256 Norta Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

marched and fought from Fredericksburg to Appomattox,
and participated in more than twenty general engagements,
including Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Wash-
ington City, Kernstown, Snickcr’s Ford, Winchester, Fish-
er’s Hill, Cedar Creek, Hare’s Hill, Petersburg, and in num-
erous combats and smaller affairs, in some of which the con-
flict was more hotly contested than in the greater battles. Dan-
iel’s Brigade was composed of the Thirty-second, Forty-third,
Forty-fifth and Fifty-third North Carolina Regiments, and
Second North Carolina Battalion. After General Daniel’s
death, General Bryan Grimes became Brigadier-General.
The histories of the other regiments in the brigade necessarily
outline the ehief incidents in the career of the Fifty-third and
make it unnecessary to give its battles and marches in detail.

I select two special instances of its coolness and discipline:
One was on the first day of the battle of Gettysburg. This
regiment had hastened from Carlisle, Pa., its steps quickened
by the report of big guns on the morning of 1 July. Imme-
diately upon its arrival at Gettysburg it was thrown into line
and advanced to the assault with the brigade. Soon it. was
ascertained that there was not room between the brigade on
the left and the one on the right, and this regiment was drop-
ped out of the line, which closed up in its front and for some
time it had to stand under shot and shell in an open field with-
out being able to return the fire until the brigade on the left,
having given away, it moved to the left, took its place and
drove the enemy into the town.

In this trying situation, and there could have been none
more trying, except a retreat under fire, the regiment manoeu-
vered as upon parade and drill, and its behavior on this occa-
sion was greatly commended by the brigade and division com:
manders.

Another instance: At the battle of Winchester, 19 Septem-
ber, 1864, after hours of desperate fighting, when all the
troops on the right and left had abandoned the contest and
retired from the field, this regiment, alone, continued to fight
the foe until ordered to retreat, which it did, across an open
field for several hundred yards (the enemy advancing ten to
one in numbers) in perfect order, and at intervals, when or-

Firry-Tuirp REGIMENT. 257

dered, halting,facing about
faces of the pursuers,
his steps.

and deliveringits fire

almost inthe
Not a man broke ranks

line successfully
ay, until the failure of prom-

f Early’s army on our left had
t was known to every man in
as getting rapidly in our rear
anger that we would be eut off
red so to do, not a inan left his

position and he Treg it 1e ety =: te Ss e (
? J gimey i nr ea d across th fi ] |
‘ 7 e in

the manner above told.

Exp
e and opser ati n
: cei b V 0 have augh , that one f

2 and discipline is, th
i , that when soldiers
at in face of the enemy by order, they will halt
?

Be Byes fe
ties v ithout order, it is difficult to rally and re-
ales es : incident of this- battle illustrates this, The
Y works of the enemy above referred to were con-

structed j

asa e, ee the brow of the hill or slope up which the

cipal ae at a run and was not observed until we

ae =a eet of them. When the men had reached

bind ees : fear to their astonishment they saw be-

a Yicce a third line of the enemy and such of the other
*S as could be prevailed on to stop, outnumbe

four or fj
ve to one. Our men j i
‘ nm immediately fz
Started for the shelter of ¢ ng ie

which h y had j i :
é 2 2 ust dri n >i itio
: 7 t aH ' ve See ing the condition

Og hitte rg ee bie I at once ordered a re-
“gee gE atti toy the order, semingly so superflu-
Si achat ay oP sceetaak to halt as soon as the woods
icone es #8 hen Teached the woods, I had the satisfac-
38 = seats Raita acne and “ready for busi-
Si tion sas 2 ppened to dampen their ardor.
aang or many instances, which particularly
‘1s regiment, because of the trying situations.

17

ring us
about and