328 North Carotina Troops, 1861~’65.

tol mae eae ia avoided by several miles the line
itted to the Fifty-sixth, and ¢
ea creanad E ame upon the field from
ange Faison was just then quiet for the want of some-
ee a a at ‘e and was ready to make a counter-charge at
nost favorable point; but it seem is si
s that his sil
mistaken in the rear f é; Ee
or a surrender. This misund
erstand-
sackets See withdrawal of the Twenty-fifth at the
Y instant when it should have char, i 1
ged and united with us
i crush their rear attack, was the mistake of the day. But
as such mistakes even Napoleon was not free
pom peeves re H. a reaching the outpost with Ran-
e's brigades about 5 p. m
ae . m., pushed the enem
rae ss ma his fortifications at New Been: a shell there kill
ng © i :
. = cis J. R. Jones, of the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania
tal ion ese the two brigades in the attack on the
y-sixth North Carolina. The bri i
! 1 : rigade in our front
immediately under Colon i Bea
y el Pierson, of one of tl
he four Mas-
coiiage —— while Colonel Jones accompanied the
n that penetrated the swam :
amp. He was a brave -
getic officer, and doubtless w ee
, and ¢ ould have been appoi
sn appointed a gen-
ee this ae which he reported that afternoon as a
aily successful.” He therein say
ys that “the enemy was
tive to defend himself sometime under cover of a ee and
siete ea broken, his men mostly escaped,” and that he
most took General Re imself Ses
the ae? ansom himself, who was accidentally
Our : ; :
Bical hae three Lieutenants and 146 men captured
st aes Hise Ray, of Company D, dying of his wéniadle
ers a ‘5 * Bern. He was a gallant and meritorious
- a si 1ac the confidence and affection of the company
=a ich 2 was in command, Captain John . W. Grihan
1 tai 5
ree —e Judge Advocate of the court-martial at
Maat 2g . Lieutenant Graham was promoted to First
a, ; = Sergeant Wm. Turner to Second Lieutenant.
oe! : ow did it happen, when it was known at the
post on the afternoon of 21 May. and presumably at h d
quarters early ; aos = iin Susie
eet a the evening, that a column was advancing
New Bern on the same road by which the four regi-

Frrry-SixtH R&GIMENT. 329

ments had attacked this outpost within the last four weeks,
and this column was morally certain to reach it next morning,
that an effective force of three brigades at Kinston, only eight
miles distant and ample to give the enemy a complete sur-
prise by striking the first blow, or at least simultaneously with
their assault upon our single regiment and possibly cutting
off their line of retreat, if strategically disposed during the

d not start towards the scene of action until the next
planation

night, di
afternoon, after the incident was closed? No ex
is found in the official records or other source of information.

28 May. The brigade is off for Virginia via Goldsboro
and Weldon, reaching Petersburg by train in the night. 29
May, on to Richmond, and bivouacked at Camp Lee, (State

Fair Grounds. )
2 June. Right-about to Petersburg again, and next day

proceeded to Ivor, on the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad.
13 June. Brigadier-General R. Ransom has been promo-
ted to Major-General; Colonel M. W. Ransom to Brigadier-
General to-day. Back in Petersburg and march over to
Drewry’s Bluff on the James river, half way between Peters-
burg and Richmond. The appearance of troops in perma-
nent quarters, on garrison duty, is here a novel sight to our
command, so constantly in motion.
17 June. Back to Petersburg, and 21 June to Hal
Station, towards Richmond. Occupied former cabins of

Daniel’s North Carolina Brigade.
During this month all the enlisted men captured at Gum

Swamp, have been exchanged and returned to duty.

26 June. Night march to Seven Pines.

29 June. Ransom’s Brigade is engaged in dismantling
breastworks constructed here by the enemy under McClellan

Major-Generals Arnold Elzy, Robert Ransom,
ely in com-

f-way

a year ago.
and Daniel H. Hill have recently been successiv
mand at Richmond. Both Ransom’s and Cooke’s Brigades
had ‘been ordered up to participate in the counter-invasion
to the north, but at the solicitation of these post commanders
were retained for protection of the capital. General Lee’s
letter on the subject says: “I have always considered Cooke’s