42 Nort Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

dred and Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, of Stone’s Brigade,
which regiments had been withdrawn from their first position
and placed along the Chambersburg Pike to meet this attack.
These regiments were from the lumber region of Pennsylva-
nia and were expert riflemen, and the vollies with which
they greeted Daniel’s men were said by the Confederate offi-
cers to have been the most destructive they ever witnessed.”

The same account of the battle, in giving a table of losses,
shows that these two Pennsylvania Regiments lost 589 men
out of a total of 915. While the Forty-fifth Regiment and
the Second North Carolina Battalion (six companies), lost
that day nearly 400 men. After recrossing the Potomac, I
remember that General Daniel inspected the regiment, pass-
ing down the line inquiring after the condition of cartridges,
we having waded the Potomac the night before. I remember
hearing him ask Captain Hopkins, who commanded the reg-
iment, “How many Rockingham companies are there in the
regiment?” He answered, “Six.” The General replied,
“Rockingham county has reason to be proud of the record
made by the regiment at Gettysburg.”

After the Gettysburg campaign, we returned to the south
side of the Rapidan, after many days of hot and toilsome
marching, and went into camp near Orange Court House, and
finally moved down the river to Morton’s Ford. In the fall
we left camp, marched to Madison Court House, turned the
flank of General Meade, and started on, what appeared to be,
a foot race after Meade’s army retreating toward Washing-
ton. We overtook Meade at Bristoe Station just at sunset,
after having been engaged in a running fight which lasted
all day. The battle of Bristoe Station ended disastriously to
us but Gen. Meade continued his retreat toward Washington.
After a day or two’s rest, we slowly returned to the south
bank of the Rappahannock river and went into camp, as we
thought, for the winter. Shortly afterwards, after some
sharp skirmishing with the enemy, we retired across the
Rapidan and again took up our old quarters near Morton’s
Ford. Winter being now upon us, we thought all fighting
was over for the year 1863, but shortly afterwards, General
Meade, not satisfied with the result of the recent campaign,

Forty-Firrn REGIMENT. 43

threw his army across the Rapidan. We hastened down to
confront him, and for several days skirmished and fought by
day and built breastworks by night in severe winter, until
the enemy, finding that it was impossible to fight us to ad-
vantage, fell back across the river, and both armies returned
to their quarters to remain during the winter. Each com-
mander immediately engaged in filling up the ranks of the
depleted regiments, preparing for the dreadful conflict that
was to open up in the spring of 1864.

THE WILDERNESS AND SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE.

In the afternoon of 4 May, the regiment abandoned its
winter quarters and started on the march to meet General
Grant, the new commander of the Army of the Potomac. At
nightfall we went into camp in “The Wilderness.” On the
morning of the 5th, after a hurried breakfast, we took up the
line of march, and within a very short time, were halted and
drawn up in line of battle. It was a beautiful May morning.
We began to advance in line, having been informed that we
had some of our troops in front of us. We could hear the
scattering picket fire to the left and right. Suddenly we heard,
what appeared to #¢a heavy volley of musketry a few hundred
yards in front of us. Soon the woods were filled with de
moralized men and we ascertained that the lines of Jones’
Brigade had been broken, and that the regiments composing
the brigade were quitting the field in the utmost confusion.
We halted and let the men pass through our ranks. We were
presently informed by the Colonel of one of the regiments
that the brigade had broken at the first fire of the enemy, and
that its commander, the brave General Jones, had refused to
retreat with the men and had remained on the line until
shot down. As soon as the way in front had been cleared,
we heard the voice of our brigade commander, General
Junius Daniel, give the command, “Attention, Battalions!
Battalions forward, the center the battalion of direction,
march!” The brigade moved forward at a quick step
through the underbrush, just budding into spring life.
We had not advanced far until, without notice, a white
volume of smoke burst through the thick bushes, rendered