants back. As I returned, I instructed the squads that
were fornang under cover to rally to the parapets as soon as
the order should be given, to which they responded with en-
thusiasm. I had determined to allow the assailants to reach
the berme of the work before exploding a line of torpedoes, be-
lieving it would enable us to kill or capture the first line,
while destroying or demoralizing their supporting lines of as-
sault. I had not fjuite reached my headquarters when the
roar of artillery suddenly ceased, and instantly the steam-
whistles of the vast fleet sounded a charge. It was a soul-
stirring signal botli to besiegers and besieged.

*The original, in Wliiting's handwriting, is in possession of Dr. Geo.
X/. Porter, Bridgeport, Conn. — W. L.

228 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

I ordered my aide. Lieutenant Charles H. Blocker, to
double-qnick the Twenty-first and Twenty-fifth Soutli Caro-
lina to reinforce Major James Reilly, whom I had put in com-
mand on the left, while I went to the northeast salient, which
I believed to be the vital point of the work and the one which
needed most protection. I rallied there the larger portion of
the garrison of the main work, putting 300 men on top of
the bastion and adjoining parapets and holding some 200
more in the adjoining batteries. About 250 remained for de-
fense on the left, to which I supposed the 350 South Caro-
linians wonld immediately be added, and these with the Na-
poleon and the torpedoes F felt sure would successfully defend
that portion of the work. The assaulting line on the right
was directed at the angle or point of the L, and consisted of
two thousand sailors and marines,* the greater portion of
whom had Hanked my tor]^edo lines by keeijing close to the
sea. Ordering the mound battery, and any other on the sea
face that could do so, to fire upon them, and the two Napo-
leons at the sally-port to join our Columbiad in pouring grape
and canister into their ranks, I held in reserve the infantry
fire. Whiting stood upon the brink of the parapet inspiring
those about him. The sailors and marines reached the berme
and some sprang up the slope, but a murderous fire greeted
them and swept them down. Volley after volley was poured
into their faltering i-anks by c<:)ol, determined men, and in
half an hour several hundred dead and wounded lay at the
foot of the bastion. The bravery of the officers could not re-
strain their men from ]ianic and retreat, and with small loss
to ourselves we witnessed what had never been seen before, a
disorderly rout of American sailors and marines. Had the
fleet lielped their own column as they did afterward that of
the army, theirs would have been the glory of victory.

x\s our shouts of trium]ih went up I turned to look at the
western salient, and saw, to my astonishment, three Federal

*Secretary Welles, in his report of the Navy Department, 4 Decem-
ber, 180o, says: "Fourteen hundred sailors and marines were landed
and participated in the direct assault"; but Admiral Porter in his report,
dated off Fort Fisher, 17 January, l>s6o, says: ' I detailed 1,600 sailors
and 400 marines to accompany the troops in the assault — the sailors to-
board the sea- face, while the troops assaulted the land side." — Editor.

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 229

battle flags upon our ramparts. General Whiting saw them
at the same moment, and, calling on the men to pull down
those flags and drive the enemy from the work, rushed toward
them on the paraj^et. Among those who followed Whiting,
and who gave his young life upon those ramparts, I must
mention the brave Lieutenant Williford, who commanded
the Blakely Battery.

In order to make a careful reconnoissance of the position
of the enemy, I passed thi-ough the sally-port, and outside
of the work witnessed a savage hand-to-hand conflict for the
possession of the fourth gun-chamber from the left bastion.
My men, led by Whiting, had driven the standard-bearer
from the to]) of the traverse and the enemy from the parapet
in. front. They had recovered the gun-chamber with great
slaughter, and on the parapet and on the long traverse of the
next gun-chamber the contestants were savagely firing into
each other's faces, and in some cases clubbing their guns,
being too close to load and fire. Whiting had quickly been
wounded by two shots and had been carried to the hospital
bomb-proof. I saw that the Confederates were exposed not
only to the fire in front, but to a galling infantry fire from
the captured salient. I saw also a fresh force pouring into
the left of the work, noAv offering no resistance. T doubt if
ever before the commander of a work went outside of it and
looked back upon the conflict for its possession; but from the
peculiar construction of the works it was necessary to do so
in order to see the exact position of affairs. I was in front
of the sally-])0] t and concealed from the army by a fragment
of the ])ah"sade."

Ordering Captain Z. T. Adams to turn his j^apoleons on
the column moving into the fort (the gallant Mayo had
already t\irned his Columbiad upon them), I returned into
the work, and, ])lacing men behind every cover that could be
found, poured at close range a deadlier fire into the flank of

*I was told, several years after the war, by a United States marine
named Clark, that I was distinctly seen and recognized by a comrade
and himself who had feigned death in front of the north-east salient,
and that his comrade rose from his place of concealment to shoot
me. but before he could fire was shot in the head by a soldier in the
fort. I never thought of danger from that direction. — W. L.

230 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

the enemy occupying the gun-chambers and traverses than
they were able to deliver upon my men from the left salient.
While thus engaged I met my aide, who informed me that the
South Carolinians had failed to respond to my order, al-
though their officers had pleaded with them, and with a few
of them had gone into the fight; that the assaulting column
had made two distinct charges upon the extreme left and had
been repulsed by the fire of the JSTapoleon and by the in-
fantry ; that the torjiedo wires had been cut by the fire of the
fleet and the electrician had tried in vain to execute my or-
ders ; that, driven from the extreme left, the enemy had found
a weak defense betAveen the left salient and the sally-port in
their third charge, and had gained the parapet and, capturing
two gun-chandjers, had attacked the force in the left bastion
on the flank, simultaneously -with a direct charge of a fresh
column, and that our men after great slaughter, especially
those at the ]^apoleon, had been forced to surrender just as
we had repulsed the naval column ; that to add to the discom-
fiture of the Confederates, as soon as the Federal battle flags
appeared on the ramparts. Battery Buchanan had opened
with its two heavy guns on the left of the work, killing and
vrounding friend and foe alike. Major Reilly had failed to
lead the men to the top of the parapet on the right of the west-
ern salient, firing instead from the two gun-chambers on the
assailants, who were not within range until they reached the
parapet. Had the parapet been manned by fifty determined
men at this point, I do not believe the enemy could have got
into the fort before reinforcements had arrived. Keilly was
a veteran soldier, and showed his indomitable courage later
in the day, but his mistake was fatal. This was dishearten-
ing, but I told Captain Blocker if we could hold the enemy in
check until dark I would then drive them out. and I sent a
telegram by him to Bragg, imploring him to attack, and say-
ing that I could still save the fort.

JN'otwithstanding the loss of a portion of the work and a
part of the garrison, the men were in good spirits and seemed
determined to recover the fort. We had retaken one gun-
chamber in the charge on the parapet, and since we had
opened on their flank we had shot down all their standard-

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 231

bearers, and the Federal battle flags had disappeared from
our ramparts. I was encouraged to believe that before sun-
down we could recover all the gun-chambers to the east of
the western salient. Just as the tide of battle seemed to have
turned in our favor the remorseless fleet came to the rescue
of the faltering Federals. Suddenly the bombardment, which
had been confined to the sea face, turned again on our land
front, and with deadly precision ; the iron-clads and heavy
frigates drove in our Xapoleons and exploded shells in the in-
terior of the sally-port, which had heretofore escaped. They
also swept the gun-chamber occupied by Confederates in front
of those occupied by the enemy, and their shells rolled down
within the works and exploded in most unexpected quarters,
preventing even company formation. They drove from the
front of the enemy all assailants except those so near that to
have fired on them would have been to slaughter the Fed-
erals.

We had now to contend with a column advancing around
the rear of the left bastion into the interior plane of the fort.
It moved slowly and cautiously, ap]3arently in column of com-
panies and in close order. I met it Avith an effective infantry
fire, my men using the remains of an old work as a breast-
work and taking advantage of every object that would afford
cover, for we were now greatly outnumbered. The fire was
so unexpected and destructive on the massed columns of the
Federals, that they halted when an advance would have been
fatal to us. With orders to the officers to dis])ute stul)bornly
any advance until my return, I went rapidly to the extreme
southern limit of my work and turned the two mound guns
on the column in the fort. As I passed the different batteries
I ordered the guns turned on the assailants, but on returning
foiuid that only two besides those on the mound would bear
upon them, and these had to be fired over my men. I or-
dered them, notwithstanding, to be fired carefully with prop-
erly cut fuses, which was done, but it made some of my men
very nervous. 1 brought back with me to the front every
man except a single detachment for each gnu. I was gone
from the fort at least thirty minutes, and on my return found
the fio-htins: still continuina' over the same traverse for the

232 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

possession of the anm-cliamber, despite the fire of the fleet.
As my men would fall others wonld take their places. It
was a soldier's fight at that point, for there conld be no or-
ganization : the officers of both forces were loading and firing
with their men. If there has ever been a longer or more
stubborn hand-to-hand encounter, I have failed to meet with
it in history. The Federal column inside had advanced no
farther, and seemed demoralized by the fire of the artillery
and the determined resistance of the garrison. I had brought
back with me moi"e than a hundred of my old garrison, and I
threw them in front with those already engaged. Those who
had been driven from the parapet had taken position behind
the old work. I went to the bomb-proof where the South
Carolinians were and appealed to them to help save the fort;
they were in a position to flank a part of the column, and they
promised to do so. I proceeded to the sally-port and ordered
the gallant Adams to bring his guns out and open fire on the
head of the column, and if he had not men left to serve the
guns to get volunteers from other companies. I went along
the galleries and begged the sick and wounded who had re-
treated from the caiitured bomb-proofs to come and make one
supreme effort to dislodge the enemy. As I passed through
my work the last time, the scene was indescribably horrible.
Great cannon were broken in two, and over their ruins were
lying the dead ; others were partly buried in graves dug by
the shells which liad slain them.

Still no tidings from Bragg. The enemy's advance had
ceased entirely ; protected by the fleet, they held the parapet
and gun-chambers, but their massed columns refused to move
and appeared to be intrenching in the work. I believed a de-
termined assault with the bayonet upon their front would
drive them out. I had cautioned the gunners not to fire on
our men, and had sent liieutenant Jones, of the navy, to
Battery Buchanan, asking for all the force they could spare,
aud to 1)0 careful not to fire on us if we became closely en-
gaged witli the enemy. The head of the column was not over
one hundred feet from the portion of our breastwork which I
occupied ; I passed quickly in rear of the line and asked the
officers and men if they would follow me ; they all responded

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 233

fearlessly that tliey would. T returned to my ])ost, and, giv-
ing the order ''Charge bayonets," sprang upon the breast-
work, waved my sword, and, as I gave the command ''For-
ward! doul)le-quiek, march!" fell on my knees, a rifle ball
having entered my left hip. We were met by a heavy vol-
ley, aimed too high to be effective ; but our column wavered
and fell back behind the breastworks. A soldier raised me
up ; 1 turned the command over to Captain Daniel Munn and
told him to keep the enemy in check, and that I would band-
age my wound and soon return. Before I could reach the
hospital I was made to realize that I was incapacitated from
joining my men again. In the hospital I found General
Wliiting suffering uncomplainingly from his two wounds.
He told me that Bragg liad ignored his presence in the fort
and had not noticed his messages. I perceived that the fire
of my men had slackened, and sent my Acting Adjutant,
John K^. Kelly, for Major Reilly, next in command (Major
James M. Stevenson being too ill for service. ) Reilly came
and promised me that he would continue the fight as long as
a man or a shot was left, and nobly did he keep his promise.
I again sent a message to Bragg begging him to come to the
rescue. Shortly after my fall the Federals made an advance,
and, capturing several more of the gun-chainbers, reached the
sally-port. The column in the work advanced, but Major
Eeilly, rallying the men, among them the South Carolinians,
who had all l^ecome engaged, drove them liack. About 8
o'clock at night my aide came to me and said the ammunition
was giving out ; tliat he and Chaplain McKinnon had gath-
ered all on tlie dead and wounded in a blanket and had dis-
tributed it ; that the enemy had ]:)ossession of nearly all of the
land face ; that it was impossible to hold out much longer, and
suggested that it would be wise to surrender, as a further
struggle midit l)e a useless sacrifice of life. I replied that
so long as 1 lived I would not surrender the fort ; that Bragg
must soon come to the rescue, and it would save us. General
Whiting remarked, "Lamb, when you die I will assume com-
mand, and I will not surrender the fort." In less than an
hour a fourth brigade (three were already in the fort under
General Ames) entered the sally-port and swept the defenders

234 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

from the remainder of the land face. Major Reilly had
General Whiting and myself hurriedly removed on stretchers
to Battery Buchanan, where he purposed to make a stand.
When we left the hospital the men were fighting over the ad-
joining traverse and the spent balls fell like hail-stones
around us. The garrison then fell back in an orderly retreat
along the sea face, the rear-guard keeping the enemy engaged
as they advanced sloAvly and cautiously in the darkness as
far as the Mound Battery, where they halted. Some of the
men, cut off from the main body, had to retreat as best they
could over the river marsh, while some few unarmed artil-
lerists barely eluded the enemy by following the seashore.
When we reached Battery Buchanan there was a mile of level
beach between us and our pursuers, swept by two 11-inch
guns and a 24-pounder, and in close proximity to the battery,
a commodious wharf where transports could have come to
carry the men off. AVe ex])ected to cover with this battery
the retreat of the remnant of- the garrison, but we found the
guns spiked, and every means of , transportation, even the
barge and crew of the colonel Commanding, taken by Cap-
tain K. F. Chapman, of our navy, who following the example
of General Bragg, had abandoned us to our fate. None of
the guns of Tort Fisher were spiked, the men fi.ghting them
until they were destroyed or their defenders were killed,
wounded, or driven out of the batteries by overwhelming
numljers. The enemy threw out a heavy skirmish line and
sent their fourth brigade to Battery Buchanan, where it ar-
rived about 10 p. m., and received the surrender of the gar-
rison from Major James H. Hill and Tieutenant George D.
Parker. Some fifteen minutes or more l)efore the surrender,
while lying on a stretcher near General Whiting in front of
the battery, and witnessing the grand pyrotechnic display of
the fleet over the ca]Uure of Fort Fisher, I Avas accosted by
General A. H. Colquitt, who had been ordered to the fort to
take command. I had a few moments' hurried conversation
with him. informed him of the assault, of the early loss of
a portion of the work and garrison, and that when I fell it
had for a time demoralized the men, Imt that the enemy was
equally demoralized by our unexpected resistance ; and I as-

,roR, uOWK •••

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT FISHER.

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 235

siired him that if Bragg would even tlieu attack, a fresh bri-
gade landed at Battery Buchanan could retake the work.
Some officer suggested that the general should take me with
him, as I was probably fatally wounded, but I refused to
leave, wishing to share the fate of my garrison ; and desir-
ing that my family, anxiously awaiting tidings across the
river, where they had watched the battle, should not be
alarmed, I spoke lightly of my wound. I asked him to carry
General Whiting to a place of safety, as he had come to the
fort a volunteer. Just then the approach of the enemy was
reported, and Colquitt made a precipitate retreat, leaving
Whiting behind.'^

One more distressing scene remains to be chronicled. The
next morning after sunrise a frightful explosion occurred in
my reserve magazine, killing and wounding several hun-
dred of the enemy and some of my own wounded officers and
men. The magazine was a frame structure 20 x 60 feet and
6 feet high, covered with IS feet or more of sand, luxuriantly
turfed, and contained probably 13,000 pounds of powder.
It made an artificial mound most inviting to a wearied sol-
dier, and after the fight was occupied for the night by Colonel
Alden's One Hundred and Sixty-ninth j^ew York and by
souie of my suffering soldiers. Two sailors from the fleet,
stupefied by liquor which they had found in the hospital, and
looking for booty, were seen to enter the structure with lights,
and a moment after the green mound blew up. The tele-
graph -wires, running from a bomb-proof near this magazine
across the river to Battery Laml), gave rise to the impression
that it had been ])urposely exploded from the opposite shore,
but an official investigation traced it to the drunken sailors.

So stoutly did those works resist the 50,000 shot and shell
thrown against them in the two bombardments that not a
magazine or bomb-proof was injured, and after the land ar-
mament, with palisades and torpedoes, had been destroyed,
no assault would have been practicable in the presence of
Bragg's force, had it been under a competent officer. One

*General Whiting died a prisoner at Fort Columbus, New York Har-
bor, March 10th, 1865.

236 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

thousand tons of iron were gathered by the United States
from the works.

Had there been no fleet to assist the army at Fort Fisher
the i ederal infantry could not have dared assault it until its
land defenses liad been destroyed by gradual approaches.
For the first time in the history of sieges the land defenses
of the works were destroyed, not by any act of the besieging
"army, but by the concentrated fire, direct and enfilading, of
an immense fleet poured upon them without intermission,^
until torpedo wires were cut, palisades breached so that they
actually afforded cover for assailants, and the slopes of the
work were rendered practicable for assault.

ADDENDA.

In a note to the editor Colonel Lamb in writing of the
repulse of Butler and Porter in December, says :

''The guns of Fort Fisher were not silenced. On account
of a limited sup})ly of ammunition, T gave orders to fire each
gun not more than once in thirty minutes, except by special
order, unless an attem]>t should l)e made to run by the fort,
when discretion was given each gun commander to use liis
piece efteetiA'ely. There were forty -four guns. On 2-t De-
cember 672 shots were expended ; a detailed report was re-
ceived from each battery. Only three guns were rendered
unserviceable, and these by the fire of the fleet disabling the
carriages. On 25 December six hundred shots were ex-
pended, exclusive of grape and canister. Detailed reports
were made. Five guns were disabled by the fire of the fleet,
making eight in all. Besides, two T-inch Brooke rifled guns
exploded, leaving thirty-four heavy guns on Christmas night.
The last guns on the 24th and 25th were fired by Fort Fisher
on the retiring fleet. In the first- fight the total casualties
were 61, as follows: December 24th, mortally wounded, 1;
seriously wounded, 3; slightly, lU — 23. December 25th,
killed, 3; mortally wounded, 2; severely, 7; slightly, 26,
These included those wounded by the exjilosion of the Brooke
rifled guns— 38."

Colonel Lamb, writing, December, ISS*^, says:

"There were never in Fort Fisher, including sick, killed,

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 237

and wounded, over 1,!)00 men. The sailors and marines,
etc., cajJtured from Battery Buchanan, and those captured in
front of the work, while swelling the list of prisoners, cannot
rightly be counted among the defenders of the work. ISTo
new defense was added to the face of the fort between the bat-
tles. The redr)ubt in front of the sally-port was there in
Decendier and had been used against Butler's skirmish line."

Colonel Lamb, writing to the editor on the subject of the
numbers defending the northeast salient, says :

"Five hundred effective men will cover all engaged in re-
pulsing the naval column, and the destructive fire was from
tlie three hundred, who, from the top of the ramparts and
traverses, fired upon the assailants. The gallant navy need
not exaggerate the number ojjposing them, assisted by the
artillery. Xo apology or defense is necessary to excuse the
repulse. The unorganized and im])ro}»erly armed force
failed to enter the fort, but their gallant attempt enabled the
army to enter and olitain a foothold, which they otherwise
could not have done."

THE OPPOSING FORCES AT FORT FISHER, N. C, JANUARY

13-15, 1865.

THE UNION ARHT.

Majoe-General Ai^fred H. Terry — Commanding.
Second Division, Twenty-fourtji Army Corps — Brig-
adier-General Adelhert Ames.

First Bri<iad(' — Colonel X. ]\lartin Curtis: Third Xew
York, Captain James H. Reeve, Lieutenant Edwin A. Be-
han ; One Hundred and Twelfth Xew York, Colonel John F.
Smith ; One Hundred and Seventeenth Xew York, Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Franxis X. Meyer ; One Hundred and Forty-sec-
ond Xew York, Lieutenant-Colonel Albert M. Barney.

Second Brigade — Colonel Galusha Pennypacker, Major
Oliver P. Harding: Forty-seventh Xew York, Captain
Josej)h M. McDonald ; Forty-eighth Xew Y'ork, Lieutenant-

238 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Colonel William B. Coaii, Major jSTere A. Elfwing; Seventy-
sixth Pennsylvania, Colonel John S. Littell, Major Charles
Knerr; jSTinety-seventh Pennsylvania, Lieutenant John
Wainwright; Two Hundred and Third Pennsylvania, Colo-
nel John \V. ]\roore, Lieutenant-Colonel Jonas W. Lyman,
Major Oliver P. Harding, Captain Ileber B. Essington.

Third Brigade — Colonel Louis Bell, Colonel Alonzo Al-
den : Thirteenth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel M.
Zent ; Fourth Xew Hampshire, John H. Roberts ; One Hun-
dred and Fifteenth ^ew York, Lieutenant-Colonel ISTathan
J. Johnson ; One Hundred and Sixty-ninth j^ew York, Col-
onel Alonzo Alden, Lieutenant-Colonel James A. Colvin.

Second Brigade, First Division — (temporarily attached to
Second Division), Colonel Joseph C. Abbott: Sixth Con-
necticut, Colonel Alfred P. Rockwell ; Seventh Connecticut,
Captain John Thompson, Captain William S. Marable ;
Third ISTew Hampshire, Captain William H. Trickey ; Sev-
enth New Hampshire, Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus W. Rol-
lins; Sixteenth Xew York Heavy Artillery (detachment),
Lieutenant F. F. Huntington.

Third Division^ Twenty-fifth Army Corps (colored
troops) — Brigadier-General Charles J. Paine.

Second Brigade — Colonel John W. Ames: Fourth
United States, Jjieutenant-Colonel George Rogers ; Sixth
United States, Major A. S. Boernstein ; Thirtieth United
States, Lieutenant-Colonel H. A. Oakman; Thirty-ninth
United States, Colonel O. P. Stearns.

Third Brigade — Colonel Elias Wright : First United
States, Lieutenant-Colonel Giles H. Rich ; Fifth United
States, Major William R. Brazie; Tenth United States,
I^ieutenant-Colonel Edward LI. Powell; Twenty-seventh
United States, Colonel A. M. Blackmail ; Thirty-seventh
United States, Colonel Nathan Goff, Jr.

Artillery — B, G, and L, First Connecticut Heavy, Cap-
tain William G. Pride ; Sixteenth New York Battery, Cap-
tain Richard H. Lee ; E, Third United States, Lieutenant
John R. Myrick.

Engineers — A, and I, Fifteenth New York, Lieutenant K.
S. O'Keefe.

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 239

The effective strength of the force above enumerated was
nearly 8,000. The loss aggregated 184 killed, 749 wounded,
and 22 missing — 955. By the explosion of a magazine the
day after the eaptnre there were 25 killed, 06 wounded, and
13 missing.

THE CONFEDERATE ARHT.

GenePvAT. Braxtok Bragg — D<i,artiiient Commander.

Major-Gexeral W. H. C. Wh.tixg — District Com-
mander.

Defences^ Mouth of Cape Fear Rtver — Brigadier-
General Louis Hebert.

FORT FISHER.

There were in Fort Fisher on 13, 14 and 15 January,
1805, these include all present during that time, sick, killed
and wounded.

WiLEiAM Lam:b, of Virginia, Colonel Commanding.

Major James M. Stevenson, of Thirty-sixth Xorth Car-
olina Regiment (too ill for duty).

Ma.jor James Beiely, of Tenth ISTorth Carolina Regi-
ment.

Captain George D. Parker,, Adjutant, on special duty.

Lieutenant John N. Kelly, Company B, Thirty-sixth
K'orth Carolina Regiment, Acting Adjutant.

Lieutenant Ciiari-es H. Blocker, Aide to Colonel Com-
manding.

Thirty-sixth North Carolina Regiment, Captain R.
J. Murphy, Company A, 75 ; Captain Dan Munn,
Company B, 90 ; Captain K. J. Braddy, Company C,
71 ; Captain E. B. Dudley, Company D, 70 ; Captain
O. H. Pow-ell, Company E, 75 ; Lieutenant E. L.
Hunter, Acting Captain Company F, 100 ; Captain
Wm. Swaine, Company G, 75 ; Captain Daniel Pat-
terson, Company H, 75 ; Captain J. F. Melvin, Com-
pany I, 90 ; Captain Wm. F. Brooks, Company K,
75; total... \... 796

240 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

Fortieth Xortli Carolina Regiment (fonr companies),
Cai^tain Jas. L. Lane, Company D, 01 ; Captain M. H.
]\IcBrvde, Company E, 00 ; Captain Geo. C. Buchan,
Company G, 00 ; Captain D. -T. Clarke, Company
K, 65 ; total \ 336

Tenth Xorth Carolina Regiment (two companies), Cap-
tain E. D. Walsh, Company E, 5.") : Captain Wm.
SliaAv, Company K, 65 ; total 1:^0

First Xorth Carolina Battalion, Captain Jas. L. McCor-
mick. Company D ; total SO

Third Xorth Carolina Battalion, Captain Jno. M. Sut-
t( m. Company C -15

Thirteenth Xorth Carolina Battalion, Captain Z. T.
Adams, Company D 60

Xaval Detachment, sailors and marines. Captain A. C.
Vanbenthnsen 60

Twenty-first South Carolina Regiment, Captain Diibose,
and Twenty-fifth South Carolina Regiment, Captain
Carson, of Hagood's Bridge; total 350

Surgeons, Spiers W. Singleton ; Assistant Surgeon, Pow-
hatan Bledsoe, with band as ambulance corps, includ-
ing all field and staff officers and volunteers, officers,
cooks and other detailed men, not over 53

Grand total 1,000

Major-General Whiting, ]\Iajor James H. Hill, Assistant
Adjutant-General, Avith others on Whiting's staff, were in
the fort as volunteers.

General Braxton Bragg in his otticial report, made from
Headquarters, Department of Xorth (Carolina, Wilmington,
X. C, 20 January, 1865, gives the garrison 1,800 men; to
which he says he added 500, making 2,300.

In same report he says: ''Eort Fisher had 110 commis-
sioned officers and 2,400 or 2,500 men."

There had 1,550 officers and men re])orted in Fort Fisher
up to 15 January, 1865. Hagood's Brigade, 1,000 strong,
was sent Ijy Bragg on that day, but only 350 landed and re-
ported ; this made 1,000. Had all landed, Bragg would have
been about correct.

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 241

General Bragg's reports of Fort Fisher, its garrison and
their defence are grossly inaccurate.

Battery Baclianan — Captain R. F. Chapman, C. S. N.

Hoke's Division, Major-General Robert F. Hoke.

Clingvians Brigade — Eighth Xorth Carolina, Thirty-first
IvTorth Carolina, Fifty-first North Carolina, Sixty-first N'orth
Carolina.

Colquitt's Brigade — Brigadier-General A. H. Colquitt:
Sixth Georgia, Colonel T. J. Lofton ; Nineteenth Georgia,
Twenty-third Georgia, Twenty-seventh Georgia, Twenty-
eighth Georgia.

Hagood's Brigade — Eleventh South Carolina, Twenty-
first South Carolina, Twenty-fifth South Carolina, Twenty-
seventh South Carolina, Seventh South Carolina Battalion.

Kirhland' s Brigade — Seventeenth North Carolina, Forty-
second North Carolina, Sixty-sixth North Carolina.*

Cavalry — Second South Carolina, Colonel T. J. Lipscomb.

According to General Bragg's ofiicial report the garrison
of Fort Fisher finchiding reinforcements from the adjacent
forts) numbered 1,800, and the movable force under Gen-
eral Hoke, including reserves and cavalry, was about 6,000.
In regard to the losses, the same authoritity says: ''After
the enemy entered the fort our loss is represented to have
been about 500 killed and wounded."

General Terry reported the capture of 112 officers and
1,071 men, but this was incorrect or possibly included pris-
oners from other commands. After the war Colonel Lamb
tried to ascertain the number of prisoners sent north from
Fort Fisher, but found no data and the numbers of prisoners
were generally estimated except in an exchange. All present
in Fort Fisher 13-15 January, including sick, killed and
wounded, numbered 1,900.

JfORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON. •

Rear Admiral David D. Porter^ Commanding.
Lieutenant-Commander K. R. Breese^ Fleet Captain.
Lieutenant M. W. Sanders^, Signal Officer.

Note —The Fiftieth North Carolina of this brigade was absent in
South Carolina.— Ed.

16

242 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Lieutenant S. W, Terry and Lieutenant S. W. Pbes-
TON;, (killed), Aides.

First Division, Commodore Henry K. Thatcher.

Second Division^ Commodore Joseph Lanman.

Third Division^ Commodore, Jas. Findlay Schenck.

Fourth Division, Commodore S. W. Godon.

Iron-clad Division^ Commodore Wm. Radford.

Flag-ship — Malvern, Lieutenant William B. Cushing
(first attack) ; Lieutenant B. H. Porter (killed), (second at-
tack).

Iron-cladr — Canonicus, Lieutenant-Commander George
F]. Belknap. Mahopac, Lieutenant-Commander E. E. Pot-
ter ( first attack) ; Lieutenant-Commander A. W. Weaver
(second attack). Monadnoch, Commander E. G. Parrott.
New Ironsides , Commodore William Radford. Saugus,
Commander E. R. Colhoun.

Screw Frigates — Colorado, Commodore H. K. Thatcher.
Minnesota, Commodore Joseph Lanman. ^yahasll, Captain
M. Smith.

Side-wheel Steamers (first class) — Powhatan, Commo-
dore J. F. Schenck. Susquehanna, Commodore S. W. Godon.

Screw Sloops — BrooMyn, Captain James Alden. Juni-
ata, Captain W. R. Taylor (first attack) ; Lieutenant-Com-
mander T. S. Phelps (second attack). Mohican, Com-
mander D. Ammen. Shenandoah, Captain D. B. Ridgely.
Ticonderoga, Captain C. Steedman. Tuscarora, Commander
J. M. Frailey.

Screw Gun-vessels — Kansas, Lieutenant-Commander P.
O. Watmough. Maumee, Lieutenant-Commander R. Chan-
dler. Nyach, Lieutenant-Commander L. H. Newman. Pe-
quot. Lieutenant-Commander D. L. Braine. Y antic, Lieu-
tenant-Commander T. C. Harris.

Screw Gun-boats — Chippei a, Lieutenant-Commander
A. W. Weaver (first attack) ; Lieutenant-Commander E. E.
Potter (second attack. ) Huron, Lieutenant-Commander T.
O. Self ridge. Seneca, Lieutenant-Commander M. Sicard.
Unadilla, Lieutenant-Commander F. M. Ramsay.

Double-enders — Iosco, Commander John Guest. Mack-
inaw, Commander J. C. Beaumont. Maratanza, Lieutenant-

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 243

Commander G. W. Young. Osceola, Commander J. M. B.
Clitz. Pawtuxet, Commander J. H. Spotts. Pontoosuc,
Lieutenant-Commander AVm. G. Temple. SassacuSj Lieu-
tenant-Commander J. L. Davis. Tacony, Lieutenant-Com-
mander W. T. Truxtun.

Miscellaneous Vessels — Fort Jadcson, Captain B. F.
Sands. Monticello, Acting Vice-Lieutenant D. A. Camp-
bell (first attack) ; Lieutenant W. B. Cushing (second at-
tack), N evens, Commander J. C. Howell. Quaker City,
Commander W. F. Spicer. Rhode Island, Commander S.

D. Trenchard. Santiago de Cuba, Captain O. S. Glisson.
Yanderhilt, Captain, C. W. Pickering.

Powder Vessel^ — Louisiana, Commander A. C. Rhind
(first attack; blown up).

Reserve — ^4. D. Vance, Lieutenant-Commander J. H.
U])shur. Alabama, Acting Vice-Lieutenant Frank Smith
(first attack) ; Acting Vice-Lieutenant A. P. Langthorne
(second attack). Britannia, Acting Vice-Lieutenant Sam-
uel Huse (first attack) ; Acting Vice-Lieutenant W. A. Shel-
don (second attack). Cherokee, Acting Vice-Lieutenant W.

E. Denison. Emma, Acting Vice-Lieutenant T. C. Dunn
(first attack) ; Acting Vice-Lieutenant J. M. Williams (sec-
ond attack). Gettysburg, Lieutenant-Commander P. H.
Lamson (wounded). Governor Buchingham, Acting Vice-
Lieutenant J. IMcDiarmid. Howquah, Acting Vice-Lieuten-
ant J. W. Balch. Keystone State, Commander H. Polando.
Lilian, Acting Vice-Lieutenant T. A. Harris. I^ittle Ada,
Acting Master S. P. Crafts. Moccasin, Acting Ensign Jas.
Brown. Nansemond, Acting Master J. H. Porter. Tris-
tram Shandy, Acting Ensign Ben. Wood (first attack) ; Act-
ing Vice-Lieutenant F. M. Green (second attack). Wilder-
ness, Acting Master PL Arey.

At the second attack the fleet was composed of the same ves-
sels, with the exception of the Nyach, Keystone State, and
Quaker City. The following additions were also made to the
fleet: Montgomery, Acting Vice-Lieutenant T. C. Dunn;
U. R. Cuyler, Commander C. H. B. Caldwell; Aries, Acting
V^ice-Lieutenant F. S. Wells; Eolus, Acting Master E. S.

244 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Kevser : Fort Donelson, Acting Master G. W. Frost; and Re'
public, Acting Ensign J. W. Bennett.

ARMAMENT OF THE FEEET.

In the first attack the armament of the fleet was 10 15-inch
S. B., 27 11-inch S. B., 1 10-inch S. B., 255 9-inch S. B., 30
8-inch S. B., 31 32-pounders S. B., 10 150-pounders R., 37
100-pounders R., 5 60-pounders R., 1 50-ponnder R., 43 30-
poimders R., 28 20-pounders R. ; total guns, 478. Howitz-
ers: 68 24-pounders, 73 12-pounders; total howitzers, 141;
grand total, 619.

In the second attack there were 1 more 10-inch S. B., 2
fewer 9-ineh S. B., 2 more 8-inch S. B., 8 more 32-pounders
S. B., 8 fewer 100-pounders R., 1 fewer 50-pounder R., 5
more 30-pounders R., 1 fewer 20-pounder R., 4 more 12-
pounder howitzers ; making 4 more guns and 4 more howitz-
ers ; grand total, 627.

Lanbing Party at Fort Fisher^ 15 January, 1865 :
2,261 Officers, Seamen^ and Marines — Lieutenant-Com-
mander K. R. Breese, Fleet Captain, commanding.

First Division, Captain L. L. Dawson, U. S. M. C.

Second Division, Lieutenant-Commander C. H. Cushman
(wounded).

Third Division, Lieutenant-Commander James Parker.

Fourth Division, Lieutenant-Commander T. O. Sel-
fridge.

Pioneers^ Lieutenant S. W. Preston (killed). — Malvern,
60 men. Lieutenant B. H. Porter (killed). Colorado, 218
men, Lieutenant II. B. Robeson. Mmnesofa, 241 men, Lieu-
tenant-Commander James Parker. Wahash, 188 men, Lieu-
tenant-Commander C. H. Cushman (wounded). Powhatan,,
100 men. Lieutenant George M. Bache (wounded). Sus-
quchanna, 75 men, Lieutenant-Commander F. B. Blake.
Brooklyn, 70 men (estimated), Acting Ensign D. Cassell;
Juniata, 69 men, Acting Master C. H. Hamilton (wounded).
Mohican, 52 men. Acting Master W. Burdett. Shenandoah,
71 men, Lieutenant S. W. J^ichols. Ticonderorja, 60 men.
Ensign G. W. Coffin (w^ounded). Tuscarora, 60 men, Lieu-
tenant-Commander W. ]Sr. Allen (wounded). Kansas, 20

The Defence of Fort Fisher. 245

men, Acting Ensign Williams. Pequot, 44 men, Acting En-
sign G. Lamb. Yantic, 45 men. Acting Ensign J. C. Lord.
Chippewa, 24 men, Acting Ensign G. H. Wood. Huron, 34
men, Lieutenant-Commander T. O. Self ridge. Seneca, 29
men, Lieutenant-Commander M. Sicard. Iosco, 44 men,
Acting Ensign W. Jameson. Mackinaw, 45 men. Acting
Master A. J. Louch (wounded). Maratanza, 51 men. Act-
ing Master J. B. Wood (wounded). Osceola, 39 men. Act-
ing Ensign J. F. Merry (wounded). Pairtuxet, 40 men,
(estimated). Acting Ensign J. A. Slamm. Pontoosuc, 42
men, Acting Ensign L. E,. Chester (wounded.) Sassacus,
37 men, Acting Ensign W. H. Mayer. Tacony, 32 men,
Acting Ensign J. B. Taney. Fort Jackson, 69 men. Lieu-
tenant S. H. Hunt. Monticello, 41 men. Lieutenant W. B.
Gushing. Nerens, 61 men, Acting Ensign E. G. Dayton.
Rhode Island, 47 men. Lieutenant F. R. Smith. Santiago
de Cuba, 53 men. Lieutenant N. H. Farquhar. Vanderhilt,
70 men (estimated), Acting Vice-Lieutenant L. D. Danels.
Gettysburg, 71 men. Lieutenant R. H. Lamson (wounded).
Tristram Shandy, 22 men. Acting Ensign B. Wood
wounded. Montgomery, 37 men. Acting Master W. N.
Wells. Total 2,261 men.

Casualties — The reports of casualties in the first attack,
as collated by the Surgeon-General, give the following result :
19 killed, 1 mortally scalded, 31 severely wounded. 1 severely
scalded, 31 slightly wounded or scalded. Total, 83.

Casi^at.ties IX THE Second Attack — Malvern, 3 killed,

1 wounded; Canonicus. 3 wounded; Saugiis, 1 u'ounded;
Colorado, 4 killed, 17 wounded, 8 missing: Minnesota, 15
killed, 26 wounded, 2 missing; W abash, 4 killed, 22 wounded,
5 missing; Potrhatan, 4 killed, 17 wounded, 8 missing; Siis-
quehanna, 3 killed, 15 wounded; Brooklyn, 3 wounded, 2
missing; Juniata, 5 killed, 10 wounded; Mohican,! killed, 11
wounded; Shenandoah, 6 wounded, 5 missing; Ticonderoga,

2 killed, 2 wounded ; Tuscarora, 4 killed, 12 wounded ;
Karisas, 1 wounded ; Pequot, 3 killed, 5 wounded ; Yantic, 2
killed, 1 wounded; Chippewa, 4 killed 4 wounded; Huron, 5
wounded; Seneca, 5 wounded ; /osco^ 2 killed, 12 wounded;
Mackinaw, 2 wounded, 2 missing; Maratanza, 3 wounded;

246 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Osceola, 3 wounded; Pawtuxet, 2 wounded; Pontoosuc, 7
wounded; Tacomy, 4 killed, 11 wounded; Sassacus, 3 killed,

3 wounded ; Fort Jackson, 1 killed, 10 wounded ; Monticello,

4 killed, 4 wounded; Nereus, 3 killed, 3 wounded; Rhode
Island, 8 wounded, 2 missing; Santiago de Cuba, 1 killed,
9 wounded; Vanderbilt, 2 killed, 13 wounded; Gettysburg,
6 killed, 6 wounded; Tristram Shandy, 2 wounded, 1 miss-
ing; Montgomery, 2 killed, 4 wounded. Total, killed 82;
wounded, 269; missing, 35; grand total, 386.

William Lamb.
Norfolk, Va.,

15 January, 1901.

SURRENDER AT AFFOnATTOX.

By MAJOR-GENERAL BRYAN GRIMES.

On the night of Saturday, 1 April, 1865, my division oc-
cupied a portion of the defences around the city of Peters-
burg, my left resting on Otey's Battery, near the memorable
Crater, my right extending to the dam on a creek beyond
Battery 45. Ramseur's old Brigade of North Carolinians,
commanded by Colonel W. R. Cox (holding appointment as
temporar}^ Brigadier), was on the right; Archer's Brigade
of Virginia Junior Reserves, and Grimes' old brigade of
I^orth Carolinians, commanded by Colonel D. G. Cowand,
of the Thirty-second North Carolina; Battle's Brigade of
Alabamians, commanded by Colonel Hobson, of the Fifth
Alabama ; Cook's Brigade of Georgians, commanded by Colo-
nel Nash, extended to the loft in the order above named, num-
bering for duty about two thousand two hundred muskets,
covering at least three and a half miles of the trenches around
Petersburg. One-third of my men were constantly on picket
duty in our front, one-third kept awake at the breastworks
during the night, with one-third only off duty at a time, and
they were required always to sleep with their accoutrements
on and upon their anns, ready to repel an attack at a mo-
ment's warning.

About 10 o'clock on the night of 1 April, 1865, the can-
nonading from the artillery and mortars in my front became
unusually severe, and about 11 o'clock the Federals charged,
capturing my picket line, which coiisisted of pits dug in the

Note. — General Grimes entered the army in 1861 as Major of the
Fourth Regiment N C. T He filled every grade np to ^lajor-General
and literally fought his way up. He was the highest officer from this
State at Appomattox, being the only INIajor-General we had in that army
at that time. There was no braver man in the whole army. Having-
gone through countless battles, this gallant soldier lived to be slain by
an assassin while riding along the road near his own home, 14 Aug. 1880.
The culprit was arrested and though his guilt was clear he was acquitted
by a miscarriage of justice wliich shocked the whole State. But return-
ing to the scene of the murder the assassin having rashly boasted of his
crime, was promptly hung by outraged neighbors.— Ed.

248 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

earth for protection from sharpshooters, and occupied by my
soldiers, varying in distance from one hundred and fifty to
three hundred yards in front of our main breastworks. I
toolc measures immediately to re-establish this line, which
was successfully accomplished, and our pits re-occupied.
About daylight of the 2d the enemy again drove in our pick-
eta and charged Kune's salient at the point where Battle's
Brigade was posted, carrying the works for a few hundred
yards on each side of that point, doubling and throwing
Cook's Brigade back a short distance. I hurried the com-
mands of Colonels Cowand and Archer to the point of attack
as rapidly as possible, charging the enemy, who were in pos-
session of and protected by our traverses and bomb-proofs
(which were erected to prevent our line being enfiladed, and
also as a place of refuge from their perpendicular mortar
fire), and continued gradually to gain traverse after traverse
of our captured works.

I then secured four pieces of artillery, which were placed
in our second line of works, and were invaluable in checking
the advance of the enemy, thus confining them by grape and
canister to this particular point at the salient, preventing
their advancing to attack our lines in flank or rear; Cook and
Battle holding them in check on the left, and Cowand and
Archer on the right of the captured works, their only point
of egress being exposed to the fire of the artillery.

