334 Nortu Carotina Troops, 1861~’65.

ee A portion of Hoke’s men, with Companies B and
: = t as pear were actively engaged. Our total loss
eight killed and fifty wounded. We 1
" : tured 250 -
oners with the block house. Th i ‘es ad
; ise. e railroad crosses the creek
z ss point, and the Fifty-sixth made a race to strike the
re veg — Sor of the train carrying the residue of the en
y to. New Bern. They escaped. The f
d. t was destroyed
and a large quantity of tes sa
v rt i
SoMa Quartermaster and Commissary
Pit part being thus accomplished, we listened in vain for
ra n’s seis as a signal for our further advance. At night
et - yaa Graham, with 100 men from Companies D
5 . 0 ‘ e Fifty-sixth, with two pieces of artillery, was
ns ohe . General Corse on the Washington road as a foes of
. 5 cape a cent a garrison cut off in the fort at the cross-
Pe * : achelor’s Creek. At daylight Colonel Chew came
comet r El Riot y and Thirtieth Virginia Regi-
and with Graham’s detachment mo
G ved upon the gar-
ee The Thirtieth and the artillery was nue se
oe < “ y “ Bi while the rest of the force took position
- A demand was then made f
the enemy finding hi ithi TSE ae oe
J g himself within point-blank
soem \ range of th
einer ns his rear, to which he could not beg sichock
g his own outside the fort, capi 1
S , capitulated. Our spoil
aK section of artillery with caisson, and 100 and of
sy Sige bok a supply of ammunition. The prisoners
co ge four ee Captain Cowdy commanding:
e enemy had adva
Hoke, and been repulsed. ue eee...
BP itisnetes ap bow on the Wilmington road, had carried
iba ~ efore him up to the reserve works. Every as-
- Aes = suecessful, and General Barton could read-
5 und men to take the task assi i
our t gned him. But
puEiien it impracticable, the whole expedition a te
ns 9H when it seemed the general opinion that a a
assault would have been crowned with success
eave the above recital, as most of this sketch er as
?

written during the war. On co i
; nsulting U. S. Offici
ords, I now find that I have cxpWiniod the Bi anys ‘oth

Firry-SixtH REGIMENT. 335

General Hoke and General Pickett. But it therein also
General Barton in his official report, says that
his attempt to cross Brice’s Creek, he
de commanders under him,

appears that
before abandoning

made, together with the two briga
a personal reconnoissance. He requested a court cf inquiry,

and this request was recommended accordingly to Adjutant-

General Cooper by General Lee.
5 February. Rejoined our own brigade under General M.

W. Ransom at Kinston, and 7 February reached Weldon on

train via Goldsboro.
8 February. Ordered to Richmond, but countermanded

just as the train is about to pull out. In camp again near
the Moody house. Daily exercises in company and battal-
ion drill, each Captain success
mander.

ively acting as regimental com-
y g

EXPEDITION TO SOUTH MILLS.

26 February. Off for Franklin, Va., on the Blackwater,
crossed at Old South Quay, and marched to South Mills, Cam-
den county, N. C. From this point commissary stores are

hment of the enemy appearing, is chased

gathered ; and a detac
down the Dismal Swamp canal by Colonel Dearing with his

battalion of cavalry to within twelve miles of Norfolk. Cap-
tured a First Lieutenant, Surgeon and half a dozen privates.

The object accomplished, the wagon trains under our pro-
tection having been loaded and started back, the return com-
mences on the night of 4 March, and at the two creeks first to
be crossed, Graham’s company of the Fifty-sixth, as rear
guard, had prepared bright fires that there should be no delay
in crossing. The enemy were reported to have ascended the
Chowan river, and were expected to pay us some attention

before we were back across the Blackwater with our long train

of wagons loaded with provisions. Halted at Sandy Cross,
twenty miles from South Mills, for two days. No appear-
ance of the enemy.

RECAPTURE SUFFOLK.

% March. Proceeded to within eight miles of Old South
Quay and learned that the enemy had again occupied Suffolk.
9 March. Passed through Somerton at 10 a. m., and at a