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NortH Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

THE BATTLE OF DREWRY’'S BLUFF, 16 may, 1864.

The attack was made by the Confederates about daylight

under cover of a dense fog. When within about forty paces

of the enemy’s main line the Forty-third encountered (as
did also the other troops of the division) a line of telegraph
wires fastened to stumps about twelve inches above the
ground, which caused most of the men to trip and fall. This
checked the forward movement, but from this position a
heavy fire was poured into the enemy until they were dis-
lodged. Finding their ammunition nearly exhausted, as the
enemy commenced retreating the regiment repaired to the
rear to replenish it. This being done, it returned to the
line near the right of General Robert Ransom’s Division, to
which it was then temporarily attached, and occupied the
right of the brigade in a charge upon the works when a bat-
tery of artillery was captured, the enemy driven across the
turnpike and a position in rear of the Union forces secured.
The position of the regiment was now near the turnpike,
which constituted the dividing line of the divisions of Ran-
som and Hoke during most of the engagement. Hoke, being
appointed Major-General after the battle of Plymouth, was
assigned to the command of another division after his arrival
at Drewry’s Bluff. About this time a council of war was
held on the turnpike, which was participated in by a dis-
tinguished group, consisting of President Davis, Generals
Beauregard, Ransom and Hoke, with their respective staff of-
ficers. Very soon after this incident, the enemy having
given way at all points of the line, were driven into Bermuda
Hundreds, the angle between the James and Appomattox
rivers, under cover of their gunboats, this regiment taking
part in the pursuit.

After remaining in line of battle in front of General But-
ler’s troops for about two days, orders were issued for the
regiment to rejoin its old brigade in the Army of Northern
Virginia. In obedience thereto it marched to Drewry’s
Bluff and was transported by boat to Richmond, thence by
rail to Milford Station on the Richmond and Fredericks-
burg Railroad, reaching there about noon on 21 May, 1864.

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Forty-THirp REGIMENT. 11

The march was at once resumed, and the regiment bivouacked
that night near Spottsylvania Court House. The army
having been withdrawn from its position in front on the night
of the 21st to meet a movement of the enemy, who had retired
towards the North Anna, the regiment was ordered to follow
on the morning of the 22d. Late in the afternoon, informa-
tion was received from General Ewell that the regiment was
then in the rear and in danger of being captured. To avoid
this risk an all-night march was made, the old brigade joined
and the enemy again confronted near Hanover Junction on
the morning of the 23d. It was then commanded by Gen-
eral Bryan Grimes, Daniel having been killed at Spottsylva-

nia on 12 May, and General Lewis remained in charge of

Hoke’s old Brigade. In this march more than 60 miles were
traversed, and the troops were hungry and nearly exhausted.
But not long after arriving upon the ground a line of bat-
tle was formed northwest of the Junction and earthworks
thrown up. After dark this line was abandoned and the reg-
iment withdrawn about a mile to the rear, and occupied the
bank of a railroad cut, leaving the brigade sharpshooters in
possession of the first line. Next day (24 May), about noon,
the enemy in force attacked the sharpshooters and drove them
from their position. Companies A and F, numbering about
seventy men, under command of Lieutenants Bostic, Farrior
and Morris, were detailed and sent to the front with instruc-
tions to retake the works. On reaching the works they found
that both sides of them were occupied by a regiment of Union
troops, supported by a brigade at a short distance to the rear.
On the sudden appearance of this small force from the thick
woods which covered their approach, they were ordered by
the enemy to surrender. To this they responded with a
quick and destructive fire at close range, and, after a hand-
to-hand fight of several minutes, forced them to the opposite
side of the breastworks, and the assault was fiercely con-
tinued about two hours. Encouraged by the forward move-
ment of the brigade and the firing of a field battery consti-
tuting their support, the Union forces attempted several
times to retake the position, but were as often repulsed. A
heavy rain having set in, the firing ceased and the enemy