T regret my inability to recall the names and thus give hon-
orable mention to those gallant artillerists who rendered me
such effective service.

During the forenoon a brigade, under command of Colo-
nel , reported to me for duty, and was placed

near the artillery in this second line of earth works (which
had been constructed to fall back upon in case of disaster to
onr first line). My dispositions were soon made to attack
the enemy simultaneously at all points — Cowand and Archer
on the right. Cook and Battle on the left, who were to drive

them from the protection of their traverses. Colonel

commanded in front Avith a heavy line of skirmishers, con-
necting his left with (^ook and his right with Cowand. My
four pieces of artillery poured grape and canister into the

Surrender at Appomattox. 249

enemy, and I gave the signal for the infantry to advance,
when a general charge was made, but through a direct viola-
tion of orders on the part of Colonel , this attack

only i^artially succeeded, capturing that portion of the line

alone upon which the skirmishers advanced, Colonel

having changed tlie direction of attack, and charged the point
assigned to the skirmishers on the right, thereby leaving a
space of three hundred yards unassailed. There is no doubt

in my mind that if Colonel had attacked with vigor

at that time, we could have driven the enemy entirely from
our works. After the lapse of an hour, during which time
the enemy v/ere heavil_y reinforced, 1 ordered another attack
from tlie second line in which Colonel participa-
ted, but by again diverting the brigade in the direction of
Cowand's Brigade, instead of towards the salient, the enemy
were dislodged from only a small portion of the lines.

Subsequently sixty men of Johnston's Korth Carolina Bri-
gade, under command of Captain Plato Durham, recaptured
Fort Mahone, which for an hour had been so covered by our
fire as to forbid its occupants showing themselves. In taking
this fort a large number of prisoners were captured ; so man^,
in fact, that when I first saw them skulking behind the earth-
works for protection against the fire of their own men, I
feared it was a ruse on the part of the enemy to surprise us.
They had secreted themselves for safety in this work, and
we, in our charge, had taken the only outlet.

After this no general attack was made, though we contin-
ued slowly l)ut gradually to drive them from traverse to
traverse.

About nightfall the enemy occupied some two hundred
yards of our lireastworks. Through no inefficiency or neg-
ligence on the ])art of the officers and men were the works
carried, but owing to the weakness of the line, its extreme
length, and the want of sufficient force to defend it, for they
acted most heroically on this trying occasion. Only one un-
wounded man (an ofiicer) did I see seeking the rear, and he
one whom I had the ]irevious day ordered under arrest for
trafficking with the enemy (exchanging tobacco for coffee).
Him I hailed and inquired where he was going, when he re-

250 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

called his arrest of the previous day, from which I immedi-
ately released him, and sent him back to his command.

I had a verbal conference with General Lee and after-
wards officially rejDorted my inability to hold this point
against any vigorous attack. In consequence of this report,
Lieutenant-Colonel Peyton, the Army Inspector, was sent to
examine this line, and he coincided with my views and so re-
ported to General Lee. On an average throughout, the space
from man to man was at least eight feet in the line of
trenches. I doubted not that with a reserve of five hundred
men I could have driven the enemy from any point which
they might capture, and repeatedly urged that such an ar-
rangement be made, knowing well that the enemy, by con-
centrating a large force on any given point, could press their
way through the line, and my only salvation was in having
the means at hand to drive them back before large numbers
could enter. Our left was the post of greatest danger. There
should the reserve have been placed ; but General Lee in-
formed me that every available man was on duty, and I must
do the best I could.

On Sunday night of the 2d we had orders to abandon
the works, and without the knowledge of the Federals, we
withdrew to the north side of the Appomattox river, follow-
ing the Hickory Road to Goode's bridge, when we recrossed
the iVppomattox, proceeding towards Amelia Court House,
which we reached on the morning of the 5th. Wednesday
we remained stationary in line of battle, confronting the en-
emy until about dark, when we followed the army, taking up
the rear, being very much impeded on the march by the
wagon train and its most miserable management, which, as I
apprehended, would cause us some disaster. The enemy
showed themselves on Thursday, about S o'clock, a. m., in
our rear and on our left flank, when near Amelia Springs,
and in a short time began to press us vigorously.

I then formed Cox's and Cowand's Brigades in line of bat-
tle, with a heavy skirmish line in front to impede their pro-
gress, and to cover our rear, sending Battle's, Cook's and
Archer's Brigades forward for one-half mile to form there,
across the road, in line of battle in order to allow Cowand

Surrender at Appomattox. 251

and Cox to retreat safely when the enemy had deployed and
prepared to attack ; onr right flank being protected by a jSTorth
Carolina brigade of cavalry under General Koberts. In this
manner alternating the brigades throughout the day, we con-
tinued to oppose the enemy and retreat, endeavoring to pro-
tect the lagging wagon train, which was successfully done up
to about i p. m., when we approached Sailor's Creek, and
upon the ridge running parallel with that stream we made
the final stand of the day, the wagons becoming blocked up
at the bridge crossing the stream. At this point General
Lee ordered me if possible to hold this line until he could
have artillery put in position on the opposite hills over the
creek parallel with those I occupied.

The enemy pushed on rapidly, attacking us with very
great pertinacity, We here repeatedly repulsed their as-
saults, but l»y turning both of our flanks they succeeded in
not only dislodging, but driving us across the creek in confu-
sion. About now the artillery from the heights occupied by
General Lee opened upon the enemy, and the sun being down
they did not cross the creek. After we broke, personally I
was so pressed, the space between the two wings of the enemy
beinc; not o^'ev two hundred yards, that I sought safety in re-
treat. I galloped to the creek (the bridge being in their
possession) where the banks were very precipitous, and for
protection from their murderous fire, concluded to jump my
horse in, riding him through the water, and effect my escape
by abandoning him on the other side, the bullets of the enemy
whistled around me like hail all the while. By great good
fortune, the opposite banks proved not so precipitous, and
my horse, seeming to appreciate the situation, clambered up
the height, and started off in a run, thus securing my safety.
This same animal. Warren, I still own and treasure for his
past services. That night we took the road for Farmville,
crossing the Appomattox at High Bridge, posting guards on
the south side, thus collecting all stragglers and returning
them to their commands.

The next morning (Friday) we continued our march down
tlie railroad and formed line of battle on the Lynchburg road,
still endeavoring to preserve that iinpedimenta of Caesar's —

252 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

the ^vagon train — marching by the left flank through the
woods parallel to the road traveled by the wagon train, and
about one hundred or so yards distant from the road. Upon
reaching the road and point that turns towards Lynchburg
from the Cumberland road, three of my brigades, Cook's,
Cox's and Cowand's, had crossed the Cumberland road and
were in line of battle, and at right angles with Battle's and
Archer's Brigades, wlio were still parallel with the Cumber-
land road. Heavy firing was going on at this point, when
General Mahone came rushing up and reported that the en-
emy had charged, turning his flank, and driving his men
from their guns and the works which he had erected early
in the day for the protection of these cross roads. I then
ordered my three brigades. Cook's, Cox's and Cowand's (to
move) at a double-quick on the line with Battle and Archer,
and charging the enemy, we drove them well off from Ma-
hone's works, recapturing the artillery taken by them and
capturing a large number of prisoners. I held this position
until sent for by General Lee, who complimented the troops
of the division upon the charge made and the service ren-
dered, ordering me to leave a skirmish line in my front, and
stating that Field's Division would occupy my position ; I
was to hurry with all possible dispatch to the road which
intersected the Lynchburg road, as the enemy's cavalry were
reported to be approaching by that road.

We reached this road, halting and keeping the enemy in
check until the wagons had passed, and then continued the
march ]iarallel with the road traveled hy the wagon train,
continuing thus to march until night, when we took the road
following to protect the trains.

On Saturday, the 8th, no enemy appeared, and we marched
undisturbed all day. U]i to this time, since the evacuation of
Petersburg, we had marched day and night, continually fol-
lowed and harassed by the enemy. The men were very much
jaded and suffering for necessary sustenance, our halts not
having been sufficiently long to prepare their food, besides all
our cooking utensils not captured or abandoned were where
we could not reach them. This day Bushrod Johnson's Di-
vision was assigned to and placed under my command, by

Surrender at Appomattox. 253

order of General Lee. Upon passing a clear stream of water
and learning that the other division of the corps had gone
into camp some two miles ahead, I concluded to halt and give
my broken down men an opportunity to close up and rejoin
us, and sent a message to Major-General John B. Gordon,
commanding the Corps, making known my whereabouts, in-
forming him I won Id be at any point he might designate at
any honr desired.

By dark my men were all quiet and asleep. About 9
o'clock I heard the roar of artillery in our front and in con-
sequence of information received, I had my command aroused
in time and passed through the town of Appomattox Court
House before daylight, where, upon the opposite side of the
town, I found the enemy in my front. Throwing out my
skirmishers and forming line of battle, I reconnoitred and
satisfied myself as to their position, and awaited the arrival
of General Gordon for instructions who, a while before day,
accompanied b}^ General Fitz Lee, came to my position, when
we held a council of war. General Gordon was of the opin-
ion that the troops in our front were cavalry, and that Gen-
eral Fitz Lee should attack. Fitz Lee thought they were
infantry and that General Gordon should attack. They dis-
cussed the matter so long that I became impatient, and said it
was somebody's duty to attack, and that immediately, and
I felt satisfied that they could be driven from the cross roads
occupied by them, which was the route it was desirable that
our wagon train should pursue, and that I would undertake
it ; whereupon Gordon said, "Well, drive them off." I replied,
"I cannot do it with my division alone, but require assist-
ance." He then said, "You can take the two other divisions
of the Corps." By this time it was becoming sufficiently
light to make the surrounding localities visible. I then rode
down and invited General Walker, who commanded a divis-
ion on my left, composed principally of Virginians, to ride
with me, showing him the position of the enemy and explain-
ing to him m}' vicAvs and plan of attack. He agreed with
me as to its advisability. I did this because I felt that I
had assumed a very great responsibility when I took upon
myself the charge of making the attack. I then made dispo-

254 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

sitions to dislodge the Federals from their position, placing
Bushrod Johnson's Division upon my right, with instruc-
tions to attack and take the enemy in the flank, while my
division skirmishers charged in front, where temporary
earthworks had been thrown up by the enemy, their cavalry
holding the crossings of the road with a battery. I soon per-
ceived a disposition on their j^art to attack this division in
flank. I rode back and threw our right so as to take advant-
age of some ditches and fences to obstruct the cavalry if they
should attem])t to make a charge. In the meantime the cav-
alry of Fitz Lee were proceeding by a circuitous route to get
in rear of them at these cross roads. The enemy observing
me placing these troops in position, fired upon me with four
pieces of artillery. T remember well the appearance of the
shell, and how directly they came towards me, exploding and
completely enveloping me in smoke. I then gave the sig-
nal to advance, at the same time Fitz Lee charged those
posted at the cross roads, when my skirmishers attacked the
breastworks, which were taken without much loss on my part,
also capturing several pieces of artillery and a large number
of prisoners, I at the same time moving the division up to
the support of the skirmishers in echelon by brigades, driving
the enemy in confusion for three-quarters of a mile beyond
the range of hills covered with oak undergrowth. I then
learned from the prisoners that my right flank was threat-
ened. Halting my troops T placed the skirmishers, com-
manded by Colonel J. E. Winston, Forty-fifth North Caro-
lina Troops, in front, about one hundred yards distant, to
give notice of indication of attack. I placed Cox's Brigade,
which occupied the right of the division at right angles to the
other troops, to watch that flank. The other divisions of
the Corps (Walker's and Evans') were on the left. I then
sent an officer to General Gordon, announcing our success,
and that the Lynchburg road was open for the escape of the
wagons, and that I awaited orders. Thereupon I received
an order to withdraw, which I declined to do, supposing that
General Gordon did not understand the commanding posi-
tion which my troops occupied. He continued to send me
order after order to the same effect, which I still disregarded,

Surrender at Appomattox. 255

being under the impression that he did not comprehend our
favorable location, until finally, I received a message from
him, with an additional one, as coming from General Lee, to
fall back. I felt the difficulty of withdrawing without disas-
ter and ordered Colonel J. Ti. Winston, commanding the
skirmish line which had been posted in my front on first
reaching these hills, to conform his movements to those of
the division, and to move by the left flank so as to give notice
of an attack from -that qimrter. I then ordered Cox to main-
tain his position in line of battle, and not to show himself
until our rear was one hundred yards distant, and then to fall
back in line of battle, so as to protect our rear and right flank
from assault. I then instructed Major Peyton, of my staff,
to start the left in motion, and I continued with the rear.

The enemy upon seeing us move off, rushed out from un-
der cover with a cheer, when Cox's Brigade, lying concealed
at the brow of the hill, rose and fired a volley into them
which drove them back into the woods, the brigade then fol-
lowing their retreating comrades in line of battle unmolested.
After proceeding about half the distance to the position oc-
cupied by us in the morning, a dense mass of the enemy in
column (infantry), appeared on our right, and advanced,
without firing, towards the earthworks captured by us in the
early morning, when a battery of our artillery opened Avith
grai:)e and canister and drove them under the shelter of the
woods.

As my troops approached their position of the morning, I
rode up to General Gordon and asked where I should form
line of battle. He replied, ''Anywhere you choose." Struck
by the strangeness of the reply, I asked an explanation, where-
upon he informed me that we would be surrendered. I then
expressed very forcibly my dissent to being surrendered, and
indignantly upbraided him for not giving me notice of such
intention, as I could have escaped with my division and
joined General Joe Johnston, then in North Carolina. Fur-
thermore, that I should then inform my men of the purpose
to surrender, and that whoever desired to escape that calam-
ity could go with me, and galloped off to carry this idea into
effect. Before reaching my troops, however. General Gor-

256 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'G5.

don overtook nie, and placing his hand upon my shoulder,
asked me if I were going to desert the army and tarnish my
OAvn honor as a soldier, and said that it would be a reflection
upon General Lee and an indelible disgrace to me, if I, an
officer of rank, should escape under a flag of truce, which
was then pending. I was in a dilemma and knew not what
to do ; but finally concluded to say nothing on the subject to
my troops.

Upon reaching them, one of the soldiers, asked if General
Lee had surrendered, and upon my answering that I feared it
was a fact that we had been surrendered, he cast away his
musket and holding his hands aloft, cried in an agonized
voice, "Blow, Gabriel, blow ! Xy God, let him Blow ; I am
ready to die !" We then went beyond the creek at Appo-
mattox Court House, stacked arms amid the bitter tears of
bronzed veterans, regretting the necessity of capitulation.

Among the incidents ever fresh in my memory of this
fatal day to the Confederacy^ is the remark of a private sol-
dier. When riding up to my old regiment to shake by the
hand each comrade who had followed me through four years
of suffering, toil, and privation often Avorse than death, to
bid them a final, affectionate, and, in many instances, an
eternal fareAvell, a cadaverous, ragged, barefooted man
grasped me by the hand, and choking with sobs said, "Good-
bye, General ; God bless you ; we will go home, make three
more crops and then try them again." I mention this in-
stance simply to show the spirit, the pluck and the faith of
our men in the justice of our cause, and that they surren-
dered more to grim famine than to the prowess of our ene-
mies.

That day and the next the terms of surrender were ad-
justed ; the following day our paroles were signed and coun-
tersigned, and on Wednesday, 12 April, 1865, we stacked
our arms in an old field, and each man sought his home as
best he might.

Bryan Grimes.
Grimesland, N. C,

5 November. 1879.

Note. — This is taken from a letter from General Grimes to INIajor John
W. Moore.

Ithe new yokKj
i PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ASTOR, LENOX AND
TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.

IVERSON-JOHNSTON BRIGADE.

Franklin J. Faison, Lt.-Col., 20th Regt.

Killed at Gaines' Mills, 27 June, 1863.
Duncan James De Vane, Major, 20th Regt.
John Franklin Ireland, Captain, Co. D, 20th

Regt., A. A. G. Iverson's Brigade.

Wounded and captured near Petersburg,

25 March, 1S65.

Oliver E. Mercer, 2d Lt., Co. G, 20th Regt.

Killed at Gettysburg, 1 July, 1863.
James D. Ireland, Private, Co. E, 20th Regt.

Wounded at Gettysburg, 1 July, 1863.
John F. Cross, IstLt., Co. B, ."ith Regt.
Thomas Badger,!2d Lt., Co. I, 5th Regt.

nPFOMATTOX AND THE RETURN

HOME.

By WALTER A. MONTGOMERY, Second Lieutenant Company F,
Twelfth Regiment, N. C. T.

Appomattox to the historian is an event, not a place. The
little village of that name in Southwestern Virginia which,
on 9 April, 1865, consisted of a court house, jail, postoffice
and a fe^v scattered houses, was not an interesting spot of
earth ; and only that which came to pass there, on that day,
has brought the hamlet to the notice of the world.

ISTeither Avere the physical — material — deeds done there on
that day great of themselves. The event, if it could be con-
sidered as disconnected with its consequences and withoiit
relation to the past, would also be of trivial moment; only a
few thousand of ragged, starving soldiers, beaten in pitched
battle, surrounded and captured after a week's retreat and an
ever-aggressive pursuit by a powerful and watchful foe — that
was all. But the captured were the remnant of the iVrmy
of Northern Virginia; the captors the Armj of the Potomac,
and that, together with the consequences raised the occur-
rence to the plane of world-history. There, was the death-
scene of an army once formidable in numbers and so great
in prestige that it added renown to its enemy who gave the
mortal wound ; and its great leader, by the act of furling the
battle-flags of his regiments, conferred on his antagonist his
highest title to fame. That army, during its four years of
existence, had never been broken in battle, though out of
them all it went on its way dripping with blood. It had al-
ways been chivalric in its treatment of prisoners and espe-
cially kind to such of them as were sick or wounded. It had
always been scrupulous in its respect for womankind and
most careful of the rights of private property. For three
years, the flash from its musketry was a sheet of flame encir-
17

258 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

cling the borders of the Confederacy and consuming like stub-
ble fresh armies and fresh generals of its enemy, and twice
bursting the bounds of its territory, leaped into the heart of
the enemy's country. It made immortal almost every hill and
dale of the Old Dominion, and electrified the civilized world
wdth its deeds of heroism ; and though wounded nigh unto
death at Gettysburg, it afterwards, at the Wilderness, at
Spottsylvania and at second Cold Harbor, against odds in-
calculable, performed prodigies of valor far in excess of any
of its former achievements. But the time was at hand when
it became possible for these men, 60,000 in number, poorly
fed, badly shod and without suitable clothing, and losing
their strength even in tlieir victories, to be driven back by
140,000 upon their capital for a last stand. Through the
long siege of eight months, in the trenches around Peters-
burg, the survivors in seasons of extreme heat and extreme
cold, suffering from a want of food and clothes, maintained,
yet without li()]ie, their courage and their self-respect ; and
they finally left their post only ui)on an order from their
great leader, and after they had repulsed a series of desperate
assaults. For a week, on their retreat without rest, and hun-
gry, they flung defiance at their enemies and responded with
alacrity to every order to face their pursuers until at last, at
the end, they threw themselves upon their foes now blocking
their way with a wail of despair drowned by the roar of ar-
tillery and the rattle of their rifles ; and then, —

"The pennon droops tlmt led the sacred band
Along the crimson field."

Thenceforward the Army of jSTorthern Virginia lived only
in history.

To the Southerners of that day Appomattox was the tomb
of their social aspirations, the sepulchre of their political
hopes ; for no people ever made nobler sacrifices for their
convictions than they did for theirs ; and no people ever loved
more devotedly, or more fully believed in their cause, than
did the Confederates in theirs ; and their grief over the resiilt
was proportioned to their love and their faith.
• With the dying aw^ay of the cannon's last echoes, the
idea of State sovereignty- — of American interest, and ISTegro

Appomattox and the Return HoxME. 259

slavery — of world-wide concern, perished together, to be
succeeded, in short, bv National supremacy and univer-
sal freedom. Then, and there, was settled, as far as opin-
ion can be settled by force, that question of transcendant
consequence to our country, unfortunately left an open one
by our Constitution makers, to-Avit. : whether a State can
withdraw of its own volition from the Union. From that
day, the view of a consolidated Xational Government in con-
tradistinction to one strictly Federal with supreme allegiance
to the State has grown in public favor until the Great Re-
pidjlic in very recent years has acquired possessions in the
farthest quarters of the globe and seems determined, contrary
to the traditions of our people and the conservatism of the
past, to take an active share in shaping the destinies of the
nations.

But that which gave the occurrence universal importance
was that with the destruction of the military power of the
South an idea — the belief that one man may have a right of
projierty in another — an idea as old, in some form or other,
as history itself was exploded. Emancipation had been pro-
claimed by the President more than two years liefore, but Ap-
pomattox made the proclamation enforceable. Brazil fol-
lowed in 1872 and Russia a little later.

But, 1 am to write more particularly of my recollections
of the occurrences of that day and of my return to my home.

I was then 20 years old, the February before, and a Lieu-
tenant of Company F, Twelfth l^orth Carolina Regiment,
R. D. Johnston's Brigade, Pegram's Division, then com-
manded by General James A. Walker. A restless night,
passed a mile away on the old Richmond and Lynchburg
stage road, preceded the fateful morrow. There was present
throughout its long hours a dull sense of impending catas-
trophe quickened by an occasional and ominous discharge of
cannon and small arms to our left and front. Before the
dawn we were up and under arms, and without water or
food commenced, as we thought, the march for Lynchburg.
As Ave entered the eastern limits of the town, in column of
fours, and just as the sun was rising, a cannon shot screamed
over our heads from our immediate front, and we then knew

260 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

that our forebodings were well founded. The enemy during
the night had succeeded in his march around our left and was
upon our front. Hurrying rapidly through the town we
formed line of battle a half or three-quarters of a mile beyond
and on the left of the road. We were a part of the troops
General Grimes mentioned in his article on Appomattox,
as a division commanded by General Walker "composed
principally of Virginians." That division, in fact, was com-
posed mostly of North Carolinians, Johnston's and Lewis'
Brigades (North Carolinians), and Pegram's old brigade
(Virginians). The troops on the right of us were Grimes'
Division. Along the whole Confederate line as it advanced,
the firing so far as I could discern, was opened simultane-
ously, and when the men of Johnston's Brigade were ordered
back I heard thereafter no continuous firing of small arms.
The advance was supported by a battery of five pieces in po-
sition on the western slope of the hill, and that battery kept
up its fire some minutes after the infantry had ceased to be
engaged. In our advance we raised the usual rehel yell and
the line of Federals, dismounted cavalry, was quickly driven
from its hastily constructed breastworks of rails and brush
to the main line, on the hills, consisting of infantry and ar-
tillery. I saw the wheels of the gun carriages and the men
with knapsacks and guns. They w^ere not plainly discerni-
ble because of the thick and low growth of the timber along
their line, although the ground over which we advanced was
half meadow land, through which ran a ditch with running
water parallel to the line, the whole sparsely timbered, but of
large growth.

The battle was severer on our right and we understood at
the time that General Cox, with his brigade, had the brunt
of it, and that they claimed the honor of firing the last rounds.
Suddenly and just as it seemed to us we were about to engage
the Union infantry, the order was given to march "right
about," and we retired a few hundred yards in the direction
of our first position, where we remained', perhaps an hour.
During that time nobody seemed to know anything about
what was going on. There was a general idea that a truce
was on, but no particulars. It was common talk, then, that

Appomattox and the Return Home. 261

at this very stage an interview took place between General
Gordon and General Cnster, the latter having come into onr
lines, under flag, to meet the Confederate General in com-
mand for a conference and to prevent further bloodshed : that
Custer assured Gordon that the Union cordon was complete
and strong enough to destroy the Confederates if they should
attempt to break through ; and that if General Gordon desired
a verification of the statement he would take him on a round
of inspection of the Federal lines ; tliat the proposition was
accepted and after the inspection had been made our Second
Corps was ordered back to places convenient for camp. The
generous treatment we afterwards received at their hands is
proof that they were magnanimous enough to have made such
a proposition. It is certain that General Custer about that
hour, or little later, sought and found General Longstreet.
That officer, in "From Manassas to Appomattox," says that
Custer demanded of him the surrender of the Confederate
Army in the name of General Sheridan ; that he was excited
in his manner; that he received from him (Longstreet) a
rebuke for his intrusion ; that he then became more moderate
and said, "It would be a pity to have more bloodshed upon
that field."

It seems that up to that time the two commanders had not
yet met, and that Longstreet was preparing for battle after
Gordon had withdrawn his corps from the front. I remem-
ber Avhile we were standing awaiting orders. Sergeant White-
ner, of Company A, said to me that the Army of Northern
Virginia was about to be surrendered. T answered : "But
we will have no difficulty in clearing the way; we have
already shown that we can do that." He then pointed to the
right and left to columns of Union troops, infantry, remark-
ing: "We only struck their cavalry just now; we can never
drive their infantry off; they are too strong." Our brigade
was ordered back ])robably a mile for camp into a small piece
of poorly timbered land, white and post oak, on the right
of the Lynchburg road ; and the guns were stacked as usual on
bivouac.

The first few hours were spent in uncertainty. We could
not know that the terms would be of such a nature as to be

262 North Carolina Troops, 1801 -'65.

accepted. When that suspense was quieted by the announce-
ment that the terms were satisfactory and had been accepted
by General Lee, a feeling of collapse, mental and physical,
succeeded for some hoiirs. Very little Avas said by men or
officers. They sat, or laid on the ground in reflective mood,
overcome by a flood of sad recollections. Few were to be
seen away from their camps, and no life was there ; in fact
on that day there were more Union troops to be seen on the
road and in the fields within our line than Confederates.

During the afternoon rations of bread were issued to us,
but no meat until the next day, and then in small quantities.
The animals were entirely without long food and they could
be seen about in the fields in favorable spots trying to find the
first grass and weeds of the season. It was understood that
it was a matter of difficulty for the Union commissariat to
get provisions for men and horses ; and we had had very little
for several days. On the next day (Monday) the men began
to recover themselves. They realized, not fully, it is trtie,
but measurably, the tremendous importance of the event, and
began to take thought for the future. Of course their first
thought was to reach their homes as soon as possible for their
services were, in most eases, sorely needed there. Crops
could be planted and cultivated by those whose lives had been
formerly on the farms and the others, in some indefinite way,
ho]:)ed for something to do. Then, they wished to get through
with the trying ordeal of the act of surrender, for, they did
not know what the formalities might be, and in spite of their
great deeds of the past, and consciences at rest on the score
of duty performed to the last, they yet felt that it wottld be
to them a hiuniliating scene. There was no personal bitter-
ness in their hearts, little or no profane language, no curses
upon their enemies. Their conduct was equal to the occasion.

I heard no word of ill-will against the National Govern-
ment in the future, no suggestions of guerrilla warfare. The
universal sentiment was that the questions in dispute had
been fought to a finish, and that was the end of it. Their
confidence in their General Officers was unshaken, and for
General Lee their affections and their esteem amounted to
adoration. They knew he was heartbroken. In discussing

Appomattox and the Return Home. 263

the incidents wliieli produced the most harnifnl effects upon
the fortunes of the army they mentioned the death of General
Jackson, and the failure to occupy the heights at Gettysburg
at the conclusion of the first day's battle. They also talked
freely of the injustice of the conscript law, with its permis-
sion of substitutes and twenty negro exemption, but I heard
no breath of censure for thePresident who recommended those
laws. On Monday two matters of diversion occurred. Gen-
eral Gordon had the Second Corps, without arms of course,
assembled in massed columns and from a central position, on
horseback, delivered to them a farewell address. He spoke
of their great and heroic achievements, of their privations
and their sufferings, and their unselfish devotion to duty, and
advised them to return to their homes to be as good citizens as
they had been soldiers. Pie opened his speech with these
words : '^Soldiers of the Second Army Corps ! No mathema-
tician can compute the odds against which you have contend-
ed," and he entered into an exhortation that they maintain
their principles and their courage, with the assurance on his
part that in all future emergencies, if the contest should be re-
ncAved, they would find him ready to lead them again ; that
''the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church." We
heard that the tenor of the address was not much relished at
the Federal headquarters. He was a good soldier throughout
his entire service, and if, at the Wilderness on the evening of
6 May, 1864, when he struck Sedgwick he had been in com-
mand of a corps, he would have rolled up Grant's right like a
scroll. He was the most dashing of all the Confederates at
Appomattox. Just after the speaking, or while it was going
on, a number of Federal cavalrymen, who had been riding
about our camps, one of them being under the influence of
strong drink, gave us some trouble. The man in his cups in
spinning some yarns about his ]ierformanees of the day be-
fore, mentioned that one of his number was captured by some
of General Longstreet's men, and that some of the General's
staff had taken from the prisoner his housewife (thread and
needle case), when a Georgian standing by, not being famil-
iar with the name of the article alleged to have been taken —
house-wife — picked up a stone and throwing it, brought his

264 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

man to the ground. Considerable confusion ensued, and be-
cause of that circumstance, an order was issued from Federal
headquarters that no Union soldiers would be allowed to visit
the Confederate camps without written permission.

On that day, also. General Custer rode over to Johnston's
Brigade to see his friend and classmate at West Point, John
W. Lea, who was Colonel of the Fifth North Carolina Regi-
ment, and then in command of the brigade. They had met
the day before at General Custer's quarters. General Cus-
ter brought with him an orderly with a basket of provisions
and a flask of whiskey. Upon invitation of Colonel Lea, sev-
eral of the ofiicers of the brigade joined General Custer and
himself in the luncheon. He was of a most cheerful disposi-
tion and very handsome in personal appearance. He told
us that the honors of th^ 9th wer^ really with the Confed-
erates, all things considered; that he took no glory to him-
self when he ascertained the numbers of the Confederate
army. On Monday also the paroles were printed and sent
around to regimental headquarters — mine is now before me
and is. dated 10 April, and signed by P. Durham, Captain
Command ing R egiment.

We kept no guard around the camp and had no duties of
any kind to perform ; nor did we see a Union soldier with
arms in his hands until the very moment at which our men,
early on Wednesday morning, stacked their guns in front of
the Federal Corps detailed to receive them. That was a
most simple ceremony. In a line north and south, in a field,
a Federal Corps Avas standing with arms at a shoulder wait-
ing to receive the Confederates and their arms. We filed,
in fours, just in front of them and ten feet off came to a
halt and faced to the left ; the guns were then stacked and
the flags laid on the stacks.

The officers were allowed, under the terms of the surren-
der, to keep their side arms. Not a word was spoken ; we
did not even look into each others faces. We were
marched from the spot to the road and, without returning
to camp, turned our faces toward the South, toward our
homes — and as I looked back for the last time the Federal
Corps had not moved from its tracks, nor had a gun or a flag

^STOR, LENOX AND

TWELFTH REGIMENT.

1. J. M. B. Hunt, Captain, Co. B, 12th Regt.

2. Milton Blalock, 1st Sergt., Co. D, 12th Regt.

3. George Hall Raney, Private, Co. B, 12th

Regt.

4. Cha?. Wm Raney, Private, Co. B, 12th Regt.

5. Thomas D. Royater, Private, Co. D, 12th Regt.

6. Richard A. Lloyd, Private, Co. B, 12th Regt.

7. Samuel J. Currin, Private, Co. B, 12th Regt.

Appomattox and the Return Home. 265

been touched, and we had not yet opened our lips. It soon
became apparent that there was no system, or plan about the
march of the troops homeward.

Somehow or other it became understood that General
Grimes would conduct the ]\^orth CaTOlinians on their w^ay;
anyhow a considerable number of them were under his direc-
tions and he ordered the march toward Campbell Court
House, with the intention to go from there to Danville. For
two or three miles everything passed off smoothly. When,
however, we came to a point where there was a divergent road
leading in a more southerly direction. Private Thomas Roys-
ter, from Granville County, saluted the General and said,
"General, you are a good officer and you know the road to take
a good many of these bo^'s to their homes, but I live lower
down the Roanoke than Danville and it seems to me all who
want to go to counties east of Granville should take this road ;
anyhow I am going to try it and all who want to follow me
can come on." Royster was a splendid soldier, considerably
over six feet tall, symmetrical in form, with one of the best
and kindest faces I ever saw and an eye intelligent and most
expressive. A considerable number followed him. Amongst
the number T. B. Watson, Austin Allen, R. H. Gilliland, -Tas.
M. Bobbitt, P. A. Bobbitt, J. H. Duke, Robert C. Montgom-
ery, my brother, and myself. We soon formed a party, for the
men as if by instinct, broke up into small squads, and we con-
tmued together until we seven reached our homes in Warren
County. We started off with a small quantity of bread and
coffee, but with no meat ; but on our way, with one exception,
we met with kindness and consideration from the residents.
We never saw Royster after ten minutes from the time we
left the main column, for he with his strong body and long
legs, had soon distanced us. jSTor did we have any conversa-
tion with aiiy other soldier on our journey except a young
man whom we found in a barn on a bed of straw on a plan-
tation, near Rough Creek Church, our first night's camping
ground. At that home there were only a mother and daugh-
ter, the male memliers of the household being in their places
in the army. At dark we walked up to the house and in-
formed them of our condition and our desire to be allowed to

266 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

use the barn for lodgings and the privilege of water from the
well in the yard. Thev received us not only with politeness,
but with kindness. They also added to our bread and coffee
a piece of bacon and some sorghum molasses. In front of the
barn we made a live coal lire and soon had our supper pre-
pared. When the meal was over we filled our pipes with
"Zephyr Puif/' a brand of smoking tobacco, several packages
of which I had taken from a burning pile in the streets of
Petersburg, the night of the evacuation, and for the time for-
got our troubles. About 9 o'clock we went again to the
bouse and inquired of the two householders if they would
like to hear some music, and upon the response, of course, in
the affirmative, Watson, who Avas a musician, leading with his
cornet, and accompanied by the voices of the two Bobbitts,
my brother and myself, all of us having belonged to a glee
club in the army, we entertained them for half an hour. On
retiring to the barn and making our beds upon the straw, we
stumbled upon our only acquaintance on the way, who was in
a helpless condition, and who could not tell vis how he came
to be there. He only said that he could go no further and
had laid down there to die. He was exhausted from fatigue
and want of food and iipon our preparing for him something
to eat and a strong pot of coffee, his strength was revived. We
left him in fair condition. He reached his home in Warren
County and is now a well-to-do farmer and the head of a
large family. We heard of General Eansom along our route
helping along the tired and foot-sore by often dismounting
and placing such in his saddle, and speaking to them wOrds of
hope and cheer. We greatly wished to come up with him,
and to talk with him, for we had great interest and pride in
him ; his people and ours havino; been for generations con-
nected by ties of friendship. We had watched his career
as a soldier which had reflected honor on his State and upon
the South, and especially his strikingly brilliant conduct at
Five Forks, a few days before.

We spent the next nicht (Thursday) near the town of
Chase City, then called Christiansbnrg. In passing through
Charlotte Coui't House, on that day, we called at a large well-
appointed home in the midst of extensive grounds, and at

Appomattox and the Return Home. 267

once were asked into the family living room, the family con-
sisting entirely of ladies and children, and at once were made
to feel at ease. An invitation, heartily pressed upon us, to
dine we, of course, accepted. In the interval the cornet and
the voices added interest to the occasion, delighting young
and old, who had heard no sound of music for months. The
war songs and old Southern ballads we had practiced, and
often along the Shenandoah and Rappahannock w^e had given
solace and pleasure to our friends and companions; but un-
fortunately on the present occasion we, without proper fore-
thought, began ""There Will Be one Vacant Chair," when the
younger lady commenced to weep.

At once Ave knew the cause. We w^ere thoughtless because
there were so many vacant chairs in Southern households. In
that particular case it was the husband's. But the elder
lady made everything so easy and so delicately explained the
situation, that it passed off without further embarrassment,
and we left their home after dinner with their thanks and
prayers, as if we had conferred a favor upon them.

Our last night was spent near the Roanoke at the hospita-
ble home of Colonel Eaton, the uncle of Captain M. F. Tay-
lor, who was mortally wounded on the retreat from Gettys-
burg. The nephew was, in truth, a most estimable gentle-
man and capable officer, and a great favorite with the whole
regiment. He was the idol of the uncle, and we all could,
sitting around that hearthstone with truth* and propriety join
in honoring the dead hero and kinsman. The host was of
large means, given to hospitality, and until a late hour we
grieved over our losses, celebrated our victories and mourned
over the disappointment of our hopes. On rising the next
morning for an early breakfast, had at our request, we found
our shoes cleaned, our tattered uniforms brushed and hung
on chairs. After the meal we left our kind entertainer stand-
ing on the front portico and almost overcome by his feelings,
watching us as we disap]'»eared forever from his sight, down
the road that led us to our own beloved and bereaved ones.

All along our route we met with only kindness and consid-
eration with one exception, and that at the house of a man
who was formerlv a resident of our own county. He refused

268 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

us water from his well, and a rest upon the steps of his house,
although we informed him who we were, and he knew the
families of us all. We shook the dust of his premises from
our feet and renewed our journey. Before we had gotten out
of sight one of his old negro slaves, who had heard the con-
versation between us, followed with his wife and soon over-
taking us, introduced himself as an old acquaintance of the
father of each one of us whom he had known in Warren.
He made apologies for the conduct of his master. He
brought along with him a pair of chickens, some corn meal,
and a bucket of water, and in a short while the old man and
his wife had prepared for us a feast.

The old colored man said to us that when the female mem-
bers of his master's family protested against his refusal to
give to a Confederate soldier a cup of cold water he replied
that he was afraid that they might have some contagious
disease or depredate upon his poultry during the night. To
the credit of humanity it may be said that we had few of such
in the South. The refined feelings and delicate sensibili-
ties of those old colored people, manifested so strikingly in
such substantial sympathy, made up a beautiful picture of
Southern life; and wherever we eight have been we have
told it as an everlasting memorial of them. On our last day's
journey at a fork of the Ridgeway and Alexander Ferry
road, our party broke up, Watson, Allen and Gilliland contin-
uing their way to their homes in the same neighborhood and
we, the other five, to ours in Warrenton. We are all still
living except Gilliland, and all bear upon our bodies lasting
signs of those days.

Upon our arrival at Warrenton the streets were alive w^ith
the inhabitants anxiously waiting for the particulars of the
surrender of which they had heard only vague reports. They
were astonished at the news and many of them expressed
themselves in favor of ''continuing the struggle," as they ex-
pressed it ; but they were non-combatants.

Walter A. Moxtgomery.

Raleigh. N. C.,

13 December, 190L

THE LAST 15 DAYS OF BAKER'S
COnMAND AT VELDON.

By JAMES M. MULLEX, Private Company A., 13th N. C. Battalion.

After the evacuation of Plymouth, Washington, Kinston
and Goldsl)oro, Brigadier-General L. S. Baker was sent to
Weldon, charged with the duty of holding on to that place,
not only for the purpose of preserving railroad communica-
tion betAveen the other forces in Xorth Carolina and the Army
of Northern Virginia, and those along the line of the Wil-
mington & Weldon Railroad from Goldsboro to that point,
but of collecting supplies for these armies from that por-
tion of Eastern Carolina not actually in the possession
of the enemy. The authorities recognizing the importance
of this position in these respects, it being one of the
principal sources of supply for the armies in the field, in-
structed General Baker to hold it until the last moment, and
at the same time, to watch o\it for and repel any raids of the
enemy coming from the Blackwater and Chowan, and from
Plymouth, Washington and Goldsboro. With the force un-
der his command, this was no light duty, and he was necessa-
rily abseut from Weldon most of his time looking after the
various points under his supervision. Weldon, however, was
the headquarters of his departnlent, which was styled "The
Second Military District of North Carolina." In his ab-
sence the Captain of our battery (Captain L. H. Webb, Com-
pany A, Thirteenth Battalion, North Carolina Light Artil-
lery), was in command.

These were times that tried men's souls, and put to the
severest test the metal with which Confederate soldiers were
made. All signs indicated that the end was near at hand. Lee
had abaiidoned Petersburg and Pichmond. though this was un-
known to us until several days thereafter, as I shall show later
on ; all of North Carolina east of the Wilmington & Weldon

270 North Carolina Troops. 1861-'65.

railroad had been given up, and Sherman had made his mem-
orable march through Georgia to the sea, and through the
Carolinas, having as his objective point Goldsboro, where he
proposed to form a junction with Schofield, coming up from
Xew Bern via Kinston, and Terry, moving from Wilmington.
This was accomplished by him on 23 March, 1865. The giant
arms of an octopus were rapidly closing upon the Confeder-
acy in her final desperate but grand struggle for independ-
ence. Just one month previous to the junction of these three
armies, flushed as they were with victory, that old war-horse,
General Joe Johnston, had relieved Beauregard at Charlotte,
N. C, and was charged with the difficult task of collecting
and uniting in one army the scattered forces of Bragg, Har-
dee, Hood and Beauregard, for one supreme effort to stay the
tide of invasion, and he prepared, if necessary, to unite
his forces at Danville with those of Lee, who even then con-
templated abandoning his position around Petersburg for
that purpose, with the hope that the two armies might fall
upon Sherman and crush him before Grant could come to
his assistance. Vain hope, born of desperation, for Sher-
man, having reached Goldsl)oro, his next plan was not to fol-
low after Johnston, but to open communication with Grant,
so that the two might act together. This is shown by his
special order, issued about 5 April, at Goldsboro, which reads :
"The next grand objective is to place this army (with its full
equipment) north of Eoauoke river, facing west, with a base
for supplies at Xorfolk, and at Winton or Murfreesboro, on
the Chowan, and in full communication with the Army of the
Potomac at Petersburg; and also to do the enemy as much
harm as possible en route." His army was to move on 10
April, in three columns of 25,000 each, with his cavalry un-
der Kilpatrick aiming direct for Weldon until it had crossed
the Tar, the general point of concentration being Warrenton,
]Sr. C. But the whole plan w\as suddenly changed by the news
of the fall of Pichmond and Petersburg, which reached him
at Goldsboro on 6 April. Inferring that Lee would succeed
in making junction with Johnston, with a fraction of his
army at least, somewhere in his front, he prepared on the day
he had appointed (10 April) to leave Goldsboro to move

Baker's Command at Weldon. 271

straight on Raleigh, which place he reached on 13 April, and
found that Johnston had moved further on.

Let us now leave Sherman at lialeigh, and go back to the
little force at Weldon. And in the outset, I take pleasure in
acknowledging my indehtedness for much I shall now recount
to mv old cominander, Captain L. li. Webb, than whom a
truer soldier never drew sword, and who has very kindly fur-
nished me extracts from his diary kept during this period.
I have also obtained valuable information from that gallant
soldier, Hon. Jas. C. MacRae, then Assistant Adjutant-Gen-
eral on General Baker's staff, and since one of the Supreme
Court Judges of North Carolina.

