462 NortH Carona Troops, 1861-’65.

on both sides; especially is this true of Robertson’s Brigade.
Here the brave Colonel Evans, of the Sixty-third fell fear-
fully wounded, and Major J. M. Mayo chargieg in the town
at ine head of a squadron of the Fifty-ninth, met a severe
fire from behind rock fences and barricades and a strong
mounted force in front as well, and together with the men
who followed him, not previously killed or wounded, was
captured.

In this charge our loss was great and included a number
of the best men of the regiment. Company D lost seven-
teen men, killed, wounded and captured, together with Cap-
tain William Sharp, captured, and the gallant Thomas Ruf-
fin, who was wounded and died in the hands of his captors.
In this engagement Captain J. B. Cherry’s company sus-
tained heavy loss and other companies as well.’ Indeed all
the companies of the regiment were engaged in this fight and
sustained losses.

The next day the opposing forces fell back toward Middle-
burg. The moving column of General Lee’s army at this
time are mostly north of the Potomac. General Stuart, with
three brigades of cavalry, had gone to the right of the army to
make a crossing east of the Blue Ridge while Robertson’s and

Jones’ brigades were ordered to cover the rear and left flank
of the infantry.

TO GETTYSBURG AND BACK.

Our brigade entered Maryland, crossing the Potomac at
Williamsport and thence made our way to Hagerstown,
which we reached on the evening of the 30th, and went into
camp at night near Green Castle. On the following day, 1
July, we marched to Chambersburg, reaching the town about
six o’clock in the evening. Here we found the citizens qui-
etly sitting about the public grounds or moving about their
homes with anxious looks and wondering expectancy as to
what might next occur.

An orderly march characterized the movement of our
troops and no body of men could have been more observant of
the orders previously given by the commanding general of
the Army of Northern Virginia with regard to private prop-

Frery-Ninto REGIMENT. 463

erty and non-combatants. Remaining here until late at night
we moved, at first in the direction of Carlisle, then turning
to the right hurried on to Gettysburg, arriving there tired
and hungry on the morning of 3 July. We had only a short
pause for rest when Jones’ Brigade suddenly became en-
gaged with the enemy’s cavalry near Fairfield, which was
stubbornly resisting his advance until being reinforced by
Robertson’s Brigade, which charged and routed the opposing
force.

The charge up the bloody heights of Cemetery Hill had
now been made and the battles of Gettysburg practically
ended. During the night of 3 July, 1863, the main army
was withdrawn to a crest of hills westward of the town and
plans for the withdrawal of the army were under considera-
tion. Our men, careworn, tired and hungry, drenched by
the rain storms, are anxiously awaiting orders.

On the following day Robertson’s Brigade with Jones’ Bri-
gade, was directed to follow and guard the wagon trains then
moving over a mountainous road in the direction of Wil-
liamsport. ‘The route was crowded for miles with wagons,
ambulances and thousands of wounded and disabled sol-
diers, and the narrow pass was not infrequently obstructed
as they moved along this rough way in the heavy falling
rains. On our reaching the Jack Mountain passes about
nine o'clock at night, there ensued one of the most eventful

night battles of the war.

JACK MOUNTAIN,

Kilpatrick’s cavalry having come up by an unguarded
road, made an attack on the train and the men in front. It
was so very dark that it was impossible to locate our own or
the enemy’s troops except by the flash of the rifles. Here
until late in the night we fought against heavy odds and our
loss in this engagement in killed, wounded and prisoners was
large. From this place Robertson’s Brigade made its way
onward towards Williamsport. As we approached Hagers-
town, we encountered the enemy’s skirmish line, which was
driven in and, reinforcements coming up at this time, the
enemy was driven through the town and a general pursuit