74 NortH Carorina Troops, 1861-—"65.

by one or two bloodless and brief expeditions to the left wing
of the army, caused by Federal cavalry demonstrations.

On 8 February, new quarters near Orange Court House
having been constructed, the command again moved. This
camp was the best yet occupied, in a_ well-wooded and
watered section, and the severe winter of 1863-’64—what re-
mained of it—was spent here in comparative comfort.

The monotony here was unbroken by any event worth re-
cording save possibly the great battle of “The Snow,” which
took place on 23 March, the snow being about fifteen inches
deep and is thus chronicled. On the morning of this eventful
day, the Twenty-seventh North Carolina challenged to mortal
combat_the Forty-sixth North Carolina. As the two regi-
ments were getting into position, a long line of gray skir-
mishers from the direction of Kirkland’s camp announced
the fact that Cooke’s command was to defend itself from the
onslaught of that gallant brigade. Hastily sending word to
the other Cooke regiments to come to the support, the Twen-
ty-seventh and Forty-sixth rushed upon Kirkland.

For an hour the fight raged furiously, ending in the utter
rout of the brave Kirklandites who were driven pell mell out
of their quarters, the victors appropriating to their own use
and behoof all the cooking utensils to be found therein.

That evening orders were issued to company commanders to

see that all such utensils were promptly returned.

Diligent search was made, but as every man found in pos-
session of a cooking vessel vowed that “he had owned it for
many months,” it is doubtful if a single article was ever re-
turned.

The Kirkland men being dissatisfied, sent a formal chal-
lenge to Cooke, for a “settlement” the next day, which was
had in a ceremonious way in presence of an jiemetine crowd

of onlookers, including a number of general officers with their
staffs from other commands.

The result was disastrous in the extreme, to Cooke’s com-
mand, which was utterly routed, losing nearly one-half its of-
ficers and men as prisoners of war, who were confined and
informed that they would be detained until the “skillets”
were produced, but the approach of night and the increasin
cold frustrated this purpose and all hands returned to har

Piece tin mle Reis merits eet

“Saree RAIA erty eB me RON RCE A

a ee ees

Forry-S1xtH REGIMENT. 15

huts, good friends. A number of minor casualties resulted
from this wholesale fun, but only one of a serious nature.

On 30 March, Governor Z. B. Vance addressed the brigade,
closing with a series of anecdotes, which sent the men to their
quarters in excellent good humor. It was observed that the
Governor did not once allude to Holden and his adherents,
these being the then absorbing topics in North Carolina.

The months of March and April witnessed a series of re-
vivals of religion throughout the army. It was hoped that
the Forty-sixth derived great and lasting good from these
meetings, more to be prized than any earthly blessing.

1 May found the regiment with comparatively full ranks,
and by the restored health of the sick and wounded, number-
ing over 500 strong. The efficient Colonel, W. L. Saunders,
who had succeeded Colonel Hall, having lent his best energies
during the winter to bring it up toa high state of discipline,
it marched away from its comfortable quarters on 4 May,
1864, in better condition than ever to meet the trials and
struggles of its last and most terrible campaign.

On 5 May, in the dense undergrowth of the “Wilderness,”
the Union army was encountered—the Forty-sixth being in
line immediately on the plank road, Company B being in
the road. The record of that day of butchery has often been
written. A butchery pure and simple it was, unrelieved by
any of the arts of war in which the exercise of military skill
and tact robs the hour of some of its horrors. It was a mere
slugging match in a dense thicket of small growth, where
men but a few yards apart fired through the brushwood for
hours, ceasing only when exhaustion and night commanded
a rest.

The fight in General Cooke’s front was opened by the gal-
lant Wishart with his skirmishers, who in the dense brush,
ran right into the enemy before he knew their whereabouts,
receiving a volley at but a few paces distance, which laid low
more than half our number, including their fearless com-
mander severely wounded.

All during that terrible afternoon, the Forty-sixth ‘held its
own, now gaining, now losing—resting at night on the ground
over which it had fought, surrounded by the dead and wound-