The task imposed upon this small force, consisting of two
or three hundred infantry and our battery numbering about
one hundred and twenty-five men, was no light one. For
weeks it had been in a state of constant activity and excite-
ment, enhanced towards the last with continual suspense and
anxiety. It had been constantly on the move to meet threat-
ened advances from the directions of the Tar and lower Roan-
oke, and the ChoAvan and Blackwater rivers. If I remember
aright, during the month of March, it had been sent upon
two expeditions through Northampton, Hertford and Bertie
Counties, to repel reported raids of the enemy's cavalry from
the Chowan, one, to and below Tarboro to meet a threatened
advance from the lower Tar and Roanoke, and one, down the
Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad towards Franklin, to check a
cavalry raid from the Blackwater. This last expedition,
however, was in April, the command returning to camp there-
from the night of 6 April. It was under command of Colo-
nel Whitford, who had with him not to exceed two hundred
infantry, (about fifty of whom were members of our com-
pany, armed with inferior rifles), and two gi^ins from our bat-
tery. I was with the expedition as a cannoneer of one of the
guns of the battery. I forgot to say that we were conveyed
down the Seaboard road upon two or three flat cars, and pos-
sibly a box car or two. Upon reaching Boykin's Depot,
about twenty-five miles from Weldon, Ave discovered that, all
beloAv that point, the enemy had torn up and burned the track
so that it Avas impossible for us to proceed further on the

272 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

train. Disembarking, we reconnoitered the situation for sev-
eral miles aronnd and remained there until next morning,
when hearing that the enemy was making his way in the
direction of Weldon, we boarded the train and started back.
After passing Seaboard, a small station about ten miles east
of Weldon, Colonel Whitford, \A-ho was riding on the engine,
saw one or two men run across the track some six or seven
hundred yards ahead. He at once ordered the train stopped.
This precaution was not taken any too soon ; for as soon as
some of the infantry were put off as skirmishers and the sit-
uation was 'taken in, it was discovered that the track for some
distance just ahead of us was torn up and that the enemy had
ambuscaded both sides. We had passed Seaboard about a
mile. As soon as the train was stopped the enemy opened
fire upon us. Colonel Whitford caused the train to be run
back to Seaboard, where the remainder of the command was
put in position to await the return of the skirmishers, who
were ordered to fall back as soon as they could ascertain with
some certainty the force and purpose of the enemy. They
soon reported that the enemy, consisting of a regiment of cav-
alry, had retired in the direction of Jackson, which was dis-
tant some eight miles in a southeast direction from where we
were and away from Weldon. Colonel Whitford concluded
to follow on after them, but I suspect with no hearty desire
to meet up with them, for he could but know that our force
was not able to cope successfully with a full regiment. Upon
reaching Jackson, we learned there that the regiment was the
Third Xew York Cavalry, about six hundred strong, well
mounted and thoroughly equipped with Spencer repeating
carbines, and had passed through that town some hours be-
fore, and then must be near Murfreesboro, some twenty-five
miles distant. After waiting several hours at Jackson, our
guns were ordered back overland to Weldon, while the in-
fantry under Colonel Whitford's command retired to Hali-
fax. I shall always remember with pleasure one little inci-
dent connected with this affair. Several weeks before, as we
had more men than were required or needed to man the guns,
about sixty of our company had been armed with rifles and
acted with the infantrv. When the train was halted and skir-

Baker's Command at Weldon. 273

mishers throAvn off, I was anxious to join them and endeav-
ored to get one of tlie riflemen to exchange pLaees with me. I
kneAv he was disaffected and it occurred to me that he would
not hesitate to shirk danger ; l)ut I reckoned without ray host.
He rejected the overture with some indignation, and re-
marked that if anybody had to use his rifle he proposed to do
it himself ; and I ascertained that he behaved as gallantly as
any man. This but illustrates that it was not cowardice that
caused a great many of our soldiers to waver in their allegi-
ance towards the close of the war, l)ut the terrible hardships
to which they were subjected, the distressing accounts of suf-
fering of their loved ones at home, and the intuitive knowl-
edge that defeat was inevitable. I remember with sadness,
without any feeling of censure, many instances of desertion
of as brave men as ever marched to the tap of a drum.

On 7 April, about 5 o'clock p. m., a telegram was received
by Captain Webb, avIio was in command, from General John-
ston, ordering that all trains north of the Koanoke river be
recalled at once, all the artillery that could be moved got on
the south side, and such heavy guns in the defences north of
the river as could not be moved be destroyed, and tlie railroad
bridge burned. Steps were at once taken to execute the or-
der, and by hard service all night, the next morning (Satur-
day, 8th ) found everything in the shape of guns, ordnance,
quartermaster and commissary stores, removed from the north
side of the river and delivered in Weldon, and combustibles
at once gathered and ])laced at each end of the railroad bridge
to fire it as soon as all the trains were safely over. The
bridge, however, was not fired tliat day, why, I will let Cap-
tain Weill) speak. T quote from his diary: "General Baker
came up about 10 o'clock a. m. and ordered me with my bat-
tery and Williams' section of artillery across the river again.
Upon getting my battery over the river I put my guns in posi-
tion along the old line as I thought best, and awaited ulterior
orders from lieadquarters. My only support were the feeble
remains of a company of so-called cavalry under Captain
Strange. In all the twenty men of his command, there was
not a single man or officer decently mounted. With my old
fiery Bucephalus, ''Duncan," I could have charged and over-
18

274 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

turned every skeleton of a horse in his company. But the men
were all true ''Tar Heels," and there was no braver man than
Captain Strange. On the afternoon of the 10th, the artillery
was ordered back to the south side, and preparations made to
leave Weldon. According to Captain Webb, there were then
at that point about five hundred men, including at least sev-
enty-five stragglers, furlonghed men, convalescents from the
hospitals, and detailed men.

On the 12th the command to leave Weldon was given.
Ca])tain Webb was ordered to take charge of the column and
start towards Ealeigh, keeping as near the railroad as possi-
ble. By 10 o'clock a. m., the column was well on its way in
good order, the objective being, if possible, to join General
Johnston at or near lialeigh. We marched about sixteen
miles that day.

For several days previous to our departure, and even while
the artillery was on the north side of the river, everything was
done to put the force in good marching condition. Unfit and
worthless animals connected with the artillery, quartermaster
and commissary departments were condemned and either sold
or given away. To supply their places, squads of mounted
men were detailed to make tours through the adjacent farms
and plantations, to impress horses and mules. The extra
men of the connnand were parcelled out and assigned to the
different regular organizations, and everything in the way of
stores sent off by rail up the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad. The
bridge, however, remained m statu quo, and was not burned
until the night of the 13th, two days after we had marched
away. One of the duties imposed upon the men of our bat-
tery just before leaving Weldon Avas the collection and de-
struction of boats along the river, so that, upon the burning
of the bridge, communication with the north side might be
effectually cut off. Perhaps it was a precautionary measure
that could have been very safely dispensed with ; and when I
recall my own experience in the performance of that duty, I
am strongly inclined to that opinion. In company with a
mountaineer, who knew nothing of boatcraft, I w^as sent up
the river for that purpose. After proceeding about half a
mile above the bridge, we came across a boat ; but the owner,

Baker's Command at Weldon. 275

who doubtless had taken the alarm, had hid the poles with
which to propel it. Xothing daunted, we improvised the
best we could, and started down the river. Tempted by the
sight of some fish upon a slide near by, we essayed to cross
over and secure them, and had almost reached the prize when
my companion's pole broke and away we went down the
rapids. We fortunately passed the worst safely, and by dint
of extra exertion, reached the shore ; but for a few moments
there were two badly scared navigators. The rest of the trip
to the point we were ordered to bring the boats, was made by
swinging around, one of us in the stern and the other at the
bow alternately cat<-liing hold of and turning loose the bushes
along the bank.

The scenes in and around Weldon these few days were
heart-rending. As early as the 8th, the citizens in the coun-
try around, especially on the north side of the river, became
panic-stricken, and came crowding into the town, imagining
the direst calamities would befall them upon the withdrawal
of the troo]3s. We could but remember the kind and hospita-
ble treatment these good and loyal people had always extend-
ed to Confederate soldiers, and were deeply touched at their
distress. But some of us who had witnessed similar scenes
took comfort in the thought that it would not be half as bad
as they imagined. 1 remember the confusion and consterna-
tion in and around my own home upon hearing of the capture
of Koanoke Island ; and yet, the storm of war passed by with-
out inflicting the grievous woes apprehended. But Sherman
and his bummers did not pass that way.

By sunrise on the 13th, we resumed our march in a hard
rain, and with the roads in a terrible condition. Not long
after starting, we began to meet stragglers making their way
to our rear. Among the first to attract our attention, was a
weary looking, foot-sore and jaded young fellow in the dirty
and tattered uniform of a Lieutenant of infantry, who told
us he was going home, that Lee had surrendered, and what
was left of his army had been paroled. Up to this time, we
did not know that Petersburg had been abandoned, so com-
pletely were we isolated and cut off. Captain Webb, who
was in command. General Baker not yet having come up, re-

276 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

fused to believe him, and ordered him and some others under
guard to accompany the command until their story was ver-
ified. But it was not long before all were fully convinced of
the truth of their statements ; for the roads were soon filled
with soldiers returning from Lee's army. I shall never forget
the feeling that came over me when fully impressed with the
fact that Lee had surrendered. LTntil then I had never permit-
ted myself to doubt the ultimate success of the Confederacy ;
and, as to the Army of Xorthern Virginia, I believed that
under "Marse Robert," it was simply invincible. I appre-
hend that this feeling was shared by most of the Confederate
soldiers, hence their endurance, courage and devotion under
the sorest trials and in the darkest hours of the cause. With
Lee's surrender, all hope fled, and thereafter, obedience and
the discharge of duty were purely mechanical. Swift upon
the heels of the news of this terrible disaster, and on the even-
ing of the same day, came the rumor that Sherman was in pos-
session of Raleigh, and that Johnston was retiring before him
tOAvards Greensboro. Madame Rumor was not a lying jade
that time. About nightfall, weary and hungry, depressed
with the gloomy outlook, and after a hard day's work, we
halted and went into camp near Warrenton Junction. Gen-
eral Baker had not yet come up, and Captain Webb was in
much doubt as to Avhat course to pursue.

Let me narrate the events of the succeeding day in the
words of Captain Webb himself. I quote from his diary :

"Friday, 14 April: About daylight this morning, the
bugle sounded reveille, and as soon as the weary men could
be got in line, and the horses hitched, without breakfast, we
started for the Junction, about four miles distant, intending
to feed at that place. I pressed on ahead of the column, to
see if I could hear anything of General Baker, and at that
early hour T found the road filled with stragglers, all reiter-
ating and confirming the news of yesterday. TsTothing could
be heard of the General. The column came up in about an
hour and halted, horses fed, and men got breakfast. About
the time we were ready to move again, a solitary horseman
rode up to the depot, in whom I recognized Brigadier-General
M. W. Ransom. He dismounted and hitched his horse, while

Baker's Command at Weldon. 277

I Avent forward to meet him. He confirmed the report of Gen-
eral Lee's surrender, having himself been there and witnessed
it. I told of my situation, the reported occupation of Ral-
eigh by Sherman, and that, surrounded by the enemy as I
was, I hardly knew what to do with the stores and men under
my charge. He replied that he knew nothing of Sherman's
position, but hardly thought he was in Raleigh, that, being a
paroled soldier, he could not give me any advice in the prem-
ises; but that his lu'other, Major-General Robert Ransom, was
at his house only about four miles away, and, as he was not
paroled, I could consult him. This I concluded to do, and
countermanding the order to resume the march, we mounted
and rode off. We found General Robert Ransom at his
house. He was home on sick furlough, and I entered at once
into the matter which had l^rought me to his presence. Gen-
eral Matt was present, but took no part in the discussion.
After some reflection, General Robert remarked that under
the circumstances he could see no good in holding out longer,
explained the difficulties of reaching Johnston if Sherman
occupied Raleigh, and that he thought it best to remain where
I was, and send a flag of truce to Sherman at Raleigh, offer-
ing to surrender upon the same terms accorded Lee's army.
At the conclusion of General Robert's remarks. General Matt,
forgetful of the fact that he was paroled and could give no
advice, sprang to his feet, and exclaimed with flashing eye
and extended arm, "Xever, under no consideration surrender
until there is a force in your front sufficient to compel it.
But Avhat am I doing. I am a paroled prisoner and have no
right to speak in this manner," and walked out of the room.
There was that in his manner, looks, and ringing tones, which
settled the question for me. Bidding both "Good-bye," I
mounted my horse and rode back to Warrenton Junction.
L'pon arriving there I found a considerable number of the
men in a state of disquietude and disorder, amounting to al-
most total demoralization. They had broken into one of the
cars containing supplies of food, were wantonly wasting the
supplies, and were preparing to break open other cars. Spring-
ing from my horse and making my way to them, calling my
bugler as T went, I had him sound the assemblv and told them

278 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

to fall in with their several commands at once. The better
and nobler instincts of good soldiers coming to their assist-
ance, they soon quieted down and readily fell into line. I
then addressed them as best I could, told them all the news I
could learn, of my conference wdtli the generals, that we had
food enough for a week at least, and in that time I felt sure
something would be done, either by the arrival of General
Baker or in some other way, which would enable us either to
continue or close our services as Confederate soldiers in an
honorable way. That I proposed now to move on to Ridge-
way, halt and call a council of officers ; and urged them to be
men a little longer and trust me, and I would do for them the
best I could. My emotions choked my utterance, many of
the men wept with me, and all promised implicit obedience
to my orders. The column was soon formed and marched to
Eidgewny, where we arrived about noon. Hastily calling
the officers together for consultation, we concluded to send an
engine and tender up the road as near Raleigh as possible and
ascertain, if we could, whether Sherman was there or not.
An engine on the track already fired up was seized, and as
many men armed with Enfield rifles as could be were put
aboard and in the charge of Lieutenant Blount, of the Tenth
N"orth- Carolina Troops, with orders to go as near Raleigh as
he deemed safe, and if he found the enemy in occupation to
return with the best speed possible, burning the most impor-
tant bridge on the road in his rear. The engine was about to
move off, when the president of the road (Dr. W. J. Hawkins)
w^ho lived here, stepped up and, in an authoritative tone, or-
dered the men off and the engine not to move an inch. I re-
newed my former order, which the president again forbade,
denying my authority to impress his rolling stock in such ser-
vice. Remonstrances proving unavailing, I directed a Ser-
geant with a file of men to remove him into the railroad office
and keep him under guard, which being done the engine
moved off up the road. In the consultation with the officers it
was decided that if upon the return of Lieutenant Blount,
General Baker had not come up or been heard from, another
meeting should be called for definite action. At 5 p. m., news
came that General Baker and staff were comins:, and about 6

Baker's Command at Weldon. 279

p. m., they rode up. Upon his arrival the president of the road
was set at liberty and he at once made complaint to the gen-
eral, but he endorsed all I had done, and then saying he would
make his headquarters with the president, they rode off to-
gether. Soon after he called a council of the officers, from
which I returned about 9 :30 p. m. With few dissenting
votes, it was decided to send a flag of truce to Sherman, ten-
dering our surrender upon the same terms allowed Lee's
army. Lieutenant Blount had returned about 8 p. m., re-
porting that he had gone within twelve miles of Raleigh and
gotten what he deemed reliable information that Sherman
was in possession of the city. On his return, in obedience
to orders, he had burned the railroad bridge over Cedar
creek."

On the morning of the 15th, the General announced an
entirely different programme from that determined upon the
evening before. That now announced was to abandon the ar-
tillery and all except absolutely necessary supplies, and with
the whole command in as light order as possible, mounted on
artillery horses and transportation animals, as far as could
be done, and armed as best we could, try to get to Johnston by
passing around Sherman's rear. This change met with wide
spread dissatisfaction, Imt nothing further was done that
day.

On the IGth (Sunday), the General was urged by some of
his officers to carry out at once the plan originally decided
upon, to surrender; for they were satisfied they could not
control their men longer. He promised to take the matter
under consideration and announce his final decision at an as-
sembly of all the forces that evening. The plan finally
adopted was to try and cut his way through to Johnston with
all who would volunteer to follow him, the others to disband
and go home as best they could. About fifty volunteered, of
whom nineteen were from our battery. These fifty were au-
thorized to be mounted on government horses and armed with
Enfield rifles. This was done, and at midnight they took up
their march.

The next morning, having been up all night, Ave pre-
sented auA^thing but a martial appearance ; and, if the truth

280 North Carolina Troops. 1861-'65.

musr be told, our enthusiasm was at a low ebb ; for we were
pretty well satisfied that ours was a "wild goose chase."
JSTothing but a sense of duty, and a reluctance to turn back as
long as we were called upon to go forward, carried us on.
For two days we wandered on over the hills and through the
woods of Franklin, Johnston and Wake Counties. On one
of these days we passed through Louisburg, worn out and
hungry. The good citizens of the town received us enthu-
siastically and treated us most hospitably. It must have
been an amusing sight to see us straggling through the streets
with flowers in one hand and something to eat in the other.
It made a deep impression on me at the time, and I shall
never forget the scene.

About sundown on the 18th we reached Earpsboro and
halted. There the General informed us that he had relia-
ble information that Johnston had surrendered, and he had
determined to send in a flag of truce to Raleigh, tendering his
surrender.

On the next day, having recrossed the Tar river and coun-
termarched several miles, we started the flag, the officer in
charge bearing the following letter:

"IIeadQuaktehs Second Military District^ JST. C,

"Nasii County, K C, 19 April, 1865.

^'Major-General W. T. Sherman, Commanding United States
Forces, Raleigh, N. C. :

"General: — Finding that General Johnston has surren-
dered his army, of which my command forms a part, I have
the honor to surrender my command, with a request that the
same terms be allowed me as were allowed General Johnston's
army. I have the honor to be very respectfully,
"Your obedient servant,

"L. S. Baker,
"Brigadier-General, C. S. A."

A rumor reached us to-night that President Lincoln had
I)een assassinated.

About 5 o'clock p. m., on the 20th, our flag returned with
a letter from General Sherman to General Baker, stating
that General Johnston had not surrendered, but that terms

Baker's Command at Weldon. 281

had been agreed upon between them for a cessation of hos-
tilities and the restoration of peace. Accompanying the let-
ter was a copy of the agreement. The letter gave General
Baker the right to disband his force under the terms granted
Lee's army.

The general, deeming it best to accept these terms, issued
the following order:

"Headquarters Second Military District,
"Department N^orth Carolina, Blnn^s House,

April 20, 1865.
General Order No. 25.

"The Brigadier-General commanding, announces to the
officers and men who have remained with him, that the two
grand armies of the Confederate States having been com-
pelled to make terms with the enemy, it has become necessary
that he should disband his command.

"The officers and men will be allowed to return to their
homes, where they will remain peaceably and quietly, until
called forth again by the proper authorities.

"He offers his profound thanks to those who have remained
with him to the last. Though their labors have not been met
with present success, they will carry with them the proud con-
sciousness of having done their whole duty to their country,
and of having laid down their arms only, when they could
be of no further service to the cause to which their lives were
so freely devoted.

"With the kindest wishes for their future welfare, he bids
them farewell.

"By order of Brigadier-General Baker.

"J. C. MacEae, a. a. G."

And one similar to the following to each commanding of-
ficer in the force, to-wit. :

"Captain Lewis H. Webb, Company A, Thirteenth Battalion
North Carolina Artillery :
"Captain: — You will please present the thanks of the
Brigadier-General commanding, to the following named of-
ficers and men of your company, who have courageously re-

282 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

mained at the post until the last moment, and who have not
feared to trust their safety to him in the hour of adversity.
He has done all he can for these brave men, and only surren-
ders them when it would he folly and madness to continue
longer in arms :

Captain L. H. Webb, First Lieutenant H. R. Home, Ser-
geant T. Gr. Skinner; Sergeant J. G. Latham; Corporal L.
W. McMullen ; Privates James M. Mullen, Alphonso White,
Peter McMillan, A. J. Baker, J. A. Jacocks, Daniel Morri-
son, Nathaniel Hathaway, Richard Bogue, Walter J. Webb,
Charles Barber, Thomas H. Snowden, Wm. H. Whedbee, R.
W. Happer and George W. Fentress.

I have the honor to be very respectfully.
Your obedient servant,

'•Jas C. MacRae. a. a. G."

The men Xvere each furnished with the following:

"Headquaetees Second. Mil. Dist. Dep't. N. C.

''Bunn's House, April 20, 1865.
"In accordance Avith an agreement with Major-General
Sherman, commanding United States forces in North Caro-
lina, Private , Company A, Thirteenth Battalion

North Carolina Artillery, is permitted to go to his home, and
there quietly remain, takin"' with him one horse, his private
property. L. S. Baker,

''Brigadier-GeneraL"

In passing, let me say that the horse was the best pay I
ever received from the Confederacy, and he proved a most
valuable acquisition. Early the next morning (Friday, 21
April) we turned our faces homeward, feeling as if a heavy
weight had been lifted off our shbulders, and believed that the
suspense was over. Captain Webb, who was going to join his
wife on the Blackwater, accompanied the Perquimans County
boys until just before reaching Halifax, when Captain Webb,
Wm. H. Whedbee and I pushed on ahead. T quote again
from the Captain's diary: "On Sunday, 23 April, at Mar-
tin's cross roads, Northampton County, N. C, T parted from
Mullen and "Wliedbee, the last two of my company, to 'remain
with me."

Baker's Command at Weldon. 283

I have but little more to add. After leaving Captain
Webb, Whedbee and I pushed on to Murfreesboro. Reach-
ing there we found the ferry had been destroyed, and we were
compelled to cross the Meherrin river in a small canoe, swim-
ming our horses. Our nearest route home from Murfrees-
boro would have been to cross the Chowan at Winton, but the
citizens of Murfreesboro informed us that at Winton were
several Federal gunboats. We did not know how we might
be received by the enemy, so deemed it the wiser course to
abandon that route and cross the Chowan at a ferry higher up.
This we did, but there we met with the same luck as at the
Meherrin — had to cross in a small boat ourselves, and swim
our horses. Here a bit of good luck befel us, not much, but
we Avere thankful for small favors. We met up with a gen-
tleman who had a sulky which he wanted to get to the town
(Hertford) in which I lived. It must be borne in mind, we
were not cavalrymen, and yet we had been in the saddle seven
or eight days on the go all the time, were completely worn
out, and had still before us about sixty miles to travel before
reaching our homes. We gladly availed ourselves of this op-
j)ortunity to change our mode of locomotion. Whedbee and
I agreed we should ride "turn about," with my first go. But
"all is not gold that glitters," and we are often doomed "to see
our fondest hopes decay." I had hardly started before the
fear of the thing breaking dowm took possession of me. The
trouble was, compared with the vehicles (caissons and gun
carriages) I had been used to for three years, the frail appear-
ance and elastic motion of the sulky were alarming. I soon
yielded the concern to Whedbee, who seemed to take it better.
This was inspiring, and when my turn came around again I
claimed the privilege, and accustomed myself to its motions.
Whedbee. who lived in the country, left me when I was sev-
eral miles from home. He was hardly out of sight when I
heard in the direction I was going the booming of cannon,
repeated at intervals. It occurred to me at once that the
firing was from gunboats lying in the river at Hertford, and
out of respect to President Lincoln. This was not very com-
forting; for while there was no reason why I should appre-
hend trouble or annoyance, I did not fancy facing the music

284 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

all alone, satisfied as I was of meeting in the town sailors and
soldiers from these boats. But seating myself more firmly in
my novel vehicle, drawing the reins of my steed tighter, and
mustering up courage for the ordeal, I dashed over the Vidge
and through the main street of the town in fine style. As I
expected, the town was filled with sailors and soldiers, but
they gave me a cheer as I passed, and shouted, "there goes a
Johnny coming home in the best style. yet." I realized at
once that ''this cruel war was over," and these hearty greet-
ings from quondam foes went a long way towards reconstruct-
ing me.

James M. Mullen.
Petersburg, Ya,,

56 April, 1901.

Note. — The author of the above very interesting sketch after the war
located in Halifax, N C, becoming one of the most prominent lawyers
in the State. He represented that county in the State Senate Some
years since he removed to Petersburg where he is now, and for many
years has been. Judge of the City Court —Ed.

fl BATTLE AFTER THE VAR.

CAPTURE OF FORT HAHBT, 14 nAT, 1565.

By R. Z. LINNEY, Private Co. A, Seventh Regiment, N. C. T.

All wars are demoralizing. The Confederate and the Fed-
eral armies in the war of the United States were probably
as well disciplined, and the red-eyed daughters of war, plnn-
der and rapine, as well restrained as in any war in the world's
history. Even nnder these conditions we were not entirely
exempt from that demoralization which defies the most rigid
army discipline.

In March, 186.">, General Stoneman left East Tennessee,
moving by the turnpike leading from Taylorsville, Tenn.,
through Watauga County to Deep Gap on the Blue Ridge.
On 26 Marcli he entered Boone, iST. C, and on the 27th the
column A\as divided, one division under General Stoneman
marching towards Wilkesboro, vhile the other, under General
Gilliam, crossed the Blue Ridge at Blowing Rock and went
to Patterson, in Caldwell County, and then joined Stoneman
at Wilkesboro. l^eaving Wilkesboro on the 31st, General
Stoneman moved over into Surry County, going towards Mt.
Airy. During the march through this section of the State,
Stoneman's men committed many depredations, and after
leaving Wilkesboro a number of the lawless element of his
command deserted. Shortly after this a number of men,
some deserters from Stoneman's command and other worth-
less characters, led by two desperate men, Wade and Sim-
mons, completely terrorized a large portion of Wilkes County
by their frequent raids.

In order to fully understand the situation, the condition of
the country at that time must be taken into consideration.
Almost every man fit for military service was in the army,
and the country was almost completely at the mercy of the
robbers. It was thought after Lee had surrendered and the
soldiers returned home that these depredations would be dis-
continned, but they were not.

286 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

These marauders were divided into two bands. One, led
by Simmons, had its headquarters in the Brushy Mountains,
and the other, led by Wade, had its headquarters near the
Yadkin river in Wilkes County. The bands at times oper-
ated together, but it is principally with Wade's band that
this article is to deal. The house which Wade had chosen
and fortified was situated near the road which leads from
Wilkesboro to Lenoir, in Caldwell County, and about a mile
from Holman's Ford, where the valley road crosses the Yad-
kin river. The house was situated on a high hill, .jeommand-
ing a fine view of the Yadkin Valley, and of the valley roady
for a distance of a mile above and a mile below the ford. The "
house fronted the river on the south while the rear was pro-
tected by the 'Tlat Woods" belt, in which there were sympa-
thizers if not aiders and abettors of the band. From this
position the Yadkin Valley and the surrounding country for
at least half a mile in every direction could be swept and con-
trolled by Wade's guns. There is a legend that this point
was chosen by Daniel Boone as a splendid military post to
protect himself against the Indians. At any rate it would
have been almost impossible to have chosen a stronger loca-
tion, both offensive and defensive, than this. The house Avas
built of oak logs, and was two stories high. In the upper
story Wade had cut ])ort holes for his guns, which were army
guns of the most improved type, and could command the ap-
proaches to the house from all directions, making it indeed
hazardous to attempt to reach it. This house belonged to
some dissolute women by the name of Hamby, and after
Wade had fortified it, the name by which it was known was
"Fort Hamby." The exact number of men engaged in these
depredations is unknown, though it has been stated on good
authority to have at no time exceeded thirty.

Making this their headquarters. Wade's force began to
plunder the surrounding country, and from their cruelty it
appears that their object was to gratify a spirit of revenge as
well as to enrich themselves. They marched as a well-drilled
military force, armed with the best rifles. It was only a short
time before they brought the citizens for many miles around
in every direction under their dominion. They plundered the

A Battle After the War. 287

best citizens, subjecting men and women to the grossest in-
sults. Their cruelty is shown by this act : A Avoman was work-
ing in a field near Holman's Ford, having a child with her.
The child climbed on the fence and the men began to shoot at
it, and finally killed it. Emboldened by their success in Wilkes
County, they made a raid into Caldwell County on 7 May.
Major Harvey Bingham, with about half a dozen young men
from Caldwell and Watauga Counties, attempted to rout
these marauders from their stronghold at Fort Hamby. On
Sunday night after their raid into Caldwell, Major Bingham
rnade a well-planned move on the fort, at a late hour of the
night. For some reason. Wade and his men were not aware
of the approach of Bingham's men until they had entered the
house. Wade and his men announced their defenceless con-
dition, and begged for their lives. Major Bingham had as-
sured Wade, who was a deserter from General Stoneman's
command, and who had organized this band of robbers, that
his only ]mrpose was to compel them to desist from any fur-
ther robbery and insult u]ion the citizens, and it was agreed
that no violence was to be done them, and they were to be
delivered to the military authorities at Salisbury for trial.
This the robbers pretended to be willing to submit to. No
guns were seen, and they were, so Bingham believed, his
prisoners. They gave Wade and his men time to dress, after
which, at a moment when the captors were off their guard,
they rushed to their guns, which were concealed about their
beds, and opened fire on them. The result was that Clark, a
son of General Clark, of Caldwell County, and Henley, from
the same county, were killed. The others escaped, leaving
the bodies of Clark and Henley.

Clark and Flenley were both young men of rare excellence
of character. Major Bingham himself narrowly escaped
being a victim of this treachery. The robbers, being encour-
aged by the failure to dislodge them, began to enlarge the
territory wdiich they were to plunder. About a week previous
to this Simmons with his band had crossed into Alexander
County and had made a raid on Colonel McCurdy, a well-to-
do planter. They forced this excellent old gentleman to
lead them to the place where his money was concealed, but it

288 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

was not until tliev had tied him to the limb of an apple tree
and l^egan to flay him alive that he surrendered and led
them to his hidden treasure.

About this time Mr. W. C. Green, of Alexander County,
who had been a Lieutenant in the Confederate Army, re-
ceived news from a friend in Wilkes County that Wade had
planned to move into Alexander County and make a raid on
his father, Rev. J. B. Green, and to kill him (W. C. Green)
if found, ^]r. Green began to fortify his house, barring all
the doors witli iron. They also took five negroes into their
confidence and these promised to assist in defending the house
against Wade. It was found out that they had in the house
fire-arms enough to shoot eighteen times without reloading.
Weapons were also provided for the negroes.

Wade started across the Brushy Mountains on Saturday,
13 May, and reached Mr. Green's that evening about dark.
Mr. W. C. Green saw a number of men stop their horses in
the road above the house, and he concluded that they were
Wade's men. He notified his father, and mustered the ne-
groes in the dining hall. All the lights were extinguished,
though the moon was shining brightly. Mr. J. B. Green
stationed himself at the front door, with a revolver in one
hand and a dirk in the other. Mr. W. C. Green took his posi-
tion at a window commanding a view of the front gate and
porch. The negroes were stationed in the rear part of the
house. Three men with guns approached the house in front,
one of them being Wade who had on a bright Confederate
uniform which he always wore on his raids, posing as a Con-
federate soldier when necessary to gain admission into the
houses he wished to plunder. The other members of the com-
pany' took another route and surrounded the house from the
rear, though this was not known at the time. Wade pre-
tended that they were Confederate soldiers ; that they had
belonged to the cavalry and were now on their way home,
having been detained on account of sickness. Mr. J. B.
Green told him "he lied, that he knew w^ho he was, what his
business was, and that he could not enter his house except
over his dead body."

Some of the men had by this time come up from the rear

A Battle After the War. 289

and were trying to force an entrance. When this fact was
made known to Mr. W. C. Green by one of the negroes, he
rushed to the rear, knocked out a pane of glass and opened
fire on them, wounding one of the. men. This unexpected
turn of affairs seemed to frighten them and they all began to
retire. Mr. J. B. Green and Mr. W. C. Green rushed into the
yard and opened fire on them as they retreated, Wade and his
men at the same time returning the fire. They retreated so
rapidly that two of the men left their horses.

It was found out afterwards that five of Wade's men had
passed on down the Cove Gap road to the store of W. C. Lin-
ney, where there was some powder and lead, and were w^atch-
ing the store. A number of old Confederate soldiers had
visited W. C. Linney that night, and remained in the store
with him, and though it was only about one mile to Rev. J. B.
Green's, they had no knowledge of what was going on there,
nor of the action of the five desperadoes who were watching
them.

It was Sunday morning before the news was circulated.
Mr. W. C. Green went to York Collegiate Institute and in-
formed several men, and by 10 o'clock twenty-two men,
almost all of them Confederate soldiers, had gathered, ready
to pursue the robbers. In this party were several officers of
tlie Confederate army and they were dressed in their uni-
forms. Colonel Wash Sharpe was placed in command of the
squad and they started in pursuit. The first news from
Wade was A^'hen they reached ''Law's Gap." Here it was
found that Wade liad camped in the Brushy Mountains part
of the nigbt after the attack on Mr. Green, and about sunrise
the next morning had made a raid on Mr. Laws and forced
him to give up liis money. He informed the party that two
of Wade's men were wounded. The pursuers followed the
trail and found that five miles from Wilkesboro Wade's men
had left the public road and had taken a shorter route by way
of Hix's IMill and Holman's Ford to Fort Hamby. The ford
was reached in the evening of 14 May, and after crossing the
river, and traveling along the public road for about half a
mile, the pursuing party left the public road and followed
19

290 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

a pi'ivate road whicli led to a creek at the base of the hill on
which Hamby house stood. In the plan of attack, part of
the company under Colonel G. W. Flowers was to approach
from the north while the other part under Captain Ellis, was
to approach from the south, and then surround the house.
In the enthusiasm of the moment all seemed to forget the dan-
ger. Colonel Flowei's' men had gotten within seventy-five
yards and Captain Ellis' men within twenty yards of the
house wjien its defenders poured a voll'ey of minie balls
through the port holes. James Polk Linney, only 16 years
old, and Jones Brown, about IS years of age, were killed. As
the squad that followed Captain Ellis to the south side of the
house got within fifty yards of the east end of the house, W.
F. Patterson and Burrel Connolly, two Confederate veterans,
rushed up the hill to the house, Patterson before, Linney
next and Connolly next. When they reached the house I
heard the voice of my brother for the last time, say : '^Boys,
they are going to shoot." Immediately the gims of the rob-
bers were heard and Patterson and Connolly rode away, while
Linney sat on his horse ar the east end of the house with his
body bent as though he were trying to adjust his spur. Soon
he went to the ground still holding the reins of his horse.
He was mortally wounded by a ininie ball passing through
his head, having entered just below the right eye. The rob-
bers gave him no assistance, not even a drink of water, until
Monday evening, when he died.

Brown was charging up the hill on the west side when he
was wounded. Some of the men were compelled to jump
from their horses and throw themselves on the ground in or-
der to esca])e being shot down. Their horses became fright-
ened and breaking loose from them, ran to where Wade's men
had their horses. Tavo of these horses were the ones captured
from Wade at Mr. Green's. These men did not recover their
horses at this time.

Under the severe fire the men were compelled to retreat,
and when they had retreated to a small stream, Brown, who
had been shot, fell from his liorse and died in the presence of
Eev. L. P. Gwaltney, who Avas then a boy about the age of
Brow]i. ]\rr. Gwaltnev savs:

A Battle After the War. 291

''As we were ap]")roaching Ilolman's Ford the word passed
along the line that the honse standing on an eminence to our
right was the headquarters of the desperate land pirates
whom we were ]mrsuing. Brown looking in that direction,
turned and said, 'They are going to fight, sure.' Pointing
his finger towai-d a wood above the Hamhv house, some
women were plainly to be seen retreating into the woods,
^That,' said he, "means business.' Then, taking his gun from
his shoulder and laying it across his saddle, holding it and the
reins of his horse with his left hand and laying his right
hand on the Imtt of his revolver, he rode silently on. After
crossing the Yadkin river a detour of perhaps half a mile
was ma<le when we found ourselves halted on the bank of a
roaring, rocky little stream, Avliile our advance Avas slowly
crossing the rougli and rapid stream. The sun was stooping
loAv towards the smumits of the Blue Kidge in our rear,
Brown casting his eye over his shoulder, gazed at the beauti-
ful scene and observed, 'What a beautiful Sunday to be en-
gaged in work like this, guiding his horse into the stream
and ere all had landed, our advance had reached the open
field and the fray was on. As we emerged from the thicket
skirting the stream. Brown fired his gun towards the house.
James Linney, brave, noble youth, was shot from his horse
near the fatal den. Brown hastily drawing his revolver,
with flashing eye and face aflame, plunged forward to the
fray, only a few leaps were taken, only twice did his faithful
revolver s]ieak wlien the fearful whack of the enemy's bullet,
as distinctly heard as the smiting together of the palms of the
hands, indicated some one was struck. Brown suddenly
reined his horse, threw up his right hand from which his
smoking revolver fell and exclaimed, 'I'm shot, I'm killed.'
The hope was expressed that he was not seriously hurt. 'Ah,'
he said, pointing to his bleeding leg from which the blood was
flowing in a streain, 'I shall be dead in five minutes.' Then
lifting his eyes upward as if in prayer, he cried, 'O, such a
little time to ]>repare to die.' These were the last words I
heard him s])cak. Almost simultaneous with this we began
to dismount and a confused retreat began. Passing the spot
the writer snatched his revolver and brought it away. Cast-

292 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'6o.

ing my eye tOAvard the river I saw Brown still on his horse
as he was being assisted across by two friends. Ten paces
perhaps from the landing his horse reared and hurled the
dying man to the ground. He arose to his feet, staggered
once or twice around a small circle, and fell with his face to
the earth. The writer was among the last recrossing the
stream. Hastening to the spot where my dying playmate
lay, I dismounted, gave my reins to Lansing Lowrance, who
dismounted and remained with me. Running to my friend,
I raised him in my arms. Only a few moments passed, hia
eyes closed forever to scenes of blood, the brave heart grew
still, and that noble spirit that no face of earthly foe could
daunt, passed bravely, grandly into the great beyond."

The force was now divided, part having fallen back across
the creek, and part having reached the pines east of the build-
ing. There Avas no chance to re-unite, and after waiting un-
til dark, rlie men withdrew, some reaching Moravian Falls
that night. These met the others at "Squire" Hubbard's next
morning. In retreating under the severe fire from the fort,
the men were compelled to leave the bodies of Linney and
Brown. Wade's men afterwards buried them near the fort.

These men returned to Alexander County and raised a
large company, a strong force having been brought from Ire-
dell County under the command of Wallace Sharpe. On
Wednesday the force started towards Fort Ilamby. After
crossing Cove's Gap, a courier was sent back to Iredell County
to request Captain Cowan to raise a company and come to
their assistance ; also, another courier was sent to Statesville
to an encampment of Federal soldiers to inform them of the
condition of things and to ask their assistance. Before
reaching Moravian Falls, they received a message from
Wade saying, "Com,e on ; I am looking for you ; I can whip a
thousand of you."_ It was dark when Holman's Ford was
reached. Some one in the woods before the company ordered
them to halt. Thp men thought that the order was from
some of Wade's ban,d and were about to fire upon them, when
it Avas found out that this was a company from Caldwell
County, under the command of Captain Isaac Oxford, on the
same mission. They had encamped near the ford and had

A Battle After the War. 293

thrown out tlieir sentinels. The two companies camped
together that night, and next morning marched np the river
and crossed at a small ford. They came to the house of Mr.
Talbert, who lived on the public road, and there they found a
woman dying. She had been shot the day before by the men
from the fort, while she and her husband were coming to the
ford in a wagon on the opposite side of the river from the fort
. — nearly a mile distant.

Mr. Talbert begged the men to return, telling them that
Wade was expecting them, and had sent for reinforcements.
He told them that it Avas impossible to dislodge him, and to
make an attempt and fail would make it worse for the people.

Captain R. M. Sharpe, of Alexander County, assumed
command of both companies, numbering several hundred
men. W. E. Gwaltney was sent with a small body of men to
reach a high hill, overlooking a creek (Lenoir's Fork), and
to remain there while all the others marched around to the
north and east of the fort. Gwaltney's men were to be noti-
fied by the firing of a gun, when the main body had reached
their position. One or two men were seen to escape from the
fort before it could be surrounded. They were fired at, but
escaped. The supposition was that they had gone to get re-
inforcements from the other band. The companies had left
their encampment before day and by daybreak the -fort was
surrounded, the men being placed about twenty steps apart.
The soldiers ke])t up the fire on the fort during the day and
night. Wade's men returned the fire, shooting with great
accuracy. The soldiers were compelled to keep behind logs
and trees, or out of range of the guns. It seemed impossible
to take the fort. ''Some of the bravest men were in favor of
giving it up, while others said death was preferable to being
run over by such devils."

One old veteran, James Harvey Connolly, was heard to re-
mark, "Well my interest in heaven may not be much, but
such as it is I wonld be willing to give it all for a piece of ar-
tillery one hour." Thursday morning just before daylight,
Wallace Sharpe and two others approached a small house near
the log fort, under cover of the night, and Sharpe set fire to
it. Wade and his crowd begced for terms. Sharpe in vig-

294 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

orous language, informed them that the death of our young
heroes, Clarke, Hcnly, Lijiney and Brown must be avenged.
As the flames of this out house began to ascend, all the men
surrounding the fort began to rush up. Wade made a rush
towards the river, through a body of Caldwell men, who
opened lire on him, but as it was yet a little dark, he escaped.
Four men were captured. Beck, Church, Lockwood, and one
whose name cannot be ascertained. The flames which had
caught the fort ^.\'ere extinguished, and in the house was
found property of almost every description. Five ladies'
dresses and bonnets had been taken for the dissolute women
Avlio occupied the house. About twenty horses were found
stabled near the fort. Some of the property was restored to
the owners. The men who were captured plead for a trial
according to the course and ])ractice of the courts. They were
informed that they would be disposed of as summarily as
they had disposed of Clark, Henley, Brown and Linney.
Stakes were put up, and on the way to the place of execution
they were given time to pray. They knelt down to pray,
but the prayer was, "O, men, spare us." Wallace Sharpe
replied : ''Men, pray to God ; don't pray to us. He alone can
save you." Cajitain Sharpe requested W. R. Gwaltney to
pray, but he re]ilied that he never felt as little like praying
in his life. Ca])tain Isaac Oxford said, 'Tf -you will hold my
gun 1 will pray;" but instead of praying for the men, he
thanked God that they were to be brought to justice and that
none of the party had been killed. After this Rev. W. R.
Gwaltney offered an earnest ]irayer for them, and then they
were shot, "as nearly in strict conformity to military usage as
these old Confederate soldiers, under the excitement of the
occasion, could conform to."

