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62 Nortu Caroiina Troops, 1861-’65.

part of the garrison. Thomas’ Georgia and Harris’ Missis-
sippi brigades the balance. Generals Wilcox and Lane were
in it, when I left by permission of the latter to go to our win-
ter quarters near by to get our records.

The Sixth corps had been reinforced by the Twenty-fourth,
Gibbon’s corps, and the advance was made on Gregg before I

could return.
I was glad to be on the outside. The fighting was des-

perate. Repulsed, the enemy reinforced and returned with
several lines, enveloping the fort, they filled the moat and
climbed the parapet, fighting their way inside. Getting in-
side, the fighting was hand to hand, till those not killed were
overpowered.
Lieutenant William O. Robinson, Company B, Fighteenth
Regiment, and Color Sergeant James W. Atkinson, Thirty-
third North Carolina, escaped after the fighting with clubbed
muskets ceased, and always speak of it as a scene of inde-

seribable horror.
After the surrender of Gregg the other forts were evacu-

ated, and the main line at Battery 45, and the dam on the
ereek occupied. This was held till night, and Petersburg
was behind us in the morning. ;

The march to Appomattox Court House was a succession
of privations and hardships scarcely credible by those who
have not had actual army experiences.

The supply trains that were to have been stopped at Burke-
ville and Amelia Court House, passed on, and were captured.
That country could not subsist the army, and men and ani-
mals suffered for food. We were formed in line of battle
several times and had some casualties at High Bridge and

near Jetersville.
On the morning of 9 April, whilst the Eighteenth was

forming line of battle, on a ridge to the left of the road
before getting to the branch near Appomattox Court House,
Grant’s officer, bearing dispatches to Lee, passed through its
lines and found Lee a few hundred yards in our rear on the

road we had just left.
Firing was then going on beyond the court house by Gen-

eral Grimes’ North Carolinians.

EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT. 63

We were marched to a near by woods and sadly, sorrow-
fully stacked arms. All was over.

The limits of this paper prevent the mention of the many
meritorious officers and men composing this regiment, of
whom I could not speak in too high terms. The valor of its
men, and its services is attested by its casualties on the field
of battle, from New Bern to Gettysburg, and then to Appo-
mattox Court House, where its last act was getting ready for
battle.

Colonel John D. Barry was its only member that reached
the grade of general. He was appointed temporary brigadier
3 August, 1864, but he was later assigned to department duty
with his regular grade of Colonel (as General Lane had re-
turned to the brigade) on account of his wounds and impaired
health, leaving us the latter part of February or March.

Lieutenant-Colonel John W. McGill resigned about the
same time. Major Thos. J. Wooten was thus entitled to be-
come Colonel and was so recommended, also Captain John J.
Poisson to be Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain B. F. Rinaldi
Major. Petersburg was evacuated before they received their
rank to which they were justly entitled. Major Wooten was
kept in command of the brigade sharpshooters, and Captain
Poisson paroled the regiment, as its commanding officer.

I append a roster of those who were present, and surren-
dered at Appomattox:

Fretp anv Starr—Major Thomas J. Wooten, Adjutant
Wm. H. McLaurin, Surgeon Thomas B. Lane, Assistant Sur-
geon Simpson Russ. Non-Commissioned Staff, Ordnance
Sergeant, Chas. Flanner.

Company A—Captain B. F. Rinaldi, Sergeants M. N.
Tatum, Wm. Howard, and Privates Henry Howard, F. How-
ard, John Johnson, B. D. Lindsey, G. W. McDonald.

Company B—Lieutenant R. M. Lesesne, Sergeant D.
Storm, Corporal S. Singleterry, Privates W. C. Bray, E.

- Austin, John Meares.

Company O—Lieutenant Owen Smith, Musician G. W.
Sherrill, and Privates D. R. Best, Dan Green, D. Klutts.
Company D—Orderly Sergeant A. E. Floyd, Corporal J.

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