334 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

Charleston, thence to Savannah, and later camped on James
‘Island, returning to Wilmington on May 1, along with the
other regiments of Clingman’s brigade. About July 1, the regi-
ment was sent to Morris Island as a part of the garrison for

Battery Wagner. Remaining at Charleston until November
24, 1t returned to North Carolina, and was stationed at Foster’s

Mill in Martin County. On January 5, 1864, the regiment
went to Petersburg, but later in the month it returned to North
Carolina, and engaged in a sharp skirmish at Bachelor’s Creek,
driving the enemy into New Bern. On May 12, the Fifty-first
marched to Drewry’s Bluff, and on the 18th and 19th to Cold
Harbor, where on June 1 the Battle of Cold Harbor was fought.

From August 19 to December 24, the Fifty-first Regiment
was engaged in meeting a raiding party operating on the Wil-
mington and Weldon Railroad, and in assaulting Fort Harri-
son; after which it proceeded to North Carolina, where it was
needed on account of Butler’s threatening Fort Fisher. After
the fall of Fort Fisher, the regiment went to Kinston, where it
engaged in three days’ fighting, March 7, 8, and 9, 1865. The
advance of the enemy from Wilmington and the near approach
of Sherman’s army from Fayetteville caused it to proceed to
Bentonville, where the Confederate forces met and checked
Sherman. The regiment surrendered with Johnston’s army at
Bush Hill, and was paroled May 2, 1865. Adjutant Latta was
with the regiment from the beginning to the end, without once

returning home, having participated in the campaigns men-
tioned above.

Lewis Leon, a well known resident of Wilmington and a
veteran of the Confederate States service, was born in Mecklen-
burg, Germany, November 27, 1841. Three years later he was
brought by his parents to New York City, whence he moved to
Charlotte in 1858, and engaged in mercantile pursuits as a
clerk. Becoming a member of the Charlotte Grays, he entered
the active service of that command, going to the camp of in-
struction at Raleigh on April 21, 1861. The Grays were as-
signed to Col. D. H. Hill’s regiment, the First, as Company
C, and took part in the Battle of Big Bethel, in which Private
Leon was a participant. At the expiration of the six months’
enlistment of the Bethel Regiment, he reénlisted in Company
B, Capt. Harvey White, of the-F ifty-first Regiment, commanded
by Col. William Owen. He shared the service of this regiment
in its subsequent honorable career, fighting at Gettysburg, Bris-

The War Between the States 335

tow Station, Mine Run, and the Wilderness, receiving a slight
wound at Gettysburg, but not allowing it to interfere with his -
duty. During the larger part of his service he was a sharp-
shooter.

On the 5th or 6th of May, 1864, the sharpshooters of his
regiment were much annoyed by one of the Federal sharp-
shooters who had a long-range rifle and who had climbed up a
tall tree, from which he could pick off the men, though sheltered
by stumps and stones, himself out of range of their guns. Pri-
vate Leon concluded that “this thing had to be stopped,” and
taking advantage of every knoll, hollow, and stump, he crawled
near enough for his rifle to reach, and took a “pop” at this dis-

turber of the peace, who came tumbling down. Upon running
up to his victim, Leon discovered him to be a Canadian Indian,
and clutching his scalp lock, he dragged him back to the Con-

federate line.
At the Battle of the Wilderness he was captured, and from

that time until June, 1865, he was a prisoner of war at Point
Lookout and Elmira, N. Y. Upon being paroled he visited his
parents in New York City, and then worked his way back to
North Carolina. He is warmly regarded by his comrades of
Cape Fear Camp, U. C. V., and has served several terms as its

adjutant. When Col. James T. Morehead prepared a sketch

of his regiment, the Fifty-third, Private Leon furnished him
with a copy of a diary which he had kept from the organization
of the regiment up to the 5th of May, 1864, when he was
captured.

Richard F. Langdon was one of the second lieutenants of
Company E (New Hanover County), First Regiment North
Carolina Troops, and was subsequently appointed captain and
quartermaster of the Third North Carolina Infantry.

Capt. Thomas C. Lewis became a member of the Wilmington

Rifle Guards and went on duty with that organization early in
the conflict. When it became Company I of the Eighth Regi-
ment he was appointed a sergeant, and after the reénlistment
in 1862 he served as quartermaster sergeant until the Battle of
Second Manassas, when he became second lieutenant of his
company. At this battle he received a severe wound in the hip
which disabled him for half a year. Upon rejoining his com-
mand he was promoted to be captain. He served with his

company until he was captured in the disaster to Johnston’s
division at Spottsylvania Courthouse. He was confined at Fort