After the prisoners were shot, the fort was set on fire.
When the flames reached the cellar, the firing of guns was
like a hot skirmish. Wade's men had stored away a great
many loaded guns, and a large quantity of ammunition.

Wade was seen in the vicinity several days after. He
claimed to have been a ^Major in Stonenian's command and a
native of Michigan. He said that he had escaped to the Yad-
kin river from the fort and had hid under the banks until

A Battle After the War. 295

night ; that in searching for him the soldiers had frequently
come within six feet of him.

On the way back to Alexander County Captain Cowan,
from Iredell, was met with a small body of men on their way
to Fort Hamby. Also a company of Federal troops, then
stationed in Statesville, were met on their way to the fort.
They were told what had been done. The Captain ordered
three cheers, which the men gave with a good will. The bodies
of Linney and Brown were brought back home for final burial.
Though all the desperadoes were not brought to justice, this
comi^letely broke up their depredations.

The most startling thing about tlie Avhole tragedy is this:
Major Bingham attacked the robbers and lost two young
heroes eleven days before the fort was taken and four of the
robbers shot. It seems almost incredible that such a band
of robbers should be permitted to plunder a county where
700 men able to wear an helmet, and of sufficient courage to
assail any foe, had their homes. The writer inquired of Col-
onel Flowers a few days since how he was armed. ''I had a
small pistol," said he. So had I. We had no gims of'
any value to use upon such a fort, such a strong log wall. The
rifles of the robbers were the very best then used in the Fed-
eral army. The writer has one of them taken from the fort
from the robbers we shot. It shoots with accuracy 1000 yards
and the lock to-day appears to be as strong as when first made.
The gun weighs ten pounds. The destruction of the band
of robbers was at great sacrifice indeed. It put an end to
plunder and insult of our people, but the loss of the lives of
four of the gallant youths that had survived the war was a
dear price to pay for it.

Romulus Z. Ltn:s^ey.

Taylorsville, N. C,

14 May, 1901.

N. C. IN The Navy.

CO/^FEDERATE VESSELS IN N. C.

30 APRIL, 1864.

INLAND WATERS OF NORTH CAROLINA UNDER
COM3IANDER R. F. PINKNEY.

Albemarle, — Iron-clad sloop, two guns, Commander J. W.
Cooke.

Netise*, — Iron-clad sloop, two giins. First Lieutenant B. P.
Loyall.

CAPE FEAR RIVER, UNDER FLAG OFFICER
W. F. LYNCH.

Noiih Carolina, — Iron-clad sloop, four guns. Commander
W. L. Maury.

Raleigh, — Iron-clad sloop, four guns. First Lieutenant J.
Pembroke Jones.

Arctic, — Floating battery, three guns. First Lieutenant C.
B. Poindexter.

Yaclkin, — Steam gun-boat, one gun, First Lieutenant W.
A. Kerr.

Two torpedo boats at Wilmington under construction.
(9 Off. Bee. Union and Confed. Navies, 809.)

*Later the iVi?H.se was commanded by Commander Joseph Price, a na-
tive North Carolinian who distinguished himself in the capture of the
Water-Witch in Ossabaw Sound, 3 June, 1864, for which he received his
promotion to Commander. — Ed.

NAVAL GROUP.
1. J. W.JCooke, Captain.
3. John Newland Maffitt, Commander.

3. James Iredell Waddell, 1st Lieut , Commandintr the " Shenandoah."

4. James Knight Wood, Sailor, on Gunboat •• North Carolina."

5. Gilbert Elliott. Builder of the " Albemarle.'"

MORTH CAROLINA NAVY.

By ADAM TREDWELL, Acting Paymaster N. C. Navy, Assistant
Paymaster Confederate States Navy.

The State of Xorth Carolina, more than a month (14 and
15 April) before passing the ordinance of secession, took
possession of the forts at Beaufort and below Wilmington
and immediately after its passage began the defences of her
inland sounds by the construction of forts at Hatteras and
Ocraeoke Inlets, and bv the purchase of several small steam-
ers, which were converted into gun-boats. After the ordi-
nance of secession was passed, her sons, who were in
the United States jN'avy, tendered their resignations, and
placed their services at the disposal of their native State,
prominent among them was William T. Muse, who was or-
dered by the Xaval and Military Board, of which Warren
Winslow was Secretary, to Xorfolk, Va., to take charge of,
and fit out, as gun-boats at the navy yard at N'orfolk, the
steamers purchased by the State.

The first of them to be placed in commission Avas the Whis-
lov\, formerly the J. E. Coffee, a side-wheel steamer, plying
between Xorfolk, Virginia, and the eastern shore of Vir-
ginia, under command of Captain Patrick McCarrick. When
the Coffee was purchased by the State of jSTorth Carolina,
Captain McCarrick was commissioned a Master in the Worth
Carolina Xavy, and remained attached to her until she was
Slink in Ocraeoke Inlet in November, 1861. She mounted
one short 32-pounder, and was commanded by Lieutenant
Thomas M. Crossan, formerly of the United States ISTavy.
Acting under orders he proceeded to Pamlico Sound, IST. C.
Upon the outside of Hatteras and Ocraeoke Inlets he preyed
on the commerce of the Xorth, and captured a number of ves-
sels loaded with difl^erent kinds of merchandise. Prom the
Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, Series
i. Volume 1, the names of the following vessels are given:
Brig Itasca, brig }yiUiam McGilvery, schooners Seawitch,

300 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'6o.

Henry Nutt, Nathaniel Chase, Herbert Manton, Transit,
and brig Hannah Balch. Mr. Jas. W. McCarrick, of ISTor-
folk, Va., who was a master's mate in the North Carolina
Navy, attached to the steamer Winsloic, says "that the brig
Hannah Balch when captured, was in charge of a prize crew,
commanded by Past Midshipman Kantz, now a Rear Ad-
miral in the United States Navy. This brig loaded with
sugar and molasses, had been captured by a Federal vessel,
while attempting to enter harbor at Savannah, Ga., and put
in charge of the prize crew." The vessels captured were
sent to New Bern, N. C, where they were condemned as
prizes. The State of North Carolina paid the officers and
crew of the Winsloiv full prize money.

The next steamer sent out was the Beaufort, mounting one
long 32-pounder, commanded by Lieutenant W. C Duvall.
On 9 July hoisted ensign, and put the Beaufort in commis-
sion, after taking on powder and other equipment, proceeded
under orders to her station in Pamlico Sound. "On 21 July
when off Oregon Inlet Lieutenant Duvall reports the first
naval engagement with the Federal forces. The Federal ves-
sel was a large three-masted propeller, carrying a battery of
eight guns, one rifle cannon forward and aft, working on
pivots, position taken by this vessel was not over 11/4 miles
from the Beaufort,ivom where she opened fire across a narrow
strip of land. Her shots were replied to by the Beaufort;
firing was kept up as long as the gun could be elevated suf-
ficient to graze the sand hill. The enemy not fancying the
shots, withdrew behind the high sand hills, where she was
out of range. On 30 July, came to anchor opposite Island
of Portsmouth."

The steamer Ealeigh was next fitted out, mounting one 32-
pounder. July 22 Lieutenant Commanding J. W. Alexan-
der was ordered to command her.

The Ellis, mounting one 32-pounder, commanded by Com-
mander W. T. Muse, sailed from Norfolk 2 August, 1861,
arriving off Ocracoke Inlet the 4th.

The capture of these vessels by the Winsloiv produced an
outcry from the commercial circles of the North, which no
doubt called the attention of the naval authorities to the ne-

North Carolina Navy. 301

cessity of blocking tlie inlets leading into the North Carolina
sounds.

In the early part of the Summer of 1861, the naval author-
ities of the North, seeing the advantage of taking possession
of these inland waters of North Carolina, commenced the
preparation of a naval expedition, and the work had so far
progressed as to enable the expedition to sail on 26 August.
The expedition consisted of the frigate Alinnesota, flagship
of Flag Officer Stringham; steam frigate Wabash, steamers
MonticellOj, Paivnee and Harriet Lane. The army accom-
panying this expedition was in command of General B. F.
Butler. On the 28th the frigates Cumberland and Susque-
hana joined the fleet, and with the Wabash, opened Are on
Fort Clark, which was abandoned 28 August, after standing
the bombardment two and a half hours, the garrison falling
back to Fort Hatteras.

Early in the morning of the 28th, news reaching Ocracoke
Inlet of the attack on forts at Hatteras, Commander Muse
immediately made preparations for embarking the troops sta-
tioned on the Island of Portsmouth (being part of Seven-
teenth Regiment, N. C. T. ) taking on his vessel Captain
Sharp's company. Remainder of the troops were taken on
board of schooner in tow of steamer. The Ellis weighed
anchor about 11 o'clock a. m. Commander Muse proceed-
ing with all dispatch to the assistance of the forts, arriving
early in the afternoon of the 28th. After landing Captain
Shai'p's company, assisted in landing the troops from the ves-
sel, and ammunition from the Winsloir just arrived. Com-
mander Muse having sent ashore all of the ainmunition he
could spare from his ship. All of this work was accom-
plished under direct fire from the Federal fleet, without any
damage being done. Flag officer Barron, who was in com-
mand of the naval forces, arrived on the Winslow. Imme-
diately after his arrival, Flag Officer Barron landed, and
went into Fort Hatteras, "when at the request of the com-
manding officer. Major W. S. G. Andrews, he assumed com-
mand. Colonel Martin, of the Seventeenth North Carolina,
being completely exhausted from his previous day's fighting."

302 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

See Flag Officer Barron's report, Union and Confed. Navies,
Series 1, Vol. 6', page 139.

During the night of the 28th, Lieutenant W. H. ]\[ur-
daugh, formerly of the United States Navy, and Lieutenant
William Shar]-), formerly of the United States Navy, with
Midshipman Statford, of the Ellis, landed and went into the
fort and took charge of gun Xo. 8, which was mounted on a
navy gun carriage. Early in the morning of the 29th the
Federal fleet opened fire on the fort, and kept up an inces-
sant fire, throwing 9, 10 and 11 inch shells. From the posi-
tion taken by the Northern fleet the guns from Fort Hatteras
were unable to reach them. After standing the heavy fire
from the ship for more than three hours, the commanding
officer, seeing that to hold out longer would only entail heavy
loss of life, without his being able to inflict any damage to
the enemy, wisely decided to surrender, and about noon,
hoisted a white flag. In the meantime the officers and men,
who succeeded in getting out of the fort, were taken aboard
the Wi7isloii', commanded by Commander Arthur Sinclair,
who had succeeded Lieutenant T. M. Crossan, among them
Lieutenant Murdaugh, who had his left arm shattered during
the bombardment. After the surrender of Fort Hatteras,
the Harriet Lane, in attempting to cross the Inlet, grounded,
and remained ashore several days.

Flag Officer Stringham, in his report. Union and Confed.
Navies, Series 1, Vol 6, parje 122, says "that General Butler,
on the steamer Fanny, went into the inlet to the rear of tlie
forts to take possesion, and about 2:30 p. m., returned to the
flagship, bringing with him three senior officers, viz. : Sam-
uel Barron, Flag Officer C. S. N, commanding naval defences
of North Carolina and Virginia ; William F. Martin, Colo-
nel of the Seventh Regiment North Carolina Volunteers ;
Major W. S. G. Andrews, commanding Forts Hatteras and
Clark. The officers and troops captured were carried North
on the flagship Minnesota." See Commander Rowan's let-
ter to Warren Winslow, Esq., Military Secretary, same vol-
ume at page 155.

The Ellis returned to the Island of Portsmouth, and
taking on board the officers' wives and other families sojourn-

North Carolina Navy. 303

ing there, proceeded to Washington, North Carolina, arriv-
ing there on the afternoon of the 30th. The Winsloir and
other ships were ordered to New Bern, N. C.

Flag Officer Wm. F. Lynch having been ordered to com-
mand the naval defences of North Carolina and Virginia,
ordered Commander Mnse to keep close watch from the
mouth of the Pamlico river. Similar orders were given to
Lieutenant Commander "W. 11. Parker, commanding the
Beaufort, to keep a lookout from the mouth of the Neuse
river. On 29 October the Ellis left Pamlico Point for New
Bern.

On the 30th Lieutenant-Commander J. W. Cooke took
command of the Ellis, Commander Muse being ordered to
the command of the naval station at Wilmington, when the
propeller. Uncle Ben, was fitted out as a gun-boat, and sta-
tioned inside of New Inlet. The Uncle Ben, as I remember,
was turned over to the Confederate Government by the State
of North Carolina.

The vessels under Flag Officer Lynch were assembled in
the sounds of North Carolina, where he cruised to intercept
any steamer that might be found in the sounds.

"On the afternoon of 1 October, the Federal steamer
Fanny, mounting two rifled cannon and loaded with ammu-
nition and supplies for the Federal forces at Loggerhead In-
let, was sighted. After an engagement Avith the Curlew,
Baleigh and Junalusl'i, lasting fifty- five minutes, the Fanny
surrendered." See Colonel Wright's report. Union and Con-
fed. Navies, iSeries 1, Vol. 6, page 218. This was the first
naval success in North Carolina, and the first capture made
of an armed vessel of the enemy.

I am indebted to Mr. Lames W. McCarrick, of Norfolk,
who was a master's mate in the North Carolina Navy, for
the following, in reference to the saving of the officers and
crew of the French corvette Proney:

"On 4 November, 1861, the French Corvette Proney, Com-
mander DeFontanges, was wrecked at Ocracoke Inlet. The
steamer ^yinslou', Master Patrick McCarrick, commanding,

304 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

went to their assistance, and coming into Ocracoke Inlet, she
struck on the wreck of a sunken vessel and was sunk. The
officers and crew of the Proney and 'Winslow were taken off
by the Curlew, Lieutenant-Commander Thomas T. Hunter,
without the loss of a man. Commander DeFontanges and
his officers were carried to jSTorfolk, where they were cordially
and hospitably received by the naval officers and citizens.
The French Vice Consul, Leon Schisano, of TsTorfolk, Va.,
formally thanked Master McCarriok, his officers and crew
for the rescue."

The land and naval fight at Roanoke Island took place on
7 and 8 February, 1862, the odds being greatly against the
Confederate forces. The fleet under Commodore Lynch was
composed of eight small steamers and one schooner, each
steamer being mounted with one 32-pounder and the schooner
with two 32-pounders. The following are the names of the
vessels: The Seabird (Commodore Lynch's flagship), Lieu-
tenant-Commanding Patrick McCarrick; Curlew, Lieuten-
ant-Commander Thomas T. Hunter; Ellis, Lieutenant-Com-
mander J. W. Cooke; Appomattox, Lieutenant-Commander
C. C. Simms ; Beaufort, Lieutenant-Commander W. H. Par-
ker; Raleigh, Lieutenant-Commander J. W. Alexander;
Fanny, Midshipman Commanding Taylor ; Forest, Lieuten-
ant-Commanding James L. Hoole; and the schooner Blach
Warrior, Lieutenant Harris. The enemy's fleet consisted of
about thirty gun-boats mounted with guns of 9, 10 and 11-
inch calibre. The fight lasted through the entire day. All
of the ammunition of the fleet having been exhausted, at
night Commodore Lynch called a consultation of his officers,
when it was decided to fall back to Elizabeth City, which was
done during the night, arriving there on the morning of the
8th, when Commodore Lynch sent express to ISTorfolk for
more ammunition, which he received the next day.

On the morning of the 10th the fleet, under Commodore
Rowan, "renewed the fight off Elizabeth City, N. C, when
after a desperate resistance all of the vessels were either cap-
tured or sunk, with the exception of the Raleigh and Beau-
fort, which escaped, passing through the canal, arriving in

North Carolina Navy. 305

safety at Norfolk, where they were heard from again in the
naval engagement in Hampton Roads between the United
States ships and the Confederate States iron-clad Virginia.
The Beavfort at this time was in command of Lieutenant
William Sharp, who was captured at the fall of Hatteras, but
who in the meantime had been exchanged.

I here append the official reports of Flag Officer W. F.
Lynch and Lieutenant-Commander J. W. Cooke.

Report of Flag Officer Lyxch^ C. S. Navy, Comaeaxd-
iNG Naval Defences of North Carolixa and Virginia.

{Official Records Union and Confed. Navies, Series 1, Vol.
6, Page, 59 Jf.)

''Petersburg, Va., 18 February, 1862.

'"Sir : — I have the honor to report that the enemy on the
Tth instant, at 10 :30 a. m., made an attack upon the squadron
under my command and the battery at Pork Point, Roanoke
•Island. His force consisted of from 80 to 100 sail, of wdiich
22 heavy steamers and one tug constituted the attacking force.
This last division was again subdivided, one portion assailing
us and the other the battery ; but whenever we approached
too near, the fire of the whole, except two or three close in-
shore, would be concentrated upon us. As his force was
overwhelming, we commenced the action at long range, but as
our shells fell short, whilst his burst over and around us,
we were eventually compelled to lessen the distance.

"The fight lasted continuously until 5 p. m., when the en-
emy withdrew foi- the night. The soldiers in the battery sus-
tained their position under a terrific fire with a gallantry
which won our warmest admiration. At times the entire
battery would be enveloped in the sand and dust thrown up
l)y shot and shell, and jet the casualties were only one man
killed and three wounded. The earthwork, however, was
very much cut up, but doubtless repaired during the night.
I deem it proper to say thus much of the battery, because, in
all probability, this communication will reach you before in-
telligence is received from tlie appropriate official source.

"Repeatedly in the course of the day I feared that our
20

306 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

little squadron of seven vessels would be utterly demolished,
lont a merciful Providence preserved us. Master-Coimnand-
:ing Hoole, of the Forrest, received a wound in the head which
"was at first pronounced serious, if not mortal, but 1 trust that
"this promising young officer, who so bravely fought his ship,
will be spared to the service. IMidshipman Camm, acting
as executive officer of the Ellis, had his left arm shot off, and
the right arm of Seaman Ely, of the Curlew, was fractured.
These, with three others slightly wounded, constitute the
sum of our personal casualties. Our physical ones were seri-
ous. About 2:30 p. m., a heavy shell perforated the deck
of the Curlew, passed through the magazine, and, driving out
one of the iron plates, of which her bottom consists, caused
her to fill so rapidly as to make it necessary to run toward
the shore, near which she sank. About the same time the
Forrest was disabled by the displacement of her propeller.
We received other injuries from shot and shell (one of the
latter passing through the flagship, but above the water line),
but none of a serious character.

^'Witli the exception of the vessels named, we could have
been prepared for action the ensuing day, if we only had
ammunition, but I had not one charge of powder nor a loaded
shell remaining, and few of the other vessels were better off.
In common prudence, I should, perhaps, have reserved some
for contingencies, but the battery was so sorely pressed that
I felt bound to annoy its assailants as much as possible.
During the latter part of the engagement, when our ammuni-
tion was nearly exhausted, I sent to the upper battery for a
suppl}^, but ten charges were all that could be spared.

'"While recovering the rifled gun, and other articles of
value from the wreck of the Curleir, I sent Lieutenant-Com-
manding Parker with the Beaufort, to the upper battery with
a note for the commanding officer on the island, informing
him of our shortness of ammunition and of my intention to
proceed to Elizabeth City, thirty-five miles distant, for a sup-
ply, and return immediately.

"I felt sure that Pork Point Battery coiild hold out, and
earnestly hoped that, profiting by the mistake at Hatteras,
the enemy, who had landed on a point of marsh, would be at-

North Carolina Navy. 307

tacked and defeated during' the night. With this conviction
and in this hope, with the Forrest in tow, I proceeded with
my little squadron to Elizabeth City for ammunition, but
finding only a small quantity there, dispatched Commander
Hunter express to JS^orfolk for it.

''There were reasons for retiring on Norfolk, had I known
that very little ammunition could be procured at Elizabeth
City. But even had I known it, the desertion of that town,
situated near the head of the Dismal Swamp Canal, would
have been unseemly and discouraging, more particularly as
I had urged the inhabitants to defend it to the last extremity,

''In the conflict of the Tth instant Commander Hunter,
Lieutenants-Commanding Cooke, Parker and Alexander,
and Masters-Commanding McCarrick, Tayloe, Hoole and
Harris bravely sustained the credit of the service, and the
other officers and most of the crews of the vessels were scarce
less zealous than their commanders. To Commander Hunter
and Lieutenants-Commanding Cooke and Parker I am par-
ticularly indebted.

"Lieutenant-Commanding Simms was absent on detached
service, and only returned at the close of the conflict, but ex-
hibited such an eagerness to participate as to give assurance
that if gratified he would have upheld his high rejmtation.

"Having procured fuel and ammunition sufficient for two
steamers, I left Elizabeth City in the Seahird, with the Ap-
poviattox in company-, on the 9th instant for Poanoke Island
with the purpose of rendering what assistance we could. At
the mouth of the river we met a boat, from which we learned
that our forces on the island had capitulated. We then con-
tinued on in the hope of rescuing the men stationed at the
Croatan floating battery, but were forced to retire upon the
appearance of a division of the enemv's fleet, steering to-
ward the river.

"Immediately upon our return I sent an express to Gen-
eral Henningsen and distributed the ammunition between
the Seahird, Ellis, Appomattox, Beaufort, Fanny and the
schooner Black Warrior, the gun-boats forming in line of bat-
tle abreast across the river, a little above the fort, and the
schooner moored parallel with and close to the eastern shore,

308 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

opposite to Cobb's Point Battery, the latter consisting of
four smooth-bore 32-pounders. The Curlew our largest
steamer, had been sunk during the engagement off Roanoke
Island; the Forrest was on the ways in Elizabeth City, un-
dergoing repairs, and the Raleigh I had the day before sent
up the canal to expedite forwarding ammunition from Nor-
folk. Shortly after daylight on the 10th the enemy ap-
peared in sight, and it was reported by the lookout that he
was landing troops below. I immediately went to the bat-
tery to arrange for its defence, and found it ungarrisoned,
in charge of a civilian and seven militiamen. As the bat-
tery was our principal reliance, and the enemy must pass it
before reaching the gimboats, I determined to defend it in
person, and sent for Lieutenant-Commanding Parker, of the
Beaufort, to bring on shore his ammunition, officers and
crew, leaving only sufficient of the latter to take that vessel
up to the canal. We at first manned three of the guns with
the aid of the militiamen, but they speedily deserted, and we
fought with only two 32-pounders. The enemy advanced
very boldly and, contrary to my expectation, instead of tak-
ing position as he did at Roanoke Island for the purpose of
shelling out the battery, he continued to press on ; in one
hour and five minutes succeeded in passing it, and, with full
complements of men, closed upon our half-manned gun-boats.

''The commanders of the latter were instructed, when
their ammunition failed, to escape with their vessels if they
could ; if not, to run into shoal water, destroy the signal
books, set fire to the vessels and save their crews.

"The Appomattox succeeded in making her escape ; the
Seabird was sunk in the action ; the Ellis was overpowered
and captured, and the Fanny ran aground and was set on fire
by her commander, who brought her crew safely ashore.

"By the capture or destruction of the gun-boats the enemy
gained positions to enfilade the battery (the guns of which
could no longer be brought to bear), bringing the magazine
in their line of fire, and as further resistance would have
availed nothing, the town being at their mercy, the guns of
the battery were carefully spiked and the officers and men
deliberatelv withdrawn.

North Caeolina Navy. 309

"The Forrest, in obedience to my orders, was burned by
her officers before leaving Elizabeth City ; the Ellis was cap-
tured; the Beaufort, Raleigh and Appomattox escaped; the
Fanny was set on fire and blew up ; and the flagship was sunk,
so that of our little squadron of gun-boats, the Ellis (next to
the Forrest the most indifferent one) alone fell into the
hands of the enemy. Of casualties, I regret to say that
Acting Midshipman Jackson and one seaman of the Ellis,
and Seamen Ballance and Bragg, of the Sea Bird, w^ere killed
and one seaman of the Ellis and Third Assistant Engineer
Henderson and four seamen of the Sea Bird were wounded.

"The officers exhibited great gallantry, but were not uni-
versally sustained by their men, for some of them, being raw
recruits, shrank from a hand-to-hand encounter with a
greatly su]ierior force. Until better informed, I cannot par-
ticularize the conduct of the officers afloat, but will do them
full justice in a future communication.

"Lieutenant-Commanding Parker, Acting Master John-
son, and Acting Midshipmen Gardner and Mallory were with
me in the battery, and by cool intrepidity sustained the con-
fidence I placed in them. To Lieutenant-Commanding Par-
ker I am specially indebted, as well for his brave deportment
in battle as for the judicious manner he conducted upward of
fifty officers and men from Elizabeth City to Norfolk. Mr.
Hinrick, the ei^'ilian mIioui we found in charge of the bat-
tery, stood by us to the last, and deserves to be gratefully re-
membered.

"Wm. F. Lynch,
"Flag Officer, Commanding Naval Defences of North Caro-
lina and Virginia.

"Hon. S. E. ]\Lallory, Secretary of the Navy, Richmond."

Report of Lieutexaxt Cooke, C. S. Navy, Commanding

C. S. S. Eelis.

(Official Becords Union and Confed. Navies, Series 1, Vol.

6, Page 597..)

"Waeeenton, N. C, 16 April, 1862.

"Sir: — In consequence of being wounded in my right arm,

and unable to write, I have until now deferred making out to

310 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

you my official report of the engagements of the 8th (7th) and
11th (10th) of February.

"That of the 8th (7th), at Roanoke IsLqnd, commenced
about 10:30 a. m., at long range. At 2 p. m., finding all of
my ammunition expended, I obtained your permission to be
supplied from the Forrest. As I procured that, she had
dropped out of the enemy's range in a crippled condition. I
very soon expended all that she had, and soon after the Cur-
leiv becoming disabled and in a sinking condition, I was
again supplied from her, and renewed the attack. At about
4:30 p. m., as we were retiring from the engagement, the
firing having generally ceased, Midshipman Camm, the sec-
ond in command, had his left arm taken off just below the
shoulder by a Parrott shell. He had fired bis eighty-fourth
round when wounded, and I can not speak too highly of this
efficient and meritorious officer, who had bravely performed
his duty throughout the action. I then, by your order, went
to the assistance of the Curlew to remove ordnance and ord*
nance stores, etc., to the schooner Blade Warrior, for the pur-
pose of falling back to Elizabeth City, where we arrived on
Saturday morning, and where we were attacked on Monday,
the 11th f 10th), by the Federal gun-boats by an overwhelm-
ing and overpowering force. In consequence of the width of
the river, the enemy were enabled to run down upon us with
his entire force, numbering, I think, fourteen gun-boats, any
one of which was superior to ours, and of a heavier metal.
Being surrounded and boarded by two of the enemy's vessels,
and having made every possible effort to resistance, and see-
ing that further resistance was useless, I gave the order to
blow^ the vessel up, which was prevented liy one of my negro
coal heavers discovering it and betraying it to the enemy. I
also gave the order for the men to save themselves, if possible,
we being very near the shore, one of the gun's crew being
killed and several wounded. The rest left the vessel, and, in
endeavoring to make their way to the shore. Midshipman
Jackson, the second in command (who came on board in the
place of Mr. Camm), was wounded, and died in twenty
hours on board one of the Federal vessels. Several of the

North Carolina Navy. 311

men were also wounded in the water, one, I believe, mortally,
William Walker, ordinary seaman.

"Midshipman Jackson was a meritorious and promising
officer, and the country has sustained a loss in his death.

"I must here speak of the efficient services of Mr. Knight
(rated as fireinan, but performing the duties of boatswain,
gunner, and watch officer) ; Mr. Mayo, the pilot ; also Mr.
Bagley, the clerk, and the crew, all of whom performed their
respective duties with promptness and efficiency.

"After the surrender, I am sorry to say, that the two negro
coal heavers and the steward, as also one or two of the men
from the Sea BWd, deserted to the enemy, when called upon
in my presence to take their parole.

"Very respectfullv, vour obedient servant,

"J. W. Cooke,
"Lieutenant Commanding Ellis.
"Plag Officer W. F. Lynch, Commanding Virginia and
North Carolina Naval Defences."

Commander John N. Maffitt, C. S. N., in his reminiscences
(published in United Service Magazine, 1880), writ-
ing of the engagement in Albemarle Sound and Elizabeth
City, says in reference to the steamer Ellis, as follows :

"The Ellis, commanded by James W. Cooke, resisted to
the bitter end. Boarders swarmed on board of her. and were
met, cutlass in hand, by the dauntless captain who, though
badly A\ounded by a musket ball and by a thrust from a bay-
onet, fought Avith the fierceness of a tiger, refusing to sur-
render or haul down his flag.

"Overpowered by numbers he was borne to the deck, and
would have been slaughtered on the spot, but for the generous
interference of an old associate, who caused him to be safely
conveyed to Commodore Row^an's flagship, where extreme
kindness was extended. .

"The naval battles in Albemarle Sound and off Elizabeth
City reflected much credit upon the personal courage of all
the Confederate officers therein engaged. With mere abor-
tions for gun-boats, badly armed and spare of ammunition,

312 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

they confronted without hesitation the well-equipped and
powerful vessels of the North."

The officers and crew of the Ellis and Sea Bird captured at
Elizabeth City on 10 February, were taken to Roanoke Island
and there on the 12th Avere released on parole and allowed to
return to their homes to remain until exchanged.

Commander W. T. Muse, the first commander of the Ellis,
was born in Pasquotank county, N. C, and entered the ser-
vice of the United States Navy as midshipman. He resigned
on the secession of his native State, having attained to the
rank of Commander.

J. W. Cooke, who succeeded Commander Muse in the Ellis,
was born at Beaufort, N. C, and entered the United States
Navy as a midshipman. After being exchanged he was sent
to Edward's Ferry, on the Roanoke river, to superintend the
building by Gilbert Elliott, of the iron-clad Alheinarle, and
which vessel he afterwards commanded and fought with such
gallantry at Plymouth, N. C.

Thomas M. Crossan was of l^orthern birth, but having
married a lady from North Carolina, on the secession of the
State he cast his fortunes with her, and noble service did he
perform as the first commander of the Minslow, and after-
wards as commander of the North Carolina blockade-runner
Ad-Tuncc, which successfully ran the blockade a number of
times, bringing in the much needed supplies for the North
Cai'olina troops in the fields.

Master McCarrick, who succeeded Commander Crossan
and Sinclair as connnander of the steamer AYvnsloiv, was of
Irish birth, lived in Norfolk, and on the purchase of his ves-
sel by the State of North Carolina, he entered her navy as
a master, and up to the day of his death was a great admirer
of the Old North State. Vice Consul Schisano's letter of
thanks for assistance rendered the French Corvette Pronej
is still in possession of the McCarrick family.

Lieutenant-Commander J. W. Alexander, formerly of the
United States Navy, commander of the Rale igk, Avas born in
Lincoln county. North Carolina. He was captured off Sa-
vannah in 18G3, and taken to Fort Warren, whence he made

North Carolina Navy. 313

a thrilling, but ineffectual, attempt to escape, an account of
which is given by him in this work.

In writing this sketch I have endeavored only to follow
those boats which composed the North Carolina Navy, and
which the State turned over to the Confederate States Navy.

Adam Tredwell.
Norfolk, Va..

28 October, 1901.

Note. — Captain Adam Tredwell was Secretary to Commodore Muse
and Acting Paymaster in North Carolina Navy. In 1862 he was com-
missioned Assistant Paymaster in the Confederate States Nav}^ and
attached to the Staff of Commodore W. F Lynch and Commodore E F.
Pinckney with headquarters at Wilmington, N. C. Since the war he has
been and is now one of the most prominent business men of Norfolk.
North Carolina's Navy consisted of the seven vessels first above named.
She sold and transferred them to the Confederate Navy in the fall of
1801.— Ed.

ADDENDA.

No adequate Roster of the North Carolinians, other than
officers, serving in the Confederate Na\'y has been kept.
In Moore's Roster, Vol. 4, p. 443--448 is an imperfect roll
of the North Carolina rank and file in Navy service. In
Vol. 4 of this work at page 402 is a scant reference to the
North Carolinians serving in the Naval Battalion. No
doubt, those in the Navy formed a considerable part of the
^'3,100 men from this State serving in other commands and
not. borne on our rolls" which were reported by the Adjutant
General 19 November, 1864.

Editor.

W^^

THE Rfln ALBEMARLE."

HER CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICE.

By Her Builder, GILBERT ELLIOTT,* Adjutant 17th N. C. T.

During the Spring of 1863, having been previously en-
gaged in unsuccessful efforts to construct war vessels, of one
sort or another, for the Confederate Government, at different
points in Eastern Korth Carolina and Virginia, I undertook
a contract with the Navy Department to build an iron-clad
gun-boat, intended, if ever completed, to operate on the waters
of Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. Edward's Ferry on the
Eoanoke river, in Halifax County, North Carolina, about 30
miles below the town of Weldon, was fixed upon as the most
suitable for the purpose. The river rises and falls, as is well
known, and it was necessary to locate the yard on ground suf-
ficiently free from overflow to admit of uninterrupted work
for at least twelve months. No vessel was ever constructed
under more adverse circumstances. The shipyard was es-
tablished in a corn field, where the ground had already been
marked out and planted for the coming crop, but the owner of
the land, W. R. Smith, Esq., was in hearty sympathy with
the enterprise, and aided me then and afterwards, in a thou-
sand ways, to accomplish the end I had in view. It was next
to impossible to obtain machinery suitable for the work in
hand. Here and there, scattered about the surrounding
country, a portable saw mill, blacksmith's forge, or other ap-
paratus was found, however, and the citizens of the neighbor-
hoods on both sides of the river were not slow to render me

Note. — Gilbert Elliott was born at Elizabeth City, 10 December, 1843,
and hence was only 19 years of age when he nndertook to bnild the Al-
bemarle After the war he practiced law in Norfolk, Ya., St. Lonis and
New York. He was a brother of Captain < harles G. Elliott, A. A. G.,
of the Martin-Kirkland brigade and of Warren G. Elliott, now President
of the W. & W. R R. Company. He died at Staten Island. N Y.. 9
May, 1895. This article appeared in the "Century" Magazine, July "
by whose kind permission it is reproduced here. — Ed.

316 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

assistance, but co-operated, cordially, in the completion of the
iron-clad, and at the end of about one year from the laying
of the keel, during which innumerable difficulties were over-
come by constant application, determined effort, and inces-
sant labor, day and night, success crowned the efforts of those
engaged in the undertaking.

Seizing an opportunity offered by comparatively high
water, the boat was launched, though not without misgiv-
ings as to the result, for the yard being on a Ijluff she had to
take a jump, and as a matter of fact was ''hogged" in the at-
tempt, but to our great gratification did not thereby spring a
leak.

The plans and specifications were prepared by John L.
Porter, Chief Constructor of the Confederate Navy, who
availed himself of the advantage gained by his experience in
converting the frigate Merrimac into the iron-clad Virginia
at the Gosport navy yard.

The Albemarle was 152 feet long between perpendiculars;
her extreme width was 45 feet ; her depth from the gun-deck
to the keel was 9 feet, and when launched she drew 614 feet
of water, but after being ironed and completed her draught
was about 8 feet. The keel was laid, and construction was
commenced by bolting down, across the center, a piece of
frame timljer, which was of yellow pine, eight hj ten inches.
Another frame of the same size was then dovetailed into this,
extending outwardly at an agle of 45 degrees, forming the
side, and at the outer end of this the frame for the shield was
also dovetailed, the angle being 35 degrees, and then the top
deck was added, and so on around to the other end of the bot-
tom beam. Other l>eams were then bolted down to the keel,
and to the one first fastened, and so on, working fore and aft,
the main deck Ijeams being interposed from stem to stern.
The shield was 00 feet in length and octagonal in form. When
this part of the work was completed she w^as a solid boat, built
of pine frames, and if calked would have floated in that con-
dition, Init she was afterwards covered with 4-inch planking,
laid on longitudinally, as ships are usually planked, and this
was properly calked and pitched, cotton being used for calk-
ing instead of oakum, the latter being very scarce and the

The Ram "AlbExMarle." 317

former almost the only article to be had in abundance. Much
of the timber was hauled long distances. Three portable
saw mills were obtained, one of which was located at the yard,
the others being moved about from time to time to such grow-
ing timber as could be procured.

The iron plating consisted of tw^o courses, 7 inches wide
and 2 inches thick, mostly rolled at the Tredegar Iron Works,
Richmond. The first course was laid lengthwise, over a
wooden backing, 16 inches in thickness, a 2-inch space, filled
in with wood, being left between each two layers to afford
space for bolting the outer course through the whole shield,
and the outer course was laid flush, forming a smooth surface,
similar to that of the Virginia. The inner part of the shield
was covered with a thin course of planking, nicely dressed,
mainly with a view to protection from splinters. Oak knees
w^ere bolted in, to act as braces and suj^ports for the shield.

The armament consisted of two rifled "Brooke" guns
mounted on pivot-carriages, each gun working through three
port-holes, as occasion required, there being one port-hole at
each end of the shield and two on each side. These Avere pro-
tected by iron covers lowered and raised by a contrivance
worked on the gun-deck. She had two propellers driven by
two engines of 200-horse poAver, each, with 20-inch cylinders,
steam being supplied by two flue boilers, and the shafting was
geared together.

The sides were covered from the knuckle, four feet below
the deck, Avdtli iron plates two inches thick.

The prow was built of oak, running 18 feet back, on center
keelson, and solidly bolted, and it was covered on the outside
with iron plating, 2 inches thick, and, tapering off to a 4-inch
edge, formed the ram.

The work of ]iutting on the armor was prosecuted for some
time under the most disheartening circumstances, on account
of the difficulty of drilling holes in the iron intended for her
armor. But one small engine and drill could be had, and it
required, at the best, twenty minutes to drill an inch and a
quarter hole through the plates, and it looked as if we would
never accomplish the task. But "necessity is the mother of
invention," and one of my associates in the enterprise, Peter

318 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

E. Smith, of Scotland Xeck, Xortli Carolina, invented and
made a twist-drill with which the work of drilling a hole
could be done in four minutes, the drill cutting out the iron
in shavings instead of fine powder.

For many reasons it Avas thought judicious to remove the
boat to the town of Halifax, about twenty miles up the river,
and the Avork of completion, putting in her machinery, arma-
ment, etc., was done at that point, although the actual finish-
ing touches Avere not given until a fcAv days before going into
action at Plymouth.

Forges Avere erected on her decks, and blacksmiths and car-
penters Avere kept hard at Avork as she floated down the river
to her destination.

Captain James W. Cooke, of the Confederate XaAy, a na-
tiA^e of North Carolina, Avas detailed by the department to
Avatch the construction of the A'essel and to take command
Avhen she Avent into commission. He made eA^ery effort to
hasten the completi<:)u of the boat. He Avas a bold and gallant
officer, and in the battles in Avhich he subsequently engaged
he proA''ed himself a hero. Of him it Avas said that ''he aa'ouM
fight a poAvder magazine Avith a coal of fire," and if such a
necessity could by any possibility liaA^e existed he Avould,
doubtless, liaA'e been equal to the occasion.

In the Spring of 1864 it had been decided at headquarters
that an attempt should be made to recapture the tOAvn of Ply-
mouth. General Hoke Avas j^laced in command of the land
forces, and Captain Cooke received orders to co-operate. Ac-
cordingly Hoke's Division proceeded to the vicinity of Ply-
mouth and surrounded the toAvn from the river above to the
river beloAv, and preparation Avas made to storm the forts and
breastAvorks as soon as the Albemarle could clear the river
front of the Federal Avar vessels protecting the place AA^ith
their guns.

On the morning of 18 April, 1864, the Albemarle left the
toAvn of Hamilton and proceeded doAATi the river tOAvards Ply-
mouth, going stern foremost, Avith chains dragging from the
boAv, the rapidity of the current making it impracticable to
steer with her head down stream. She came to anchor about
three miles above Plymouth, and a mile or so above the bat-

The Ram "Albemarle." 319

tery on the bluff at Warren's jSTeck, near Thoroughfare Gap,
where tor^Dedoes, sunken vessels, piles, and other obstructions
had been placed. An exploring expedition was sent out, un-
der conunand of one of the Lieutenants, which returned in
about two hours, with the report that it was considered impos-
sible to pass the obstruction. Thereupon the fires were
banked, and the officers and crew not on duty retired to rest.
Having accompanied Captain Cooke as a volunteer aide,
and feeling intensely dissatisfied with the apparent intention
of lying at anchor all that night, and believing that it was
"then or never" with the ram if she was to accomplish any-
thing, and that it would be foolhardy to attempt the passage
of the obstructions and batteries in the day time, I requested
permission to make a personal investigation. Captain Cooke
cordially assenting, and Pilot John Luck and tw^o of the few
experienced seamen on board volunteering their services, we
get forth in a small lifeboat, taking with us a long pole, and
arriving at the obstructions proceeded to take sounding. To
our great joy it was ascertained that there was ten feet of
water over and above the obstructions. This was due to the
remarkable freshet then prevailing ; the proverbial "oldest in-
habitant" said, afterwards, that such high water had never
before been seen in Roanoke river. Pushing on down the
stream to Plymouth, and taking advantage of the shadow of
the trees on the north side of the river, opposite the town, we
watched the Federal transports taking on board the women
and children who were being sent away for safety, on account
of the approaching bombardment. With mufiled oars, and
almost afraid to breathe, we made our way back up the river,
hugging close to the northern bank, and reached the ram
about 1 o'clock, reporting to Captain Cooke that it was prac-
ticable to pass the obstructions provided the boat was kept in
the middle of the stream. The indomitable commander in-
stantly aroused his men, gave the order to get up steam, slip-
ped the cables in his impatience to be off, and started down
the river. The obstructions were soon reached and safely
passed, under a fire from the fort at Warren's ISTeck which
was not returned. Protected by the iron-clad shield, to those
on board the noise made by the shot and shell as they struck

320 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

the boat sounded no louder than pebbles thrown against an
empty barrel. At Boyle's Mill, lower down, there was an-
other fort upon which was mounted a very heavy gun. This
was also safel}' passed, and we then discovered two steamers
coming up the river. They proved to be the Miami and the
Southfield. The Miami carried 6 9-inch guns, 1 100-pounder
Parrott rifle, and 1 24-pounder S. B. howitzer, and the ferry
boat Soutlipcld 5 9-inch, 1 100-pounder Parrott and 1 12-
pounder howitzer.

