512 Norta Carortina Troops, 1861-’65.

ment with the balance of Clingman’s. Brigade, was relieved
from the arduous service at the siege of Charleston, and re-
turned to North Carolina and for several months was sta-
tioned near Wilmington.

PETERSBURG.

When Beast Butler in May, 1864, made his memorable
movement against Petersburg, the Sixty-first was one of the
regiments hurried forward to checkmate him. General
Grant in his official report alluded to Butler’s being “bottled
up” by our troops. The Sixty-first participated actively
in this campaign, and as it was wont to do, discharged its
every duty faithfully and well, and suffered fully its share
in all respects, especially in the battles of Drewry’s Bluff,
Chaffin’s Farm, Bermuda Hundreds, Cold Harbor and Fort
Harrison. On 3 June, 1864, at Cold Harbor, while the en-
emy was shelling our works, a shell fell in the trenches occu-
pied by the Sixty-first North Carolina. While it was smoking
and near ready to burst, Sergeant Thos. L. Graves, Company
A, of our regiment, seized it and threw it out of the works,
saving many lives at the risk of his own. Such a deed merits
record here. At Cold Harbor another brigade gave way, and
through this break the enemy passed and attacked Cling-
man’s Brigade on the left flank. General Clingman was in
the trenches with the Sixty-first Regiment and seeing the
enemy in our rear, he rushed forward and was gallantly fol-
lowed by the regiment, and the enemy was soon driven
back from whence they came. The only weapon General
Clingman had on this occasion was a piece of a fence rail.

In addition to the varied and wide scope of duties faith-

fully, cheerfully and gallantly performed by the Sixty-first
Regiment in this and other States, Company D was petitioned
for by the citizens of Chatham and Moore to be sent for pro-
tection to life and property against lawless deserters and con-
scripts. The petition was granted, and the company was
promptly sent. The woods were scoured and cleared up of
this lawless gang of marauders. Over one hundred captures
were made, and they were sent back to their commands in the
army. Besides, in a skirmish with them, the two leading

 

Srtxry-First Recent. 618

spirits of the gang were shot to death, and this restored peace
to the entire community. Forever after all raiding and out-
rages from this source were unknown.

WILMINGTON.

The regiment was returned to Wilmington from Peters-
burg and remained in the vicinity till after the fall of Fort
Fisher and the evacuation of the city. The war was speedily
coming to a close, and the most hopeful of us had despaired
of a possibility of success, yet we pressed forward and fought
on with the same iron nerve that had already immortalized
our soldiery. Attached to Hoke’s Division, the Sixty-first
as part of Clingman’s Brigade, met Schofield’s army from
New Bern at South West Creek 8-10 March, 1865, and shared
in the capture of several hundred prisoners.

BENTONVILLE,

Our last battle was fought at Bentonville on 15 March,
1864, and the writer of this article is still proud of the honor
conferred upon him on that morning in being put in com-
mand of the skirmish line, with instructions to go forward.
About this, our last battle, Benson J. Lossing wrote as fol-
lows: “Soldiers in that command who have passed through
this score of battles will tell you they never saw anything like
the fighting at Bentonville. Sherman said the National
forces received six distinct assaults by the combined forces of
Hoke, Hardee and Cheatham, under the immediate supervis-
ion of General Johnston himself without giving one inch of
ground, and doing good execution on the enemy’s ranks, espe-
cially with our artillery, the enemy having little or none.
With the coming of darkness ended the conflict known as the
battle of Bentonville, which in brillianey of personal achieve-
ments, and in lasting advantage to the cause of the Republic
must ever be ranked among the most memorable and impor-
tant contests of the war. Indeed, it seems proper to consider
it the key battle of the Civil War. Had Johnston won there,
the sad consequences would probably have been the loss of the
whole of Sherman’s army, and the quick and fatal dispersion

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