436 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

“support a battery, reinforced about 6 p. m. by a regiment
“from Anderson’s Brigade of Hindman’s Division, after an
“hour’s severe fighting on the slope in front of the knoll next
“left of this position, participated there at dusk, with Trigg’s
“Brigade, in the capture of the Union troops occupying that
“knoll. Of these 251 were captured by Kelly’s Brigade.

“This was accomplished by Kelly’s Brigade charging their
“front, while Trigg’s Brigade swung across to the ridge
“further to the left and closed up the Union line from the
“rear. While the Union troops were surrendering, the right
“of Kelly’s Brigade received a volley from the front of Van
“Derveer’s Brigade of Brannan’s Division. This was about
“7 ». m., and was the last firing in the battle.

“Strength in action 876. Casualties: killed, 62 ; wounded,
“238; missing, 29; total, 329. Percentage of loss, 37.55.”

Shortly after the battle Colonel Palmer was detached from
the regiment and placed in command of the Department of
Western North Carolina, with headquarters at Asheville,
where he remained until the close of the war, the regiment
thereafter being under the command of a Lieutenant-Colonel
or Major. General Kelly was transferred to the cavalry,
and General A. W. Reynolds (“Old Gauley”), of Virginia,
placed in command of the brigade, now consisting of the
Fifty-eighth and Sixtieth North Carolina, the Fifty-fifth
and Sixty-third Virginia and the Fifth Kentucky Regiments,
in Bushrod Johnson’s Division of Longstreet’s Corps, with
which it began its march to Knoxville. Before proceeding
far, however, the brigade was recalled, 22 November, to take
part in the battles then opening around Chattanooga, and
deployed in a thin line, was placed in the trenches at the foot
of Missionary Ridge. Here it was annoyed by the prema-
ture explosion of the shells from our batteries on the ridge in
rear, firing upon the enemy in front. A veteran of Com-
pany H, with a grim sense of humor, suggested to his Cap-
tain that the command occupy the other side of the breast-
work—a brisk musketry fire then coming from the enemy.
The suggestion was not adopted.

After three days in this position, with the larger part of

Firry-E1aHtH REGIMENT. 437

the troops on duty day and night, the regiment (one com-
pany at a time deployed in a skirmish line) was recalled to
the top of the ridge, the charge of the enemy being made as
the last company moved out. The Confederate line on the
ridge, a very thin one, with no reserve line, was broken—it
seemed almost without a fight—at a gap in the ridge some
distance north of the position occupied by the Fifty-eighth,
and the troops on this part of the line moved by orders to the
rear and formed a line of battle across the road near the base
of the ridge. Here occurred the only stubborn fight the reg-
iment was engaged in during this battle. The opposing
force, led by General Sheridan in several charges was hand-
somely repulsed, the battle continuing under the light of a
full moon until long after dark. General John C. Breck-
inridge, in command at this point, when the troops were
withdrawn about midnight enquired for the regiment then
filing into the road, and being told, raised his hat and com-
plimented the “Tar Heels” very highly on their part in the
fight.

The army went into winter quarters at Dalton, Ga., under
the command of General Joseph E. Johnston, in whom the
army reposed unlimited confidence.

On 25 February, 1864, Sherman pushed forward a por-
tion of his army to the front of Dalton, and several partial
ergagements ensued before he retired. A number of casual-
ties occurred in the Fifty-eighth. Among the killed was
James Inglis, Sergeant-Major, a Scotchman by birth, whose
death was deeply regretted by his comrades.

On 7 May, Sherman again appeared before Dalton, and
after several ineffectual assaults on Johnston’s line moved
by his right flank, and threatened Resaca, to which place the
Army of Tennessee was withdrawn. On the 14th and 15th,
in the general engagements at Resaca, the regiment bore its
full part and sustained serious loss in killed and wounded.
The writer being here wounded, and disabled for service
until the latter part of the summer, cannot give details of the
Atlanta campaign, in all the battles of which the Regiment in
Reynold’s Brigade, Stevenson’s Division of Hood’s Corps,
participated. The loss in the numerous battles was con-