The tAvo ships were lashed together with long spars, and
with chains festooned between them. The plan of Captain
Flusser, who commanded, was to run his vessels so as to get
the Albemarle between the tAvo, which would have placed the
ram at a great disadvantage, if not altogether at his mercy ;
but Pilot John Luck, acting under orders from Captain
Cooke, ran the ram close to the southern shore ; and then sud-
denly turning toward the middle of the stream, and going
with the current, the throttles, in obedience to his bell, being
wide open, he dashed the prow of the Albemarle into the side
of the Southfield, making an o])ening large enough to carry
her to the bottom in much less time than it takes to tell the
story. Part of her crew went down with her. Of the of-
ficers and men of the Southfield, seven of the former, includ-
ing Acting Volunteer Lieutenant C. A. French, her com-
mander, and forty-two of her men were rescued by the Miami
and the other Union vessels ; the remainder were either cap-
tured or drowned.

The chain-plates on the forward deck of the Albemarle be-
came entangled in the frame of the sinking vessel, and her
bow was carried down to such a depth that water poured into
her port-holes in great volume, and she would soon have
shared the fate of the Southfield, had not the latter vessel
reached the bottom, and then, turning over on her side, re-
leased the ram, thus allowing her to come up on an even keel.
The Miami, right alongside, had opened fire with her heavy
guns, and so close were the vessels together that a shell with a
ten-second fuse, fired by Captain Flusser, after striking the
Albemarle rebounded and exploded, killing the gallant man
who pulled the laniard, tearing him almost to pieces. Not-

The Ram "Albemarle." 321

withstanding the death of Fhisser, an attempt was made to
board the ram, which was heroically resisted by as many of
the crew as could be crowded on the top deck, who were sup-
plied with loaded muskets passed up by their comrades below.
The Miami, a powerful and very fast side- wheeler, succeeded
in eluding the Albemarle without receiving a blow from her
ram, and retired below Plymouth, into Albemarle Sound.

Captain Cooke having successfully carried out his part of
the programme. General Hoke attacked the fortifications the
next morning and carried them ; not, however, without heavy
loss. Ransom's Brigade alone leaving 500 dead and wounded
on the field, in their most heroic charge upon the breastworks
protecting the eastern front of the town. General Wessells, .
commanding the Federal forces, made a gallant resistance,
and surrendered only when further effort would have been
worse than useless. During the attack the Albemarle held
the river front, according to contract, and all day long poured
shot and shell into the resisting forts with her two guns.

On 5 May, 1864, Captain Cooke left the Roanoke river
with the Albemarle and two tenders, the Bombshell and Cot-
ton Plant, and entered tlie Sound with the intention of recov-
eriiig, if possible, the control of the two Sounds, and ulti-
mately of Hatteras Inlet. He proceeded about sixteen miles
on an east-northeasterly course, A\hen the Federal squadron,
consisting of seven well-armed gun-boats, the Mattabesett,
Sassacus, Wyalusing, Whitehead, Miami, Commodore Hull,
and Ceres, all under the command of Captain Melancthon
Smith, hove in sight, and at 2 o'clock that afternoon approach-
ed in double line of battle, the Mattabesett being in advance.
They proceeded to surround the Albemarle, and hurled at her
their heaviest shot, at distances averaging less than one hun-
dred yards. The Union fleet, as we now know, had 32 guns
and 23 howitzers, a total of 55. The Albemarle responded
effectively, but her boats were soon shot away, her smoke-
stack was riddled, many iron plates in her shield were injured
and broken, and the after-gun was broken off eighteen inches
from the muzzle, and rendered useless. This terrible fire
continued, without intermission, until about 5 p. m., when
the commander of the double-ender Sassacus selected his op-
21

522 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

^ortunity, and with all steam on struck the Albemarle
squarely just abaft her starboard beam, causing every timber
in the vicinity of the blow to groan, though none gave way.
The pressure from the revolving wheel of the Sassacus was
so great that it forced the after deck of the ram several feet
below^ the surface of the water, and created an impression on
board that she was about to sink. Some of the crew became
demoralized, but the calm voice of the undismayed captain
-checked the incipient disorder, with the command, "Stand to
jour guns, and if we must sink let us go down like brave
men."

The Albemarle soon recovered, and sent a shot at her as-
nsailant which passed through one of the latter's boilers, the
liissing steam disabling a number of the crew. Yet the disci-
pline of the Sassacus was such that, notwithstanding the nat-
■ural consternation under these appalling circumstances, two
•of her guns continued to fire on the Albemarle until she
drifted out of the arena of battle. Two of the fleet attempted
to foul tlie })ropellers of the ram with a large fishing seine
which they had previously procured for the purpose, but the
line parted in paying it out. Then they tried to blow her up
wdth a torpedo, but failed. Xo better success attended an
effort to throw a keg of gunpowder down her smoke-stack, or
what was left of it, for it was riddled with holes from shot
and shell. This smoke-stack had lost its capacity for draw-
ing, and the boat lay a helpless mass on the water. While in
this condition every effort was made by her numerous ene-
mies to destroy her. The unequal conflict continued until
night. Some of the Federal vessels were more or less disa-
bled, and both sides were doubtless well content to draw off.
Captain Cooke had on board a supply of bacon and lard, and
this sort of fuel being available to burn without draught from
a smoke-stack, he was able to make sufficient steam to get the
boat back to Plymouth, where she tied up to her wharf cov-
ered with wounds and with glory.

The Albemarle in her different engagements was struck a
great many times by shot and shell, the upper section alone of
the smoke-stack has 114 holes made by shot and shell, and yet
fcut one man lost his life, and that was caused by a pistol-shot

The Ram "Albemarle." 323

from the Miami,, the imprudent sailor having put his head
out of one of the port-holes to see what was going on outside.
Captain Cooke was at once promoted and placed in com-
mand of all the Confederate naval forces in Eastern Xorth
Carolina. The Albemarle remained tied to her wharf at
Plymouth until the night of 27 October, 1864, when Lieuten-
ant William B. Crushing, of the United States I*^avy, per-
formed the daring feat of destroying her with a torpedo.
Having procured a torpedo-boat so constructed as to be very
fast, for a short distance, and with the exhaust steam so ar-
ranged as to be noiseless, he proceeded, with a crew of four-
teen men, up the Roanoke river. Guards had been stationed
by the Confederate military connnander on the wreck of the
South field, whose top deck was then above water, but they
failed to see the boat. A boom of logs had been arranged
around the Albemarle, distant about thirty feet from her side.
Captain Cooke had planned and superintended the construc-
tion of this arrangement before giving up the command of
the vessel to Captain A. F. Warley. Cushing ran his boat up
to these logs, and there, under a hot fire, lowered and ex-
ploded the torpedo under the Alberaarle's bottom, causing her
to settle down and finally to sink at tlie wharf. The torpedo-
boat and crew were captured ; but Cushing refusing to sur-
render, though twice called u]:>on to do so, sprang into the
river, dived to the bottom, and swam across to a swamp oppo-
site the town, thus making his escape ; and on the next night,
after having experienced great suffering, wandering through
the SM'amp, he succeeded in obtaining a small canoe, and made
his way back to the fleet.

The river front being no longer protected, and no appli-
ances for raising the sunken vessel being available, on 31 Oc-
tober the Federal forces attacked and captured the town of
Plymouth. The Albemarle was subsequently raised and
towed to the Norfolk ISTavy Yard, and after being stripped of
her armament, machinery, etc., she was sold, 1.5 October,
1867.

Gilbert Elliott.
St. Louis, Mo.,

20 April, 1888.

CAPTURE OF THE UNDERWRITER"

y^EV BERN, 2 FEBRUARY. 1564.

By B. p. LOYALL, Commander C. S. N.

After the fall of Roanoke Island in the winter of 1862, the
Federals had control of the sounds of JSTorth Carolina, and of
some of the rivers emptying into them. They had occupied
all the towns situated on the water, and among them New
Bern, which lies at the confluence of the ISTeuse and Trent
rivers, occupying an angle between the two — a place easily
defended by the power having control of the water. They
had built strong earthworks on the land side, stretching from
river to river, and had several gunboats cruising about to pro-
tect the place on the water side.

Among these gunboats one was the Underwriter, which had
been a heavy ocean tugboat at New York, and, purchased by
the United States Government, had been converted into quite
a formidable vessel of war. She w^as the ship that fired the
first gun in the attack upon Roanoke Island, where the writer
had the misfortune to be captured, and it may be said there
was something like the rule of compensation w^hen he had a
hand in capturing her. She was armed with two 8-inch guns,
one 3-inch rifle and one 12-pounder howitzer, and had a crew
of about 85 all told. Picture to yourself a steamer about the
size of the Northampton, with very low guards and stripped
of her sides or bulwarks, except a wooden rail with rope net-
ting from ' that to her deck. The quiet possession of New
Bern by the Federals had distressed and worried the patriotic
peo^Dle of North Carolina, and General Hoke, than whom
there was not a more competent or brilliant officer of his rank
in the Confederate army, strongly advocated a quick move-
ment upon the place by the army, assisted by the navy on the
water, predicting certain success, and large reward in
stores, munitions and prisoners. The matter took definite

326 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

shape in January, 1864, and it was decided to send Gen-
eral Pickett with as much of his division as might be availa-
ble to make the attempt. On Friday, 29 January, 1864,
orders were received by the four ships lying at Drewry's
Bluff, each to fit out a cutter fully armed for service
on a secret expedition. oSTo one in the squadron knew of
our destination, except myself and Captain Parker, serving
on the Patrick Henry, and we were ordered to take five days'
rations. I was put in command of that part of the expedi-
tion, with confidential orders to report to Captain John Tay-
lor Wood (his naval rank) at Kinston, N. C.

To escape notice as much as possible we pulled down James
river to the Appomattox, and reached Petersburg before day-
light. There w^as a railway train waiting for us, and we
hauled our boats out of the water, and, by hard Avork, loaded
them on the flat cars before the people were up and about.

We started off at once, and it was a novel sight to see a
train like that — Jack sitting up on the seats of the boats and
waving his hat to the astonished natives, who never saw such
a circus before. Many of them had never seen a boat. We
reached Kinston on Sunday morning, and immediately got
the boats in the water of the Neuse river, dropped down a
short distance below the village and put things in shape for
the trial of battle. Captain Wood met us at Kinston (where
we were joined by three boats fully armed from Wilmington,
N. C.) and took command of the expedition. About 4 o'clock
in the afternoon we shoved off from the river bank and started
down for New Bern, which is about forty miles distant by the
river.

W^hen we had gotten some tAvo miles below the town orders
were given for every man to put a band of white cotton cloth
on the left arm, above the elbow, and the name ''Sumpter"
was given as the watchword.

These precautions are necessary in a night attack, as there
are no flags in sight to rally upon. Every man was armed
with a cutlass and navy revolver.

Before dark the Commander ordered all boats to assem-
ble together, and, as we floated down the quiet stream, he of-
fered up the petitions from the prayer book to Almighty God

Capture of the "Underwriter." 327

for those about to engage iu battle. It was a solemn and im-
pressive scene — just as the shades of evening were falling —
this unusual assemblage of armed men. Then, with muffled
oars a single line was formed, and we pulled with measured
stroke down the stream. The river is narrow and full of
turns, winding in and out, with low sedgy banks. Here and
there huge cyj^ress and water oak trees, which almost lock
their heavy branches over the stream.

The night was so dark that we could not see each other, and
often the leading boat ran into a shoal point, got aground, and
the whole line would be jumbled up in a crowd.

After 2 o'clock in the morning the river widened, and we
began to see better around us. Soon we reached the mouth of
Swift C-reek and sniffed the salt air from the sound. Every
eye was strained to see a ship. We pulled in the direction of
the town of New Bern, and searched in vain to find some-
thing afloat, although we got close enough to the wharf to
hear talking, probably the sentries on the dock.

There was nothing to be done but find some refuge out of
sight until next night, but it was hard letting down from the
pitch of excitement and expectation we had been under — the
unbending of the boAV that had been strung for action. We
moved up the river some three or four miles to Bachelor's
Creek, where among the reeds and rushes we tried to hide our-
selves and rest until next night, and try it again. We felt
very uneasy lest we should be discovered, and our purpose
known ; for unless our attack should be a surprise, it would be
useless and madness to undertake it. ]^o force in small
boats, except in overwhelming numbers, can capture an armed
ship, unless by taking her unawares. We spent a day of tedi-
ous waiting. Officers and men laying low, spinning yarns
and talking about our prospects. I happened to hear the
talking in one of the groups, where a fine young officer said :
"Fellows, where will we be this time to-morrow ?" He was
among the killed, and it was such a lesson on the uncertainty
of human life. Among those present were Hoge and Gard-
ner and Henry Cooke and Gill and Palmer Saunders and
Goodwin, from Virginia, and Gift and Porcher and Scharf
and Williamson and Kerr and Poby, all trained at Annapolis

328 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

and true as steel — among tliese three were from Norfolk and
Portsmouth. In plain sight of us was a tall crow's nest, oc-
cupied by a lookout of the Federal army on their picket line,
and I assure you it gave us a creepy, uneasy feeling to think
that our whole movement and intention might be discovered.
And here let me remark that this very situation determines
and exemplifies what I judge to be a man of war — a leader
who does not allow his -plans to be upset by what he thinks
the enemy is going to do. He must be always combative and
not calculating chances. Wood paid no attention to doubts
and surmises, but had his eye fixed upon boarding and cap-
turing that ship, and doing his part in the fall of New Bern.

We were in full hearing of Pickett's dashing attack upon
the Federal outerworks that day, and knew that he was driv-
ing them from the advanced line of fortifications. Before
sunset Wood called for the swiftest boat, and, with the writer
in company, pulled cautiously down the river, keeping close
under the banks. We had not gone two miles, when simul-
taneously we both cried : "There she is."

We discovered a black steamer anchored close up to the
right flank of the outer fortifications of New Bern, where she
had come that day, and, having located her exactly, we re-
tiTrned to our hiding place, with the understanding that we
would attack her between 12 and 4 o'clock in the morning.
Orders were given accordingly, and all hands were made to
know the order of battle, and what they had to do. In rush-
ing pell-mell upon the side of a ship with boats, they naturally
rebound and leave a gap that is not easy to get across, so each
bow oarsman was ordered to be ready to jump aboard with a
grapnel as soon as she struck, and make her fast, and our
coolest men were picked for that duty, which you will easily
see is risky. Some time after midnight we got under way
and pulled slowly down the river in two columns of four boats
each, Wood to board her forward with his boats and I to board
her abaft with mine.

The night was very dark and gloomy, and we could not see
a light anyAvhere, except an occasional glimmer about the
town, but we knew pretty nearly where the vessel was, and
with our glasses in the evening had made out her 1)uild and

Capture of the "Underwriter." 329

structure. The stroke of the muffled oars was ahnost noise-
less, and suddenly the dark hull of the ship loomed up, and,
it seemed almost at the same moment there came from her the
shout: *'Boat, ahoy I" Then we heard the loud and cheer-
ing cry from ^Vood : ''Give way, boys," which was caught up
and echoed along both lines of boats. Then rang out loud and
sharp from the ship the rattle, calling the men to quarters for
action, and now the fight was on. Xo need for orders now to
these disciplined men. I suppose the distance was about
one hundred yards, and, while our men were straining at their
oars, we heard the sharp click of rifles, and the only reply
we could make was by the marines (three or four being in
each boat) who delivered their fire with great coolness.

It seems to me now that of all the uncomfortable things a
fighting man might have to do, that of pulling an oar with his
back to his foe must be the most trying and disheartening,
but not a man weakened. In less time than is required to
tell of this we were into her. Our boat struck the vessel just
abaft the wheelhouse, where the guards make a platform, an
admirable place for getting on board. The ship's armory,
where all the small arms were kept, was in a room just there
under the hurricane deck, and they did not stop to reload, but
loaded guns were handed to the men, as fast as they could
fire. It seemed like a sheet of flame, and the very jaws of
death. Our boat struck bow on, and our bow oarsman,
James Wilson, of Norfolk, (after the war Avith the Baker
Wrecking Company) caught her with his grapnel, and she
swung side on with the tide.

As we jumped aboard Engineer Gill, of Portsmouth,
among the first, was shot through the head, and as he fell
dead our men gave a yell, and rushed upon the deck, with
the crews of the two other boats close behind. ISTow the fight-
ing was furious, and at close quarters. Our men were eager,
and as one would fall another came on. Xot one faltered
or fell back. The cracking of fi^-e arms and the rattle of cut-
lasses made a deafening din. The enemy gave way slowly,
and soon began to get away by taking to the ward room and
engine room hatches below.

Thev fell l)ack under the hurricane deck before the steady

330 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

attack of our men, and at that time I heard the cheers and
rush of our comrades from forward, and I knew we had
them. They came along from forward with the cutlasses and
muskets they had found, clubbing and slashing. In a short
time I heard the cry: "We surrender.''

They coukl not stand the force and moral effect of an at-
tack like that, and, remember, the}' were not Spaniards we
were fighting.

Wood gave the order to cease firing, and after a brief con-
sultation, we ordered the two firemen we had with us to go
down into the engine and fire room to see if they could get
her under way and take her up the river, where we might
put her in shape, and, as she was the largest vessel at New
Bern we could have temporary command of the river. It
was in the fight on the forward deck that the intrepid young
Palmer Saunders gave up his life for his country. He at-
tacked a stalwart sailor with his cutlass and killed him, but
had his head split open and a shot in his side. I wish I could
relate the deeds of individual prowess and gallantry, but in
such a melee as that one has all he can do to keep on his feet
and look out for himself.

We found the fires banked and riot steam enough to turn
the wheels over. At this juncture Fort Stevens opened fire
upon our vessel, regardless of their own people. One shell
struck part of her lever beam, went through a hen coop near
where the marines were drawn up, and passed through her
side. Upon further consultation we decided to burn her, and
gave the order to man the boats, taking special care of our
own and the enemy's wounded, and our dead, and all prison-
ers we could get hold of.

I thoiTght it very strange that the captain of the vessel
could not be found, but upon inquiry among his men we
learned that he had been wounded in the leg and had jumped
overboard. He was drowned.

Poor Palmer Saunders was carefully placed in a blanket,
and laid in the bow of my boat, where he could be better sup-
ported than aft. He was breathing, but entirely unconscious.
Of course, some of the men missed their boats, as nobody

Capture of the "Underwriter." 331

stood upon the order of his going in the face of the firing
from those forts.

After seeing all the boats under my charge get away, we
shoved off and pulled away from the ship. The duty of set-
ting fire to the Underv:ritei- had been assigned to Lieutenant
Hoge, of Wlieeling, a talented young officer of fine attain-
ments and undaunted courage. When we had gotten half
mile from the ship Wood pulled up towards our boats and
asked if 1 had ordered the ship set afire. I said: "Yes,"
but it looked as if it had not been done successfully. Just
then Hoge came along in his boat, and said that he had set
fire to her.

Wood ordered him to go on board and make sure of it, and
he went promptly. Here was trying duty to perform. The
forts were firing every few minutes in our direction, wildly,
of course, as big guns cannot be aimed well at night, but you
never can tell wdiere they are going to strike.

In about ten minutes we saw a flame leap out of a win-
dow forward of the wheelhouse, where the engineer's supplies
were kept, and Hoge pulling away. In a very few minutes
the whole expanse of water was lighted up, and you may be
sure we struck out with a vim to rendezvous at Swift Creek,
about six miles up the river, on the opposite side from jSTew
Bern, Avhere Gen-eral Bearing had a small cavalry camp. As
we were pulling up we could hear now and then the boom
of the guns of the Undenvriter as they were discharged by
heat from the burning ship, and just before reaching our
landing place we heard the awful explosion of the sturdy ves-
sel, when the fire reached her magazine.

After daybreak we reached the place on the bank of the
creek, where there was a clearing, and landed our cargo of
dead and wounded and prisoners.

As we were taking Saunders out of the boat he breathed
his last, and so passed into the presence of God the soul of
that young hero.

As soon as the surgeon had made the wounded as comfort-
able as possible under the circumstances, the prisoners were
drawn up in line to make a list of them. As I passed down
the line, a strapping big fellow, without any trousers on and

332 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

barefooted, said: "Mj Lord, is that you?" I looked liim
over and recognized him as an old quarter-gunner that had
been shipmate with me in the frigate Congress ten -years be-
fore, and among the wounded I was called to have a greeting
from a young fellow, who had been a mizzen-topman in the
same ship, and after the war got me to give him a certificate
to secure his pension.

Our casualties had been six killed, twenty-two wounded,
all of them brought away. Two were missing and afterwards
accounted for. The Federal loss was nine killed, eighteen
wounded, and nineteen prisoners — about thirty of her crew
escaped.

The wounded and prisoners were promptly taken care of
by General Dearing's command, and sent up to Kinston, Cap-
tain Wood proceeded to Richmond at once. As soon as
proper arrangements could be made the command was sum-
moned to pay the last rite of burial of the dead. At 3 o'clock
in the afternoon, under the stately pines that bordered the
stream, I read the church service for the burial of the dead,
and the bodies of our lamented comrades were tenderly laid
in mother earth, there to rest until we shall all be summoned
to the great assize.

General Pickett's plans miscarried, it was alleged, by the
failure of one of his brigadiers to make an attack at the ap-
pointed time on the Trent river side of the defense.

He withdrew his force leisurely and retired upon Kinston.

I could never understand wli}' the other giTuboats at New
Bern did not attack the Uiiderwriter after her capture by us.
Instead of that, two of them got under v/ay and steamed
around into Trent river, as fast as they could go. While we
were getting ready to abandon the ship, it worried us very
much to see one of those boats coming directly toAvard us, but
she soon turned and went in the other direction, much to our
relief.

In speaking of our casualties, it was said that there were
two missing, and it was from laughable circumstances. When
we took to our boats two of the men rushed to the stern where
they saw a boat made fast, and they slided dowm into her. In
a few moments other men piled into her, and "shove off"

Capture of the "Underwriter." 333

was the word. It soon developed that the boat had eight Yan-
kees and two rebels on board, and these two poor fellows set
up a fearful cry for help. We heard them howling from our
boat, but could not see, nor imagine what it meant. The
poor fellows were rowed ashore to IsTew Bern by their Yankee
prisoners — so to speak. They were afterwards exchanged
and I met one of them in Richmond. He said he never felt
so mean in all his life, and he ahnost split his throat halloo-
ing for us to get them out of the scrape.

The attack upon New Bern was well planned, and we all
know that the assault of that intrepid division was irresisti-
ble, but here was another case where somebody had blundered.
If General Pickett's orders had been carried out, there would
have been another exemplification of the power of a navy, by
its very absence in this case ; for the neutralizing of the help
given by the Underwriter in the defense of ]Srew Bern would
have made General Pickett's assault upon the right flank of
those defenses a very different affair.*

Referring to this capture Admiral Porter, United States
Navy, wrote at that time: "This was rather a mortifying
affair for the navy, however fearless on the part of the Con-
federates. This gallant expedition was led by Commander
John Taylor Wood. It was to be expected that with so many
clever officers, who left the Federal navy and cast their for-
tunes with the Confederates, such gallant action would often
be attempted, and had the enemy attacked the forts, the
chances are that they would have been successful, as the gar-
rison was unprepared for an attack on the river flank, their
most vulnerable side."

That night our command pulled up to Kinston, tired and
fagged from four days of work and unrest, and so we went
back to our ships at Richmond.

B. P. LOYALL.

Norfolk, Va.,

2 February, 1901.

*NoTE —General Pickett was evidently a favorite at Richmond and the
command of this expedition, as of part of the charge at Gettysburg, was
given him as opportunity to earn higher promotion. It is not improb-
able that impartial history may write him down as unequal to his op-
portunities How differently both would have turned out under a
leader like Stonewall Jackson, or Pender, or Hoke. — Ed.

THE STEAHER AD-VAnCE.

By JAMES MAGLENN, Chief Engineer.

This steamer, formerly called the "Lord Clyde," running
between Dublin and Glasgow, was }uirchased by the State
of JSTorth Carolina to carry out cotton and other Southern
products, and bring in arms and supplies of clothing and medi-
cines for the I^ortli Carolina State Troops, and was named
the Ad- Vance.*

I joined the ship on her first arrival in Wilmington, and
was with her until captured September, 1864, with the ex-
ception of one trip made from Wilmington to Nassau and re-
turn, serving in different capacities ; first trip as second as-
sistant engineer, second trip as first assistant engineer, then
as chief engineer, making several successful trips, one to Liv-
erpool for repairs, returning to Bermuda in June, 1864,
thence to Wilmington.

Some of her trips were very exciting and hazardous. On
one occasion there were four steamers leaving St. Georges,
Bermuda, including the Ad-Vance, for Wilmington. But
two of these arrived in Wilmington. One put back to Ber-
muda badly disabled ; the other Avas lost in the gale. On
this occasion I Avas limited to twelve revolutions per minute
for thirty-six hours, or during the severest of the gale, which
was just enough for the ship to mind the helm, being head to
the gale all this time and water increasing in the hold to such
an extent that it got within six inches of the grate-bars. In
fact, I thought our time had come and, therefore, informed
Captain Wiley hoAv matters were in the engine and fire room,
and that "avc could not hold out this way much longer." I
suggested to him the importance of turning the ship around
and running before the Avind, to enable me to get the Avater

*This was said to have had a triple significance, Ad. Vance i. e. (1) To
Vance, (2) Ad. Vance in honor of Mrs Vance whose name was Adelaide,
(3) As the advance or pioneer ship. — Ed.

336 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'6o.

out by working the engines faster. He remonstrated by say-
ing that "to attempt such a thing in a night like this would
be certain destruction to the ship and all on board, but do the
best you can until morning and when the worst comes, I may
attempt it in daylight, but I feel confident we will have a
change for the better by morning. The barometer has com-
menced to rise and is going up rapidly. It is the first time
it has made a movement in that direction for two days."
Strange to say, by 8 o'clock the next morning, it was per-
fectly calm, but a tremendous sea was rolling, which knocked
us about considerably. This was the heaviest gale we ever
experienced. On our arrival at Wilmington, we made some
improvement in bilge and other pumps, which 'was actually
necessary to make her seaworthy in anything like heavy
weather.

The ship was in critical and dangerous positions on
divers occasions. Once on the shoals off Fort Caswell
where she remained for two or three days in range of the en-
emy's guns, but was finally worked off and arrived in Wil-
mington without any serious damage. Again, coming from
St. Georges, Bermuda, we expected to make Bald Head light
about 12 o'clock at night. However, a light was seen ahead
about this time, but it proved to be Cape Lookout, and, when
this was thoroughly understood and consultation held, Colo-
nel Crossan, Captain Wiley, the pilot Kic Moss and Chief
Engineer, as to what was best to be done, it was decided that
we should try to get in at ISTew Inlet.

Failing to get in there, she was to be run on the beach, as
we did not have coal enough on board to go back to Bermuda.
However, we left Cape Lookout about 2 o'clock on a beautiful
October morning, all excitement and ship working at full
speed close in to the land, determined to go in or on the beach.
It being a little hazy along the line, was something in our
favor. Did not see any of the fleet until we passed Wrights-
ville and sighted Fort Fisher. As we approached the fort,
the gun-boats made for us, firing shot that fell short. At this
time we were approaching them very rapidly ; on account of
a point of shoal, we had to turn to make the channel inlet.
Bv this time their shot were goinc over us, and when Colonel

The Steamer Ad-Vance. 337

Lamb's Wliitwortli guns began their firing iipon the fleet,
one large steamer, supposed to be the State of Georgia, came
rapidly towards us, and when in dangerous proximity, was
about to turn to bring her broadside guns upon the Ad-Vance,
but a well-directed shot from a 10-inch Columbiad from the
northeast salient of the fort crashed into her boAv, when she
rapidly backed water and withdrew from the chase, enabling
the Ad-Vance to get safely in, amid the shouts of the garrison
and the cheers of the officers and crew and the waving of
handkerchiefs by tliose on deck of the blockade runner.
A number of officers came on board to congratulate us, and
Captain Wiley and the Kev. Moses D. Hoge, mIio was on
board bringing in a lot of testaments. Bibles and tracts for
the soldiers, sent special thanks to Colonel Lamb and his gar-
rison for their timely aid. This was considered one of the
most daring and gallant feats performed by the blockade-run-
ners during the war.

ITER LAST TRIP AND CAPTURE.

We left Wilmington about 9 September, 1864, Captain
Wiley still in command, Avith a full cargo, principally of cot- "
ton, bound for Halifax, X. C, and anchored at New Inlet,
near Fort Fisher, and in full sight of the Federal fleet of
twenty-five or thirty vessels, who, of course, understcjud our
designs and would be on the lookout for us that night. Al-
though the night was not altogether favorable, we started as
soon as the tide would permit. Of course, smoke, sparks and
flames from the stack had to be kept down. This was very
difficult to do, as our last shovelful of good coal was used
shortly after crossing the bar and ill plain sight of some of the
fleet. Those that could see us would throw rockets, indicat-
ing the direction we were going. Then the dodging on our
part and the fre(|uent change of the shi]r's course to keep from
running into them. The excitement at this time was very
great. Yet all was as quiet as the grave on board and every
man was at his post and doing his duty faithfully. The
rocket firing and shooting were very heavy, and nothing but
good management on the part of our officers could have pulled
us safely through the fleet that night. At sunrise there was
22

338 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

nothing in sight, yet onr black smoke was giving ns away.
Some of the fleet were following it, and about 8 o'clock a ves-
sel was discovered chasing us and appeared to be gaining.
Everj^thing possible was done to increase the speed of the
Ad-Vancc, but the steaming qualities of the coal were against
us. We were using Chatham, or Egypt coal, which was very
inferior ; in fact nothing but slate or the croppings of the
mine. Our good coal at Wilmington was taken for the Con-
federate cruisers, which accounts for our capture. We were
in hopes we could evade the pursuing steamer in the darkness
of the night, but, in our present condition, she was too fast
for us and was able to throw some shot over us some time be-
fore sundown, which caused us to stop the ship and surrender.
Erom the stopping of the ship to the boarding of the United
States officers, some time elapsed, causing an accumulation of
steam, which was blowing off very freely. The United States
Engineer Corps, seeing the condition of affairs, asked me
to have my men haul the fires and arrange to have the boilers
supplied with water. I told him I had nothing more to do
with the ship and considered him in charge. He then asked
if my assistant engineers would go down and attend to this,
I pointed them out to him, saying they would answer for
themselves and, on their recusal, the Lieutenant ordered us on
the bridge on top of tlie boilers, saying : ''If she does blow up
I will send you all to eternity." Imagine us sitting on top
of the boilers waiting for the explosion. However, we knew
there was no immediate danger, if they could succeed in get-
ting the jiumps to work, which they did in a short time, and
we were relieved from our dangerous position and sent on
board the Santiago de Cuba, which captured us. All were
examined as to their nationality, many North Carolinians
and A''ii*ginians on board claiming British protection. In
fact, all on board except two, one from Connecticut and one
from Virginia, claimed British protection and all could
sound the letter "O" in "home" very broad. Mr. Carter,
our purser, was the only one on board that was sworn, and
this was on account of the clothing he wore, it being a suit of
ISTorth Carolina home-spun. The Captain looked at him
from head to foot and vice versa, saving that he was the first

The Steamer Ad-Vance. 339

Englishman he ever saw with a suit of clothes of that kind.

On our way to Xorfolk, with Cape Henry in sight, Sunday
morning we were ordered on deck for prayer (Episcopal ser-
vice). During the service our Captain Wiley called my at-
tention to the Ca])tain of the Santiago de Cuba, saying the
prayers were doing him no good, from the fact that he was
turning around every minnte to see if the valuable prize, the
Ad-Vance, was coming, and when satisfied that all things
were well with her, would turn around again, giving a little
more attention to the sermon for a few minutes. We arrived
in Xorfolk Sunday afternoon and had the freedom of the city,
that is inside the Provost Marshal's limits.

We, however, wanted to go ''ome," and had to appeal to the
British Consul at Xorfolk. We had some trouble at first, but
the Consul finally took our case to heart and wrote a letter to
Lord Lyons, stating the way her Britannic Majesty's subjects
were treated. This did the work for us and we were permit-
ted to find our way "ome" as best we could, without interrup-
tion.

This was the last I saw of the Ad-Vance, but I have been
told by Colonel Lamb that she was turned into a gun-boat,
The Frolic, and was in the second bombardment at Fort
Fisher, and has been seen several times at Wilmington since
the war.

Many of the North Carolinians made their way from Nor-
folk to Llalifax, N. S., thence to Nassau, where I was ap-
pointed Chief Engineer of the steamer Col. Lamh, with Cap-
tain Thomas Lockwood in command. We were then ready to
run the blockade again to Wilmington, but were informed by
an incoming steamer that Forts Fisher and Caswell had been
taken. This left no port open for us but Galveston. We
then left Nassau for Havana, took on supplies and started for
Galveston ; on arriving oft' the bar, it was thought too risky
to go in as the wind had been blowing unfavorably for several
days, which caused low water in the harbor which would
increase the risk of the steamer. On consultation with pilots
it was decided not to take the risk ; we then returned to Ha-
vana, all ports being now effectively closed, and after making
some repairs to the machinery, we were ordered to Halifax,

340 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

N. S., toTiching at jSTassau and Bermuda, arriving at Halifax
about 10 April, 1865.

While lying in the harbor, Captain Lockwood gave a dina-
tion to the iVgents and Confederate friends on Saturday, 15
April, and at sun rise the ship was decorated with flags from
stem to stern and the steamer Col. Lamb made a very hand-
some appearance, but they were not allowed to remain there
long. About 9 :00 or 10 :00 a. m., a British boat was seen
coming towards us and pulled alongside. The officer in
charge inquired for the Captain. When told he was ashore,
he then ordered the flags to be taken down, as it was very un-
becoming to be rejoicing over the death of the President of
the United States in British waters. When told that they
were displayed for another purpose, it made no difference.
They had to come down at once. This was news to us and
created quite a sensation in the city and the newspapers were
full of it for several days on both sides, but is was claimed
that the flags should have been allowed to remain, as the news
of President Lincoln's death did not reach Halifax until
about 9 :00 o'clock that morning, and the flags were up at sun-
rise.

The surrender having taken place while we were here, it
was decided to take the ship to Liverpool. We left here
about 5 ]\Iay and had a storiuy passage all the way — in fact
a gale of wind carrying away the foremast a few feet above
deck, which came near swamping us; then came the remorse
of conscience with those of us that belonged on this side of the
Atlantic for not going home immediately after the surrender
instead of taking this trip. However, we arrived in Liver-
pool about 1 June. We remained there a few days and then
started for home in the.Cunard steamer China. This being
an ocean-going steamer, we felt much safer than iij the Ad-
Yance or Col. Lamb. We had a pleasant return trip, arriving
in Halifax, iST. S., on 4 July, 1S65, from there to Charlotte,
jST. C, where my family resided during the last two years of
the war. I found all well and was glad to be home with my
famih" once more.

Jas. Maglenn-,

Hamlet, N. C,

10 September, 1901.

jpUBUC LIBRARY-

ASTOB, LEN9X AND

tVlden foundations^

STEAMER "AD-VANCE/'

1. Tliriinas M. Crossen, Captain, Steamer " Ail-Vance."'
■■i Joliri White, Commissioner to Enjclaiul.
3. James JIaslenn. Chief Engineer.

RUNNmC THE BLOCKADE Ofi
THE "AD-VAHCE."

By rev. MOSES D. HOGE, D. D.

Bermuda, Wednesday, October 8, 1863. — x\t 12 o'clock
went on board the Ad-Vance (Lord Clyde). My fellow pas-
sengers are Rev. Mr. Terr}^, Mrs. Pender, Messrs. Bur-
ton, Walker and Reguanlt. Got oft" at 10 o'clock; beauti-
ful view of Bermuda as we rapidly sped along. The Clyde
a fine and fast vessel. Officers, Colonel Crossen, Captain

Wylie (the English Captain) ; First Officer, — . — . ;

Surgeon, Dr. Swan ; Purser, Mr. Flanner ; Signal Officer,
Mr. Smith. The Colonel is a noble man ; Wylie a warm-
hearted Scotchman, though he looks English ever}- inch, big,
burly and red faced, full of enthusiasm^full of poetry.
Flnnner has good points. I have had some pleasant inter-
course with young Smith, who became pious at Hampden-
Sidney. We have taken no state rooms on the Clyde, al-
though there are a great number of unoccupied ones, but our
little company of passengers all stay in the saloon at night.
The fare is rather rough, but that is nothing when we have a
good shi]) homeward 1)ound.

We have been in much trouble on the ship to-day. The
coal, which was thought to be very good (Welsh coal, Cardiff)
is found to be of very bad quality. This morning we could
not get up steam as nsnal. The serious question is discussed
whether we had better not return to Bermuda. After run-
ning fourteen knots we droj^ped down to five. It is thought
to be useless to go on toward the blockaders to ensure a cap-
ture. We put tlie vessel about and sailed a while due east,
but after a little while the draft increased and the paddles
made their former revolutions from twenty to twenty-three
per minute.

342 North Carolina Troops, l861-'65.

The difficulty was there was a mixture of something like
kelp and sand, which melted on the hars of the grates and
choked tlie draft, making a deposit they called slag. It waa
terribly hard on the firemen to keep them clear.

The discipline of this ship is very bad. The sailors came
and demanded their bounty the first day, and the second, the
firemen came up on the quarter deck, a thing quite contrary
to ship etiquette, and made the same demand. They ought
to have been paid at once according to custom, but while it
was wrong to withhold the money, it was not right for them to
demand it as they did.

October 9, 1863. — I am now on board the Ad-Vance, (Lord
Clyde), about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. It
is 4 o'clock, p. m., and I am sitting on the bottom step of the
paddle box, from which I can look down directly into the
water and see how beautifully it divides before the bow of
the steamer, darting through at a noble speed. This is one
of the most pleasant days as to temperature I ever felt, clear,
coolish, without being cool and something life-giving in the
air.

It is a day for thought, a time for review and anticipation.
To-night we will know our fate, whether it is to be the bot-
tom of the sea, a northern prison, or Richmond. I am not
apprehensive, but I know the risks. We have heard nothing
from Wibnington. No steamers came out while we were in
Bermuda, though several were expected. We may be run-
ning into a tra]^ — as we know not what progress the Federals
may have made in the way of excluding blockade-runners.
We may be damaged by the fire of the fleet, even if w^e succeed
in running the gauntlet and although I do not repent coming,
and notwithstanding the uncertainty, I have no desire to turn
back, yet I know we may be disappointed just on the happy
eve of getting home and indeed may never reach it at all. I
have spent much time this morning in prayer, in solemn con-
secration of myself to God, and in supplication for a spirit of
submission to His will. I try to commit myself and my dear
family and church to His holy keeping.

We have just been mustered on deck and had our places in
the boats assigned to us, in case we have to abandon the

Running the Blockade on the "Ad-Vance." 343

steamer to-night. I go with Colonel Crossen and Mrs.
Pender, and the rest of our boat's crew are firemen and sail-
ors. Terry, Burton, "Walker and Regnault go in the other
life-boats, the rest of the crew in the two aft boats. This
looks like business. It is the purpose to destroy the Ad-
Vance and take to the boats if we are intercepted. I should
dread capture on my dear wife's account. It would almost
break her heart, after our long separation and the sorrow
she has borne. (The death of their oldest son while he was
in England.— M. R. G.)

But I believe the good Providence which brought me out
and gave me such success abroad, will open a door for my safe
return to my home and work again.

Wilmington, ]^. C, October 12, 18G3. — I, now on shore,
can complete my notes of this voyage. It had a memorable
termination. In the record of the events of the 9th, I stated
I was making my last entry (a prayer I did not copy, as it
was too personal. — M. P. G.) expecting to get ashore that
night. We were disappointed, however. Although the Cap-
tain and Colonel made an observation at 12 M., they failed to
detect the fact that the current of the Gulf Stream had swept
us far to the north of our course. About 9 o'clock at night
we saw a light and the dim outline of the land. At first it
was thought to be the signal light near Port Fisher, and Mr.
Smith wanted to make signals, but after long inspection, dis-
covered that it was a light-house. We then changed our
course southward and ran along shore, all night in doubt as to
where we were. Colonel C. once thought we might be south
of the entrance to Wilmington and running toward Charles-
ton. This show^s how completely at sea we were ! Wben it
grew light enough to see the coast more plainly, our officers
recognized certain localities on Masonboro Sound, the salt
works, etc., and we ascertained we had just made the land
north of Cape Lookout, 80 miles from the point Ave expected to
strike. Colonel Crossen prepared to run up near enough to
see which blockaders were within view and I supposed he
would then stand out to sea and lie off until night and then
run in at his leisure, but to my astonishment, although it was
about 8 o'clock in the morning, the sun shining brilliantly

344 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

and the sea level as a floor and three blockaders guarding the
entrance, he steamed straight on toward Fort Fisher. The
blockaders seemed confused for a few moments by the audac-
ity of the movement, but presently they came about and all
three struck for the shore, intending to cut us off. They
came on very speedily, but finding that we were running so
swiftly they opened upon us with shrapnel, shell and solid
shot.

It was a scene of intense excitement. We could see peo-
ple on the shore, watching the result. We doubted not with
utmost interest- — the shells were plougliing up the water and
tearing up the sand on the shore, bursting over and around
us, and yet not one struck us. It was almost a miracle. Two
or three of their shells struck the sand just at the edge of the
water and directly opposite to us and the wonder was how the
balls could get there w^ithout passing through us. Colonel C.
certainly made a hazardous experiment. Had the mist near
the coast not veiled us somewhat from the view of the enemy
as we a^^proached, and had he seen us in time to make chase
ten minutes sooner, he would have headed us off and driven
us ashore, or had one of his shot penetrated our boilers, we
would have been blown to fragments. Had we been compelled
to talce to our boats, we would have still been in great danger,
for we Avonld have been under fire perhaps an hour, when the
smooth sea made it as easy to fire accurately from the deck as
from the walls of a fort.

As it was, by the favor of a good Providence, we escaped
unharmed and very soon ran by Fort Fisher, when the guns
of that fort opened on the blockaders and a pretty little fight
took place bctAveen them, the vessels quickly withdrawing,
however, one of them liaving been struck.

As we passed the fort our crew cheered heartily, we ran up
our Confederate flag.

In a moment more we struck the rip and stuck fast.

