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434 NortH Carontina Troops, 1861-’65.

ler, Wm. R. Hodges, J. C. McGhee. Lieutenants: J. C.
McGhee, W. S. Davis.

Company K—WMitchell County—Captains: S. M. Silver,
promoted to Major; D. R. Silver. Lieutenants: J. W. Dun-
ean, L. D. Silver.

Company L—Ashe County—Captains: W. Gentry, Cal-
vin Eller, L. Hurley. Lieutenants: L. Hurley, E. Hurley,
P. Blevins.

Company M—Watauga and Ashe Counties—This com-
pany consolidated with Company G in 1863. Lieutenants:
Geo. W. Hopkins, Thos. Ray, J. R. Norris.

The regiment was moved September, 1862, to Cumberland
Gap and assigned to the division of General Stevenson, then
investing that post.

On the retreat of the Federal Garrison, Colonel Palmer
was placed in command at the “Gap” with his regiment, Ca-
per’s Georgia Battalion and a battery of artillery until the
prisoners could be paroled and the captured stores secured,

after which it moved into Kentucky, but unexpectedly met
Bragg’s army on its retreat.

During the winter of 1862 and 1863 it was stationed at
Big Creek Gap, near Jacksboro, Tenn., with the Fifty-fifth
Georgia, Thornton’s Alabama Legion, Kolb’s Alabama Bat-
tery and Baird’s North Carolina Cavalry Battalion, the bri-
gade under the command of Colonel Palmer. The winter
was spent in outpost duty, picketing this and neighboring
passes in the Cumberland mountains, and making several
expeditions into Kentucky. The details for guard duty in
this service were excessive, and the command suffered
greatly from privation and exposure. The loss by death
from disease was appalling, camp fever and an epidemic of
measles being extremely fatal, the natural result of inexperi-
ence and a deplorable lack of hospital accommodations and
facilities.

In the summer of 1863 the brigade was placed under the
command of General J. W. Frazer, and the troops were sta-
tioned at Clinton and various other points in East Ten-
nessee, the regiment eventually joining the army of Ten-

Firry-E1igHtH REGimMent. 435

nessee under General Bragg, near Chattanooga, when it was
assigned to Kelly’s Brigade of Preston’s Division in Buck-
ner’s Corps.

In the battles of Chickamauga, 18-20 September, the regi-
ment bore a prominent part, and in the charge which cap-
tured the stronghold of the enemy on Snodgrass Hill at the
close of that eventful Sunday, the loss in killed and wounded
was over one-half of those carried into action. The Lieuten-
ant-Colonel, Edmund Kirby, of Virginia, was killed, and
Colonel Palmer and Major Dula wounded; Captains Bailey
and Phillips severely wounded, Lieutenants Wiseman and
Morrison killed, and Lieutenants Austin, Byrd and others
wounded. In the capture of the prisoners, eight Colt’s army
rifles were taken, of which, by the order of General Preston,
four were turned over to the color guard of the Fifty-eighth
North Carolina, and two each to the Fifth Kentucky and
Sixty-third Virginia Regiments, also of Kelly’s Brigade.

The report of Colonel Palmer, made on the succeeding day,
gives the names of the killed and wounded, and makes the
loss in his regiment: Killed, 46; wounded, 114; missing, 1;
total, 161; over 50 per cent. of the number carried into
action.

It will be seen by referring to the official reports that the
casualties in the regiment exceeded the combined loss of the
other regiments of the brigade. A steel tablet erected by
the Chickamauga National Park Commission marks the posi-
tion on the crest reached by the regiment at sunset, when the
prisoners were captured and the battle ended, and bears the
following inscription, to-wit. :

“Kerity’s Brigave.
“Preston’s Diviston—Buoxner’s Corps.
“Cor. Jonn H. Keuty.
“September 20, 18638, 7 P. M. Last Posrrion.
“65ru Grorera—Cor. R. H. Moore.
“Son Kentucky—Cou. Hiram Hawkins.
“58ru Nortao Carorina—Cotr. Jonny B. Parmer.
“63p Virernta—Mags. James M. Frenon.
“The Brigade, the Sixty-fifth Georgia being attached to