508 NortH Carouina Troops, 1861-65.

about a hundred yards when they met with what they were
looking for, fired one round and had the compliment prompt-
ly acknowledged in a double dose by our line. They re-
tired as best they could, bringing the intelligence that the
woods were full of blue coats, and that several regiments
were flanking us on our left. Just then we had orders from
General Evans to retreat under fire in good order. We did
our best. We fired and fell back, and fell back and fired.

The next big field not far away we made another stand,
taking advantage of the woods on the Kinston side. Here we
had a pretty lively artillery duel for about an hour, and an
equally lively fusillade from the small arms of the enemy.
We quietly laid mighty low and did not return the fire, be-
cause our guns were inferior and we could not reach them.
The day’s casualties were very slight. The first to give up
his life in this our first battle was Elbert Carpenter, a private
in Company D, and he was at once buried on the spot where
he fell, royally wrapped in his soldier’s blanket.

At about 8 o’clock that night we quietly stole away through
swamp, mud and water to Harriet’s Chapel. It was a bitter
cold night and all the boys were wet, half-frozen, hungry and
worn out, and yet no word of complaint was murmured
through the lines of these splendid Tar Heel heroes. When
we bivouacked we were in hearing of the enemy, and we had
no camp fires till past midnight. About daybreak our most
excellent Commissary, Captain O. P. Meares, gladdened our
hearts with an abundant supply of good, wholesome rations,
just the thing we were longing for and most needed. We
were then upon the battlefield of Kinston on 14 December,
1862--a bright, beautiful Sabbath morning.

General Evans with his South Carolina Brigade on the
left, and the Sixty-first North Carolina on his right awaited
Foster’s attack. Foster sent in Wessell’s Brigade and bat-
teries; supporting Wessell by Amory’s Brigade, supple-
mented by Stevenson’s. The odds were overwhelmingly
against us, and after two and a half hours of stubborn re-
sistance on our part, we were forced back across the Neuse,
and were so closely pressed that we unavoidably lost 400 pris-
oners, all of whom were paroled on the following morning.

Srxty-First REGIMENT. 509

At one time during the progress of the battle the Sixty-first
was compelled to fall back on account of the ammunition
being entirely exhausted, and on being ordered back by Gen-
eral Evans, all hands without a murmur promptly obeyed and
returned to within 150 yards of the enemy without a solitary
cartridge and half the men without bayonets. A small sup-
ply of ammunition soon reached us, which was speedily used
to the best advantage, and being entirely out again and with
no hopes of a second supply, and being in a forlorn and help-
less condition and being crowded so unmercifully close by
such a large force of the enemy, the better part of valor was
to get away from there if we could, which we did in a quiet,
orderly way, or as much so as pressing circumstances per-
mitted. When we reached the bridge it was on fire, and in
addition to the trying ordeal of passing over the blazing
bridge, we were subjected to a terrible cross-fire from the en-
emy who were drawn up in line of battle 250 yards below.
Here we lost several of our men and it is truly miraculous
that half of them at least were not killed or burned to death.

God was with us on this beautiful, lovely Sabbath day.

WILMINGTON.

After the battle of Kinston the regiment under General
Evans was marched to Goldsboro, reaching there on 17 De-
cember. From Goldsboro we tramped every step of the way
right down the railroad track to Wilmington, reaching that
lovely city by the sea on 2 January, 1863, remaining there
until 6 February, when we pitched our tents on Masonboro
Sound—returning to Wilmington on 16 February.

CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH.

From Wilmington we went to Charleston, S. ©., landing
there on 18 February, 1863. On 2 March we were ordered
to Savannah, Ga., and it was with many regrets when the or-
der came for us to return to Charleston on the 9th. Every
recollection and association of our sojourn in Savannah is of
the most pleasant and delightful character. We were wel-
comed most heartily by the noble men and women of that most
beautiful of cities and royally entertained.