166 NorrH Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

successful in battle, and the Federal army, under General
McClellan, was whipped, demoralized and in full retreat,
hoping almost against hope, that they might by some chance
reach cover of their gunboats on the James river. The battle
of Malvern Hill, the last of the seven days’ battles, proved
disastrous to the Confederates. There was a fearful sacri-
fice of life and all for naught, as on the following morning,
2 July, we stood for hours and watched the Federal column
moving along the roads to their haven of safety under cover
of their gunboats at Harrison’s Landing, and we were pow-
erless to interpose any obstacle.

Without presuming to criticise the conduct of this battle,
or fix the responsibility for failure to capture McClellan’s en-
tire army, a result which at this time seemed almost abso-
lutely certain, I will simply recall the fact that as early as the
night of 29 June, and all day of the 30th, General Holmes
was within a short distance of the naturally strong position
of Malvern Hill with more than 6,000 troops, and could easily
have occupied this position. During the day of 30 June,
General Porter, of the Federal army, took advantage of this
opportunity to occupy and fortify these heights, and thereby
cover the retreat and make possible the escape of McClellan’s
army, while the 6,000 troops under General Holmes for two
days and nights served no other purpose than to furnish tar-
gets for the Federal gunboats and batteries.

On 2 July we commenced the march back to our former
camp at Drewry’s Bluff, reaching there about 8 o’clock the
next morning.

On 6 July we were ordered to Petersburg, where for sev-
eral weeks we were employed in constructing breastworks
around the city and doing picket duty along the river.

HARRISON S LANDING.

On 31 July, just one month after the battle of Malvern
Hill, the infantry brigades of Generals Manning and Daniel,
and the artillery brought over by General Pendleton, consist-
ing of forty-three pieces, together with the light batteries be-
longing to General D. H. Hill’s command, making seventy
pieces in all, left Petersburg on a secret mission. In order

FirtietH REGIMENT. 167

to conceal the real design, the report had been freely circu-
lated that it was a demonstration against Suffolk. We left
Petersburg at 7 o’clock a. m., marched seven miles and were
halted at Perkinson’s Mill, where rations were issued to the
men. Late in the afternoon we resumed the march, having
received orders that all canteens or anything that was caleu-
lated to make unnecessary noise, should be discarded, and that
no one should speak above a whisper under penalty of death.
The night was intensely dark, as a heavy thunder storm pre-
vailed. This caused much trouble and consequent delay on
the part of the artillery, which was following in our rear.
About midnight General Hill, with the infantry brigades of
Manning 4nd Daniel, reached Merchant’s Hope Church. In
a short while General Pendleton arrived and reported to
General Hill that it would be impossible to get his guns in
position in time to make the attack that night, as had been
contemplated and planned. General Hill expressed great
disappointment and fear that the expedition would prove a
failure, as our troops would undoubtedly be discovered the
next day. He turned over the command to General 8. G.
French and returned to Petersburg that night. The infantry
moved back from the road in a thick wood just opposite the
church, where they remained concealed the balance of the
night, all of the next day and until midnight of 1 August.
About the time we reached our position on the night of 31
July, the rain, which had been threatening during the fore
part of the night, broke loose in a perfect torrent, thoroughly
flooding the flat, swampy ground upon which we were com-
pelled to lie until midnight of 1 August.

This day, 1 August, was the date set apart by the State au-
thorities of North Carolina for the casting of the soldier vote
in the State election, which was then held on the first Thurs-
day in August. We, therefore, had the novel experience of
conducting an important and exciting election while lying
flat on the ground in mud and water, and “no one allowed to
move or speak under penalty of death.” It is needless to
state that Colonel Z. B. Vance, who was recognized as the
soldiers’ candidate for Governor, received an overwhelming
majority of the vote cast. The writer, who was then eighteen