438 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

siderable, and the published records are very incomplete.

After the fall of Atlanta, the brigade was consolidated
with Brown’s Tennessee brigade, under General Jos. B. Pal-
mer, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., a gallant officer, in whose bri-
gade the regiment served until the close of the war. The
name of this officer must not be confounded with that
of Colonel John B. Palmer, who raised the Fifty-eighth Reg-
iment and was its first commander. It is a singular coinci-
dence that two officers bearing the same name and initials,
and from different States, commanded the same brigade.
They were both most gallant and efficient officers, without
fear and without reproach.

In the march to Nashville the garrison at Dalton was cap-
tured, and the railroad north of Atlanta destroyed in many
places. The army crossed the Tennessee river. at Florence,
Ala., 2 November, but unfortunately for the success of the
expedition, was there held inactive until the 20th waiting
for supplies.

At Columbia, Tenn., 28 November, the regiment led the
advance of 8. D. Lee’s Corps on the Mount Pleasant pike,
pushing vigorously the retiring enemy, and on entering the
town, was ordered to seize the fort overlooking it, the block
house enclosed being on fire, and the small arms ammunition
therein keeping up a rattling explosion. The men, without
orders and with the indifference to danger that so often char-
acterized them, carried out the boxes of ammunition, some of
them blazing, and the fire was soon subdued.

The town had been in the possession of the enemy for
nearly two years, and the ladies were overjoyed to see the
Southern Army, to which they were so loyal, and in which
served so many of their relatives and friends. Our Tennes-
see brigadier rode at the head of the column, and the writer
seeing him dismounted and affectionately embraced by
females of all ages, congratulated him on meeting so many
“kinfolks.” He said it was his misfortune not to be ac-

quainted with any of them. The scattering shots of the skir-
mishers did not check the ovation.

The regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel Silver, with the
prisoners it had captured and others sent to it (altogether

Firry-ErantH REGIMENT. 439

about 1,700), was left as garrison for the fort and town, and
thus missed the bloody battles at Franklin and Nashville,
and later on Hood’s disastrous retreat, by being ordered 14
December to Corinth, Miss., with the prisoners.

At Corinth, relieved of the prisoners, it was sent 26 De-
cember to Okalona to drive off a cavalry raid which had cut
the railroad near that point.

On the return of the remnant of Hood’s army to Tupelo,
Miss., the régiment rejoined the brigade, now very small, and
with it moved by rail to Branchville, S. C., and 4 February
again confronted Sherman. Numerous skirmishes occurred
at the various crossings of North and South Edisto, in all
cases the enemy being repulsed, only to find unoccupied or
undefended points above or below at which they crossed.
The brigade reached the vicinity of Columbia 14 February,
1865, and was greatly disappointed in finding there no im-
portant reinforcements. The regiment had the post of honor
as rear guard, and held the south bank of the Congaree until
the morning of the 16th, when it was withdrawn and the
bridge burned. On the 16th the brigade picketed the river
bank, with its reserves in the nearest streets, receiving the
fire of the enemy’s skirmishers, which it was not permitted to
return. The enemy, nevertheless, threw shells into the town,
several of them striking the capitol, where their marks may
still be seen. The following night the brigade moved to near
the forks of the Broad and Saluda to prevent the crossing of
the enemy until trains could be taken out of the city, and on
the 17th began its march. Leaving the railroad at Black-
stocks and fording the Catawba at-Landsford, the brigade
reached Charlotte on 23 February, from which point a week
later it moved by rail to Smithfield Station (now Selma),
where General Joseph E. Johnston, reinstated in command,
was endeavoring to concentrate his small army.

The men thinly clad, carrying each a single blanket, with-
out tents, and most of the time with scant rations, passed
the severe winter of 1864-65 in active field service. In the
prime of life, active, cheerful and full of fun, living in the
open air the year round, a great part of the time on the march,
the men became inured to hardships and the winter’s cold,