Moses D. Hoge.

WiLMINCTON, N. '..

12 Octobr 1 ()3.

THE NEW YORK

PUBUC LIBRARY.

ASTOR, LENOX ANO
TILDEN FOU^:DATION3.

THE SHENANDOAH,

By an officer THEREOF.

The agents of the Xavy Department who are engaged in
the compilation of the official records of the Union and Con-
federate Navies in the late Avar, have recently brought to
light, from Southern sources, a mass of hitherto unpublished
information of curious interest and value, relative to the oper-
ations of the Confederate privateer Shenandoah. In the de-
structiveness to Union property the work of the Shenandoah
was second only to that of the Alabama, and the former en-
joyed the peculiar distinction of having far outstripped the
records of all other cruisers in the length of her voyage and
the fact that she never met with the slightest opposition from
Union arms in her path of destruction, and continued her
depredations many months after the conclusion of the war.

It is worthy of remark that the Xavy Department at Wash-
ington was in possession of information relative to her outfit
and plans early in the summer of 1864, but active search was
not instituted until January, 1865, and though the United
States ships Santee, Wachusett, Iroquois, ^yyoming and the
European and Pacific squadrons at large were successively
ordered in pursuit of her, none -of them ever succeeded in
coming up with her, much less in engaging her in combat. In
August, 1865, her commander gained conclusive informa-
tion that the war had gone against the South, and he leis-
urely and uninterruptedly made his way to England, where
he gave himself and his ship into the hands of the British
Government.

The Shenandoali was a full-rigged ship of 1,000 tons and
250 horse-power, with a battery of four 8-inch guns — two
32-pounders and two 12-pounders. She was originally the
British ship Sea King, built in 1863 for the East Indian
trade. On her return voyage she was purchased by Confeder-
ate agents in Europe and fitted out as a cruiser in the Confed-

346 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

erate service, primarily to disperse and destroy the New Eng-
land whaling fleet in the northern seas. She had been de-
signed as a transport for troops, had spaeions decks and large
air ports, and was well suited for conversion into a cruiser.
A fast sailer under canvas, her steam power was more thao
auxiliary, as she could exceed eleven knots without pressing.
Provided with fifteen months' stores, she sailed from London
8 October, 1804, in command of her English master, Captain
Corbett, for ]\[adeira. Ten days later she was delivered over
to her new commander, Lieutenant James I. Waddell, who
had taken passage from Liverpool with the officers and men
detailed for his command. Among the latter were some
picked men from the famous Alabama, which had been sunk
by the Kearsage a few months before. The Shenandoah
was commissioned 19 October and that day cleared for Ma-
deira.

The journal of Commander Waddell is now in the posses-
sion of the Navy Department, and is a most interesting rec-
ord of the career of the Shenandoah.

On 30 October the cry of ''Sail ho !" rang out from the
Shenandoah' s masthead. Immediately she bore down upon
the distant vessel, an American bark, the Alma, of a seaport
in ]\[aine, bound for Buenos Ayres with railroad iron. She
was on her flrst voyage, thoroughly equipped, nicely coppered
and beautifully clean^ — a tempting prize. Defense on her
part was out of the question, and the Confederates boarded
and scuttled her, after appropriating such of her furnishings
as they could make use of and taking the crew prisoners, six
of whom afterwards volunteered their service as active men
on the Shenandoah. The Alma was valued at $95,000.

On 15 November the Shenandoah crossed the equator. Her
course thence lay south along the coast of Brazil. Nothing
of interest occurred after crossing the line except the inter-
change of courtesies with neutral vessels until 4 December,
when the American whaleship Editards, out of New Bedford
three months, Avas sighted and captured near the Island of
Tristan. The Edwards had taken a whale and was "cutting
out" when captured, her crew being so occupied with the fish
that the Shenandoah had come within easy range of her unob-

The Shenandoah. 347

served. The Edwards' outfit was of excellent quality, and
the Confederates lay by two days supplying their steamer
with necessaries. The whaleship was then burned, and Wad-
dell landed for a day at Tristan and made arrangements with
the native governor to receive the Edwards' crew, most of
whom were Sandwich Islanders.

Soon after the departure from Tristan it was found that a
serious accident had happened to the propeller shaft of the
Shenandoah, and it became necessary to seek some considera-
ble port for the repairs. Capetown was nearest, but Com-
mander Waddell preferred making Melbourne, if possible,
the course thither lying nearer the more frequented tracks of
the United States vessels. The voyage was marked by the
capture of several merchantmen.

The character of the Shenandoah was known at Melbourne
and she was cheered and surrounded by the steamers in the
haven. The next day the work of repairing the ship was be-
gun and during the delay several of the crew embraced the
opportunity to desert, all of them being men who had joined
the Shenandoah from captured ships. The attempt of Wad-
dell to pursue and bring back these men was obstructed by the
United States consul, as well as by the Australian authorities.
The Shenandoah, in a fortified British port, was in no posi-
tion to resist these acts, and on 18 February, the repairs and
coaling having been completed, the port was cleared.

The delay of the steamer at Melbourne had operated
against success for the Shenandoah in the South Pacific. The
whaling fleets of that ocean had received warning of the pres-
ence of the privateer and had departed for sheltering ports
or the Arctic ocean. Learning from a passing steamer that
some United States whaling vessels Avere to be found in a
harbor of the Caroline Islands, Waddell directed his course
thither, reaching the Islands early in April.

An English pilot, who had been living therefor some years,
volunteered his services to the Confederates and brought the
steamer to anchor in sight of four vessels flying the American
flag. The flag of the Slicnayidoah was not yet displayed.
After anchorage was secured four armed boats were dis-
patched with orders to capture the vessels and bring their of-

348 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

ficers, ships' papers, log books, instruments for navigation
and whaling charts to the She7iandoah. After the boats left
the steamer the Confederate flag was hoisted and a gun fired.
This signal announcing the character of the warship brought
doAvn the American flags and the seizure was immediately
made. Waddell remained some days in this harbor, where
he made friends with the native ''king," a savage.

The course of the Shenandoah was thence for many days
toward the north, and beset with violent storms. Finally
the snow-covered Kurile Islands were sighted, and 31 May the
Sea of Okhotsk was entered, under the coast of Kamschatka.
A few days later the w^haling bark Abigail, of JSTew Bedford,
was overtaken, captured, and burned. The Shenandoah con-
tinued as far north as the mouth of Chijinsk Bay, but being
forced away by the ice she stole along the coast of Siberia on
her still Jiuiit amid frequent storms and great danger from
floating ice. On 14- June no ships having been sighted, Wad-
dell changed his course toward the Aleutian Islands, entered
Behring Sea on the next day and almost immediately fell in
with a couple of I^ew Bedford whalers. One of them, the
William Thompson, was the largest out of iSTew England, and
valued at $60,000. These ships were burned.

The following day five vessels were sighted near an ice
floe. The Confederates hoisted tlie American flag, bore
down upon them, and ordered the nearest, the Milo, of New
Bedford, to produce her ship's papers. Her captain com-
plied, but was enraged to find himself thus entrapped. He
declared the war was over. Waddell demanded documentary
evidence, which the captain could not produce. His vessel
was seized and the Shenandoah started after the companion
ships with the usual result. For several days following the
She7iandoalt had things all her own way and the prizes were
frequent and valuable. She struck fleet after fleet of whal-
ing ships, only to consign them and their contents to the
flames. On 20 -June, alone, five ships, valued collectively at
$160,000, were destroyed and a day or two later she reached
the climax of her career, burning within eleven hours eleven
ships, worth in the aggregate nearly $500,000.

The Slu'nandonh was now overcrowded with prisoners,

The Shenandoah, 349

most of whom Avere afterwards transferred to passing ships.
Having cruised aronnd daringly for a week or two longer,
and sighting no more ships, slie turned her prow southward
again. Her depredations w^ere at an end, for early in August
she spoke the English bark Barracouta, from San Francisco
to Liverpool, and from her received Xew York papers which
gave conclusive evidence of the end of the war between the
States and imparted to Commander Waddell the more per-
sonally interesting information that the United States gov-
ernment had sent six gun-boats on his track to the Arctic re-
gions to ''catch the pirates and hang them on sight."

Upon receipt of the news Commander Waddell put sixty
men to work painting a 16-foot belt of white around the ves-
sel, stowed the guns below the deck, trimmed her as a mer-
chantmen and made Liverpool. On the trip he trusted
the ship within range of the half dozen g-un-boats that were
sent to capture the privateer. In answer to their salutes he
dipped the English flag and steamed away.

On 5 jSTovember, 1865, the Shenandoah entered St. George's
channel, having sailed 22,000 miles without seeing land. On
6 November she steamed up the Mersey, and the Confederate
flag having been hauled down Waddell sent a communication
to the English Minister of Foreign Affairs, Earl Russell,
placing the ship at the disposal of the British Government.
Through Earl Russell the vessel was transferred to the juris-
diction of the American Minister, Charles Francis Adams.
The vessel was sold to the Prince of Zanzibar for use as a
pleasure craft. On the trip home the famous privateer,
which had withstood the buffetings of a cruise of 58,000
statute miles, was caught in a cyclone and vessel, prince and
crew were lost.

Such is the record of the Shenandoah. She was actually
cruising for the Union property but eight months, and during
that time she captured and destroyed vessels to the value of
more than $1,200,000, and the Union had never been able
to direct a blow against her. She had visited every ocean
except the Antarctic, covering a distance of 58,000 statute
miles. The last gun in defense of the South was fired in
the Arctic ocean from her deck on 22 June, 1865,

350 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Captain James Iredell Waddell was a perfect specimen of
physical manhood, standing 6 feet 1 inch, and weighing 210
pounds.

Note. — In Vol. 3. Off. Bee. Union A Confed. Navies at p. 785 is the log
of the Shenandoah from which it appears (p. 793) that in her eight
months cruise she captured 38 vessels valued at |1, 173,223. From p.
793 to 836 is an admirable account of the cruise of the vessel by her
commander, at the conclusion of which Captain Waddell says :

"The Shenandoah was actually cruising but eight months after the
enemy's property, during which time she made thirty-eiglit captures,
an average of a fraction over four per month.

She released six on bond and destroyed thirty-two.

She visited every ocean except the Antartic Ocean.

She was the only vessel which carried the flag around the world, and
she carried it six months after the over-throw of the South.

She was surrendered to the British nation 6 November, 1865.

The last gun in defence of the South was fired from her deck 33 June,
in the Arctic Ocean.

She ran a distance of 58,000 statue miles and met with no serious injury
during a cruise of thirteen months.

Her anchors were on her bows for eight months

She never lost a chase, and was second only to the celebrated Alabama.

I claim for her officers and men a triumph over their enemies and over
every obstacle, and for myself I claim having done my duty."

If space permitted the whole of this article merits reproduction here.
—Ed.

PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND

I TILDEN FOUNDATIONS^

COLONEL \VILLL\:>I LAMB.

(iKNEHAL W. H. C. WHITING

WHITWORTH GUN.

Captured nine miles nortli of Fort Fisher by Admiral Lee, and now

a trophy in Washington, D. C, Navy Yard.

FIGHT VITH BL0CKADER5.

By colonel WILLIAM LAMB, Tnri;TY--ix i h Regiment N. C. T.

Shortly after taJving command of Fort Fisher I recovered
from the wreck of a blockade runner, the British Steamship
Modern Greece, four 12 pounder WhitA\orth rifle guns,
with a range of five miles. With these guns, we made the
U. S. Blockading fleet remove their anchorage from two
and a half miles to five miles from the fore. So many ves-
sels were saved with these guns that they soon had a reputa-
tion throughout the South, and three of them were transfer-
red to other commands, two going to Virginia.

In August, 1863, the British Steamship Hehe with a
most valuable cargo, while trying to enter Xew Inlet, was
driven ashore by the enemy and partially destroyed. A de-
tachment of Cai)tain Munn's Company sent to her relief,
rescued the Captain and Crew and captured on her. Ensign
W. W. Crowninshield, Master's Mate John Paige, Third As-
sistant Engineer Wm. Mason, five petty ofiicers, five seamen
and one ordinary seaman, from the U. S. S. Niphon. Munn's
detachment remained ^^dth a Whitworth rifie gun and a
Faucett and Preston rifle piece, behind an improvised sand
battery, to guard the wreck while its cargo was being re-
moved.

■Sunday morning 23 August, the steam frigate Minnesoia,
the flagship of the Xorth Atlantic Blockading Squadron, came
up abreast of the wreck, wdthin 600 yards, while the United
States Steamship James Adger was sent into within 300
yards, to see if the Hebe could be hauled off and the United
States Steamship Nipli07i was ordered along the beach to
cut off any retreat. The heroic detachment instead of re-
treating as they should have done, with their guns, as soon
as they saw this powerful steamship approaching, carrying-
more guns and ammunition than were in Fort Fisher, de-
fiantly stood their ground and fired on the boat sent by the

352 North Carolina Troops, 18G1-'65.

James Adger with a tow line towards the Hehe, driving
her back, wounding one of the crew. The Minnesota and
James Adger then opened a frightful lire on the detach-
ment and gains tearing up the beach, killing private Holland
and wounding five others. The detachment barely escaped
cajjture. They carried oil' their dead and Vv'ounded comrades
but were obliged to leave their guns. The wreck was over
seven miles from Fort Tisher, on the narrow and low beach
between Masonboro Sound and the Ocean, and it was won-
derful that any escaped alive. The enemy after landing
carried off the two guns.""

The j\Jin7icsota fired 173 shot and shell consuming 1,977
pounds of cannon powder.. The James Adger fired 1G3
shot and shell using U5S pounds of powder, or a total of 336
shell and shot and more than a ton of cannon powder, to
drive a detachment of tar heels from two small field pieces.
The Niplion fired 172 shot and shell at the detachment as
it retreated, and claimed to have wyunded many, but did
not strike one.

General W. H. C. "Whiting in reporting this fight to the
Secretary of War, Eichmond, 24 August, 1863, says: "I
have met with a serious and heavy loss in that Whitworth,
a gun that in the hands of the indefatigable Lamb, has saved
dozens of vessels, and millions of money to the Confederate
States. I beg that a couple of the Whitworth guns originally
saved by him from the Modern Greece may be sent here
at once. Their long range makes them more suitable for a
seaboard position. Could I get them with horses we could
save many a vessel that will now be lost to us."

William Lamb.

Norfolk, Va.,

23 August, 1901.

*8ee ])icture in this Vol. of the captured "Whitworth Eifle gun, now at
Washington, D. C. Navy Yard.

I PUBLIC

'■^iXi^nY.i

A6TOH, LENOX AND
TiLDEK FOUNDAT[n^.i,

BLOCKADE-RUNNERS.

1. John Newland Maffltt, Captain of Confederate Blockade-runners " Lilian,"

•"Florie," and 'Owl."

2. George C. McDougal. Chief Engineer, 60 voyages through the blockade.

3. C. C. Morse, Cape Fear Pilot, North Carolina Steamer " Ad-Vance."

4. Jameis Sprunt, Purser, Confederate Blockade-runners " Lilian " and " Susan

Bierne."

5. Fred W. Gregory, Confederate States Signal Officer, Steamer " Susan Bieme."

BLOCKADE KUNNINQ,

By JAMES SPRUNT, Fokmek riK.sER Steamer Lilian.

The following serial, undertaken at the request of Hon.
Walter Clark, is a compilation of the narrative of some of
those who partieipaled in a branch of the Confederate ser-
vice, which, although not officially recognized, was neverthe-
less effective in sustaining the war long after the resources
of the South had been exhausted.

THE VALUE OF BLOCKADE RUNNING TO THE CONFEDERACY.

There are no records from which computation might be
made of the amount and value of goods, arms, supplies and
stores brought into tlie Confederate States during the four
years of blockade, but the Hon. Zebulon B. Vance, who
was Governor of North Carolina during several years of the
war, has put on record the share, in part, of our State in
blockade-running, from ^\hicli a general idea of the amount
of values may be obtained.

In an address before the Association of the Maryland Line,
delivered in Baltimore 2.3 February, 1885, he said:

"By the general industry and thrift of our ])cople and by
the use of a number of blockade-running steamers, carrying
out cotton and bringing in supplies from Euro]ie, I had col-
lected and distributed from time to time, as near as can be
gathered from the records of the Quartermaster's Depart-
ment, the followung stores : Large quantities of machinery
supplies; 60,000 pairs of hand cflrds; 10,000 grain scythes;
200 barrels of blue stone for wheat growers ; leather and shoes
to 2.50,000 pairs; 50,000 blankets; grey wool cloth for
at least 250,000 suits of uniforms; 12,000 overcoats ready-
made; 2,000 best Enfield rijfles, with 100 rounds of fixed
ammunition; 100,000 pounds of bacon; 500 sacks of coffee
for hospital use ; $50,000 worth of medicines at gold prices,
large quantities of lubricating oils, besides minor supplies of
■ 23

354 North Carolina Troops, 1 861-65.

various kinds for the charitable institutions of the State. Not
only ^\'as the supply of shoes, blankets and clothing more than
sufficient for the supply of the North Carolina troops, but
large quantities were turned over to the Confederate Gov-
ernment for the troops of other States. In the winter suc-
ceeding the l)attlo of Chickamauga, I sent to General Long-
street's Corps 14,000 suits of clothing complete. At the sur-
render of General Johnston, the State had on hand ready-
made and in cloth 92,000 suits of uniforms, with great stores
of blanJ^ets, leather, etc. To make good the warrant on which
these ])iirchases had been made abroad, the State purchased
and had on hand in trust for the holders 11,000 bales of cot-
ton and 100,000 Ijarrels of rosin. The cotton was partly de-
stroyed before the w^ar closed, and the remainder, amounting
to several thousand bales, was captured, after peace was de-
clared, by certain officers of the Federal army."

President Davis, in a message to Congress, said that the
number of vessels arriving at only two ports — Charleston and
Wilmington, from 1 K(wember to 6 December, 1864, had
been 43, and that only a very small portion of those outward-
bound had been captured; that out of 11,796 bales of cotton
shipped since 1 July, 1864, but 1,272 bales had been lost.
And the special report of the Secretary of the Treasury in re-
lation to tlie same ]uatter stated that there had been imported
at the ports of Wihnington and Charleston since 26 October,

1864, 8,632,000 pounds of meat; 1,507,000 pounds of lead;
1,933,000 pounds of saltpetre; 546,000 pairs of shoes; 316,-
000 pairs of blankets; 520,000- pounds of coffee; 69,000
rifles ; 97 packages of revolvers ; 2,639 j^ackages of medicines ;
43 cannon ; with a very large quantity of other articles. In
addition to these articles, many valuable stores and supplies
had been brought in by way of the Northern lines, by way of
Florida, through the port of Galveston, and through Mexico
across the Eio Grande. From 1 March, 1864, to 1 January,

1865, the value of the shipments of cotton on Confederate
Government account was shown by the Secretary's report to
have been $5,296,000 in specie, of which $1,500,000 had been
.shipped out betv/een 1 July and 1 December, 1864.

A list of vessels which were runniuo- the blockade from

Blockade Running. 355

Kassaii and otlier ports in the period intervening between
November, 1861, and March 186-1 (Scharf's C. S. Navy,
488), showed tliat 84 ste.nners vrere engaged; of these 37
were captured by the enemy, 12 were totally lost, 11 were
lost and the cargoes partially saved, and one foundered at sea.
They made 363 trips to Nassau and 65 to other ports. Among
the highest number of runs made were those of the R. E.
Lee, which ran 21 times; the Faiiny, which ran 18 times;
the Margaret and Jessie, which performed the same feat.
Out of 425 runs from Nassau alone (including schooners)
only 62, about one in seven, were unsuccessful. As freights
were enormous, ranging from $300 to $1,000 per ton, some
idea may be formed of the profits of a business in which a
party could afford to lose a vessel after two successful trips.
In ten months of 1863, from January to October, 90 vessels
ran into Wilmington. During August one ran in every other
day. On 11 July, four, and five on 19 October.

With the termination of blockade running, the commercial
importance of Mataraoras, Nassau, Bermuda, and other West
India ports departed. On 11 ]\[arch, 1865, there were lying
in Nassau 35 British l)lockade-runners, which were valued
at $15,000,000 in greenbacks, and there were none to do them
reverence. Their occupation Avas gone, their profits at an
,end. and some other service must be sought to give them em-
ployment.

A description of Nassau at the time of which I write will
be both interesting and instructive. Says Capt. Wilkinson:
''It was a busy place during the M'ar, the chief depot of sup-
plies for the Confederacy, and the port to which most of the
cotton was shipped. Its proximity to the ports of Charleston
and Wilmington gave it superior advantages, whilst it was
easily accessible to the swift, light-draft blockade-runners, all
of which carried Bahama bank pilots, who knew every chan-
nel. The United States cruisers, having no bank pilots, and
drawing more water, were compelled to keep the open sea.
Occasionally one of the latter would heave to outside the har-
bor and send in a boat to communicate Avith the American
Oonsul, but their usual cruising ground was off Abaco light.
Nassau is situated upon the island of New Providence, one of

356 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

the Bahamas, and it is the chief town and capital of the
group. All of the islands are snrrounded by coral reefs and
shoals, through which are channels, more or less intricate.
The distance from Charleston to jS'assan is about 500 miles,
and from Wihuington about 550. Practically they were
equi-distant ; for blockade-runners bound for either port in
order to evade the cruisers lying in wait off Abaco, were com-
pelled to give that headland a wide berth by keeping well to
the eastward. The wharves of Nassau were piled high with
cotton during the war, and huge warehouses were stowed full
with supplies for the Confederacy. At times the harbor
was crowded with lead-colored, short-masted, rakish looking
steamers; the streets, alive with the bustle and activity of the
day, swarmed with drunken revelers at night. Almost every
nationality on earth was represented there, the high wages
ashore and afloat tempting adventurers of the baser sort, and
the prospects of enormous profits offering equally strong in-
ducements to capitalists of a speculative turn. Monthly
wages of a sailor on board a blockade-runner were $100 in
gold and $50 bounty at the end of a successful trip and this
under favoral)le circumstances, would be accomplished in
seven days.

"The captains and pilots sometimes received as much as
$5,000 and perquisites. On board the goveimment steamers
the crew, which was shipped abi'oad and under the articles
regulating the "merchant marine," received the same wages
as were paid on board the other blockade-runners, but the cap-
tains and subordinate officers of the government steamers
who belonged to the Confederate States Navy, and the pilots
who were detailed from the army for this service, received
their pay in gold. There is a singular fact connected with
the blockade-running vessels which speaks well for the Con-
federate States naval officers. Though many commanded a
large number of these vessels, yet down to 16 August, 1864,
and perhaps later, only one blockade-running; vessel was lost."

The Cape Fear pilots have long maintained a standard of
excellence in their profession" most creditable to them as a class
and as individuals. The story of their wonderful skill and
bravery at the time of the Federal blockade has never been

THE NEW YORK

PUBUC LIBRARY

A«TOR, LENOX AND
TILDEN FOUNOATlONa

BLOCKADE RUNNER "ADVANCE.-

BLOCKADE RUNNER "BANSHEE.'

BLOCKADE RUNNER •' COL. LAMB.

Blockade Running. 357

written, for the survivors are modest men, and time has ob-
literated from their memories many incidents of this extra-
ordinary epoch. Amidst impenetrable darkness, without
lightship or beacon, the narrow and closely watched inlet was
felt for with a deep sea lead, as a blind man feels his way
along a familiar path, and even when the enemy's fire was
raking the wheel-house the faithful pilot, with steady hand
and iron nerve, safely steered the little fugitive of the sea to
her desired haven. It might be said of him as of the ISTan-
tucket skipper, that he could get his bearings on the darkest
night by a taste of the lead.

These are the naiues of some of the noted blockade-runners
and their pilots, well known in Smithville thirty odd years
ago:

Steamer Corntibia, afterwards called The Lady Davis, C.
C. Morse; steamer Giraffe, afterwards known as the R. E.
Lee, Archibald Guthrie; steamer Fannie, Henry Howard;
steamer TJansa, J. I^. Burruss ; steamer City of Petersburg,
Joseph Bensel; steamer Old Dominion, Richard Dosher;
steamer Alice, Joseph Springs; steamer Margaret and Jes-
sie, Chas. W. Craig ; steamer Hebe, George W. Burruss ;
steamer Ad-Va)ice, C. C. Morse; steamer Pet, T. W. Craig;
steamer Atalanta, Thos. M. Thompson; steamer Eugenia, T.
W. Newton ; steamer Ella and Annie, J. M. Adkins ; steamer
Banshee, Thomas Bui-russ; steamer Venus, R. Sellars;
steamer Don, William St. George ; steamer Lynx, J. W.
Craig; steamer Ijet Her Be, T. J. Burruss; steamer Little
Hattie, R. S. Grissom ; steamer Lilian, Thomas Grissom ;
steamer North Heath, Julius Dosher; steamer Let Ller Rip,
E. T. Burruss ; steamer Beauregard, J. W. Potter ; steamer
Ou'l, T. B. Garrason; steamer Agnes Fry, Thomas Dyer;
steamer Kate, C. C Morse; steamer Sirene, John Hill;
steamer Calypso, C. G. Smith ; steamer Ella, John Savage ;
steamer Condor, Thomas Brinkman; steamer Coquette, E.
T. Daniels ; steamer Ilary Celeste, J. W. Anderson. Many
other steamers might be named, among them the Britannica,
Emma, Dee. Antonica, Victory, Granite City, Stonewall
Jackson, Flora, LLtvelock, Hero, Eagle, Douvo, Thistle, Sco-
tia, Gertnide, Charleston, Colonel Lamb, Dolphin, and

358 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Dream, whose pilots' names may be among those already re-
called. These are noted here from memory, for there is no
record extant. All of these men were exposed to constant
danger, and one of them, J. W. Anderson of the Mary Celeste,
died a hero's death. Shortly after leaving the port of Nas-
sau on his last voyage, he was stricken down by yellow fever.
The cajDtain at once proposed to put the ship about and return
to the Bahamas, but his brave pilot said: "No, you may
proceed, I w^ill do my best to get you into port, even if it
costs me my life." On the second day he was delirious, but
as the little ship approached our dangerous coast he regained
consciousness, and spoke of his home and the loved ones await-
ing his coming at Smithville. When darkness drew on, his
fever increased and his condition seemed hopeless, but with
the heart of a lion he detei'mined to take his post on the
bridge, and when soundings were reached he was carried bod-
ily to the wheel house, where, supported by two of the sailors,
he guided by feeble tones, the gallant ship through devious
ways until the hostile fleet was passed. x\s the well known
lights of his home appeared in the distance, his voice grew
stronger, but tremulous, for he felt that he was nearing the
end of life's voyage. "Starboard ; steady ; port ; ease her ;
stop her ; let go anchor" — with the rattle of the chains he
sank to the deck, overcome by the dread disease, and on the
following morning breathed his last.

Along tlie coast may still be seen the storm-beaten hulls of
some of the unfortunate ships, which after weathering many
a gale at sea, came to grief within sight of a friendly port.
The Beauregard and the Venus lie stranded on Carolina
Beach ; the Modern Greece near New Inlet ; the Antonica on
Frying Pan Shoals ; the Ella on Bald Head ; the Spunkey
and the Georgiana McCall on Caswell Beach ; the Hebe and
the Dec between Masonboro and Wrightsville. Two others
lie near Lockwood's Folly bar, and others whose names are
forgotten, lie half buried in the sands Avhere they may remain
for centuries.

THE BLOCKADE-RUNNER AD-VANCE.

I have already quoted a part of Senator Z. B. Vance's
address delivered in Baltimore in 1885, with reference to the

Blockade Running. 359

operations of the State of Xorth Carolina in blockade-run-
ning under kis administration 'during the late war, and I
now present the following communication prepared for the
compiler by the late Colonel James G. Burr, of Wilmington,
which will be read with interest by many of our older citizens
who well remember the episode so felicitously described.

''In the month of August, 1862, Zebulon B. Vance, then
Colonel of a Xorth Carolina Begiment serving the Army of
Northern Virginia, and quite a young man, was elected Gov-
ernor of the State by a large majority. He did not seek the
office, in fact, objected to the use of his name for the reason
that he preferred the ]:)Osition which he then held in the army,
and for the further reason that he thought he was too young
to be Governor. The people, however, thought differently,
and he was borne into office by a popular upheaval. Witk
what energy and vigor he discharged his duties, how true he
was in every Avay to his State and people are matters of his-
tory and need not be referred to here. He was inaugurated
the ensuing September and early in his administration he
conceived the idea of purchasing for the State a steamer to
run the blockade at Wilmington, bringing in supplies for our
soldiers in the field and our suffering people at home.

"Colonel Thos. M. Crossan, formerly of the United States
ivTavy, was accordingly sent to England with Mr. Hughes, of
New Bern, where, in conjunction with Mr. John White, the
agent of tlie State in England at the time, they purchased the
fine side-wheel steamer. Lord Clyde, then running between
Glasgow and Dublin, which name before her advent into
Southern waters was changed to that of Advance or Ad-Vance,
the latter in compliment to the distinguished Avar governor
through whose instructions and active influence the ]3urchase
had been made.

"In the Spring of 1863 the Advance made her first success-
ful trip through the blockaders and arrived safely in the har-
bor of Wilmington, bringing a large amount of much needed
supplies. The Governor was informed of her arrival and
came down immediately, and the next day, Sunday, went
down on one of the river steamers with a number of his
friends to the ship, which was lying at the quarantine station

360 North Carolina Troops. 1861-65.

about fifteen or sixteen miles below the city. After spending
several hours on board examining the ship and partaking of
the hospitalities of its officers, it was determined to take her
up to the city withou.t waiting for a permit from the health
officers, as it was assumed the Governor's presence on board
would be a justification for the violation of quarantine reg-
ulations. Accordingly, steam was raised, and she came up
to the city and was made fast to the wharf in front of the
Custom House. Then occurred a scene which is well re-
membered to tliis day by all who witnessed it.

"Scarcely had the ship ])een secured to the wharf when a
military gentleman in full uniform made his appearance, and
though he was told that the vessel belonged to the State, and
that the Governor was on board, he seized the occasion to
make a display of his authority and to magnify his own im-
portance. With the manner of a Sir Oracle, and in a loud
and commanding tone of voice, he peremptorily declared that
no one should leave the ship, and ordered her immediate re-
turn to quarantine station down the river. Governor Vance
happened to be standing near the gangway, heard distinctly
the rude speech of the military satrap and noticed his offen-
sive manner ; and his crest rose on the instant. With flash-
ing eyes he turned upon him, and in a voice of cencentrated
passion exclaimed : "Do you dare to say, sir, that the Gov-
ernor of the State shall not leave the deck of his own ship ?"
The reply of the officer was of such a nature as to add fuel
to the flames, and an exciting scene would doubtless have oc-
curred (for the Governor was young then and his blood was
hot) had not his friends interposed and persuaded him to re-
tire to the cabin where, after a while, his equanimity was re-
stored. In the meantime, the Chairman of the Board of
Commissioners of Navigation, the late P. W. Fanning, who
had been sent for, arrived upon the scene and promptly set-
tled the matter by giving his permit for the ship to remain
where she was, and the immediate landing of all who desired
to do so. The Governor was the flrst to step upon the gang-
way, and as he ]iassed down, he stopped for a moment, res-
pectfully saluted Mr. Fanning, and in a ringing voice ex-
claimed : "iVo man is more prompt to obey the civil au-

Blockade Running. 361

thority than myself, but I will not be ridden over by epau-
lettes or bayonets." The large crowd which had assembled
gave him three cheers as he disappeared from view and added
three more for the gallant ship Ad-Vance, from whose masts
and yards innumerable flags were flying in the breeze.

''The Ad-Vance was a first-class ship in every respect; she
had engines of great power which were very highly finished
and her speed was good. With a pressure of twenty pounds
to the square inch she easily averaged seventeen knots to the
hour and when it was increased to thirty pounds, she reeled
off twenty loiots without difficulty. Her officers were : Col-
onel Crossan, Commander ; Captain Wylie, a Scotchman, who
came oyer wath her, Sailing Master ; Captain Geo. Morri-
son, Chief Engineer ; Mr. John B. Smith, Signal Officer.
The only objection to her was her size and heavy draught of
water, the latter rendering it difficult for her to cross the
shoals, v/hich at that time were a great bar to the navigation
of the river, and in consequence of which she could never go
out or return with a full cargo either of cotton or supplies.
She ran the blockade successfully seven or eight trips, bring-
ing in all kinds of supplies — thanks to the energy and wise
foresight of our patriotic War Governor — that were so much
needed by our troops and the people. The regularity of her
trips was remarkable and could be calculated upon almost to
the very day : indeed, it was common to hear upon the streets
the almost stereoly]ted remark, 'To-morrow the Ad-Vance will
be in.' And vhen the morrow came she could generally be
seen gliding up to her dock with the rich freight of goods and
wares which were so greatly needed by our people. In the
meantime, however, she had several narrow escapes from cap-
ture. Coming from Nassau on one occasion the weather
being very stormy and a heavy fog prevailing, she ran ashore
opposite Fort Caswell and remained there two days. The sea
was so rough that the blockaders could not approach near
enough to do her any damage, and after discharging part of
her cargo she was relieved from her perilous position and got
safely into port. But the most exciting trip was one made
in the month of July, 1864, from Bermuda.

"She had on board as passengers a number of prominent

362 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

gentlemen, among them Marshall Kane, of Baltimore; Rev.
Dr. Moses D. Iloge, of Richmond, Va., and others who had
come down from St. Johns, New Brnnswick, and joined the
ship at Bermuda, and who were extremely anxious to reach
the Confederate States. By some error in calculation, in-
stead of making Cape Fear light at 3 a. ni., as was intended,
they made the light on Cape Lookout, a long distance out of
their course. What "was best to be done was the question to
be solved, and to be solved at once, for daylight comes soon in
July. The ship had scarcely enough coal in her bunkers to
take her back to the port she had left and almost certain cap-
ture stared them in the face should they attempt to run in.
However, it was determined to make the attempt, and the
ship was headed for New Inlet. Hugging the shore as closely
as possible, \yitli all steam on, she dashed down the coast with
the speed of a thoroughbred on a hotly contested race course.
Fortunately at that time many persons were engaged in mak-
ing salt on the coast, and the smoke rising from the works
created a cloud or mist which concealed the ship from the
blockaders, although it was broad day. But as she neared
the inlet she was oompelled to change her course further out
to sea on account of a shoal or spit that makes out into the
ocean at that ]3oint, and was inunediately discovered by the
blockading fleet who opened fire upon her and gave chase like
a pack of hounds in eager pursuit of a inuch coveted quarry.
It was a most trying situation, for the ship was compelled
to keep her course, although it carried her nearer and nearer
to the enemy — until she could round the shoal and run in to-
wards the land when she would be in comjoarative safety.
Shot aud shell were flying around her in every direction, but
she held steadily on, thougli rushing as it seemed to certain
destruction, when suddenly a roar was heard from the fort ;
the heavy guns upon the mound had opened upon the pursu-
ers with such effect as to check their speed and force them
to retire, and the gallant ship which had been so hardly
pressed, soon rounded the shoal and was safe beneath the shel-
tering guns of the fort.

''But the pitcher that goes often to the fountain is broken at
last, and ^he time came when the career of the Ad-Vance as a

Blockade Running. 363

blockade-rnnner was to cease forever. She was captured on
her outward trip a few miles from our coast, owing to an in-
ferior quality of coal she was compelled to use which was very
lutuminous and which emitted a black smoke that betrayed
her to the watchful eyes of the fleet; being surrounded by
them, she was obliged to surrender w'ith her cargo of cotton
aud her ofliceis and crew as prisoners. She was a noble ship,
greatly endeared to the people of our State, and her capture
was felt as a personal calamity.

"With reference to her capture — her name having been in-
correctly referred to as the A. D. Vance, and being still mis-
quoted in the United States Xavy Records, whence I obtained
the accompanying illustration — the newspaper Carolinian,
published in Fayetteville 17 September, 1864, said: "The
loss of the .1. D. Vance is a severe loss to our State. She has
done noble service for our IS^orth Carolina soldiers, and has
paid for herself twenty times."

"In 1867 she made her reapperance in the waters of the
Cape Fear as the United States man-of-war Frolic, sent to
this ])ort to ju'event tlie Cuban warship Cuba from leaving
WilmiuG'ton, whicL duty was successfully performed. It
happened on that occasion that Captain George Morrison,
her former engineer, met some of her officers and was asked
by tliem her rate of speed while he had charge of her engines.
Tie replied, "Seventeen knots easily." "Impossible," they
said, "for we have not been able to get more than eight or nine
out of her." "Something wrong then," said the captain,
"aud unless you have made some alterations in her machin-
ery, I will guarantee to drive her to Smithville (Southport)
at a rate of seventeen knots an hour." He was cordially in-
vited on board to examine, did so, found that they had placed
a damper whei-e it ought not to have been and which pre-
vented the veneration of steam, removed it and then ran down
to Smithville at the rate of nineteen knots an hour, to the
great surprise of all on board."

THE AUTHOR^S ADVENTURES.

In the summer of 1864, the Confederate steamer Lilian,
which had repeatedly reached the Confederacy under com-

364 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

mand of the gallant Captain John IST. Maffitt, arrived at St.
George's, Bermuda, after a successful run from Wilmington,
with a cargo of cotton, which Avas immediatel;y transferred
to tlie clipper ship Storm King, for Liverpool. I was then a
lad of about 17 years of age, and had been left behind sick
by my ship, the steamer North Heath, which was subse-
quently loaded with stone and sunk in the channel of the
Cape Fear river by the Confederate authorities, as an obstruc-
tion to the Federal fleet then threatening an invasion. For-
tunately for me, the purser of the Lilian, an Englishman,
having decided that he had enough of the perils of blockade-
running, tendered his resignation, and I, having been pre-
viously recommended by Capt. Maffitt, was at once appointed
in his place. Much to the regret of our officers and men,
Captain Maffitt was ordered home to take command of the
ram A Ihemarle, and a skipper of greatly inferior ability suc-
ceeded him on the Lilian. Our ship was one of the finest of
the large fleet of vessels then engaged in blockade runnings
and had been specially designed and built for good service,
Avith a speed of foiirteen knots an hour, Avhich in those days
Avas considered A^ery fast. Under the direction of Major
Xorman Walker, the Confederate agent and Quartermaster
at St. George's, Ave soon completed our cargo of arms and am-
munition, blankets, bacon, flour, etc., and Avith a full crcAV of
forty-eight men, proceeded tOAvards Wilmington, about 720
miles distant.

Shortly after getting under Avay, I began paying the crew
the usual bounty money from several kegs of silver dollars
Avhich had been rolled on board at the last moment, during
Avliich I noticed from the sullen manner of nearly our Avhole
complement of firemen that some trouble Avas brcAving. Just
as onr pilot Avas leaving us, the firemen on duty struck AA'ork,
and Avithout any reasonable excuse, demanded to ])e put
ashore. We soon ascertained that it Avas simply a plot to
"jump the bounty money," and the ship Avas put about and
steered a straight course for the harbor, lying Avithin Avhich
Avas the clipper ship already referred to. Running close
aboard, our captain hailed him. Storm King ahoy ! Will
you bring your officers and help us ont Avith some mutineers ?"

\pUBUC UBB^MJ

Blockade Running. 365

Aye, aye, sir, we will," came back the prompt response. In
a few moments they were with us, and joined our captain,
chief and second officer in an immediate attack upon the mal-
contents, who had retreated to the forecastle. Each man
who refused to work was then unceremoniously knocked
down, dragged out, and put in irons, and in an almost in-
credibly short time we were steaming away to sea again. A
few hours meditation in the calaboose wdthout food or water,
and the dread of further punishment when we reached the
Confederacy, brought the unruly firemen to their senses and
to their work.

As night drew on we were out of sight of land, and with
horizon clear of cruisers, began the usual precautions against
chase or capture. The cabin lights were most carefully
screened by heavy curtains across the port holes, and even the
binnacle lamp was tightly covered, leaving only a small peep-
hole the size of a silver dollar, for the guidance of the quar-
termaster at the wheel. We saw and passed in darkness, sev-
eral vessels, being invisible to them, and at dawn carefully
avoided all those which appeared to be under steam ; one of
the greatest dangers being the proximity of a hostile vessel at
daybreak, or upon the clearing of a fog. On the morning of
the second day we sighted several United States cruisers, but
successfully evaded them. At noon of the third day we
found oui'selves in a heavy sea, about fifty miles to the north-
eastward of Cape Lookout, and as we approached nearer the
land, we sighted a large man-of-war to windward, which
speedily bore down upon us and soon got us within range of
his heavy guns. Owing to the swell which kept our paddles
rolling out of water, we could not run away, and for several
hours both vessels steamed a parallel course, so nearly to-
gether that I could see the men at the guns, their broadside
batteries raking us fore and aft every minute. N'othing but
the heavy seaway upon which we bobbed up and down like
a cork, thereby defeating their aim, saved us from destruc-
tion. We Avere truly in a bad position which was made worse
l\v the collapse of one of our boilers, reducing our speed from
twelve to eight knots, and by the abject fear of onr panic-
stricken engineers and stokers, who came up in a body and

366 North Carolina Troops, 1S61-'65.

begged the captain to surrender at once. But he had no no-
tion of snch a thing, and having fortified himself A\'ith a bot-
tle of brandy and a l:)ig navy revolver, was quite prepared to
hold his own against all odds, and roundly swore he would
shoot the first man ^vho shirked his duty, a threat w^hich they
evidently took in earnest, as they immediately went below to
make the best of it. I had never been under fire before, and
I confess the situation was painfully distressing to me. Every
time the big, conical shells like nail kegs came tumbling over
the rail, with their diabolical wailing shriek, my knees be-
came unmanageable and smote together in a most demoraliz-
ing way. I thought every moment would be the last, but
after a while this desperate feeling was overcome, and I was
comi:)aratively indifferent to the firing which, strange to say,
did us very little damage. Our pursuer gradually forced us
nearer the breakers, along Avhich we dashed with fore and
aft sails set, thereby steadying our ship and making better
speed. The cruiser being of much deeper draft, kept well
off shore and continued a constant and heavy fire which did
no harm, the shells passing well over us and landing in the
surf. Our captain, expecting to strike bottom, ordered life-
boats lowered to the rail, and the crew to take their stations
the moment the ship was stranded.

