336 Norra CaroLina Troops, 1861-’65.

church within three miles of Suffolk, routed a cavalry out-
post and pressed on to the railroad. Here the enemy’s cay-
alry formed to charge the Twenty-fourth Regiment; but a
few well-directed shots put them to flight. Captain Cicero
Durham, promoted to Assistant Quartermaster for gallantry
in the line and known as the Fighting Quartermaster of the
Forty-ninth, gathered a squad of a dozen mounted men among
the teamsters, and charged them in turn. Seeing the paucity
of his numbers, they made a stand, but were attacked with
such vigor that they resumed their flight before the infantry
could get within range. The Fifty-sixth was second in the
column, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Luke, and complimented
on the good order sustained on a double-quick pursuit of
three miles. The only escape for the cavalry was by com-
pleting a semi-circle outside the earthworks, defending the
town, before we could run through on the street and road
forming the chord to the are. With their spurs and the aid
of the shells from our artillery, they beat the race.

We had no cavalry and did not lose a man, but General
Butler, like Job’s war horse, “smelleth the battle afar off,”
and pens to the Secretary of War the following bulletin as it
appears in Official War Records:

Fort Mownroz, 12 March, 1864,
No. 1.

Cole’s Cavalry, Second United States, had a skirmish the
day before yesterday with the enemy near Suffolk, Va.
While making a reconnoissance, they came upon Ransom’s
Brigade, consisting of four regiments of infantry, four pieces
of artillery and 300 cavalry. The enemy made a charge
upon two squadrons of Cole’s, and were handsomely repulsed
with a loss of about sixty.

The charge brought the colored soldiers into a hand-to-
hand fight with the rebels, and the enthusiastic testimony of
their officers is that that they behaved with the utmost cour-
age, coolness and daring. I am perfectly satisfied with my
negro cavalry.

Beys. F. Buruer,

Major-General.
Hon. E. M. Stanton.

Firry-SixtH REGIMENT. 35r

We pursued them to Bernard’s Mills, capturing the camp
of the white troops and returned with one piece of artillery
siderable stores. ;
a. oer soldiers took refuge in a house in eas
refusing to surrender, perished in its flames. agri rush
ing out with his gun and fighting to the last, nes shot. :
11 March. Returned to Franklin via Carrsville. =
March, off by rail to Weldon, and in camp near Mr. aie 8
at Garysburg, and 17 March, muster and inspection for Jan-
uary and February, 1864, by Colonel Paul F. Faison.

THE PLYMOUTH CAMPAIGN.

14 April. The Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth and pe
sixth North Carolina State Troops, under General M.
Ransom, set out by rail and reported to Seige res
R. F. Hoke at Tarboro. The Forty-ninth was on outpos
duty near Edenton, and its place was now supplied by the

ig om Clingman’s Brigade. 3
ee The oolumn, nie of Hoke’s North Caro-
lina Brigade under Colonel Mercer, of the Eohath did sn
gia Regiment, which was then with it; Kemper’ —
under Colonel Terry, and Ransom’s North € arolina gett
with Pegram’s Battery, under General Ransom, and Strib-

>
i Tireinia, Miller’s, Moseley’s and Reade’s
blings’, Graham’s Virginia, Miller’s, Moseley’s 4 é

anti
batteries of artillery belonging toColonel Dearing’s ec ymmand,

and Dearing’s Battalion of cavalry, took up the line —
against Plymouth. At Hamilton we were joined | Dy
Thirty-fifth North Carolina. Passing through W ngs ‘on
and Jamesville, we reached the vicinity Sunday, the 17th, a
ittle re nightfall.

calea eea strong line of skirmishers, including Coes
pany I, of the Fifty-sixth, was thrown out oo gene 8
Brigade, under Major Graham, and pushed forward nea y
to the entrenchments. A picket post of eleven men was sur
prised, nine captured, one killed and one escaped. A arsed
noissance in force was made in front of Fort Gray, on War
ren’s Neck, between the mouths of two creeks emptying into
the Roanoke, two miles west of Plymouth, and Dearing’s ar-

22