496 NortH CaroLina Troops, 1861-65.

Thomas Weaver, in command of the regiment, was the tar-
get of a sharpshooter and instantly killed.

The command then devolved upon James T. Huff, of Cocke
county, Tenn., who had some time before been promoted to
Major. While the loss of Colonel Weaver was irreparable
to the regiment, it was still in good hands, Major Huff having
proven himself an efficient officer. The line of retreat was
again taken up and again that desolate land of “The Wil-
derness” was traversed, on through Alabama, Georgia and
South Carolina into North Carolina, disembarking at Smith-
field, and in time to take a hand in the Bentonville battle of
19, 20 and 21 April, 1865, practically the last battle of the
most remarkable war in the annals of history. Many of the
Sixtieth had the distinction of having taken part in the first
and last battle of the war—Big Bethel and Bentonville.

Quartermaster Phifer Erwin taking sick, Captain M. J.
Bearden, former Quartermaster of the Fifty-eighth, took
his place; Commissary Sergeant King in charge of commis-
sary stores.

BENTONVILLE.

The casualties in the Sixtieth at Bentonville were not
great, fighting principally from rudely constructed breast-
works. There were a few slightly wounded, among the num-
ber Ed. Reno and J. M. Alexander. The sixtieth was in the
brigade commanded by General Joseph B. Palmer. This
battle, aside from being the last, was somewhat remarkable in
bringing into conspicuous notice the daring and fighting qual-
ities of the boys of the dear southland, the Junior Reserves.
They fought with a heroism creditable alike to themselves
and their veteran sires. The Buncombe Juniors were in the
first battalion, commanded by Major D. T. Millerd, of Ashe-

ville.
The battle of Bentonville was fought’ by Joseph E. John-

ston, the idol of the western army, with less than 20,000 men,
the Federals under Sherman numbering between 70,000 and
80,000, and that only a part of his army,’ yet victory perched
upon the banners of the “cross in red.” The Sixtieth re-
treated with the army through Raleigh, thence to Greensboro

 

SrxTietH REGIMENT. 497

and then to Jimtown. The Fifty-eighth and Sixtieth North
Carolina on this retreat (which began 10 April) were consol-
idated and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Thad. Cole-
man, and belonged to Brantley’s Brigade, D. H. Hill’s Divis-
ion, S. D. Lee’s Corps. Official Records Union and Confed-
erate Armies, Vol. 98, p. 1064. It was doubtless surrendered
as thus organized.

The news of the Army of Northern Virginia, under that
grand old leader, Robert E. Lee, having surrendered reach-
ing Joseph E. Johnston, he at once opened negotiations with
General Sherman, looking to a closing of the contest between
their respective armies, and on 26 April, 1865, the agreement
was perfected and the scene sadly closed

The Sixtieth was very fortunate in having a number of the
Buncombe Riflemen, known as the Bethel company, to join
its ranks, their experience in drill making them efficient drill
masters. Many of them were made officers, to-wit.: W. W.
McDowell, Major; Robert L. Coleman, Captain Commis-
sary; T. W. Patton, B. F. Patton and Marion Thomas, Cap-
tains of the line; Robert M. Clayton, John T. Sales, Thomas
J. Shipman, H. Clay Lorance and Sam. W. Davidson, Lieu-
tenants, and Ed. M. Clayton, Adjutant and later Captain.
Others to the number of twelve or fourteen were non-commis-
sioned officers and privates.

Three Buncombe families furnished fifteen men to this
regiment; six Stevenses, five Sales and four Davidsons, and,
singular to state, while several of them were wounded, none
were killed and but one of the number has since died.

Dock V. Shope, of Swannanoa, was Orderly Sergeant from
the beginning to the ending, and George Alexander, of the
same section, Commissary Sergeant for the whole time,
almost unparalleled instances, and, singularly enough, both
were of the same company—Company I, G. M. Roberts’,
later W. R. Alexander’s company.

Color Sergeant George Lindsay, who was entrusted with
the flag of the regiment by his wounded predecessor on the
battlefield of Chickamauga, 20 September, 1863, carried it
to the end of the conflict, and on or about 2 May, 1865, at Jim-

32