104 NortH Carouina Troops, 1861-’65.

Faribault then gave the order for our regiment to march in
column to the right by fours, thus heading our column direct-
ly towards the attacking party, who were on the right of the
road. Colonel Marshall, who was just in rear of the Forty-
seventh Regiment with the Fifty-second, made the same
movement with his gallant regiment, to the left of the road
thus the brigade faced three ways. The main line
composed of the Forty-seventh and Fifty-second, faced
in the direction of Gettysburg, while the two  skir-
mish lines faced the enemy on our right and left res-
pectively. As soon as the rear and left of the Forty-sev-
enth reached the cleared ground on the right of the road and
the rear and right of the Fifty-second had reached the cleared
ground on the left, both regiments were ordered to halt. The
Forty-seventh was ordered to face about and march on its
side of the road, and passedthe Fifty-second some distance.
Then it was halted and the Fifty-second faced about and
marched the same distance beyond the Forty-seventh, thus
constantly keeping one regiment facing the enemy whe was

in our front trying to advance from that direction, while the
skirmishers of the Forty-seventh were hotly Sizaned with
them on the right and left of the road, respectively. This
movement and fight was kept up then until the Forty-seventh
was enabled to strike the enemy’s line on the right of the
road and the Fifty-second to strike the enemy’s line, which

was on the left of the road. This being done, a
forward movement by the Forty-seventh and Pifty-sooond
was again ordered, one on the right and one on the left
which was gallantly done without anv loss except four Ps
five slightly wounded. The enemy broke and fled to-

wards Gettysburg at the second volley from the two regi-
ments. The Eleventh and Twenty. ;

: ot -sixth were not engaged in
this skirmish. ee

ne ae Marching in the rear, they did not have room
Torm in line in time, for the Forty-seventh and Fifty-see-
ond had about 1,300 men in line in both regiments. After
repulsing the attack at this point we again marched back to
the road, called in our skirmishers and took to our iharch
which was continued about one mile, when we were subjected
to a severe cannonading from batteries in our front and here

schneider pts ett RAR MRR SIOE 0 ecient AR wee Une 2 CUPRA ana

Forty-SEVENTH REGIMENT. 105

we commenced to get into position and form line of battle
for the great struggle which was about to take place on 1
July, 1863. Then the Fifty-second North Carolina, under
Colonel Marshall, formed on the right of the Forty-seventh,
being thus on the right of Pettigrew’s Brigade, the Forty-
seventh next, it being on the right center, the Eleventh and
Twenty-sixth were on the left centre and extreme left, but I
have never known which one of these regiments was next to
the Forty-seventh. The line being thus formed, was advanced
for a short distance to the front, where it was again halted
with its line stretching far to the right and left, for whatever
history may say, General Pettigrew had in line of battle that
morning nearer 3,000 soldiers than he had 2,500, and they
were all good and gallant men. Before night the Twenty-
sixth and Eleventh North Carolina had lost two-thirds of
their numbers, for when the word of command was given they
rushed forward against a largely superior force which was
stationed in the skirt of woods just in their front. The
Forty-seventh suffered less severely on that day than those two
regiments because of their disadvantages. The Forty-sev-
enth was the next in loss, the Fifty-second being on the right
of the line, suffered less than any other of the brigade on that
day. But to go back, after our line was formed we were or-
dered to halt, and as the enemy was keeping up a rather hot
fire upon our main line, skirmishers from our regiment were
ordered to advance and drive them back out of reach of our
line, which was done, but not until several of our regiment
were wounded and our gallant Lieutenant-Colonel, John A.
Graves, was slightly wounded on the leg, the ball first having
hit the iron scabbard of his sword, which was hanging by his
side. But see on our left our boys have charged the Yan-
kees who are stationed upon a hill, and we drive them down
the hill on the other side, pell mell. But now our gallant
boys are met half way down the hill by a fresh line of the
enemy and a severe contest ensues; our lines are thinned
and the Yankees are continually bringing up fresh troops,
but our boys stand it manfully.

A part of Anderson’s Division was on the immediate left
of Pettigrew’s Brigade at the first stage of heavy fighting on