738 Nortu Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

blanket and was not discovered until next morning, when he
was speedily killed.

The country being sparsely settled, we had a heavy picket
line, and orders were issued to fire, without, challenge, on
anyone approaching after dark. While officer of the day, I
learned that three of the men were out foraging, and going
to the post where I thought they would try to pass, I notified
the sentinel and Corporal of the Guard to be very careful, and
if they saw or heard two or three advancing, not to fire, but
challenge in a low tone. While giving these instructions I
heard them coming and called out, “Who comes? Give
your names and company,” which they did, and were ordered
to advance. I then explained that by violating my positive
orders I had saved their lives, and that they must keep secret
the fact that they had been out, or I would be court-martialed
for disobedience. That was over thirty-five years ago, and my
conscience has always been clear that I did right in saving the
lives of my comrades.

The glades were full of deer and bees and the river and
lakes abounded in fish. One day Colonel Coleman detailed
three squads of six men, one to hunt deer, one to hunt wild
honey, and the other to fish. I was placed on the latter, and
Dr. Hatcher, our Surgeon, was in command. Our instrue-
tions were to report at 6 p. m., at which time all came in
from different directions; the first party with three fine
bucks, the second party marching in single file, each man
with a bucket of choice honey, and our party groaning under
their loads of fish. It goes without saying that we were
greeted with a shout. Dr. Hatcher caught a large turtle,
which we had to make a second trip for. Our spoils were
divided, the turtle going to the headquarters mess and all the
commissioned officers were invited to take dinner with the
Colonel next day, where we feasted on turtle soup. Our
time was spent so pleasantly in Florida that we were loath
to leave, but about 1 May orders were given to cook three
days’ rations, and by 5 o’clock p. m. we had bidden farewell
to “Rattlesnake Camp” and were on the road to Pollard,
forty miles distant, where we embarked on the train and
started north to assist in the Dalton campaign, arriving at

Tuirty-NintH REGIMENT. 739

Resaca, on the W. & A. Railroad, 8 May, 1864. (I failed to
state that General McNair had been wounded at Chicka-
mauga, and General Reynolds now commanded our Brigade. )

Two Arkansas regiments, under the command of Colonel
Williamson, that had just come in on the cars, were disem-
barked and started forward on the double-quick. They met
and checked the advance of Division of Hooker’s
Corps, and later, being reinforced by Grisby’s Kentuckians,
with General Hardee in personal command, repulsed them
completely. All of Reynold’s Brigade had arrived by the
9th. Johnston had established his lines with Polk’s Corps
on the left, the Thirty-ninth being stationed on the extreme
left, resting on a Bluff of the Oostanaula river. We were
entrenched, protecting a nearby battery. The Federals got
the range of our battery and opened fire, which our battery
returned. Little damage was done to the guns or men, most
of the shells passing overhead, but the artillery horses, sta-
tioned in a hollow in the rear of the line, were nearly all
killed. Heavy skirmishing and cannonading were kept up
during 13 and 14 May. At about 4 o’clock p. m., on the
14th, we and the troops of Polk’s and Hood’s Corps, were or-
dered to charge. A brush fence had been placed along the
bank of our ditches, which we had to climb over. Ensign
Bryson, of Company K, and Sergeant Corbin, of Company I,
and myself, were the first over, Bryson calling for the Thirty-
ninth to rally on the colors. Just as he spoke a cannon ball
took off his arm and he dropped the flag. Sergeant Corbin
was knocked down by the concussion, and I was left standing,
but so shocked for a moment that I had no power to move. In
a short space the regiment was in line and Sergeant Shelton
(I think it was) picked up the colors. We went at a double-
quick across a field and just before we entered the timber the
command was given to lie down (in order to get our breath),
and then forward we went, catching up with Captain Craw-
ford, commanding Company I, of the skirmish line. An
Alabama regiment was in front of us. In a few moments we
were in the thick of the fight, and in less than half an hour it
was-so dark we could not see, and the enemy’s line could be