556 NortH Caroiina Troops, 1861-’65. erected to his memory.” Vol. 26, p. 1048. General R. E Lee spoke of the cavalry as “My eyes and ears,” and afte Jackson and A. P. Hill were wounded at Chancellotsville General Lee put our cavalry leader, General J. E. B. Stuart. in their place to command, and on page 803, Vol. 39 in his official report of Chancellorsville, General Lee speaks most soleil this cavalryman and his action and ability in that THE SIXTY-THIRD SELECTED BY GENERAL R. E. LEE. General Lee’s accurate knowledge, even to minute details of every regiment in the Southern armies is astounding to any one carefully studying the “Official Records Union and Con- federate Armies.” He knew how each was mounted and armed and he knew any petty jealousies and differences among the officers of a regiment that might weaken its effi- ciency. His choice of a regiment, therefore, was a great eredit to that regiment. 21 April, 1863, S. Cooper, the Adjutant and Inspector General of the Confederacy, wrote General R. E. Lee: “The President has shown me your letter of the 20th in- stant on the subject of an increase of cavalry for your com- mand.” He then offered General Lee a list of six ‘regiments to choose from, and continues: ‘The President suggests that you make your selection of three regiments and give the necessary orders in the case.” Vol. 40, p. 741. He selected the N ineteenth, Fifty-ninth and Sixty-third North Carolina Regiments (Second, Fourth and Fifth Cavalry). Thus the Sixty-third North Carolina went to Virginia, in May, 1863 by General R. E. Lee’s own selection. The F ifty-ninth and Sixty-third North Carolina (Fourth and Fifth Cavalry), constituted Robertson’s Brigade in Virginia and jointly numbered 1,068 “effective mounted men” and 67 officers, and was one of the six brigades consti- tuting Stuart’s Division of Cavalry. The Fifty-ninth had 568 men and 36 officers, and the Sixty-third 500 men and 31 officers, and were the two largest regiments in the division except the Ninth North Carolina (First Cavalry) and the Ninth Virginia, which had, respectively, 534 officers and men Sixty-THIRD REGIMENT. 557 and 616 officers and men. Vol 40, p. 823. Thus, at the opening of the great campaign of 1863, we stood about the best of all General Lee’s cavalry. Great and startling events now occur fast—fatally for many of the Sixty-third, famously for all of it. BRANDY STATION OR FLEETWOOD. Without incident worthy of note after arriving in Virginia, the Sixty-third Regiment was in the grand review General R. E. Lee made of all Stuart’s Cavalry near Brandy Station, 8 June, 1863. It was the greatest gathering of Southerr. cavalry ever seen. And no regiment there made a better ap- pearance than the Sixty-third North Carolina. That review was a grand pageant and a glorious sight. But another sight and other sounds greeted us the next morning. : On 7 June the Federal cavalry general, Pleasanton, was ordered by General Hooker, commanding the Northern army, to “eross the Rappahannock at Beverly and Kelly’s Fords and march directly on Culpepper,” with “the object in view to disperse and destroy the rebel force assembled in the vicinity of Culpepper, and to destroy his trains and supplies of all description to the utmost of your ability. It is believed that the enemy has no infantry.” Vol. 45, p. 27-28. That ‘“sebel force” was Stuart’s Cavalry, in all, 9,536. Pleasan- ton had 10,980 horsemen, with a large force of infantry and artillery. The same order, just cited, also said to General Pleasanton: “If you should succeed in routing the enemy, the general desires that you will follow him vigorously as far as it may be to our advantage to do so.” Vol. 45, p. 28. Un- der this order, at dawn of 9 June, there was a mighty crossing by Federal cavalry at Beverly Ford, above the railroad and at Kelly’s, south of it. Part of the Sixty-third Regiment was on picket at and near Kelly’s Ford, among them a detach- ment from Company F, under Lieutenant Wiley. All the pickets at both fords were soon driven in, and the greatest purely cavalry battle of the war ensued. It was a fight with the saber and pistol by charging squadrons and horse artil- “the eannoneers were for a time engaged hand-to- lery and ” Stuart’s report, Vol. 44, p. 681. hand with the enemy.