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230 Norra Carortina Troops, 1861-65.

ston along the county road in heavy force. Our regiment
was at once formed in line of battle, parallel with the rail-
road and across the county road. Holding this position for
the space of, probably, half an hour, the enemy still —
ing, Colonel Marshall was ordered to proceed to the railroa .
bridge and hold it all hazard. He moved his regiment
rapidly along the railroad track by the left flank, and imme-
diately upon arriving at the bridge, placed his command to
the best advantage for carrying out his orders. Shortly after
the regiment was in position the enemy advanced upon us
in heavy force. One column approached the bridge on the
east side of the railroad and up the river bank, attacking our
left companies with great vigor. Another approached up
the railroad track, and as it approached, threw out a force on
the west side of the railroad. The regiment fought with
great spirit and very gallantly, but the force was so vastly vd
perior in number that the left of the regiment was driven
back and the enemy advancing, reached the bridge and ap-
plied the torch. It being constructed of inflammable mate-
rial, was soon in a light blaze and burned rapidly. In _
meantime the.right of the regiment was hotly engaged, an
no support having been sent to our relief, and the oe
spoken of having been thrown out on the west or upper side
of the railroad having advanced so far as to greatly endanger
our successful retreat, the regiment was moved rapidly up
the bank of the river in the direction of the county bridge,
half a mile or more above. During our retreat the Fifty-
first North Carolina Regiment, which now, when it was too
late, had been ordered to our support, mistaking us for the
enemy, poured a volley from one company into us, not bie
any damage, however, as they fired across an angle formed y
two fences and shot too high. At this point the regiment
halted. :

The enemy, apparently satisfied for the time with re
accomplished the destruction of the bridge, fell back =
took position on a commanding hill on the east, or lower side
of the railroad, about five or six hundred yards from the site
of the bridge. Hoping to dislodge the enemy, an attack was
made upon his lines during the afternoon.

Frrry-Seconp REciMen’. 231

General Clingman formed his infantry line, composed of
the Fifty-first and Fifty-seecond North Carolina Regiments,
under the immediate command of Colonel Marshall, in a
skirt of woods on the west of the railroad, and about 500 yards
from it. While in this position we were subjected to a very
heavy shelling from the enemy’s battery of four guns. Leav-
ing his infantry in line as stated, General Clingman moved
with two guns of Starr’s North Carolina Battery by the
county road to attack the enemy in flank, with directions to
Colonel Marshall to move at once upon the enemy’s line so
soon as he should open fire upon him. While the infantry
line was awaiting developments by Starr’s guns, General
Evans, of South Carolina, rode up behind the infantry line,
and, inquiring what troops they were, ordered an immediate
advance. When he was informed of General Clingman’s
plan of attack, and suggestion was made to him that a move-
ment before Starr had reached his position would disconcert
all of General Clingman’s plans and result in disaster, he re-
plied: “I rank Clingman; move forward at once; I will sup-
port you with the Holeombe Legion.” Of course, commands
must be obeyed, and the infantry moved out at Mouble-quick,
under a galling fire from the battery, and reached the rail-
road embankment, under cover of which it halted just long
enough to reform its line.

Moving again quickly over the railroad, a high rail fence
was encountered which had to be climbed in the face of a
heavy discharge from the battery of grape and canister.
Meanwhile Starr’s guns had not yet come into position, but,
fortunately, he opened fire directly after the infantry had
erossed the railroad, and drew the fire of a portion of the en-
emy’s battery, the line still advancing; but in a very few
moments all saw the hopelessness of the attempt to drive the

enemy, and an order was issued to fall back, and for all who

could to save themselves by precipitate retreat.

Under General Clingman’s plan of attack there was a pos-
sibility of successfully dislodging the enemy. Under Gen-
eral Evans’ order the attack was simply reckless disregard
of the lives of his troops. The Adjutant of the Fifty-second
Regiment, in his report of the fight, made on the morning of