774 NortH Carouina Troops, 1861-’65.

tioned to the south; Evans’ troops between New Bern and
Goldsboro, and Captain Nethercutt’s cavalry across the Trent
in Jones County.

In November following, Captain W. W. Carraway’s com:
pany, the Macon Mounted Guards, were on duty at Kin-
ston, and Captain Ward’s company served for some time, af-
ter the capture of New Bern, in picketing the streams of Ons-
low and vicinity.

On 28 September, 1862, Governor Z. B. Vance protested
earnestly against calling off the regiment to Garysburg, and
said that without the protection of the cavalry the finest pro-
vision region of the State would in a few days be desolated.
So much in earnest was he that he was moved to exclaim: “If
it is not the intention of the President to protect us, we must
protect ourselves.”

In late October or early November a squad of fourteen
men of Company K, under command of Levi J. Fagan, Color
Sergeant, was sent on picket about ten miles from Plymouth,
which town was largely garrisoned by United States troops.
The darkness of the night, together with a blinding rain, ren-
dered it difficult to perceive the approach of an active battal-
ion of infantry from the enemy’s lines, which suddenly sur
rounded and captured the squad. Taken on foot to Ply-
mouth and thence by transport to New Bern, this small
body of prisoners was held in captivity, though kindly
treated, until paroled 4 December.

A brilliant exploit performed by the “Rebel Rangers,”
Company A, subsequently, is reported by General W. H. C.
Whiting, commanding District of Wilmington. He says,
28 November, 1862, that Captain Newkirk’s cavalry and
Captain Adams’, with a section of a field battery, captured a
steam gunboat of the enemy on New River. Her crew es-
eaped, but her armament, ammunition and small arms were
captured.

Shortly afterwards the “Caswell Rangers,”’ Company OC,
rendered brave and efficient service in repelling the raid of
General Foster upon Goldsboro, and was complimented for
its coolness in action in the report of Colonel Stevens, of the
Engineers, to General Gustavus W. Smith, commanding.

Forty-First REGIMENT. T15

Another company, that of Captain Tucker, was in the ex-
pedition under General J. G. Martin, who, with the Seven-
teenth North Carolina Infantry, Adams’ Artillery and the
respective cavalry of Walker, Booth and Tucker, made an
attack upon the forces of the enemy at Washington. Tucker
assaulted the town independently, the other companies being
under the command of the gallant Booth, who received a
wound on that occasion that subsequently caused his death.

Captain R. S. Tucker’s command performed many difficult
and hazardous feats. They had started at early morning,
their gallant Captain at the head and again and again they
routed and dispersed the enemy, only to meet additional par-
ties stationed to repel Tucker’s advance. “Charge!’’ was the
repeated order, which was so successfully executed that the
loss was slight, Bugler Winborne and a private near the head
of the command having been dismounted, and captured by the
enemy.

A portion of the enemy was completely driven out of the
town in this brilliant engagement, but the heavy artillery of
the gunboats completely commanded the whole of Washington,
which is situated upon the river, and as the occupation by
Confederate forces involved the entire destruction of the
place, without adequate military result, the command deemed
it proper to evacuate and return to original lines.

The Davis “Dragoons,” under Captain Perkins, at Big
Northeast Bridge, near Jacksonville, met a party of Federal
cavalry, killing one captain and five privates and routing the
balance without loss.

Seven companies of the regiment were concentrated for
operations in Eastern NorthCarolina and on the Virginia bor-
der early in 1863, and so effectually did the command make
its mark that General M. Jenkins, Brigadier commanding on
the Blackwater, proposed a dash of Baker’s Regiment of cav-
alry upon the enemy’s camp of cavalry on the Windsor road,
four or five miles from Suffolk, Va.

Service along the narrow Blackwater, guarding its fords
and tributaries, involved much exposure to malaria and inces-
sant contact with the enemy. Longstreet issued preparatory
orders for his demonstration against Suffolk, 16 April, and

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