I greatly admired the pluck of several officers of the Con-
federate cruiser Georgia, who were returning home as our
passengers, and who amused themselves by measuring with
their sextants the distance between the contending ships, and
by noting with their watches the time between the flash of the
guns and the passing of the projectiles. They were so sure
of capture, however, that they unfortunately threw overboard
some vain able rifles and other personal property which might
have been saved. I threw the Confederate mail bag into the
furnace, by order of the captain as he seemed to think it was
quite useless to risk the lives of our crew any longer.

As the sun went down, however, we were inspired with
some hope of escape, which increased as night drew" on and
it became apparent that the cruiser was hauling off a little,
evidently fearing shoal water in the darkness. Of course we
were careful to make no lights, and later on we were over-

Blockade Running. 367

joyed to see that lie was tiring wildly and forging farther
ahead. When it became too dark for him to see us, he burned
Drummond lights and sent up rockets, hoping to attract other
cruisers to his assistance, but none responded ; and then our
captain determined upon a bold movement. Lowering our
sails, we came to a full stop and anxiously awaited the result.
To our great joy, the enemy continued on his course, firing
from his broadside guns, under the delusion that we were
still in the same position. As soon as he got well ahead of
us, we changed our course and ran under his quarter unob-
served, leaving him firing at the l)reakers, the roar of which
had overcome the sound of our ])addles as we crossed his
wake and sped onwards towards Xew Inlet.

And now a new and perhaps greater danger confronted
us. By a careful computation it was ascertained that in our
crippled condition we could not possibly reach the bur before
daylight, but as our reduced speed would not save us in a
chase, our captain resolved to run the gauntlet of the block-
aders rather than risk capture at sea during the next day.
We passed a very anxious night, watching with the utmost
solicitude our unsatisfactory progress as we labored through
a heavy sea towards our dangerous destination. At the first
streak of dawn we w^ere oft" Masonboro Sound, and soon after
distinguished through the haze no fewer than eight block-
aders apparently waiting to gobble us up. To our astonish-
ment, however, they took no notice of our approach, as our
ship was painted the exact color of the sand dunes along the
beach, which we hugged as closely as Ave dared, and steered
straight for the fleet, through which we passed without a gun
being fired ; and when we anchored off Fort Fisher it was
broad daylight. We learned afterwards that the blockaders
had not observed us until we were quite near the bar, and then
they believed, until it was too late, that we had come to join
the fleet ; a steamer of our description being then due. We
received a hearty welcome from the boarding officer at Fort
-Fisher, and steamed up towards Wilmington shortly after-
wards. While passing Fort Anderson, a gun was fired, but
having received no intimation at Fort Fisher that we would
be detained on the river, we continued our course, which was

368 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

immediately arrested by another gun sending a ronnd shot
throngh out rigging. We were boarded by Lieutenant Mc-
Nair (still known as crazy Mac) who laughingly remarked
that his next shot would have sunk us, as his orders were to
stop all vessels passing the fort, for inspection. After this
function was completed, Ave continued our course to Wilming-
ton, where ^xe were boarded by the quarantine physician, the
late Dr. William George Thomas, who was greatly interested
and amused by my description of our exciting adventure.
Our ship was consigned to Messrs. DeKosset & Brown, the
collector of the port at that time being Major Henry Savage.
We discharged cargo at a wharf near the foot of Chestnut
street and dropjoed down to the Clarendon Iron Works for re-
pairs, which caused a detention of three weeks.

During this time several changes were made in our crew.
The engineers were discharged and sent through the blockade
as passengers on another steamer, and several stokers who
had behaved badly during the chase were summarily dealt
with. When ready for our outward freight, we were laden
with 1,250 bales of cotton at the Confederate cotton press,
which stood on the west side of the river below the ferry,
and which was subsequently destroyed by fire, together
with a large quantity of cotton. The unbroken brick chim-
ney still stands like the leaning tower of Pisa, a conspicuous
relic of an extraordinary era in the foreign trade of Wil-
mington.

It was almost a universal custom of the officers of block-
ade-nmners to smuggle a few bales of cotton for their per-
sonal benefit along with the cargo — but I had received strict
orders from our new captain not to take any on my account,
nor to permit any one else on board a single bale. I was
simple enough to follow his instructions, notwithstanding the
fact that he, Avith characteristic duplicity, had a dozen bales
put on board secretly at night for himself. I was not sorry
a few days after to see this sharp adventure go overboard
with the rest of the deck load to lighten the ship during an
exciting chase by a Federal cruiser. The bales were bound
with rope, and axes were used to cut them asunder when
pitched over the rail, in order that they would fall to pieces

Blockade Running. 3(j9

in the sea before being picked up by the pursuers at their
leisure.

Sometimes the wake of a blockade-runner could be traced
for miles by floating bales of cotton which were thrown over
in an emergency. I remember, while a prisoner on board the
United States steamer Keystone State, seeing the crew pick
up as many as a hundred bales in the Gulf Stream, which
were held together by the bagging only.

On 22 August, 1864, the Lilian hauled out from the cotton
press on the west side of the Cape Fear, and anchoi*ed in the
stream, ready for her sixth voyage through the blockade.
The Federal squadron, flushed with numerous captures of
prizes, had become more aggressive and the cordon of watch-
ful blockaders more closely draAvn than ever before.

In addition to the ships of war, numerous armed launches
pati-olled the bar and river under cover of the darkness.
These scouting barges proved to be to the alert blockaders
what the sacred cackling geese were to the sleeping Komans,
for they lay in the track of incoming and outgoing steamers,
and at the constant risk of being run down, ga\'e cpiick and
timely wari:!ing to the enemy of any approaching vessel, by
burning Druuimond lights and by firing their rockets and
howitzers after the ]:>haiitom steamers, as they loomed up and
quickly disappeared in the gloom. It was said that occa-
sional captures were made of tiuiid blockade-runners by these
small fry, but only such as Avere open to the charge of cow-
ardice took any notice of their hail beyond an immediate at-
tempt to run them down.

Extraordinary preparations had been made for a success-
ful voyage. In addition to the usual cargo of about 1,200
bales of cotton, we had five Cape Fear pilots on board, four of
whom were passengers, going out for as many new steamers
awaiting them in Bermuda. Two of the five survive, the
other three have run their last course and ''crossed the bar."
Young Tom Grissom, our ship's pilot, fearless and daring to
tlie last, was lost during a memorable gale some years ago
with four others in the ill-fated Mary K. Sprunt. Joseph
Thompson and William Craig died some years ago ; James
W. Craig, a highly respected citizen, is still to the fore, and
24

370 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'G5.

James Bell is now a well known pilot at Fernandina, Florida.

After the usual precautions against spies and stowaways
by the crnel test of fumigation, and farewell tokens to the
thirsty officers fi'om the forts, we were at last free to face
the music with which we were usually greeted in our attempts
to get outside. Wliile feeliug our way cautiously in the
darkness, and before we reached the first line of blockaders,
a large Ijarge appeared close aboard from which came the
warning cry, "Heave to, or I'll sink you." Instantly our
helm went hard a-port in the pilot's eagerness to run him
down. The barge was too wary, however, as striking our
sponsons with an unsuccessful cast of his grappling irons,
he fired his signal rocket almost sinuiltaneously with his bow
gun and quickly dropped astern. The silence was now broken
by the order "Full speed ahead !" followed by a blinding
glare of pyrotechnics from every ship in the squadron, and
by a ])andemonium of artillery both deafening and confusing.
I can never forget the antics, on this occasion, of our second
steward, old ]\Iickey Mahoney, who, calling upon all the
saints in the calendar for deliverance, tumbled headlong
down the companionwa}', with such groans and shrieks of ter-
ror, that we thought the poor fellow had gone mad.

The cannonading was a repetition of the Kilkenny cat
fight, as the shells crashing over us were apparently doing
more damage to the fleet than to us. Boom ! Boom ! went
their heavy ordnance, Avith such rapidity and recklessness
that we drove at our best speed without serious damage, and
in half an hour had left them all behind except one of their
fastest ships which pursued us until nearly daylight, when
he returned to the station.

After the storm, the calm, ^ext morning dawned upon
a scene so quiet, so peaceful, that the events of the night
seemed but an ugly dream which passed aAvay with the dark-
ness. The sea, like glass, with not a ripple upon its surface,
dense white clouds above the horizon reflecting the glory of
the sun resplendent in the east; the watch on deck tranquil
and motionless, with naught to disturb the profound stillness
save the monotonous rundile of our feathered paddles as the

Blockade Running. 371

Btaunch little ship sped on her course toward the distant Ber-
mndas.

To some of us, tlie danger of yellow fever, which was then
raging in St. George's, was more dreadful than that of the
blockade. Among the hundreds of its victims some weeks
later were many gallant Southerners, including our genial
friend and fellow townsman, Captain Robert Williams,
purser of the Index. At eight bells, which was announced
from the bridge, but never struck unless in port, the lookout
in the crow's nest aloft aroused the sleepy company with his
shrill cry of ''Sail ho!" ''Where away?" responded the
skipper. "Two points on the starboard bow, sir." At first
only a thin haze was visible ; then the spars and hull of an
unmistakable cruiser gradually came into view, showing a de-
cided inclination for closer acquaintance.

Again the warnino- cry from aloft : "On deck there. An-
other steamer on the starboard beam. He rises fast, sir, and
is heading for us I" Almost immediately a third steamer
appeared dead ahead. Our course was then changed to bring
two steamers abeam and one astern, and a few minutes later
two more steamers joined in the chase from the port bow.
We had run into the Gulf Stream squadron, the second cor-
don of gunboats in the track of the blockade runners one day
out, by w^hich many were picked up at daybreak who, having
escaped the previous night, found themselves under the gims
of a cruiser. in the haze of the morning. Hopeful and fairly
confident of our ability to outstrip the first three pursuers,
we had run up a new Confederate flag in the face of our en-
emies, which was soon made the target of their artillerists,
and carried away in the beginning of the fray. The shriek-
ing shells from three directions which passed far ahead of
us in line shots, proved very soon our inability to get away;
nevertheless, our Captain determined to attempt an escape
by running between the two nearest ships. Keystone State
and Gettysburg, thus getting them within the danger line of
their own fire, as well as that of our other pursuers.

The Lilian s engines were already going at such speed that
it was impossible to stand the heat of the fire room more than
a few minutes at a time, while she tore through the water

372 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'(35.

like a thoroughbred on a race course. As we rapidly ap-
proached the two ships in close action, it seemed as if we were
running into the jaws of destruction. Their firing was
frightfully accurate; the spray from the falling and plung-
ing shells flying over the rail and into our faces. Old Bos-
ton dragging behind, managed to make himself both heard
and felt as he blazed away with his heav}^ bow chaser. After
about three hours of this hot work, a conical shell from the
Gettysburg pierced us in the starboard bow just below the
water line, which sent a sharp quiver through the entire ship
and caused such a rush of water into the forehold that our
speed was immediately slackened, and the Lilian for the first
time refused the helm. InefPectual efforts were made to stop
up the hole with blankets, and within another half hour of
keen suspense, came the reluctant last order, "Hard a-port!
Ease her! Stop her!" and the little vessel lay motionless
like a dying stag surrounded by his foes. A barge from the
Gettysburg was quickly alongside, joined later by one from
the Keystone State, and a Federal ofiicer, making his way
to the bridge and to our sullen and disgusted commander,
formally declared the Lilian a prize to the United States,
and the ship's company prisoners of war. J\l any of our peo-
ple then hastily prepared such valuables and clothing as
could be readily taken with them, but, lost in contemplation
of the novel and startling scene, I continued to gaze with
wonder until we were unceremoniously hustled .away to the
Keystofie State, when I realized that I had left nearly every-
thing behind.

A few weeks of im]3risonment, sleeping upon a hard floor,
developed such holes in the posterior of my nether garment,
that I was obliged to strike a hard bargain with our chief
officer, Bill Jones, and envelop my attenuated extremities
in an old pair of his trousers intended for a person twice my
size. After the war was over, this worthy, while capttin ol
the schooner Luola Miircliison, made a formal demand of
"twelve dollars for them jiants," which was promptly paid
with some mental reservation.

Some of our officers and men, including the Captain, were
kept on the Gettyshnrg, but the majority were transported

Blockade Running. 373

to the Keystone State, commanded by a gentleman of the old
navy, Pierce Crosl)y, who subsequently became an Admiral,
and who is, I believe, still livino- in Washington. ' I found
that my company was immediately desired in the ward-room,
where several impatient officers were waiting, with pencils in
hand, to ascertain their ])roportion of prize money; and
having no reason to conceal facts which would be inevitably
revealed later, I gave them, as purser, all the information
about our cargo necessary to make them, in turn, most cour-
teous and considerate in their treatment of myself and ship-
mates during our confinement on board. I was assigned
quarters in the ward-room, where I messed with the lieu-
tenants and paymaster ; a comfortable hammock and a ser-
vant to attend to me, with every necessary convenience, made
me feel more like a guest than a prisoner, the only restric-
tion being between sunset and sunrise, during which I was
required to be below.

Shortly after our arrival on lx)ard the Keystone State, our
company was mustered on deck and sent in squads of two for
examination by the commander below. The five pilots al-
ready referred to had agreed at the moment of surrender, to
personate firemen, and each passed inspection, apparently
without suspicion, until Tom Grissom, our regular pilot, was
called doAvn with me. He was interrogated first, and in an-
swer to the question as to his place of residence ashore, re-
sponded promptly, to my amazement, ''Smithville, Xorth
Carolina."

I saw at once from the quick, searching look of our inquis-
itor, ihat our pilot had betrayed himself, it being Avell known
that Smithville was a pilot village, and special efforts having
been made by the United States authorities to apprehend the
Smithville pilots who were indispensable to the success of
blockade rnnninu'. Indeed, nearly every man examined, was
urged to inform on the ship's pilot, our captors never dream-
ins we had no fewer than five on board. When, some weeks
after, nearly all of our people were released, Mr. Grissom,
as mi2:ht have been ex]>ected, was detained and confined in
prison for several montbs. I did all I could to avert suspi-
cion from him during our united confinement, but it proved

374 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

ineffectual. Ou our return to the deck we saw in the faces
of our companions that something had gone wrong in our ab-
sence. While Messrs. Bell and Craig were quietly congrat-
ulating each other upon the apparent success of their ruse,
they saw approaching them the pilot, w^ho had come aboard
to take the Keystone State into Beaufort harbor, and who,
to their consternation, proved to be George F. Bowen, a Cape
Fear pilot who had been decoyed on board a Federal gun-
boat in the early part of the war and induced to remain in
the service until the close. They naturally feared exposure
by Bowen's recognition, or by his information to the Fed-
eral officer, but were reassured by his apparent indifference as
he ]iassed them. A few minutes later Mr. Bowen repassed us
and looking furtively at our party, said in a low voice, to our
intense relief: "Don't recognize me; you are safe. I will
not betray you."

The Lilian in the meantime had been temporarily re-
paired and sent for adjudication to Philadelphia, where she
was subsequently fitted out as a gun-boat, and took part in
the bombardment of Fort Fisher. For several days our life
on board the Keystone State was pleasant enough, chasing
blockade-runners, ]:)icking up cotton Avhich had been thrown
overboard by a hard-pressed Confederate, and communicat-
ing with other vessels of the Federal squadron, of which was
the MonticeJlo, commanded by the celebrated Lieutenant
Cushing. who was nearly sunk by Colonel Lamb's batteries
while in our company, a large ragged hole in his hull between
wind and water proving the accuracy of Fort Fisher's gun-
ners.

Our easement was soon ended, however, for one unlucky
morning we were transported to a casemate inside of Fort
Macon, ISTorth Carolina, then occupied by a battalion of
North Carolinians, known by the Confederates as "Buffa-
loes," who had joined the Federal army. Our treatment at
the hands of these people Avas the reverse of that received on
the Keystone State. There was not sufficient space in our
quarters for us all to lie down at once, and consequently I
slept nightly for several M'eeks with my head u]ion my neigh-
bor on one side and my legs over another. Our food was

Blockade Running. 375

served twice daily and was of the coarsest description, but
we were permitted to buy butter, crackers, sardines and the
like at high prices from the sutler.

We were allowed to march out upon the parapet for an
hour daily, under guard, from which we gazed with longing
eyes upon the opposite shore in Dixie's Land. From Fort
Macon we were transferred to an old tub still sailing out of
Boston, which shall be nameless. This vessel was com-
manded by a volunteer captain of the United States navy ; a
character unspeakably different from that of the gentlemen of
the regular navy. I was at once confined between decks, de-
nied any liberty, and forced to mess with our sailors and fire-
men upon salt pork and mouldy hardtack, with the bare deck
for a bed and rats for companions. How I loathed that ship
and its beastly commander during the long, miserable days
and nights, rolling and pitching on the Atlantic, without the
least hint of our destination or fate ! It seemed an age be-
fore we were ordered out of our hold and were transferred to
Fortress Monroe, where we were again mustered and some
of our number sent to Fort Delaware and others to Point
Lookout.

Upon our release from confinement as prisoners of war at
Fortress Monroe, I joined a small party of the Lilian s of-
ficers and, by the help of one of our number who had dis-
creetly hidden several twenty dollar gold pieces under his
shirt, ^ye proceeded to Boston — a dangerous place for South-
erners at that time — where we found a steamer bound for St.
John, Xew Brunswick, via Eastport, Maine, by which we
hurriedly embarked, and in a few days landed again upon
British soil. The tide at St. John's rises more than forty
feet, owing to the extraordinary formation of the Bay of
Fundy, and having occasion to return to the steamer a few
hours after our arrival, I was astonished to find the vessel
above the level of the wharf, upon which we had required a
ladder to debark.

From St. John we travelled by train to Halifax, Nova
Scotia, where we reported to the Confederate agent, Alexan-
der Keith, Jr. This person, the son of an eminent gentle-
man, said to be a member of the Provincial Parliament, was

37() North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

at that time one of the most popular Southern sympathizers.
He was a man of fine presence, good business qualifications,
courteous and amiable to a degree. He was trusted by all,
and he acted as banker for nearly every Southerner who
came his way. Halifax was then the center of large Con-
federate interests. Several Confederate war steamers were
there, among them the Chickamauga and the Tallahassee.
It was the rendezvous of blockade-runners who had escaped
from confinement or who had been discharged after several
months detention by the Federals. Keith was attentive
to all of them. When the war ended he suddenly disap-
peared with the cash entrusted to him.

Several years after, there was a great explosion upon the
deck of a German mail steamer which produced a sensation
throughout the entire world. An infernal machine, in-
tended to wreck the Moselle, had prematurely exploded on
the quay and killed and maimed a large number of persons,
among whom was the shipper, under an assumed name. This
man, mortalh' wounded, was eagerly questioned by the police
as to his diabolical plans and accomplices ; the only clue they
obtained from his incoherent ravings was an intimation that
he had heen in some way connected with the Confederacy,
and strangely enough he said something about Captain Maf-
fitt and my ship, the Lilian. The authorities took photo-
grai'ihs of him, A\-liich were imperfect because of the reclining
position of the dying man. Further investigation after his
death revealed one of the most fiendish plots in commercial
history ; large shipments of bogus goods had been made by the
nnd lieavily insured by this stranger, who had designed
■ ' ; k machine intended, it was said, to explode three days
■ ior the sailing of the steamer, and sink her with all on

"(1. For many months the secret service detectives were

'iiig on this case; at length one of them came to Wil-

.•'ij"'"M)n and questioned me about the man whose picture was

' iMted. Xeither T nor any of the pilots at Smithville
;d identify him, although his face was strangely familiar

M10. The detective went away, but returned in a few

. 's and asked me if T had known a man named Keith.
>s." T at once replied, "'and he was the author of this

Blockade Running. 377

awful crime." Such proved to be the case. It was the old
story of depraved associates and the downward road to ruin.

Halifax was an important fish market. The codfish trade
stowed the stock of dried fish in the ojjen wharves in stacks of
several tons in weight for convenient shipment in bulk, prin-
cipally to the West Indies. The city market for fresh fish
was perhaps the finest on the continent. Running sea water
through large glass tanks above the street level kept the live
fish in the best condition, from which they were taken as de-
sired with scoop nets. At that time communication with
Bermuda was suspended because of the prevailing epidemic
of yellow fever, which carried off a large proportion of the
population of St. George's and PTamilton. Being therefore
obliged to remain in Halifax for several weeks, I obtained
comfortable quarters in a private boarding house, with a
friend from Smithville, who was waiting to pilot another
steamer to the Confederacy. He esteemed himself above the
common herd of his profession, and although possessing the
excellent traits of courtesy and kindliness, was pompous and
illiterate in his manner of speech. He was not a pilot, he
said, but a pilafc, which pretension, cou]iled with the gener-
ous girth of his waist-band, suggested the nickname of "Paun-
chious Pilate," which has stuck in my mind ever since. At
length the brig Eliza Ba7\9e was advertised to sail for Ber-
muda and I was directed to take passage in her for St.
George's and join the new steel steamer Susan Biirnv, which
Avas expected to arrive shortly for blockade-rnnning service. I
accordingly sailed on the brig with several others who decided
to risk the yellow fever in the islands, then reported as dimin-
ishing. Our vessel was old and badly found, as we soon real-
ized to our dismay. The food was coarse and limited, ascer-
taining which just before sailing, one of our party sup])le-
mented it with a bushel of hard, green pears of the variety
that never ripens, the effect of which is still a painful mem-
ory.

We had scarcely left Xova Scotia when we ran into stormy
weather, during which our captain lost his reckoning and af-
ter floundering about in search of more com])etent navigators,
the sun and stars having been obscured for several days and

378 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

nights, we sighted in the distance a French barque, which we
immediately attempted to signaL Our halyards parted be-
fore the flags reached the truck of the mainmast; we then
tried the foremast with like result ; the signal halyards were
rotten. After some delay a new line was found and fearing
to order a man aloft in such a sea, the captain called for a
volunteer to reeve the halyards. A big, ordinary seaman
came forAvard and with the end of the line in his mouth, got
safely up the shrouds, but when he l)egan to climb the main-
top-gallant mast our hearts stood still, for with each lurch and
roll of the ship his body swung out in mid air, supported only
by the grip of his hands upon the stays. Viewed from the
deck, we expected each moment to be his last, the frightful
arc described by the rolling top-gallant mast appalling every
one of us, accustomed as we were to the dangers of the sea.
Tlie captain, by shouts and signs, ordered him back, but the
poor felloAv could neither go up nor come down until a fortu-
nate roll of the ship enabled him to clasp his legs around the
stays. When he reached the deck a few minutes later he was
weeping from the nervous shock. iSTone of the sailors would
attempt the feat, and the captain was in despair until the
mulatto cook volunteered to go. From his first steps on the
f uttock shrouds we felt that he would succeed ; agile and alert
he reached the main truck, through which he reeved the line
and descended without accident. It was grand to see the
Frenchman respond to our signals of distress; raised to the
mountain tops of a raging sea until his copper glistened above
the waves, he would then plunge dowuAvard into the hollow
troughs beyond our view, to reappear again and again as we
drew nearer. Presently two men ascended her main rig-
ging, holding a blackboard, upon which in large chalk letters
was shown her last reckoning. With thanks we parted, to
meet some hours later a greater peril.

It happened at night in a heavy sea. I was sitting on
deck when a pufF of smoke came from the poop. I ran aft
and fnnnd the binnacle lamp upset and the cabin on fire.
Our only boat was an old rotten affair, fastened upon chocks
on deck, unseaworthy and utterly useless. It was, therefore,
an exciting' time until we succeeded bv the use of buckets

Blockade Running. 37&

over the side, iu putting out the fire. We landed at Ber-
muda after a voyage of two weeks, and joined a few survi-
vors of the plague, among them Signal Officer Gregory, of
Xorth Carolina, who reported the death of Captain Kobert
Williams, of Wilmington, formerly commander of the Wil-
mington Rifle Guards.

A few days afterwards the Susan Bcinie arrived under
command of Captain Wylie, of the Ad-Vance, and Eugene
Maffitt as first officer. They gave her a bad name, which she
fully sustained upon subsequent acquaintance. Built of
steel one-eighth of an inch thick, for space and speed, she
was too frail for service at sea, and quite unfit for heavy
weather. To look upon, she was a beautiful specimen of
marine architecture, long and narrow, with a speed of four-
teen knots — a type of the latest designs for blockade-running,
regardless of the lives of those on board. We began at once
to load the new steamer at the Confederate States' agency,
and proceeded to sea, bound for Wilmington. Trouble ap-
peared when we were only five hours out. The weather was
threatening when we sailed, but the moon was increasing and
dark nights were indispensable to successful blockade-run-
ning. There was no time to spare and our captain decided
to risk the chances of bad weather in the hope that our speed
would run us through the worst of it in a few hours. On the
second day we encountered a storm which soon strained our
frail vessel, and caused a dangerous leak. Before midday
the storm increased to a hurricane. The leaks multiplied,
as the rivets which held the steel plates gave way, and twelve
of our fourteen furnaces were soon submerged. All hands
were put to work bailing and pumping, l>ut the water gained
on us until we feared the ship would founder at any moment.
When night drew on the scene w^as appalling ; sometimes the
ship would wallow in the depths like a log, the added weight
of water in her hold keeping her down until we feared she
would never rise again. Some of our men, exhausted by the
continued strain of unceasing work, fell at their posts and be-
came unconscious. I will never forget the horrors of that
night ; running through the fleet under fire would have been
welcome relief. The vivid flashes of lightning illuminated

380 North Carolina Troops, 1861 -'65.

the black and angfy sky in ■which there was no hope of the
storm's abatement. The men were tied to life lines, hag-
gard and despairful as they toiled wearily at the pumps.
Steadily the leaks gained until the firemen stood in water up
to their hips. Our lives depended upon getting the ship
about so that we could head her for Bermuda. This move-
ment would bring us broadside to the sea, and the captain
waited several hours for a favorable lull in which to make the
venture. At last he put the helm hard over and took the only
alternative ; great masses of water surged over the side and
for several moments we sank into the trough until it seemed
we would never rise again. A merciful Providence spared
us ; the ship groaned and shook as if she would go to pieces
under the strain, bttt we got her head to the wind, and steered
back towards St. George's. On the morning of the third day
we sighted the islands. The water in the fire rooms was re-
duced by the pum])s so that we could drive along at a fotir-
teen knot pace. The captain, worn with anxiety and lack
of sleep, and perhap's stupid from the efi^ect of stimttlants,
forgot the dangerous reef which runs miles out from the
islands, and stiddenly, without a moment's warning, our ship
strttck the rocky bottom with terrible force, tearing a hole in
the bow, through which the w^ater rushed like a mill stream.
The concussion threw us flat on the deck, and our captain,
losing his head completely, sang otit: "All hands take to the
boats '■' Immediately the firemen and stokers and sailors
rushed to the side, some of them so frantic with fear that I
saw them chop with an axe the iron davits, the falls of which
they had fouled in their eagerness to escape. In the midst
of this exciting scene, I saw General Preston, who was a
passeno-er with us, dragging a large trunk about the deck in a
vain endeavor to get it in one of the boats.

Our signal officer, Mr. Gregory, stood with me waiting for
the panic to subside. We noticed that the engines were still
driving at full speed ahead, and we supposed that the en-
gineer on duty had fled. Such, however, was not the case.
There was one mail who had kept his head, our chief en-
gineer. Jack Chambers, of Georgia, who was fortunately on
dtity when the ship struck. Our captain had not ordered the

Blockade Running. 381

engines stopped and Chambers said he never acted without
orders from the bridge. Consequently, his presence of mind
saved the ship and onr lives ; the furious movement of the
paddle wheels lifted the steamer over the reef into deep
water and then we ran for the beach upon which, inside the
harbor, we were stranded a short time afterwards. Several
weeks were spent in patching up, by means of divers whose
movements under the water so interested our captain that he
decided to put on the diving dress and. descend to inspect the
work. He had scarcely reached the bottom, about twenty
feet deep, when he made frantic signals to be hauled up
again, and he declared upon the removal of the helmet that
he had seen the devil or a shark making straight for him,
and that he thought his end had come. We, of his subordi-
nates, inclined to the latter hypothesis, because we believed
that the former was his w^arm, personal friend who need not
have sought the captain in such an out-of-the-way place.
We failed to get j^ermission from the British Government to
use the naval dry-dock, and we found it necessary to proceed
to ivTassau in a crippled condition, to complete repairs on
the public dock there. For several days we did not secure a
crew, owing to the unsea worthy condition of the ship, but at
last we signed on a sufficient numl)er at high wages, and after
an uneventful voyage reached ISI^assau, where we were im-
mediately docked.

While we were repairing at ISTassau, the Confederate
steamer Ou-l, commanded by Captain Maffitt, appeared in the
offing and later ran close past us in the harbor, a shot hole
through her funnel, several more in her hull, standing rig-
ging in rags, and other indications of a hot time, confirming
our apprehensions that she had failed to reach the Confeder-
acy. A few minutes later the gallant Maflitt reported that
Fort Fisher had fallen and that Charleston harbor was also
in possession of the Federals. The gateway to the South
was at last closed and the occupation of blockade-runners
was at an end.

It was not believed that the war would terminate so soon
after, and I accepted an invitation to join Major Green, with
dispatches for the Confederate Government from representa-

382 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

tives abroad, wliicli lie proposed to take in our steam launch
by way of Florida. This launch was forty feet long- and
could steam about ten miles an hour. Our chief engineer,
Mr. Lockhart, and his first assistant, Mr. Carroll, and one
of John Morgan's men, an escaped prisoner, accompanied us.
We parted with our friends, some of whom tried to dissuade
us from what they termed a foolhardy undertaking, by which
they said, we were certain to lose our lives. We hoped to
reach the Florida coast in two days, instead of which we
Avere more than a month on the way.

The first night out from Nassau, one of the cylinder heads
broke, and when morning dawned we got out our oars and
laboriously toiled until evening to reach the island of Green
Turtle Cay, inhabited entirely by negroes, none of whom
could aid us in repairing the damage to our engine. Mr.
Lockhart fell desperately sick with internal inflammation,
and I took the ]iart of nurse for tAvo weeks. The situation
was most de]iressing. Upon Lockhart's recovery, we de-
cided to abandon the launch, and a small schooner used for
sponging at the islands was purchased for the voyage to Flor-
ida. Ca])tain Wark, a Bahama pilot, and two negro boys,
were employed to sail her, and they were to be rewarded with
the vessel if they landed us safely. Our food consisted of
fish which we caught with hook and line over the side, fried
bacon and hardtack.

There was room for onh^ three of us to lie down, so we ar-
ranged watches accordingly. Our morning ablutions were
simple. We washed our faces in the green sea, which was
only sixteen inches from the deck of the vessel. I would
not now cross the Cape Fear in such a craft, and I look back
in wonder and thankfulness that our lives were spared
through the dangers of that expedition. We had fine weather
for ten days at sea, otherwise our frail craft would never
have seen the land again. At last we sighted the tall, white
lighthouse on Cape Carnavoral, off which a mile distant we
anchored and proceeded two at a time in our cockle shell of
a dingy to land in the surf. I was much interested at the
sight of cormorants fishing in a circle off the Cape. These
■creatures assembled there by thousands, and, forming a huge

Blockade Running. 383

circle on the water about a rnile in circumference, gradually
narroAved the inside space by swimming towards the center,
driving the fish before them and filling their peculiar and
spacious jDOuclies under their bills until they were too heavily
laden to fly. 1 waited on board until the last passage to the
beach. The others had landed in safety, although with wet
skins. Before leaving the schooner, Captain Wark warned
me against standing u]3 in the small boat while in the break-
ers, which would inevitably capsize it. This precaution
would have been heeded but for a school of ravenous sharks
which met us on the way and seized the two oars, breaking
them like pipe stems in their ugly mouths. The negro boy
who was with me in the boat became panic-stricken and stood
up against my warning as we entered the surf on a big roller.
We were instantly thrown high in the air, the boat came
down with a crash and I found myself on the bottom clawing
the sand until I emerged upon dry land. The others rushed
in and saved the darkey and the boat, upon which he managed
to return to the schooner. With a wave of the hand, Captain
Wark hoisted sail and left us helpless on the beach. We
tramped to the lighthouse about a mile away and found it
dismantled and deserted. From its lantern gallery, sixty
feet high, we surveyed the Cape upon which there was no
human habitation. We then set out to walk across the Cape
and reached an old landing on the estuary of St. John's river,
which we afterwards learned was called the Bay of Biscay be-
cause of its exposed position and rough sea. Here we found
a rough batteau hewn from a cypress log, and in it our entire
party of five persons crossed that dangerous sea, fourteen
miles, to the main land. I never in all my life had seen so
many alligators ; within a cable's length of our boat I counted
forty-five large ones. In paddling our canoe we carefully
avoided them, but several of these ugly creatures rose within
a few feet of our boat. We were thankful to get on shore
again and we shaped our course at once to walk toward Ocala,
one hundred and seventy-five miles distant. The spring had
been unusually dry and we suffered much during the first two
days from lack of drinking water. We were armed with
sheath knives and pistols strapped to our waists. The former

384 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

were very useful for digging holes two feet deep in the porons
earth through which enough brackish water oozed to quench
our thirst.

On the third evening at dusk I missed my knife and went
back to look for it, the others going forward. The road was
blind and the darkness settled upon me so rapidly that I lost
my way. The melancholy cry of the whippoorwill met me at
every turn, and I realized for the second time in my life a
sense of abject and hopeless fear. I recalled to the minutest
detail a similar experience when I had been sent from a kins-
man's plantation in Duplin county to the salt works on Ma-
sonboro Sound.

Fortunately for me our company made their camp fire
for the night shortly after we were separated by which I
soon rejoined them. We usually slept on the ground under
a tree, as all the plantation houses we found were deserted,
and we -were warned by the only man whom we met against
any demonstration likely to attract attention from the Fed-
erals who sometimes were seen in the vicinity, or from bush-
whackers and deserters who were simply highwaymen.
About a week from the time we landed on the cape we reached
the outskirts of Ocala, when we learned for the first time of
the general surrender. We tlien buried the Confederate dis-
patches under an old tree and continued our tramp to Gaines-
ville, thence to Jacksonville, from which we proceeded to
Fernandina. From there we were sent under guard to Hil-
ton TTead to report to General Gilmore, where we arrived
after dark. I was left with Mr. Carroll to watch the knap-
sacks while the others went to headquarters. A tug was
alongside bound for Charleston. Carroll and I thought the
chance too good to be lost and leaving the baggage we quickly
slipped over the side and hid ourselves on the tug, which
landed us in Charleston the next morning. There we dodged
about the wharves all day, evading the sentries, and secured
at dusk passage on another tug for Wilmington. As we ap-
]:>roached the main bar without a blockader in sight, we real-
ized the fact that peace had returned to our distracted coun-
try. When we landed at Wilmington, neither Carroll nor I

Blockade Running. 385

had taken any oath of allegiance since we left Nassau, nor
had we been paroled nor questioned on the wav.

TJIE CAREKR OF CAPTAIN'^ JOH::^ X. ^MAFFITT.

The biography of this uiudest hero has never been written.
I give the following brief sketch prepared by the accom-
plished Mrs. J. ]^. Maffitt at the time of her distinguished
husband's decease.

'^'John Xewland ]\Laffitt was born at sea on 22 February,
1819. His parents were Rev. .Tohn Xewland Maffitt and
Ann Carnicke, his wife. Rev. Mr. ]\Iaffitt, having deter-
mined to emigi'ate to America, left Ireland with his wife and
family late in January or early in February, and landed in
Xew York on 21 April, 1819, his son having been born on
the passage. Their first home was in Connecticut. When
John was about five years old his uncle, Dr. William ^laf-
fitt, who had accompanied them to America, visited his
brother. Rev. My. ]\laffitt, and finding him in straightened
circumstances, begged to adopt their son, and on the consent
of his parents. Dr. Maffitt brought his nephew to Fayette-
ville, N. C. Some years were passed in this hap])v liome of
his boyhood, when his uncle determined to send him to school
at White Plains, X. Y. As a little stripling, he started by
the old time stage coach with his ticket tacked to his jacket,
and on his arrival much curiosity was shown to see the little
boy who had come alone fi*om his distant Southern home.
He remained at this school under Professor Swinburn until
he was 13 years old, when his father's friends obtained for
him a commission as midshipman in the United States navy.

''His first orders were to the St. Louis, then at Pensacola
navy yard. His second sea orders were to the Consiitution,
the flagship of the squadron, commanded by Commodore El-
liott, then fitting out for the Mediterranean. This cruise
lasted three years and six months, and it was during that
time that most of the incidents related in the Nautilus took
place. Having been appointed aid to Commodore Elliott,
the young midshipman had many advantages not otherwise
obtainable. He was next ordered to the frigate Macedonian
as past midshipman, and it was while in port at Pensacola,
25

386 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

Fla., that ho had his lirst experience of 'yellow jack' and
came near losing his life. His first independent command
was the Gallatin. lie conmianded also the brig- Dolphin
and several others. He was engaged under Professor Bache
for some years on the coast survey, and was of great service to
the professor, wliicli the latter was not slow to acknowledge.
Much of their work was in the harbors of Xantucket, Charles-
ton, Wilmington and Savannah. A channel in the harbor
of Charleston still bears his name.

"In January, 1860, while in command of the Crusader j,
and also acting as paymaster of the vessel, he was ordered
by the Secretary of the Navy to proceed to Mobile and there
cash a check on the collector of the port for prize money due
the officers and crew. The city being agitated at the time by
the ordinance of secession just passed by the State of Ala-
l3ama, he was forced to put his vessel in a defensive position
and soon retired to the port of Havana. Here, failing to ne-
gotiate with the Bank of Havana for the funds requisite for
the necessities of the vessel, he advanced from his private
funds the money needed to work the steamer to New York,
where he was ordered. He turned the steamer over to the
proper authorities and went to Washington to settle his ac-
counts. His cash accounts received no attention, though for
several nioiiths he was a constant applicant for settlement.
A trying ]wsition was his since his wife was dead and his
children had no Idnsfolk save in North Carolina. If he re-
mained in the navy his property, which was all North,
would be secured to him. All that appealed to his interests
lay there. I.ove of profession was entwined with every
fibre of his being. On the other hand he would have been com-
pelled to fight against his people — perhaps fired upon the
very home that had sheltered him and was then sheltering his
defenceless children. One night a friend informed him that
his name was down for arrest the next day. His affections
drew him South. His resignation having been accepted, he
felt free to leave and cast his fortunes with his people.

"His war record is well known. Captain Maffitt reached
N'assau 16 May, 1862, and at the request of Captain Bul-
lock, Confederate navy agent in Europe, he took charge of

Blockade Rlnnixg. 387

the iiunl)oat Ore to. afterwards christened the Florida, and
hastened to sea. Afterwards he was in command of the
blockade-runners Lilian, Ovl and other vessels engaged in
bringing in supplies and munitions of war for the South.
His brilliant career on the seas continued until the failure
of his health compelled his resignation in April or June,
1864.

"At the close of the war, his property confiscated and he an
exile, he applied for a conunand in the English merchant ser-
vice and was given the command of a fine steamer running
between Livei"pool and Rio Janeiro. She was subsequently
sold to the. Brazilian Government, and used as an army trans-
port. While conveying several hundred soldiers to the scene
of action, smallpox broke out among them, and as the well
refused to nurse the sick or bury the dead, these duties de-
volved u]^on Captain Maffitt, and a fearful time he had- — ■
'sickening to the last degree' — he described it; and the sol-
diers were mutinuous and without discipline. He retained
command of this steamer for eighteen months, Avhen at the
iirgent entreaty of his family, he resigned the command and
caine home. He soon after pui'chased a small farm near
Wilming-ton, where he resided for nearly eighteen years. In
July, 1885, he moved to Wilmington. For a year or two
his health had been failing, but he determined to make a
brave effort to retrieve his fortunes and provide for his young
family. The disappointment of that hope was too great a
shock for his feeble frame ; the thought that he could no
longer provide for his loved ones broke his heart. After an
illness of more than three months, he died on 15 May, 1886,
in the 68th year of his age."

The following experience of Captain Maffitt in running the
blockade, is told by himself:

"In consequence of my knowledge of the Southern coast,
1 was ordered to command one of the steamers offered to the
government by Frazier, Trenholm & Co., of Charleston, S.
C. She was reported to be unusually fast, and could sto-w to
advantao'e 700 bales of cotton. With the cargo on board we
de]Tarted from Wilmington and before sunset anchored off
the village of Smithville (Southport). Twilight afforded an

388 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

excellent opportunity to reconnoitre tlie enemy. They were
numerons and assumed their stations with an air of vigilance
that seemed to announce the channel as hermetically sealed
for the night. The 2^1'ospect afforded no joyful anticipa-
tions of a pleasant exit. As it was necessary to bide the
niovements of the moon, her sluggishness in retiring for the
night was regarded with considerable impatience. At last
her royal majesty, over the margin of the western horizon,
tips us a knowing wink and disappears. In silence Caswell
is i:)assed and a dim glimpse of Fort Campbell affords a fare-
well view (jf Dixie as the steamer's head is turned seaward
through the channel. The swelling greetings of the Atlantic
billows announce that the bar is passed ; over the cresting
waves the good craft swiftly dashes as if impatient to
promptly face her trials of the night. Through the settled
dai'lsuess all eyes on board are peering, eagerly straining to
:-atcli ,1 vien* of the dreaded sentinels who sternly guard the
tabooed channel. Xothing white is exposed to view, every
ligiil is extinguished save those that are hooded in the bin-
nacle and engine room. Xo sound disturbs the solemn
silence of the moment but the dismal moaning of the north-
east wind and the unwelcome but unavoidable dashing of our
paddles. Xiglit glasses scan the bleared horizon for a time
in vain ; suddenly an officer with bated breath announces sev-
eral steamers. Eagerty pointing, he reports two at anchor
and others slowly cruising. Instantly out of the gloom and
spoon-drift emerges the sombre phantom form of the block-
ading fleet. The monient of trial is at hand; firmness and
decision are essential for the emergency. Dashing between
the two at anchor, we pass so near as to excite astonishment
at our non-discoverj', but this resulted from the color of our
hull, which under certain stages of the atmosphere, blended
so perfectly with the haze as to render the steamer invisible.
How keenly the grim hulls of the enemy are watched ! How
taut, like harp strings, evei'y nerve is strung, anxiously vibrat-
ing with each pulsation of the throbbing heart ! We emerged
to windward from the two at anchor. 'Captain,' whispered
the pilot, 'according to my chop logic, them chaps aren't
going to squint us this blessed night I' Ere a response could

Blockade Running. 389

be littered, a broad spread flash of intense light blazed from
the flag's Drummond, for in passing to windward the noise
of onr paddles betrayed the proximity of a blockade-runner.
'Full speed I' I shouted to the engineer. Instantly the in-
creased revolutions responded to the order. Then came the
roar of heavy guns, the howl of shot and scream of bursting
shells. Around, above and through the severed rigging the
iron demons howled as if pandemonium had discharged its
infernal spirits into the air. Under the influence of a ter-
rible shock, the steamer quivers with aspen vibrations. An
explosion follows ; she is struck !

