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272 Chromcles of the Cape Fear Rwer

“The young men wore secession rosettes and badges made of
small pine burs. The military companies already organized
greatly increased their ranks, and drilled vigorously. Other
companies were organized and men of Northern birth who did
not join some military organization were regarded with sus-
picion. Many of this class slipped away to the north of Mason
and Dixon’s line during the next few months.

“Men too old for service in the field formed a cavalry com-
pany under Capt. William C. Howard, for home defense, and
one company of quite elderly gentlemen was known popularly as
the ‘Horse-and-Buggy Company,’ and though they did not drill,
they held themselves in readiness to do what they could when
called upon. They did assist in the equipment of companies sent
to the field, and many of them aided and supported, during the
whole of the war, families of men in the service.

“School boys drilled constantly in the streets with wooden
guns and tin swords, and those owning a real gun or a good
imitation were sure of being officers, no matter about their other
qualifications, though to do them justice they did strive like men.

‘When a rumor came that the Harriet Lane, a small Revenue
Cutter, had been sent to. reinforce Fort Caswell, which was
under command of Sergeant Reilly, the excitement was over-
whelming. The Harriet Lane did not come, but when Fort
Sumter was bombarded on the 12th and 13th of April, several
companies of volunteers were ordered to the fort. Sergeant
Reilly, the lonely custodian of the fort, calling all present to
witness that he was compelled by superior force, surrendered it
in due form and with military honors. He afterwards served

with signal courage and devotion in the Confederate service
with the rank of major of artillery.”

WintMiIneton CompaNnigs.

As soon as the Eighth Regiment of Volunteers was organized,
it was ordered to encamp at Confederate Point, near New Inlet,
the name having been changed from Federal Point. A few
months later they were ordered to Coosawhatchie, South Caro-
lina, and moved to several other points to meet expected attacks,
and later they were ordered to Virginia. After the ten regi-
ments of State Troops were organized, the Eighth Regiment of
Volunteers became the Eighteenth North Carolina State Troops.

Company G of this regiment was organized in Wilmington in

The War Between the States 273

1853 as the Wilmington Light Infantry. They went into the
war nearly two hundred strong, under Capt. William L. DeRos-
set, who was soon promoted. His successor was Capt. Henry
Savage. Their records show that fifty-seven commissioned offi-
cers of the Confederate States were former members of this
company. The regiment reached the seat of war in Virginia
just in time for the Battle of Mechanicsville, late in June, 1862.

From first to last there were sent from the immediate vicinity
of Wilmington twenty companies of infantry, two of cavalry,
and six battalions of artillery, numbering in all nearly 4,000
men, divided as follows:

. C, Ast Infantry, Captain J. 8. Hines
. E, 1st Infantry, Captain James A. Wright

Infantry, Captain Edward Savage
Infantry, Captain William M. Parsley

Infantry, Captain David Williams
Infantry, Captain Robert B. McRae
Infantry, Captain Christian Cornehlson
Infantry, Captain John R. Hawes
Infantry, Captain Henry R. Savage
Infantry, Captain O. P. Meares
Infantry, Captain Edward B. Dudley
Infantry, Captain J. F. Moore
Infantry, Captain John L. Cantwell
Infantry, Captain James Robinson
Infantry, Captain Willis H. Pope
Infantry, Captain James W. Lippitt
Infantry, Captain S. W. Maultsby
Infantry, Captain William C. Freeman
Regt. Cavalry, Captain A. T. Newkirk
Regt. Cavalry, Captain R. M. McIntire
Batt. Artillery, Captain Robert G. Rankin
Batt. Artillery, Captain Charles D. Ellis
Batt. Artillery, Captain Alexander MacRae
Batt. Artillery, Captain James L. McCormack. .
. 5th Batt. Artillery, Captain James D. Cumming....
- D, 5th Batt. Artillery, Captain Z. T. Adams
- D, 72d Junior Reserves, Captain J. D. Kerr
Co. H, 73d Junior Reserves, First Lieutenant D. J. Byrd.....
Enlisted for the Navy

The officers and many of the men of the Third Regiment of
Infantry were from New Hanover County, and that regiment
(like the 18th) has always seemed to belong peculiarly to Wil-
mington. Its history, compiled by two of its surviving officers,
Captains Metts and Cowan, and embodied in Clark’s Regimental

18