552 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

Junction we had nothing to eat but roasting ears, and we
marched so fast that we were told by an artillerist that if we
went much farther, the battery would be left behind, as Jack-
son’s ‘‘foot cavalry” had broken down the horses. On the
28th at Manassas Plains, the Thirty-third helped to support
a battery in an open field with no cover and it rendered very
efficient service. On the 29th the brigade moved to the sup-
port of General Gregg, who was in the woods on our right.
The Thirty-third was next to the Twenty-eighth, which was
on the extreme left, and it fought splendidly. General Lane
says: ‘The Thirty-third under Colonel Hoke fought well in
the woods, and once gallantly advanced into the open field in
front, and drove the enemy back in disorder.” This was
a terrific fight. General Lane says: ‘Never have I wit-
nessed greater bravery and desperation than were that day
displayed by this brigade.” There were many hand-to-hand
fights.

30 August, the Thirty-third was under a furious artil-
lery fire, and was engaged in heavy skirmishing. Regimen-
tal loss, 1 killed, 7 wounded. The Thirty-third was in the
engagement at Ox Hill, near Fairfax Court House 1 Sep-
tember, and fought with its usual intrepidity. This was one
of the severest engagements of the war. It rained heavily
during the entire battle. We used every round of ammuni-
tion, but General Branch ordered us to hold our positions at
the point of the bayonet. We did so until dark, when the
brigade fell back to the field in rear of the woods. The Fed-
eral infantry used a great many explosive balls. Regimental
loss, 1 killed, 16 wounded. General Branch writes: “I
would not have believed without actual experience that flesh,
blood and muscle could stand what we have stood—marching,
fighting and starving, almost incessantly night and day. No
brigade in the service has been in as many battles, and done
so much hard service as mine.” 3 September we marched
through Leesburg, crossed the Potomac on the 5th and
reached Frederick City on the 6th, where we remained sev-
eral days.

 

THIRTY-THIRD REGIMENT.

HARPER'S FERRY.

The first day after we crossed the Potomac General Jack-
son ordered General Branch to send his men into a corn field
near by to fill their haversacks with roasting ears. No second
order was given. We recrossed the Potomac at Williamsport,
and on the evening of the 14th marched down the Winchester
and Harper’s Ferry road, and that night routed the enemy
from the cliffs of the Shenandoah. The next morning found
us on the flank, and in rear of Bolivar Heights, where the en-
emy were plainly visible in their works. Loudon Heights
were occupied by Walker’s Division, and Maryland Heights
by McLaw’s, thus completely investing the place. Our ar-
tillery opened a terrific fire upon the enemy. In the morn-
ing of the 15th several white flags were displayed, and we
marched in and took possession without further resistance.
We remained at Harper’s Ferry and witnessed the surrender
of 11,000 men, who marched out and stacked arms in rear of
the works on Bolivar Heights. On 17 September we made a
rapid and exhausting march to Sharpsburg, reaching that
point in the afternoon at 3:30 o’clock, in time to take an ac-
tive part in the fight. Without a moment’s rest, though we
had marched seventeen miles almost at a double quick, Gen-
eral Branch moved into line of battle, and fought with a cour-
age and tenacityrarely equalled,and never surpassed. Branch,
Gregg and Archer saved General Lee on that day from an
overwhelming defeat. General Longstreet says that General
Burnside was outflanked, staggered and driven back by
the gallant and crushing attack of A. P. Hill’s Brigades.
General A. P. Hill writes: “With a yell of defiance, Archer
charged them, retook McIntosh’s guns, and drove them back,
pell-mell. Branch and Gregg, with their old veterans,
sternly held their ground, and pouring in destructive volleys,
the tide of the enemy surged back.” Here the South sus-
tained an irreparable loss in the death of General Branch.
“He had with his command,” says Major John Hughes, “just
swept the enemy before him, and driven them in such confu-
sion and dismay, that all firing had ceased in his immediate
front, when Generals Gregg and Archer directed his attention