" 'What's the damage ?' I asked.

" 'A shell, sir. has knocked overboard several bales of cot-
ton and wounded two of the crew,' was the response of the
boatswain. By the sheen of the Drummond lights the sea
is so clearly ilhiminated as to exliibit the perils of our posi-
tion, and show the grouping around us of the fleet as their
batteries belched forth a hail storm of angry missiles. In
the turmoil of excitement, a frightened passenger, contrary
to orders, invaded the bridge. Wringing his hands in ag-
ony, he implored me to surrender and save his life and the
lives of all on board. Much provoked. I directed one of our
quartermasters stationed near me to take the lubber below.
Without ceremony, he seized the unhappy individual, and as
he hurried him towards the cabin, menacingly exclaimed,
'Shut up your fly trn]!, or by the poirres of Moll Kelly, I'll
hold ye up as a target for the derision of them Yankee giin-
ners.'

"As perils multiplied our Mazeppa speed increased, and
gradually withdrew us from the circle of danger. At last
we distanced the party. Spontaneously the crew gave three
hearty cheers as relief to their pent-up anxiety, and everyone
began to breathe more naturally. This was my tenth epi-
sode in running the blockade. During the night we were
subjected to occasional trials of speed, to avoid suspicious
strangers whose characters could not be determined. In
fact, nothing in the shape of a steamer was to be trusted, as
we entertained the belief that Confederates were Ishmaelites
upon the broad ocean — the recipients of no man's courtesy.

390 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

*'Day dawned upon one of the ocean's most beautiful morn-
iiig's ; the soft, bhie sky circled the blue horizon, and over
the broad expanse a profound calm settled upon the sleeping
waters. It seemed difficult to realize that such serenity was
ever tortured into the most wild and terrific commotion by
the rude storms and hurricanes that often hold high revelry
where now not a ruffled wave appeared or a gentle ripple
bleared the mirrored surface. Solitary and alone we pur-
sued our voyage, flattered with the hope that it would ter-
minate without interruption. At 4 in the afternoon w^e were
aroused from this felicitous reverie by the familiar cry from
the mast-head of 'Sail hoi'

" "Can you make her out,' was the official interrogatory.

" 'Yes, sir; a large steamer heading for us.' Our course
Avas immediately changed ; so was that of the stranger. When
she Avas reported we were engaged in overhauling the engines
and cleaning fires. Of course, our speed under these cir-
cumstances was inconsiderable, and the steamer neared us
without difficulty. The old flag was recognized — in former
daj's a Avelcome l)anner — and the chase commenced. Xight
approaches in a royal blazonry of gold and crimson, the
sun sinks ])elow the horizon, leaving a brief twilight to
light up the scene of contest. Some derangement of
our engines depletes our speed, and the unpleasant knowl-
edge causes the thermometer of hope to fall below zero.
Perplexed and annoyed, I debated the expediency of reliev-
ing the vessel by thro-\ving overboard a pr»rtir)n of her cargo.
Fortunately a happy thought came into my mind. Promptly
acting upon the mental suggestion, I sent for the chief en-
gineer and in(j aired if he had a quantity of coal dust conven-
ient. T have, sir.' was the response. 'Be ready in fifteen
minutes to feed with it. and have at hand clean fuel that will
not smoke. The order will be given in due season.'

"In the darkness of night a chasing vessel is guided by the
smoke of the fleeing craft. This fact was familiar from ex-
perience, and at the proper time I availed myself of the ac-
quired knowledge. The enemy held his own, thoiigh at
times we thought he gained upon us. At length I directed
the engineer to give a libei-al application of coal dust, and in-

Blockade Running. 391

stantly dense volumes of sooty vapor rolled out of the fun-
nels and traveled on the bosom of the northeast winds to the
southward and westward. By the aid of good glasses we
were charmed to observe that the bait had been swallowed^
as the Federals steadily pursued our bank of smoke. When
this became obvious, clean coal was applied that emitted no
tell-tale evidence of our position. The course was changed
to the northward, and our juirsuer left to capture the Confed-
erate shadow. This successful ruse excited much hilarity
and considerable laughter over what was considered a 'cute
trick.' At sunrise, entering the friendly port of jSTassau we
were warmly greeted by many friends — by none more vocif-
erously than the sons of Africa. The cargo was promptly
landed, ajiJ [he return freight received on board. * * *
"We are ready to depart ; friends bid us farewell with
lugubrious indulgence of fears for our safety, as the hazards
of bbx'kade-running had recently increased in consequence
of the accumulated force and vigilance of the enemy. Dis-
regarding gloomy prognostications, at dusk we left the har-
bor. Before break of day Abaco light was sighted, a place
of special interest to Federal cruisers as the turning point of
blockade-runners. At the first blush of day we were startled
by the close proximity of three American men-of-war. I^ot
the least obeisance made they, but with shot and shell paid
the early compliments of the morning. The s])lintering
spars and damaged bulwarks warned us of the necessity for
traveling, particularly as 000 barrels of gunpowder consti-
tuted a portion of our cargo. A chance shell ex]iloding in
the hold, Avould have consigned steamer and all hands to
tophet. We were in capital running condition and soon
passed out of range. Tenaciously our pursuers held on to
the chase, though it was evident tliat tlie fleet Confederate
experienced no diflieulty in giving them the go by. In the
zenith of our enjoyment of a refreshing sense of relief the old
cry of 'Sail ho!' came from aloft. The lookout announced
two steamers ahead and standing for us. A system of zig-
zag running became necessary to elude the persistent enemy.
Our speed soon accomplished the object. In about three
hours the Federals faded under the horizon, and our proper

392 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

course for the Cape Fear was resumed. Those who needed
repose retired for the indulgence. My relaxation from of-
ficial cares was of brief duration, as a gruff voice called out:
'Captain, a bui'ning vessel reported aloft, sir !' Repairing
on deck, bv the aid of a spy glass, I could distinctly see some
four miles ahead a vessel enveloped in smoke. Though not
ourselves the suljjects of charity, nevertheless we were human
and as seamen, cherished the liveliest sympathy for the un-
fortunate who came to grief on God's watery highway. Re-
gardless of personal interest, your true Jack Tar scorns the
role of Pharisee and prides himself upon the Samaritan pro-
clivities that fail not to succor the sufferer by the wayside.
Increasing our speed, we ran quite near to the burning vessel.
She proved to be a Spanish barque, with ensign at half-mast.
Out of her fore hatch arose a dense smoke. Aloft were clus-
tered a panic-stricken group of passengers and crew. Among
them several ladies were observed. An ineffectual effort had
been made to hoist out the long boat, which was still sus-
peuded by the yard and stay tackles. Sending an officer
aloft to keep a sharj) lookout, that we might not be surprised
by the enemy while succoring the unfortunate, the chief mate
was dispatched in the cutter to render such assistance as his
professional intelligence might suggest. He found the few
passengers, among whom were four ladies, much calmer than
the officers and crew ; the latter, instead of endeavoring to
extinguish the fire, which had broken out in the forecastle
cojiiparfment. wore confusedly hauling upon the stay tackle
in a vain effort to launch the long boat. Our mate, with his
boat's crew, ]")assed the jabbering, panic-stricken Spaniards,
and ]U'oceeded at once to the forecastle, which he instantly de-
luged with water, and to the astonishment of all hands, speed-
ily subdued the trifling conflagration, which proved to have
resulted from the burning of a quantity of lauip rags that
had probably been set on fire by one of the crew, who had
carelessly emptied his ]npe when about to repair on deck.
The quantity of old duds that lay scattered aljout Jack's
luxuriously furnished apartment supplied abundant mate-
rial for raising a dense smoke, but the rough construction of
the vessel iu this locality fortunately offered nothino- inflam-

Blockade Running. 393

naable and the i^reat sensation, under the influence of a cool
head, soon subsided into a farce. The mate, who was much
of a wag, enjoyed the general perturbation of the passengers,
particularly on ascertaining that three of the ladies hailed
from Marblehead, and were returning from a visit made to
an uncle who owned a well stocked sugar plantation near
Sagua LaGrande, in Cuba. A Spanish vessel bound to Hali-
fax had been selected to convey them to a British port conven-
ient for transportation to iSTew York or Boston without risk
of being captured by Confederate 'buccaneers,' who, ac-
cording to Culian rumors, 'swarmed over the ocean and were
decidedly anthropophagous in their proclivities.'

"A hail from the steamer caused the mate to make his
adieu, but not bef«u-e announcing himself as one of the awful
Southern slave-holders they had in conversation anathema-
tized. They could not believe that so kind and polite a gen-
tleman could possibly be a wicked 'rebel.' 'But I am, ladies,
and also a slave-holder, as is your uncle ; farewell !' Instead
of manifesting anger at the retort, they laughed heartily and
waved their handkerchiefs in kind adieu, utterly unsuspi-
cious of having received kindness and courtesy from a block-
ade-runner. We made the best of speed on our way to Wil-
mington. The following day, our last at sea, proved undis-
turbed and pleasant. x\t sunset the bar bore west-northwest
70 miles distant. It would be high water at 11 :30, the
proper time for crossing. Sixty miles I determined to dash
off at full speed, and then run slowly for disentangling our-
selves from the fleet.

"None but the experienced can a]')preciate the difficulties
that ]ierplexed the navigators in running for Southern har-
bors during the war. The usual facilities rendered by light
houses and beacons had ceased to exist, having been dispensed
with In- the Confederate government as dangerous abettors of
contemplated miscliief by the blockaders. Success in making
the destined harbors de]')ended upon exact navigation, a
knowledge of the coast, its surroundings and currents, a fear-
less a]iproach, and banishment of the subtle society of John
Barleycorn. Non-experts too often came to grief, as the
many hulks on the Carolina coast attest. Under a pressure

394 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'6o.

of steam we rushed ahead, annihilating space and melting
with excited fancy hours into minutes. Our celerity short-
ens the distance, leaving only ten miles between us and the
bar. With guiding lead, slowly and carefully we feel our
way. 'Captain,' observed the sedulous chief officer, as he
strove to peer through the hazy atmosphere, 'it seems to me
from our soundings that we should be very near the blockad-
ers. Don't you think so ?' 'I do,' was my response. 'Hist!
there goes a bell — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven —
ll:.")!), a decidedly good calculation, and it is high w^ater on
the bar. By jove ! there are two just ahead of us, and I
think both are at anchor. Doubtless others are cruising
around there, indicators of the channel.'

''I ordered the helm put hard a-starboard, directing the
wheelman to run between the two blockaders, as it is too late
to steer clear of either. Through a bank of clouds huge,
grim objects grew distinctly into view and necessity forced
me to run the gauntlet, trusting against hope that our transit
would not arouse their vigilance. They were alert vessels,
for a crackling, hissing sound was instantly followed by the
fiery train of a rocket, succeeded by the dreaded calcium
lights with a radiance brilliant though brief, so as to illumi-
nate distinctly an area of miles.

'' 'Heave to, or I'll sink you !' shouted a gruff, imperious
voice, so near that we could fancy his speaking trumpet pro-
jected over the steamer. 'Ay, ay, sir !' was the prompt re-
sponse, and to the horror of all on board I gave the order in
a loud voice, 'Stop the engine I' '^hen was heard the boat-
swain's whistle, the cutting away of cutters and the tramp-
ing of boats' crews. Our impetus had caused the steamer
to nearly emerge from between the Federals. Back
your engines, sir, and stand by to receive my boats,' said the
same stern voice. Affirmatively acknowledging the com-
mand, I whis]")ered loud enough for the engineer to hear me,
'Full speed ahead, sir, and o]ien wide your throttle valve.'

"The movements of the paddles for a moment deceived the
Federal commander into the belief that we were really back-
ing, but, speedily comprehending the manoeuver, with very
fierce execrations, he a'ave the order to fire. Drummond

Blockade Running. 395

lights were burned, doubtless to aid artillerists, but so radia-
ted the mist as to raise our hull above the line of vision, caus-
ing the destructive missiles to play havoc with the sparse
rigging instead of shattering our hull and probably explod-
ing the nine hundred barrels of gunpowder, with which Gen-
eral Johnston afterwards fought the battle of Shiloh. It cer-
tainly was a miraculous escape for both blockader and block-
ade-runner.

''We paused not recklessly, but at the rate of sixteen knots
an hour absolutely flew out of unhealthy company who dis-
courteously followed us with exploding shells, and for some
time kept up such a fusillade as to impress us with the belief
that the l)lockaders had inaugurated a 'Kilkenny Cat Mud-
dle,' and were polishing off each other, a supposition whif^h I
subsequently learned was partially correct.

"The breakers warned us of danger, and the smooth water
indicated the channel tlirough which we passed in safety, and
at 1 o'clock in the morning we anchored off the venerable vih
lage of Smirhville (uoav Soutli]")ort). Then came the men-
tal and physical reaction, producing a feeling of great pros-
tration, relieved by the delightful realization of having
passed througli the fiery ordeal in safety and freedom.

" 'If after every tempest came such calms,

May the winds blow 'till they have weakened death ;
And let laboring barks climb hill of seas
Olympus high ! and duck again as low
As hell's from heaven.'

"After sunrise we proceeded to Wilmington, where our
cargo was quickly discharged. Having obtained our return
cargo, in company with two other blockade-runners I started
for Xassau : and although the sentinels of the bar i /resented
me with affectionate souvenirs in the way of shot and shell,
Thov did but little damage. My companions came to grief,
thertby adding to the prize fund that was shared by iho gov-
ernment with the officers of the blockade squadron."

Shortly after joining the Confederacy, Captain Maffitt
went to England, took conmiand of the blockade-runner
Lilian, of wliich this compiler was purser, and returned to
the Confederacy through the ]iort of Wilmington. He was

396 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

then ordered to relieve Captain Cooke at Plymouth, IST. C,
from the command of the Albemarle, which had been so won-
derfully constructed and handled by Captain Cooke in the
attack on the 8outh/ield and Miami. From this duty Cap-
tain MafRtt was soon relieved and ordered to the command of
the Oivl, one of the blockade-runners purchased by the Gov-
ernment in England. The 21st of December, 1864, found
him on board the Oicl, at Wilmington, receiving her cargo of
750 bales of cotton. With three other blockade-runners in
company, he started for the bar. He escaped the Federal
sentinels ''without the loss of a rope yarn," though one of his
companions came to grief through an accident to her machin-
ery. Their destination was St. George's, Bermuda, which
they reached in safety and found several steamers loaded and
anxiously awaiting news from the Federal expedition under
General Butler against Fort Fisher. A Halifax steamer
brought in the ISTorthern papers which apprised them of the
failure of the expedition ; and in company with six other
steamers and many gallant spirits the Otrl started on her re-
turn to Dixie, much clieered by the joyful news. In the
meantime another expedition, fitted out under General Terry
and Admiral Porter, had been successful, and the river was
in possession of the Federals. In communication with Lock-
wood's Folly, all was reported quiet and Fisher still intact.
Captain Maffitt steamed for the Cape Fear. At 8 o'clock it
was high water on the bar and the moon would not rise before
11. Approaching the channel he was surprised to see but
one sentinel guarding the entrance. Eluding him, he
passed in.

Some apprehension was excited by a conflagration at Bald
Head and non-response to his signals ; but, as Fort Caswell
looked quiet and natural, he decided to anchor off the fort
wharf. He was immediately interviewed by the chief of
ordnance and artillery, E. S. Martin, and another officer,
who informed him of the state of affairs, and that the train
was already laid for blowing up Fort Caswell. Gun-boats
were approaching, and in great distress Captain Maffitt hast-
ily departed. The solitary blockader pursued him furiously
for some time, and far out at sea he heard the explosion that

Blockade Running. 397

announced the fate of Caswell. As his cargo was important
and much needed, Captain Maffitt determined to make an
effort to enter the port of Charleston, although he had been
informed that it was more closely guarded than ever before.

TJie rest of the story is told in Captain Maffiitt's inimita-
ble style :

"The history of the five steamers, in whose company I
sailed from the harbor of St. George's, is briefly told.

"Captain Wilkinson, the late gallant commander of the
Chichamaugn , was too experienced and keen a cruiser to be
caught in a trap. Convinced from observation that there
was 'something rotten in the state of Denmark,' he judi-
ciously returned to Bermuda. The remaining three were
decoyed into ]^ew Inlet by the continuance of Mound light,
and became easy prey under the following circumstances.
First, the Stag, with several English officers on board as pas-
sengers, deceived by Admiral Porter's cuteness, crossed the
bar, and, as was customary, anchored under the mound, then
to abide the usual visit of inspection from the boarding of-
ficer of Fort Fisher. Waiting for some time without re-
ceiving the official call, the captain naturally concluded it had
been deferred until daylight. Tie therefore directed the
steward to serve the entertainment that had been elaborately
prepared to celebrate their safe arrival in the Confederacy.
The gastronomic hidalgo flourished his baton of office, and es-
corted his guests to the festive board. In shouts of revelry
and with floAving bumpers, the jocund party huzzahed for
Dixie, and sang her praises in songs of adulation that made
the welkin ring, and aroused the seamen from their peaceful
slumber. A pause from exhaustion having occurred in their
labor of justice to the luxurious repast gave to an English
captain a desired opportunity to ventilate in appropriate sen-
timents his appreciation of the joyful occasion. Mysteri-
ously rapping to enjoin attention, in the silence that folloAved,
he solemnly arose. At a wave of his dexter, the steward, all
alertness, replenished the glasses.

" 'Gentlemen,' said the captain, 'after a successful voyage,
fraught with interesting incidents and excitements, we have
anchored upon the soil of battleworn, grand old Dixie. We

398 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

come not as mercenary adventurers to enlist under the ban-
ner of the Confederacy, but like true knights errant to join
as honorable volunteers the standard of the bravest lance in
Christendom, that of the noble, peerless Lee. (Cheers —
'hear hear!') In gaining this Palestine of our chivalrous
as]u rations, we have successfully encountered the more than
ordinary ]:)erils of the sea in storm, the lingering chase, and
hazards of the blockade. Through all vicissitudes there was
a mind to conceive, a hand to guide, a courage to execute.
Gentlemen, I propose the health, happiness, and speedy pro-
motion of the officer who merits these commendations — our
worthy commander.'

"Mingled with vociferous applause came the customary
hi]! ! hip ! liuzzah ! hip ! hip ! huz-

"The half uttered huzzali froze like an icicle on the petri-
fied li]3s of the orator, who —

" 'With wild surprise,

As if to marble struck, devoid of sense,
A stupid moment, motionless stood '

as the apparition of a Federal midshipman appeared upon
the cabin stairway.

'''Who commands this steamer?' w^as the Federal's in-
terrogatory.

" 'I am that unhappy individual,' groaned the commander
as reminiscences of a long confinement came painfully to his
mind.

" 'You are a prize to Admiral Porter's squadron, and I
relieve you from all further responsibility. Gentlemen, as
paioled prisoners, you are at leisure to finish your repast.'

"The withering enunciation of capture blighted like a
black frost the hopeful blossoms that had under the inspir-
ing influence of the sparkling Epernay, bubbled into poetic
existence. One by one the lights soon faded in this banquet
hall deserted, their last glimmer falling mournfully on the
debris of the unfinished congratulatory repast. Ere an hour
ela])sed two more unfortunates, lured by the channel lights,
entered and likewise anchored off the mound, and became a
prey to Admiral Porter's fleet.

"My cargo being important and the capture of Fort Fisher

Blockade Running. 399

and Cape Fear cutting me off from Wilmington, I deemed it
my duty to make an effort to enter the harbor of Charleston
in order to deliver the mnch needed supplies. I had been
informed that the blockade of that port was more stringently
and numerically guarded than ever before since the begin-
ning of hostilities. The Oirl's speed was more acconmiodated
to the necessary time of arriving oif the bar, which was 10 p.
m. Throughout the day vigilant steamers were seen along
the shore inspecting inlets and coves regardless of their want
of capacity for blockade purposes. This spirit of inspection
and watchfulness was most assiduous, as if an order had been
issued to overhaul even the coast gallinip]iers to see that aid
and comfort in the shape of muskets and pistols were not
smuggled into the needy Confederacy. Ocasionally one of
these constables of the sea would fire up and make a dash
after the Owl; a little more coal and stirring up of the fire
draft was sufficient to start the blockade-runner off with such
admirable speed as to convince the Federal that he was after
the fleetest steamer that ever eluded the guardians of the
channel-ways.

"Seasonably making the })assage, 9 o'clock p. m., found us
not far from the mouth of Maffitt's Channel. Anticipating
a trying night and the bare possibility of capture, two bags
were slung and sus]^ended over the quarter by a stout line.
In these bags were placed the government mail not yet deliv-
ered, all private correspondence, and my Avar journal, in-
cluding the cruise of the Florida, besides many other papers.
An intelligent quartermaster was ordered to stand by the bags
with a hatchet, and the moment capture became inevitable,
to cut adrift and let them sink.

"When on the western tail end of Rattlesnake Shoal, we
encountered streaks of mist and fog that enveloped stars and
everything for a few moments when it would become quite
clear again. Running cautiously in one of these obscura-
tions, a sudden light in the haze disclosed that we were about
to run into an anchored blockader. We had bare room with
a hard-a-port helm to avoid him some fifteen or twenty feet,
when their officer on deck called out, 'Heave to, or I'll sink
you !' The order was unnoticed and we received his entire

400 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

broadside, that cut away turtle back, perforated forecastle
and tore up bulwarks in front of our engine room, wounding
twelve men, some severely, some slightly.

"The quartermaster stationed by the mail bags was so
convinced that we were captured that he instantly used his
hatchet, and sent them well-moored to the bottom ; hence my
meagre account of the cruise of the Florida. Rockets were
fired as we passed quickly out of his range of sight, and
Urummond lights lit up the animated surroundings of a
swarm of blockaders, which commenced an indiscriminate
discharge of artillery. We could not understand the reason
of this bombardment, and, as we picked our way out of the
mc'lop, concluded that several blockade-runners must have
been discovered feeling their way into Charleston.

'■.After tlie Avar, in conversing with the officer commanding
on rlial occasion, he said that a number of the steamers of the
blockade were commanded by inexperienced volunteer of-
ficers, who were sometimes overzealous and excitable, and
heaiino- the gun-boat firing into me, and seeing her rockets
and signal lights, they thought that innumerable blockade-
runners were forcing a passage into the harbor ; hence the in-
discriminate discharge of artillery which was attended with
unfortunate result to them. This was my last belligerent as-
sociation with blockade-running. Entering the harbor of
Galveston and finding it in the possession of Federals, I
promptly checked progress and retreated. The last order
issued by the Xavy Department when all hope for the cause
had departed, was for me to deliver the Owl to Frazier, Tren-
holm 8z Co., in Liverpool; which I accordingly did."

GEO. c. m'dougal, a remarkabt.e blockade-runner.

The most successful blockade runner of the four years'
war, the man who began at the beginning as chief engineer
of tlie first steamer, and ended his career in the same capac-
ity at the termination of the Confederacy^, is one of the quiet-
est, most unobtrusive persons who walks the streets of Wil-
mington. A stranger interested in the heroic stories of the
war, would never single him out as a fearless, intrepid en-
gineer, who bore the highest record of sixty-five successful

Blockade Running. 401

voyages through the blockade, and who was only once captured
during his four years' service at sea, but would more likely
suppose him to be the owner of a timber raft or a well-to-do
farmer who had come to see about the chances of a rise in
cotton. He might talk to him all day and never be the wiser,
for this modest man, Mr. George C. McDougal, is not given
to stories of his own exploits, and is only known to those who
a])preciate his sterling wurth and who have the privilege of
his friendship.

At the close of the war, Mr. McDougal retired to Rosin-
dale, on the Carolina Central Railroad, where he engaged in
turpentine distilling and in general merchandise for ten or
fifteen years until the business becoming unprofitable, he
gave it up. His product in spirits turpentine and rosin were
so carefully prepared and handled that the mark "G. C.
McD." became a favorite brand, especially in Baltimore, to
which point many thousands of his barrels were shipped from
Wilmington. Strictly honorable in all his dealings, accu-
rate and painstaking in every detail, his name in trade as in
his profession "goes" everywhere he is. known without ques-
tion. He still retains his residence in Wilmington and
spends a part of his time near the scene of his blockade-run-
ning exploits.

He began his professional life as chief engineer of one of
the steamers plying between Wilmington and Charleston be-
fore the building of the railroads, and at the outbreak of the
war was selected as chief engineer of the Confederate steamer
Gordon, l\y her well-known commander, Captain Thomas J.
T.ockwood, his brother-in-law. Lockwood was one of the
most capable blockade runners of the war, and as long as he
bad the benefit of Mr. McHougal's superior mechanical skill
and quick judgment, was very successful. They were to-
gether in the Gordon, the Kate, the tJlizabetli, and in several
other boats subsequently, and when Lockwood went abroad
to take command of his splendid new steamer, the Colonel
Lamb, McDougal was made chief engineer of the little
Sirene, which proved to be the most successful blockade-run-
ner of the war, because the Mascot went with her. If they
made a landfall on the darkest night and McDougal ascer-
26

402 North Caroijna Troops, 1861 -'65.

tained the bearings within a hnndred miles of Cape Fear
bar, ]ie could tell by his revolutions and by the scraping of
the ship's bottom on the lumps usually fonned near the coast
inlets all the way up or down, the exact position of his
steamer from hour to lioiir until the goal was reached. His
thorough knowledge of the coast, his coolness under fire and
his never failing good judgment extricated the Sirene from
many tight places when the captain was at his wit's end.

On one occasion in the Kate, I.ockwood had run inside the
line of blockaders at the main bar some distance up the
beach, and stiddenly took the ground while jammed between
an anchored man-of-war and the breakers. The blockader
did not see him, although so near that no one on board the
Kate was permitted to speak above a whisper. The tide was
near the last of the ebb and there were only a few hours of
darkness in which to work. jMcDougal, always ready for an
emergency, had promptly loaded the safety valve down witli m
bag of iron castings to prevent any noise from escaping
steam, and when it became absolutely necessary the steam was
blown off very gently under the water. The boats were low-
ered noiselessly and several passengers and a lot of valuables
landed in the surf on the lee side of the vessel with orders to
proceed to Fort Caswell in the distance. At first it seemed
im])ossible to save the ship as any noise from her paddles
would inevitably have led to her destruction by the block-
ad ei's, which were seen plainly only a cable's length from the
Kate's ])erilous ]iositioii. Lockwood held a consultation with
his trusted engineer, and decided to open the gangway and
quietly slide overboard a lot of lead wire in heavy coils,
which was ]»art of the in^\'ard cargo, and which was intended
to 1)0 cut into bullets by the Confederate Government. This
served to lighten the ship and also as an effectual bulkhead
which prevented the vessel from working higher up on the
beach when the tide turned, and the discharge went on for
some time without ap]iarent effect ; but the rising tide soon
after began to bump the bilges of the vessel against the sand
bank inside. Lockwood proposed an attempt to back clear
or to beach her at once, but the ''Boss," as McDougal was
called, cahnlv showed him that unless thev were sure of float-

Blockade Running. 403

ing clear on the lirst attempt they woiikl never be permitted
to make a second trial, as the paddles would surely betray
them to the Heet. .Vnother hfteen minutes that seemed an
hour of suspense, and the captain again urged immediate
action, but the im})erturbable engineer said: "Wait a little
longer, Oakie ; she is rising every minute; let us be sure of
getting off before we make the eli'ort." Meantime the bimip-
ing increased and at last with everytliing in readiness and a
full head of steam, the engines were reversed full speed, and
the Kate quickly afloat and responding to the wheel, gallantly
passed tlie Ijlockading fleet in the gray dawn and shortly af-
terwards anchored under the guns of Fort CasAvell. She had
hardly swung to the anchor before she was seen l)y the disap-
pointed blockaders who sent shell after shell flying after her,
bursting in such uncomfortable proximity, that the Kate was
moved up to Mrs. Stuart's wharf at Smithville, where the
shell and solid shot still followed them, many passing in a
line more than a thousand yards beyond the wharf. With
the aid of a good glass a man could be seen in the foretop of
the Federal flagship with a liag in his hand which he waved
to right or left as he saw the effect of the firing ; this enabled
the gunners to better their aim until the shells struck just
astern of the Kate or passed in a line ahead of the vessel.
On a closer approach of the fleet they were driven off by
Fort Caswell's lieaviest guns. The Kate and her crew were
in great peril on this occasion, owing to the fact that there
Avere a thousand barrels of gun]')owder on board for the Con-
federacy, making the risk from the shells extremely hazard-
ous. Mr. McDougal said to me on this occasion that when
the Yankees began shelling them at Fort Caswell, a detach-
ment of soldiers was being embarked for Wilmington on the
Confederate transport, James T. Petteivay, and that when
the first shell struck the beach near the Petteivay, the whole
company broke ranks and ran like rabbits for the fort again.

Some time ago the Wilmington Daily Review published
an account of the recovery of a large lot of lead wire from
the bottom of the sea near Fort Caswell. This was doubt-
less part of the Kate's cargo thrown overboard as described.

On one occasion the Sirene nearly fell into a trap, but was

404 North Carolina Troops, 18G1-'65.

saved by the cool judgment and remarkable skill of her pilot,
John Hill. Captain Ryan had anchored during the day at
Smithville, in full view of the blockading* fleet, intending to
run oat after dark. At sunset the squadron concentrated
around the western bar, leaving only one guard ship at the
main bar, and the Sirene was accordingly run that night for
the apparently unguarded channel. She had scarcely crossed
the main bar, however, before she ran into a blockader, evad-
ing which she ran afoul of another, then a third, fourth and
fifth. The sea was alive with cruisers. At that moment the
ship was slowed down and Hill said to McDougal : "What
do you think of this, boss ?" to which he immediately re-
plied: '"They have played us a Yankee trick, John, by
making a show of force at the western bar before nightfall,
and after dark concentrating at main bar to receive us with
open arms. Our only chance is to get back inside and race
for the western bar." It was a difficult undertaking to get
the ship round again, requiring the most delicate handling,
surrounded as she was with a hostile fleet, but Hill was equal
to it, and evading each blockader, with his master hand on
the wheel, brought her slowly back inside again without a
shot being fired. Then the race for life began. "Now, let
her go!" said he. McDougal was down in the engine room
on the instant where Barbot, first assistant, was on duty.
"Have you plenty of water in the boilers ?" ''Aye, aye, sir."
"Then off with your pumps, down with the damper, shut the
flue caps, prick out the fires, and give her the throttle as fast
as steam rises I" In a few minutes the engines were driving
furiously. Niemeyer, the second assistant, said they A\'ero
trying to see which could get over the bow first. The little
ship went flying past Fort Caswell, and ignoring the slue,
drove straight over the western bar with not a blockader in
sight ! There were others not so fortunate, how^ever, as
several captures were made by this ruse of the Federal fleet
until it became generally known, and even then the blockade-
runners were puzzled because the changes of the fleet were
irreffular and alwavs uncertain.

Blockade Running. 405

the confederate states signal corps frederick w.

gregory.. a successful operator.

The Coiifederate States Signal Corps frequently rendered
some very efficient service to the blockade runners after they
had succeeded in getting between the blockaders and the
beach, where they were also in danger of the shore batteries
until their character became known at the forts. As the sig-
nal system developed, a detailed member was sent out with
every ship, and so important did this service become that
signal officers, as they were called, were occasionally applied
for by owners or captains of steamers in the Clyde or at Liv-
erpool, before sailing for Bermuda or Nassau to engage in
running the blockade. The first attempt to communicate
with the shore batteries was a failure, and consequently the
service suffered some reproach for a while, but subsequent
practice with intelligent, cool-headed men resulted in com-
plete success, and some valuable ships, with still more valua-
ble cargoes, were saved from capture or destruction by the in-
tervention of the signal service, when owing to the darkness
and bad landfall, the ca]itain and pilot were alike unable to
recognize their geographical position.

To ]\Ir. Frederick W. Gregory, of Crowells, X. C, belongs
the honor of the first success as a signal operator in this ser-
vice. Identified with the corps from the beginning of the
blockade, and with the Cape Fear, at Price's Creek station,
which was for a long time in his efficient charge, he brought
to this new and novel duty an experience and efficiency
equalled by few of his colleagues and surpassed by none. It
was well said of him that he was always ready and never
afraid, two elements of the almost unvarying success which
attended the shi])s to Avhich he was subsequently assigned.
It was my good fortune to be intimately associated with Mr.
Gregory for nearly two years during which we had many
ups and downs together as shipmates aboard and as com]ian-
ions ashore. He Avas of the few young men engaged in
blockade-running who successfully resisted the evil influences
and depraved associations with which we were continually
surrounded. Unselfish and honorable in all his relations
with his fellows, courageous as a lion in time of danger, he

406 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.

was an honor to his State and to the cause which he so worth-
ily represented. During a recent visit to Wilmington, after
an interval of nearly thirty years, Mr. Gregory gave me the
following TiarrativCj which will doubtless prove of interest.

''Sometime early in 1863, the Confederate Government
purchased on the Clyde (I think) two steamers for the pur-
pose of running the blockade. The first to arrive was the
Giraffe. While in the Cape Fear, Captain Alexander, who
had charge of the signal corps at Smithville, suggested the
propriety of putting a signal officer aboard to facilitate the
ship's entering the port at night, by the use of two lights, a
red and a white, covered with a shade in front of the globe to
lift up and down, by which we could send messages as we did
with the flag on land in the day, and with a torch at night;
the red light representing the wave to the right and the white
light the wave to the left. After some consultation, General
Whiting ordered Captain Alexander to send up a signal officer
to join the Giraffe, and Tlobert Herring was detailed for that
purpose and sent to Wilmington, where the lights were pre-
pared and he went aboard. The Giraffe went out and re-
turned successfully, luit from some cause — I never under-
stood why — Herring failed to attract the attention of the
land force and sent no message ashore. In the meantime,
the other steamer, the Cornubia, arrived in port, and Cap-
tain Alexander having been ordered elsewhere and Lieuten-
ant Doggett having l)een sent down from Uichmond to take
charge of the signal corps. General Whiting ordered a sigtial
officer to the Cornuhia, and I was detailed and sent to Wib
mington to prepare the lights and report on board.

^'Wo cleared the bar successfully, with Captain Burroughs
in command and C. C. Morse as pilot, and had a good voyage
to St. George's, Bermuda, where we unloaded our cargo of
cotton and reloaded with supplies for the Southern army.
On our return trip we made the land fifty or sixty miles above
Fort Fisher, and coasted down to the inlet, our intention
being to get near the land inside the blockade fleet, which
was obliged to keep off a certain distance on account of shoal
water. As ■well as T remend^er, when within fifteen or twenty
miles of Fort Fisher, Captain Burroughs sent for me to

Blockade Running, 407

come on the bridge, and asked if I had mv lights ready and
if I thought I could send a message ashore, Pilot Morse in
the meantime telling me that he would let me know when we
were opposite the signal station on land, where a constant
Avatcli was kept all night for our signal. We had not gone
far before Morse told me that we were opposite the post.
We were feeling our way very slowly in the dark. I was put
down on the deck with the gangway open, my lights facing
the land and a screen behind, when I was ordered to call the
station. The officers and sailors were highly interested in
the movement and crow^ded around to watch the proceedings.
I called but a few times, when I was answered from the shore
by a torch. 1 turned to Captain Burroughs and told him
that f had the attention of the land forces and asked what
message he wished to send. He replied as follows : 'Colonel
Lamb: Steamer Cornubia. Protect me. Burroughs.' I got
the O. K. for the message from shore, and saw the corps on
land call up one station after another and transmit my mes-
sage to Fort Pisher miles ahead of us, and afterwards learned
that General Whiting was notified by telegraph of the arrival
of the Connibia before she crossed the bar that niirlit. When
we arrived at the fort, we found Colonel Lamb down on the
point with his Whitworth guns ready to protect us if neces-
sary. The success of this attem])t gave an imj'tetus to the sig-
nal corps, and from that time every steamer that arrived ap-
plied to the Government for a signal officer befdre leaving
jDort."

The name of the Covmihla was subsequently chanii'ed to
Lady Davis, in honor of the wife of President Davis, at
Pichmond, and Captain Gale, an officer in the old navy who
had gone over to the Confederacy, was placed in command.
"About 20 December, 1863," Mr. Gregory adds, 'Sve left
Bermuda with a cargo for Wilmin2;ton, in charge of Captain
Gale, with Mr. Pobert Grissoni as \)\\o\ and myself as signal
officer. We made land some miles above Wilmington, ap-
parently through bad navigation, almost as far north as Cape
Lookout, and when opposite Masonboro, in coasting down,
we observed rockets going up behind us and not long after,
they were going up directly ahead of us. We were running

408 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

at full S2:)eed when to our consternation rockets appeared
quite near abreast of us ; in fact we were, apparently, sur-
rounded by cruisers. There was a hurried consultation on
the l)ridge. I was at my post with my lights waiting to be
called when the order was given to head for the beach and
drive the ship high and dry. The blockaders were then can-
nonading us very heavily. When our good old ship struck
the beach she ploughed up the sand for a considerable dis-
tance, and keeled over on her side. The boats were lowered
and every man was told to look out for himself, which I as-
sure you we lost no time in doing, as we had scarcely left
the ship before the enemy were boarding her from the oppo-
site side and firing briskly with small arms. They followed
us to the beach, and kept up a heavy fire from cannon and
small arms for an hour. We dodged about in the bulrushes
as best we could and made our way towards the fort. Cap-
tain Gliomas, acting chief officer, took ashore with him two
fine chronometers, and selected me to carry one for him, but
after Ideating ai-ound with them in the rushes for an hour or
so, we became exhausted and had to throw them away. I
have no doubt they are still lying in the rushes on the beach.
We at last met a company of soldiers who protected and es-
corted us to the Sound. We forded the Sound and remained
all night, and we were sent to Wilmington next day, overland,
by mule teams. I always thought that it was a shame for the
Lady Davis to be lost, having no doubt we could have put to
sea and escaped on the occasion referred to, although I was
not informed as to the supply of coal on board. Captain Gale
had been very sick the day before and was too feeble to leave
the ship, so remained on board and was captured and taken
to Fort Warren.

"The United States steamer James Adger, commanded by
Ca])tain James Foster, of Bloomington, Ind., had the good
fortune to ca])ture our ship and hauled her off as a prize.
Strangely enough, Ca]')tain Foster was an intimate friend
of the lady whom I aftervrards married in his native town,
and he frequently related the incident referred to, thinking
it a great joke that he forced her husband to take to the
water.

Blockade Running. 409

"After reaching Wilmington and supplying myself with
clothing and a hat, having lost mine in the rush for the shore,
T immediately went on board the steamer Flora, with Cap-
tain Horner, and made a successful run to Bermuda. The
Flora was considered too slow and sent back to England. I
then joined the Index, commanded by Captain Marshall, and
made several successful voyages on her, but she, too, was con-
demned as too slow and was returned to Glasgow. I had
a thrilling adventure on this ship on a homeward voyage,
when for the first time in all my experience we made land
opposite Bald Head light on Frying Pan Shoals. As we
were coming around to ]\'ew Inlet ^ve fell in with a Federal
cruiser who was so close when we discovered her that we
could easily discern the mano3uvers of her men on deck. She
seemed to have anchors weighed and was moving about and
could have easily ca]itured us, so we were at a loss to under-
stand why she did not fire into us. Some of our people de-
cided that she wished to secure us as a prize without injury,
as she steamed alongside of us for four miles, and all at once
put lier helm hard down and went close under our stern, at-
tempting to go between us and the shoals. I remember the
remark of our pilot, Tom Grissom, to Cai)tain ^larshall: 'If
she follows us on that course. I will wreck her before we
reach the inlet.' The cruiser had only steamed half a mile
or so, when she suddenly passed from view, and in a few
moments a rocket went up near where we last saw her, which
was repeated at short intervals. After a few minutes rock-
ets could be seen going up from the whole squadron, and
there was evidently a great commotion among them on ac-
count of our pursuer who seemed suddenly to have gotten
into serious trouble. We jiassed through the inlet without
further molestation, as the entire fleet had centered their at-
tention upon their unfortunate cruiser which had so suddenly
gone down. When morning dawned, it revealed the Federal
cruiser hard and fast on the reef with the other vessels of the
squadron working manfully to relieve her. Colonel Lamb
went down to the extreme point with his ^^^litworth gims and
opened fire upon her. A month or so afterwards, while in
Bermuda, I saw a spirited sketch of the whole affair in Frank

410 North Carolina Troops, 1861-'65.

Leslie's Illustroted Neivs, giving an account of the wreck and
of an investigation of the condnct of the officers in charge.
I think the vessel was the gun-boat Petrel.

"After the Index was sent back to Glasgow, Captain Mar-
shall todk charge of the steamer Bouen, and I joined her as
signal officer. We loaded our cargo and started for Wilming-
ton, and on the third day out sighted a steamer about 1 o'clock
p. m., which proved to be the United States steamer Keystone
State, Avhich captured us after a hot chase of six hours. We
were all transferred to the Margarei and Jessie, a former
blockade-runner which had been captured and utilized as a
cruiser. We wei'e taken to Xew York and confined in the
Tombs prison. Subsequently all of the officers and crew
were discharged except four of us, and we were transferred
to the Ludlow street jail for further investigation. After
about six weeks imprionment, we succeeded in effecting our
escape through the medium of English gold, after which we
went down to East river and found an old barque loaded with
staves and hay for St. Thomas. Each one of us gave the
captain $25.00 in gold, with the understanding that he would
sail by St. George's, Bermuda, and land us there. We
reached this place after several weeks to find it devastated by
yellow fever. Many personal friends died with this scourge,
among whom was o\n- lamented purser of the Index, Mr. Rob-
ert AYilliams, a well-known native (jf Wilmington, much be-
loved for his personal qualities. I made one voyage on the
steamer C.hi'l. which became famous under the command of
Captain John X. Maffitt. After this I joined the new steel
steamer Susan Beirne, commanded by Captain Martin, of
which my old friend and shi]')mate, James Sprunt, was pur-
ser. After a very hazardous voyage in this ship, durin