456 Norta Caroiina Troops, 1861-65.

Truly this is so as regards the writer and the part borne
in the bloody strife, by the Fifty-ninth Regiment of North
Carolina Troops (the Fourth Cavalry) with reference to
which he would write.

This regiment was organized at Garysburg, N. C., in the
summer of 1862. Colonel Dennis D. Ferebee, of Camden
county, whose commission as Colonel bore date 10 August,
1862, was its first commander. He was a gentleman of edu-
cation and polish, having graduated at our State University
in 1839. He read law under Judge Gaston at New Bern,
but never entered actively in the practice, preferring the life
of a planter. He frequently held civil office and several
times represented his county in State legislation. Though
not possessing military training, yet he was in many respects
a good organizer of men. He was careful and neat in dress
and had great respect for law and order. It is related that
Governor Swain once said of him, when at college, that he
was more regular than the college bell. As an officer he was
faithful and brave. After the war he lived many years at
his home in the county of Camden, and died greatly respected
and admired by his friends and countrymen.

Lieutenant-Colonel Cantwell, of the city of Wilmington,
was the second officer in command. He had seen service in
the war with Mexico, and seldom has the flag of any army
waved over a braver soldier. At Middleburg on 18 June,
1863, at the head of a detachment of his regiment, after
fiercely contesting every inch of ground with a force several
times larger than his own, he stood up urging his men not to
yield, until surrounded and overpowered, his sword was
snatched from his hand and he was made a prisoner.

J. M. Mayo, of Edgecombe county, who had been severely
wounded and promoted for gallantry in the artillery service,
was assigned to the regiment as its Major. He was a young
officer of great bravery and dash, and while leading a charge
of a squadron of his regiment through the streets of Upper-
ville, on 21 June, 1863, was captured and never returned to
his regiment, having been held a prisoner until the close of
the war. The Adjutant of the regiment was T. J. Moore, of
Mecklenburg. After the war he studied medicine and prac-

 

Firry-NINTtTH REGIMENT. 457

ticed his profession in Richmond, where he died a few years
since highly respected and honored by his many friends.
The surgical department of the regiment at its organization
was well and ably represented by Dr. John W. Hutchins, of
Hertford county, and Dr. J. W. Sessoms, of the adjoining
county of Bertie. Later Dr. James Mitchie was surgeon,
with Drs. Eaves and Barnes assistants. Captain W. D. Hol-
loman, of Hertford county, was Assistant Quartermaster and
but few regiments had a better officer in this department of
the service, while Captain‘R. B. Gaddy, who was selected to
write a sketch of the regiment, but who passed away and
joined his comrades beyond the river without completing his
work, was its efficient Commissary. With this reference to
the field and staff officers, it occurs to the writer that notice
of the different companies composing the regiment will be
next in order and he will name them in their regular alpha-

betical order:

Company A—L. A. Johnson, Captain; G. D. Sibley, First
Lieutenant; J. M. Wall, J. P. Kincall, J. M. Wright, Sec-

ond Lieutenants; all of Anson county.
Company B—James T. Mitchell, Captain ; E. Brock Hol-

den, First Lieutenant; Henry S. Thaxton, Robert T. Jones,
Second Lieutenants; all of Caswell county.

Company C—R. M. MelIntyre, Captain; J. H. Blood-
worth, First Lieutenant; Jesse Wilder, R. B. Rhodes, Second

Lieutenants; all of New Hanover county.

Company D—William Sharp, Captain, Hertford county ;
Thos. Ruffin, First Lieutenant, Bertie county; D. W. Lewis,
and W. P. Shaw, Second Lieutenants, Hertford county.

Company E—John Y. Bryce, Captain, Mecklenburg
county: Robert Gadd, First Lieutenant, and William Bryce
Second Lieutenant, both of Cabarrus county.

Company F—Joseph B. Cherry, Captain; George O.
Cherry, First Lieutenant; Louis B. Sutton and Charles W.
Speller, Junior Second Lieutenants ; all of Bertie county.

Company G—-Demosthenes Bell, Captain; Stephen lf
Wilson, First Lieutenant; Isaac N. Tillett and J. B. Lee,
Second Lieutenants; all of Currituck county.

Company H—Arthur Barnes, Captain; S. P. Clark, Cap-