TZ NortH Carorttna Troops, 1861-’65.

tember orders were received to repair to Gordonsville, where
a quiet sojourn was had until 9 October, removing on that
day to Madison Court House, this being the first day’s march
in the fatal flank movement to Bristoe. On this date Cooke’s
brigade (now composed of North Carolina regiments, as fol-
lows, Fifteenth, Twenty-seventh, Forty-sixth, Forty-eighth
and Fifty-fifth) was attached to General Harry Heth’s Divis-
ion, and was thus attached until the close. The Division was
composed of following brigades: Cooke’s North Carolina,
Kirkland’s North Carolina, Davis’ Mississippi, Archer’s
Tennessee, Walker’s Virginia. Heth’s Division formed a
part of A. P. Hill’s Corps, composed of the divisions of Heth,
Wilcox and Anderson.

From 9 to 14 October the command made a series of most
difficult marches over the ridges and across the rapid run-
ning streams which characterize the foothills of the Blue
Ridge—in the effort to reach Manassas ahead of Meade, who
was being pressed toward that point by General Lee.

Much of the distance was covered at night, over such roads
as language fails to describe.

On the morning of 14 October, Cooke’s Brigade took the
advance and in the afternoon struck the Union forces in a
strong position behind the railway embankment at Bristoe
Station, with a number of field guns on the eminence in the
rear. Before any support came up General Cooke, under
orders, immediately attacked with grcat gallantry. In the
charge made by this devoted brigade, the gallant Cooke
fell, shot in the forehead, when the command devolved on
Colonel E. D. Hall, of the Forty-sixth.

The unequal struggle was waged, with no result, save the
loss of valuable lives ; indeed a disaster was only averted by a
rapid change of front by the Forty-sixth under Colonel Hall’s
immediate lead by which the enemy’s left flank movement
was checked. This movement, made under a heavy fire from
both infantry and artillery, elicited great praise, and added
new laurels to the record of the Forty-sixth for steadiness and
deliberation. The effort to dislodge the enemy from his posi-

tion proving futile, the command was withdrawn in good or-

is icant clita a

SEITE IOS IE EH NE ANC TI SSRIN TNE BMT AMF at PINE BPTI ISITE 8 SMD

Forty-StxtH REGIMENT. io

der, out of rifle shot, which position it held until the next
morning, by which time the enemy had disappeared.

It was said that General Lee most severely criticised Gen-
eral A. P. Hill for this blunder—that of sending a force
of only two small brigades (Cooke’s and Kirkland’s) against
overwhelming odds strongly intrenched, with ten or twelve
regiments in reserve, who never fired a gun. Such a course
was then, and is yet unaccountable, on the part of a command-
ing officer of undeniable ability.

‘Tn this unfortunate affair the Forty-sixth had about sixty
easualties—the configuration of the ground over which it
fought only saving it from a much severer loss.

On 18 October the command crossed the Rappahannock on
pontoons, which were necessary, the river being much swollen,
and went into what was at the time supposed to be winter
quarters. : a

About this time the Forty-sixth lost its brilliant Colonel,
E. D. Hall, who resigned to accept a civil office in North Car-
olina. Col. Hall had brought the regiment up to a high stand-
ard in every respect—a brave man, a good disciplinarian, the
service lost, in his resignation, a most valuable and efficient
officer—and it was with much regret that his regiment bade
him farewell. On the hillside, near the Rapidan, huts were
built and the men proceeded to make themselves comforta-
ble, but the hope of a winter’s rest was rudely dissipated by
being suddenly ordered, on 8 November, to a “sec giaen two
miles from Culpepper Court House to oppose Meade’s threat-
ened advance, who had already captured a large portion of
Hoke’s and Hayes’ Brigades. Expectations of a general en-
gagement were not realized, and 12 November found the
Forty-sixth in camp near Rapidan Station, on the south bank
of the river, from which on 27 of November it again moved
to confront Meade at Mine Run. Here the army entrenched
and awaited the attack, which never came. . The artillery
was at times engaged, and there were a few casualties in the
brigade, but no loss in the Forty-sixth. :

From this date until 8 February, 1864, the regiment oc-
cupied its winter quarters near Rapidan, the monotony varied