= es SS ies

seep nis pein sees

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164 Nortu Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

just opposite and about 900 yards distant, with a perfectly
open field intervening. The scene was awe-inspiring, espe-
cially to raw troops who were under fire for the first time.
Such a baptism of fire for troops not actually engaged in bat-
tle has very rarely been experienced in the history of war.
There was a slight depression in the road-way, and across the
open space occupied by the Fiftieth Regiment was a plank
fence. We were ordered to lie down behind this for such
protection as it and the embankment on the road side might
afford. About this time a squadron of cavalry, which was
drawn up in line on the right of the road and just opposite
the position oceupied by the Fiftieth Regiment, was stam-
peded by the explosion of a shell in their ranks, and in their
wild flight rushed their horses against the plank fence which,
like a dead-fall, caught many of our men who were held down
to be trampled by the horses, until we could throw down the
rail fence on the opposite side of the road and allow them to
escape, which they were not slow todo. In the confusion in-
cident to this affair, and the effort of the men to escape in-
jury from the wild horses, the color-bearer of the Fiftieth
Regiment escaped to the open field to the right of the road and
planted the colors in full view of the fleet on the river, thereby
concentrating their fire on our part of the line. It was some
time before he was noticed standing solitary and alone in the
open field, grasping his flag staff, which was firmly planted in
the ground, as if bidding defiance to the whole Union army
and navy, and the rest of mankind. As soon as-order had
been restored, Colonel Deshler was notified that the infantry
support was in position, and he was instructed to open fire on
the enemy’s lines, which were now occupying Malvern Hill.
This served to divert a portion of the fire of the gunboats
from our part of the line, but at the same time drew upon us
the fire of the enemy’s batteries on Malvern Hill at short
range with grape and canister, together with solid shot and
shell. We were now under a heavy cross fire, with no protec-
tion from the fire of these batteries. The Confederate bat-
teries in our front under command of Colonel Deshler,,were
suffering terribly, and although many of the men were either
killed or disabled by wounds, and most of the horses lost,

FrrrietH REGIMENT. 165

they never wavered, but stood by their guns and served them
to the close of the fight. As the fire from Malvern Hill con-
tinued to increase, new batteries being constantly added,
General Holmes requested General Daniel to send forward
the guns of Brem’s battery to reinforce Colonel Desh-
ler. A short while after these passed to the front, General
Daniel received an order from General Holmes to advance a
portion of his infantry to their support. The Forty-fifth
and Fiftieth Regiments promptly moved forward in column
down the road, but had proceeded only a short distance when
we were met by Brem’s Battery in wild flight, dashing
through our ranks, knocking down and running over many
of our men with their horses and guns. About this time
the Federals posted a battery:on our right flank at short
range. As it was impossible to withstand this flank fire, we
were ordered to leave the road and take position under cover
of the woods on the right. The writer remained in the road,
but took advantage of such protection as was afforded by an
oak gate post about eighteen inches square standing on the
right of the road. I had been here but a short while when
General Daniel came riding slowly along the line, speaking
to and encouraging the men, his horse bleeding profusely from
a wound just received. There was a perfect shower of shot
and shell along the road all the while, but as he reached a
point opposite where I was standing, a shell from the gun-
boats exploded just above the road, and I saw him fall from
his horse. He was soon able to rise and walk to the gate
post, where he remained until he recovered from the shock,
after which he walked to the rear, secured another horse, and
returning to where I was ordered me to go across the road,
form my company, which was the color company of the regi-
ment, march it to our former position on the road and have
the regiment form on it. We were all soon back in our first
position on the road, where we remained until about 10
o’clock that night, when we were marched back up the road
to a piece of woods and camped for the night. On the fol-
lowing day, 1 July, we took position near that of the day be-
fore; and remained in line of battle during the day and all
night. For six days in succession the Confederates had been