280 Norra CaroLina Troops, 1861-’65.

Mt. Jackson we moved to Fort Republic, and were reinforced
by Rosser’s cavalry. The enemy then had halted on the east
side of Cedar Creek, and began to entrench themselves. Gen-
eral Early wishing to redeem his character as a military
genius, at once resolved to move back and attack them, and
by surprising and giving them an unexpected blow, a victory
might be won. While his cavalry and artillery were making
a feint on the right, his infantry would fall upon their left.

CEDAR CREEK.

At midnight our division was ordered to the point of attack,
a distance of four miles over a most rugged path on the moun-
tain side. We would sometimes lose our foot-hold and fall
down the mountain side, and would have literally to pull our-
selves up by bushes, roots or anything projecting from the
mountain side. With nothing to sustain us but a determined
will and a devotion to the cause in which we were engaged,
at 5 o’clock a. m. 19 October, we reached the point of attack,
still hidden from the enemy by a heavy fog. We forded and
partly swam the creek, and dashed into their camp without fir-
ing a gun, capturing 1,500 prisoners and 18 pieces of artil-
lery, while a good many were in bed and asleep. We then fell
upon another corps immediately in front of our cavalry,
which was soon panic stricken, and fled in dismay, leaving
all their artillery behind, which was turned upon them. Our
infantry followed on closely for four miles, when General
Early gave over the pursuit.

A good number of our men, thinking the enemy had fled
to Winchester, took advantage of this heavy fog and fell out
of ranks and returned to’ plunder the camp, so rich in spoils.
By this outrageous conduct our line was weakened, and Sher-
idan’s cavalry coming to their assistance from Winchester,
the enemy rallied and moved back upon us. Our line was then
thrown in disorder, and soon retreated in much confusion,
and the fruits of this brilliant victory lost. Many of us
were soon ridden down by the cavalry and captured, killed
or wounded, while our cavalry was of little assistance. The
writer of this sketch was painfully wounded in this retreat,

Firry-Fourta REcGImMent. 281

and was carried six miles on a horse led by his faithful ser-
vant, Billy Williams, before his wound was staunched.

Right here I will digress for one moment: “Billy”, as he
was known throughout the division, was unlike his race; he
seemed to love the excitement of war, and with his young
master, saw the sun rise at Bethel and go down at Appomat-
tox. And for the betrayal of a squadron of yankees into our
lines, his name was placed upon the rolls of honor in Ral-
eigh.

The enemy recaptured all their prisoners and guns they
had lost in the morning and captured from us equally as
many as they lost. Major-General Ramseur was killed.
Lieutenant-Colonels S. McD. Tate and A. Ellis, commanding
the Sixth and Fifty-fourth North Carolina Regiments, with
many other good officers, were severely wounded in this try-
ing disaster. Our brigade suffered intensely in this cam-
paign, losing seven different commanders in the course of six
weeks’ time.

PETERSBURG.

The battle of Cedar Creek was the last event of importance
in the Valley campaign, and practically closed it. The de-
feat of General Early and the desolation of the Valley by
Sheridan made it impossible for an army to remain in that
region. These failures caused much feeling of indignation
against General Early, and he was soon relieved of his com-
mand. The remnant of his army was then placed under
command of General J. B. Gordon, and sent back to Peters-
burg. Our division was assigned to General Pegram, and
sent nine miles west of the city on the Boydtown Plank road,
where we went into some cabins that had been built by other
troops for winter quarters. Here we remained three days
only, before the enemy began to maneuver in our front,
when we were called out, and in a short time our division
and Gordon’s (which had just come up) were attacked at
Hatcher’s Run 6 February, 1865, and a struggle, unprece-
dented in its fury, and protracted beyond all expecta-
tions, was commenced, and we were soon compelled to fall
back a short distance. Mahone’s and Wilcox’s Divisions