566 NortH Carortina Troops, 1861-’65.

ment of infantry and their dismounted cavalry was hurled on
our front. According to Colonel Vincent’s own report and
under the urgent orders of General Pleasanton himself, Vin-
cent rushed three different infantry lines on us one after the
other. Fuller’s Battery roared and poured death into our
ranks and utterly disabled one of Hart’s Blakely guns. Gen-
eral Gregg commanding their cavalry says we ‘stubbornly
contested.” Long and superbly they were beaten back until
our right flank and rear were attacked by the Eighty-third
Pennsylvania Infantry, when we retired under Stuart’s or-
ders, having to leave the Blakely gun with its broken axle,
the first gun Stuart ever lost, and he says “its full value was
paid in the slaughter it there made.” We took position, sim-
ilar to the first, behind “stone walls immediately in the rear”
and met them again and again were driven back in the same
irresistible way for long weary miles along which brilliant
and dashing mounted charges on each side were made and
met. “Thus the fight continued, with the same tactics on
the part of the enemy’and the same orders from General
Pleasanton to dislodge them,” says Colonel Vincent. Our
last stand east of Upperville was on the west bank of Goose
creek. ‘‘Whence,” Stuart says, “after receiving the enemy’s
attack, and after repulsing him with slaughter, I again with-
drew en echelon of regiments in plain view, and under fire of
the enemy’s guns. Nothing could exceed the coolness and
self-possession of officers and men in these movements, per-
forming evolutions with a precision under fire that must have
won the tribute of admiration from the enemy even, who
dared not trust his cavalry unsupported to the sabers of such
men. The enemy attacked Brigadier-General Robertson,
bringing up the rear in this movement, and was handsomely
repulsed.” Vol. 44, pp. 690-691.

COLONEL PETER G. EVANS MORTALLY WOUNDED.

The Sixty-third North Carolina Regiment won this trib-
ute for our brigade from Stuart while filling the post of hon-
or there, as rear guard and Colonel Peter G. Evans was
mortally wounded and captured then and there. