246 NortH CAROLINA TROOPS, 1861-65.

the enemy’s right flank, J ohnston’s brigade was ordered to
capture a block house on the other side of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. A considerable force of the enemy-were in
a railroad cut and perfectly protected. The Twenty-third
under Colonel Blacknall, made a dash for the block house,
but were met by a hot enfilading fire from the line of battle in
the railroad cut. A heavy battery across the river also swept
them with a raking fire. Captain W. C. Wall, Company F,
was severely wounded. Colonel Blacknall was stunned for the
moment by an impact of a bullet on the head, which fortu-
nately did not penetrate, and the regiment was driven back.
Upon the failure of the Twenty-third to carry the block-
house, General Johnston ordered Colonel Davis, of the
Twelfth, to carry it. Colonel Davis says: “General John-
ston was not in a good humor and T was suffering (sick) so
that I could hardly walk. However, I went forward to the
ravine (not knowing. of the cause of the falling back of the

Twenty-third) and here halted and had picked men as videttes

to reconnoitre and see all they could. Finding about the
line of battle on the railroad, I sent General Johnston a mes-
sage that if I advanced I would expose by men to an en
flade fire and that if he would dislodge the line of battle in
the railroad cut, I could take the house without loss of men.
I never heard from General Johnston. In the meantime the
fight was going on on the other side (of the river) between
Wallace, of Ben Hur fame, and Gordon. Three lines of bat-
tle engaged Gordon’s one, and now General Wallace begins
to retreat. His men on our side then had to pass over quickly
or be taken. I moved forward, and as we struck the bridge
on one side the enemy were clearing it on the other.” This
rapid retreat of the enemy was also expedited by a company
that passed under a culvert and opening a flank fire on the
cut, drove the enemy out.

Wallace was defeated, with the loss of 700 prisoners—our
casualties being about the same—and thrown back upon Bal-
timore.. The way thus opened we advanced a forced Sun-

day march on Washington. Hot, jaded and footsore, we
ity and only three miles distant at

arrived in sight of that ci
3 p. m. on Monday, 11 July. The day was one of overpower-

TweEnTy-THIRD REGIMENT. 247

ing heat. The troops were too completely exhausted
ie hard marching to have been effective in nile
: gael princi i was made Tuesday, but
oc ongly manned for our 10,000
ie carry. In the reconnoissance Melville Holmes,
fasve Zalen nasser 16 the wecisret len Welersl Cay Ha
any other Confederate soldier of the ; :, oa ue po
war. This is also said
to have been the only instance in the history of the country
in which a President of the United States appeared ona field
of battle. Mr. Lincoln came out to the works on Tuesday to
view the situation and a surgeon was shot very close to his
side by Confederate sharpshooters.

Our brigade bivouacked in the grove of the famous Blair
mansion. Here an 11-inch shell from fort Massachusetts
burst in the midst of the officers’ mess at noon on the 12th
fortunately with no worse result than knocking the food out
of some of their hands. The unauthorized burning of Gen-
eral Blair’s house, if done by Confederates at all, was the
work of stragglers. Though there is a strong probability
that it was ignited by shells from the fort that made our din-
ner party its target.

Early’s division had now effected all that could be ex-
pected in drawing troops from Grant’s hosts around Rich-
mond. Federal troops were now hastening to close the
passes of South Mountain and the fords of the Potomac in
his rear. Therefore after maintaining a threatening attitude
against Washington all day of the 12th, and driving in a
strong reconnoitering force from the works, he retreated at
dark without molestation. Passing swiftly through Rock-
ville and Poolsville, we crossed the Potomac at White Ford,
near Leesburg, on the morning of the 14th, bringing off dil
prisoners and captures in safety.

Resting on the 14th and 15th near Leesburg, on the 16th
we resumed the march through Snicker’s Gap to the valley,
the enemy following. Occasionally we had a skirmish with
their cavalry.