798 NortH CaroLina Troops, 1861-65.

At Bermuda Hundreds a division was formed, consisting
of the following brigades: Martin’s and Clingman’s North
Carolina, Haygood’s South Carolina, and Colquitt’s, of
Georgia. These were under the command of Major-General
R. F. Hoke.

General Grant had ordered Sheridan’s cavalry, supported
by Warren’s Corps, to seize the heights of New Cold Harbor,
so on 1 June Hoke’s Division was ordered to Richmond and
then moved into the fighting line at Cold Harbor.

On the same day, General Anderson, with Kershaw’s and
Hoke’s Divisions, attacked Sheridan and drove him back to
Old Cold Harbor and secured the heights around New Cold
Harbor and Gaines’ Mill—an all-important movement for
the approaching battle. These positions he at once fortified,
for they were the key to Richmond. The troops were halted
under the fire of an unseen enemy, but a line of skirmishers
was quickly thrown out and the enemy’s picket line was
driven out of reach.

General Martin formed his brigade en echelon, which en-
abled his command to take the most dangerous position on
the line and hold it under heavy fire. Had it not been for
this well directed movement at the opportune moment, the
brigade might have been repulsed or captured. The skir-
mishers of the Forty-second had captured the crest of the
hill, which position they fortified during the night, using
their bayonets and pans, and were ready for the conflict.

It is stated that General Lee learned that the enemy’s main
effort would be directed against Martin’s part of the line, and
sent to General Martin to replace his brigade with a brigade of
veterans. To this General Martin replied with his compli-
ments, saying that while his brigade were not veterans, they
were trained soldiers and would hold their part of the lines
That day’s conflict showed the stuff the Forty-second was
made of, for they held their line without flinching or waver-
ing. In this battle the Confederates gained a decisive vic
tory. In many places in front of the line of battle the dead
and wounded were thick enough to walk on. It is reported
that the enemy lost 10,000 men in twenty minutes.

At the close of the day (3 June) Company E, under Lieu-

Forty-SEconp REGIMENT. 799

tenant Ellis, and Company D, under Captain R. R. Craw-
ford, were ordered on the picket line, and a general engage-
ment was brought on at nightfall. The Federals had thrown
up two lines of earth works along and in the woods about
fifty feet apart. As the picket moved forward, Geo. Hanes,
of Company E, of Davie County, was killed. He was only
18 years old and had been with the regiment but a few
months. Company D, in the darkness, caused by the heavy
foliage of the trees at that season of the year (June), mounted
the enemy’s breastworks and fell into their lines without
knowing they were so close at hand, so that Lieutenant L. W.
Crawford and eighteen men were captured. Sergeant Jos.
Baker, of Iredell, and Private Moses Thomas, of Mecklen-
burg, captured a Federal soldier and brought him out of
his own line of battle. The Confederate picket was estab-
lished on the field of battle with the dead and dying all
around.

The Confederate. line of battle was held until 12 June,
when the enemy moved in the direction of the Chickahominy.
A few hours later the Confederates abandoned their trenches,
and, crossing the Chickahominy, marched by the shortest
route to New Market Heights, near Malvern Hill.

After resting there a day and no enemy appearing, the
James was crossed on a pontoon bridge below Drewry’s Bluff.
By a forced march the troops were hurried to Petersburg, ar-
riving there at 2 a. m. 17 June, and taking position east of
the Hare House. A line of rifle pits was completed and this
constituted the only defense of the city against the invaders.
The Confederates now numbered about 12,000 men fit for
duty. Next day General Burnside’s Corps came up and in-
creased the Federal force to 65,000.

General Hancock, as ranking officer, had assumed com-
mand of the Federals. He threw his entire army in line of
battle, charging the thin line of the Confederates, and after
hard and stubborn fighting he succeeded in breaking through
the lines of Wise’s Legion, which was completely exhausted.
They had fought for two days without sleep or rest, and, now
overpowered, fell back.

At this moment Ransom’s Brigade came up and drove the