278 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

Twenty-fourth Regiment to his home near by and gave us
breakfast, and some of the boys said here was the most fried
bacon they ever saw at one time. The Twenty-fourth Regi-
ment had also a skirmish down on the Blackwater with some
Yankees that came up the river on a gunboat.

Ordered from here to Drewry’s Bluff, reaching that place
16 June. From this place, a few days later, we were sent
down below Richmond, at Bottom’s Bridge. 4 July had a
fight near the bridge, in which we lost several men, and drove
back the enemy with severe loss, after which we returned to
Richmond about 8 July, and went into eamp for a
few days below the city. On the march from Bottom’s
Bridge one of the boys became sick, and the writer was de-
tailed and left behind to take care of and help him on to
camp. Night soon came—one of those dark, dismal nights,
that is so intensely dark that we can almost feel it with the
hand, and we had to pass over the old battle field of the seven
days’ fights below Richmond of the year before. As we
trudged along we talked of the loneliness of the hour and of
the sacredness of the ground over which we were passing, not
knowing what moment we might stumble over the bleaching
bones of an old comrade that had fallen on this blood-red field
the year before. We moved on, however, reaching camp late
at night, tired and worn out. The Twenty-fourth remained
here a few days, after which it was ordered to Petersburg. °

From Petersburg, on 20 July, the Regiment was or-
dered to Weldon, N. C. Reaching that place we went into
camp on the east side of the town. It was expected, when the
Regiment left Richmond, that we would go on to Rocky
Mount, N. C., as the Yankees had the day before invested
that town and burned part or all of the public buildings; but
on reaching North Carolina it was found that the enemy had
fallen back nearer the coast. The regiment remained near
Weldon for quite a while awaiting orders. On the 28th of
October we left Weldon for Tarboro, N. C., reaching there
on the 30th. On the first of November we set out for Ham-
ilton, N. C., arriving there on the 6th. Here the regiment re-

mained for some time, doing picket duty at Rawl’s Mill and.

below there. Scouting parties were often sent out from the

Twenty-FourtH REGIMENT. 279

regiment to go down in the enemy’s lines in the vicinity of
Washington, N. C., to watch their movements. The writer
had some experience along this line, but time and space forbid
any account of the same here. 22 November, ordered to
Williamston, N. C. Here the regiment did picket duty on
the river below the town for some time.

In the latter part of December Major Love took a detach-
ment of three companies from the regiment, to-wit: Compa-
nies EK, I, and F, and went down near to Plymouth to ambus-
cade a regiment of Yankee cavalry that was in the habit of
going in the country to forage. After a hard march all night
over hedges and byways, we reached a place of concealment
to await their coming; but soon after the rain began pouring
down in torrents, and so thoroughly wet our guns and ammu-
nition that the Major gave up the idea as a bad job, and we
set out to retrace our footsteps, marching on until late in the
afternoon. We reached a mill, where we found Colonel
Clarke with the remaining companies of the Twenty-fourth.
Here we camped for the night, completely tired and worn
out. On the following day the regiment set out in the direc-
tion of Weldon, reaching there a day or two later, where we
remained for.a few days.

13 January, 1864, the Twenty-fourth Regiment reached
Tarboro, N. C., and remained here for a short while, doing
picket duty below the town. In the latter part of January
the Twenty-fourth was ordered to Goldsboro, and from this
place to Kinston, New Bern and back to Goldsboro and on to
Weldon. It was a continuous move, with no fighting, except
at New Bern, where we had what we called a litte “round”
with the Yanks. From Weldon, 19 February, the Twenty-
fourth Regiment was ordered to Petersburg, Va., and
went into camp on Dunn’s Hill, near the city. 17 Febru-
ary returned to Weldon, N. C. 24 February the regiment
was called on to re-enlist for the duration of the war. It
was understood by the boys, however, that they were in for
the war, and the consequence was, but few re-enlisted.

On 25 February Major Love took Company E, with
three other companies of the regiment, and went down
in Eastern Carolina on a series of hard marches. The de-