310 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River moted to colonel of the consolidated command. He took part in the Seven Days’ Battle before Richmond, and subsequently remained on duty in the Richmond defenses, where he was, toward the last, in frequent and arduous service combating the Federal raids and defending the city against regular siege. He took a prominent part in the defeat of the raider Dahlgren, and buried the body of that evil-minded man. For some time he was in command of a part of the defenses about the Confederate Capital. His last battle was at Sailor’s Creek, where he was captured. Thence he was taken to Johnson’s Island, but through the influence of his kinsman, Gen. Winfield Scott, was soon released without taking the oath. In 1866, Colonel Atkinson made his home in Wilmington, where he recently died, leaving the heritage of an honored name. Capt. Edward H. Armstrong, of New Hanover: In 1862 this brilliant student of the University at Chapel Hill was orderly sergeant of Company G, Third Regiment, North Carolina Troops. Very soon afterwards he was promoted to be second lieutenant of that company, and went through the Seven Days’ Battle at Richmond, and with his regiment he participated in the Battle of Sharpsburg with great credit and was made cap- tain of the company, the captain, E. H. Rhodes, and Lieut. W. H. Quince, having been killed in that engagement. His subsequent career was conspicuous at Fredericksburg, Chan- cellorsville, Gettysburg, and Mine Run, and he met a soldier’s death at the Horseshoe, Spottsylvania Courthouse, lamented by his comrades for his modest, beautiful character and for his soldierly qualities. It was said of him that he was fitted to com- mand a division. During the Gettysburg campaign, his shoes having worn out, he marched barefoot. Louis 8. Belden ran away as a youth and enlisted at the be- ginning of the war in Moore’s Battery, Light Artillery, Tenth Regiment, North Carolina Troops, which was, after Moore’s promotion to be colonel of the Sixty-sixth Regiment, commanded by Capt. John Miller. Sergeant Belden remained with the battery until the end of the war, rendering at all times excellent service. On his return home, destitute but determined to make his way, he appeared in a suit of clothes which his sister had made of bedticking, the only available material, and he was not long in obtaining honorable employment which led to compara- tive independence. He still retains, in his advanced years and impaired health, the esteem and confidence of the community. The War Between the States 311 Charles P. Bolles had been employed on the Coast Survey by the United States Government for many years previous to the war, and was a man of marked ability. In April, 1861, he was assigned to duty as an engineer, and constructed the first battery at Confederate Point, called in compliment to him, “Battery Bolles.” For a year or more he was employed with the engi- neers, and then transferred to the Fayetteville Arsenal. His professional skill was exemplified in the preparation of bolts for Whitworth guns. An English firm presented a battery of Whit- worth guns to the Confederate Government through Colonel Lamb at Fort Fisher, by whom they were effectively used at long range against the blockaders and for the protection of the blockade runners. The guns were unfortunately received with- out ammunition or projectiles, and were worthless until Captain Bolles devised at the Fayetteville armory the peculiar bolts which were used as projectiles and for which he had no pattern. At the arsenal, he was captain of Company A, Sixth Battalion, Armory Guards. J. H. Boatwright was one of the “Seed Corn” cadets, of Charleston, S. C., when the order was issued by the hard-pressed Confederacy that boys under the military age would be per- mitted to go to the front and do a man’s work. He was offered a lieutenancy at the age of seventeen, but his father declared that he was too young to command, and so he enlisted as a pri- vate in Company B, Citadel Guards. He saw service at Coosa- whatchie, and at “Tulafinny,” and in one of the engagements he was struck by a musket ball. His lieutenant, Mr. Coffin, hearing the bullet strike him, assisted in examining the wound, which was found to be the mutilation of a small Testament in young Boatwright’s breast-pocket. The interesting bullet is still preserved by his family. A year or so afterwards he was sent home on sick leave, and he found Columbia sacked and burned, but his mother and sister safe. Governor McGraw sent for him and, informing him that his secretary had taken fright and departed, offered him the position, which he promptly accepted. Later, when the Gov- ernor was arrested by the Federals, his secretary was not re- garded as of sufficient importance to be placed under guard. This resulted in his taking charge of all the State archives, which he placed in an old vault, and he kept them in careful custody until after the war, when he delivered them to the first legislature.