76 Norta Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

ing works around Petersburg. Suffice it to say that _
Eighteenth North Carolina Regiment was always at : e
front, and always did its whole duty. We were ordered to
cross the James river at Drewry’s Bluff again, pi on the
march thither for the first time, at “Deep Bottom,’ we en-
countered the colored troops, who first drove a brigade on our
right out of the works, which we in turn retook, and held
them until ordered. elsewhere.

Marching to Petersburg via Drewry’s Bluff, we were sta-
tioned below and to the right of Battery No. 45, and remained
until our brigade was sent to assist in an attack on Reams
Station. There we supported the brigades of Generals Cooke,
MacRae and others, and being well supported, we charged
the enemy’s lines, took nine of his guns, two thousand prison-
ers, besides wagons, ambulances, etc. It was a desperate
fight, but the result added to the fame of the North Carolina
soldier, of which their descendants may, for all time to come,
be proud.

Events in rapid succession crowded upon each other. The
end was rapidly approaching. We went back to Battery
No, 45.°

At Jones’ Farm on 30 September, 1864, we had a severe
fight, and lost from our regiment some of its bravest
and best. Our regiment was now reduced to a mere “skele-
ton” or handful of its former strength. Starting out with
eleven hundred men, we were now reduced to one hundred or
less. The death of every comrade was now indeed a serious
loss. Our entire brigade was hardly now in numbers,. as
much as half our original regimental muster roll.

We remained in the trenches at Petersburg until we took
our last march in the Spring following towards Appomattox.
As we passed through Petersburg the sidewalks of the city
were filled with weeping women and children, lamenting the
fate which they knew daylight would bring upon them. In
our army they had centred their hopes, and with our de-
parture they well knew their last earthly refuge and hope
were gone, and for many days and nights thereafter the wail-
ings and lamentations of these helpless women and children

rang in the Southern soldier’s ear as he “plodded his weary

EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT. 77

way” to the place where the Southern flag was to be furled
forever. The march from Petersburg began 2 April, and
ended at Appomattox 9 April, 1865.

Twenty-eight thousand bleeding, half-starved and foot-sore
soldiers stood there on that eventful 9 April, 1865, with
folded arms, as General Lee rode down our lines and “bade us
adieu forever.”

The Eighteenth North Carolina Regiment, after one year’s
coast service in North Carolina, went to Virginia. Early in
1862 was part of Branch’s Brigade, afterwards to the close of
the war, Lane’s.

After seeing some service in the Valley, from the battle of
Hanover Court House, (called by some “Slash Church” ), to
the surrender at. Appomattox, it was a portion of General Lee’s
Army of Northern Virginia.

This regiment fought not less than thirty-five (35) bat-
tles, besides double that number of skirmishes; was in both
the Maryland and Pennsylvania campaigns, forded the Poto-
mac five times, and crossed it once on a pontoon, and was “in
at the death,” when the Southern Star of victory went’ down
in a sea of blood, in the gloom of defeat at Appomattox.

Such is the history, in brief, of the Eighteenth North
Carolina Regiment. A great many of the scenes described
T have drawn from data obtained from comrades years ago.
A great many have faded from my memory. Yet while I
was not a participant in all or indeed in many of the battles
and stirring scenes of those troublous times, yet I am sure
this hastily written sketch, imperfect as it is, faithfully re-
cords the history of the Eighteenth North Carolina Regi-
ment in the substance of its work and in all its essential par-
ticulars.

It is only intended, as I understand it, to furnish data
for the future North Carolina historian, when he comes to do
his State justice, by a faithful and impartial record of its
soldiers’ sufferings, privations, toil and victories, in that

bloody drama.

If these lines will thus aid the future writer of the deeds
and heroism of the North Carolina soldier, I feel that the
task assigned me is accomplished, and that I have contributed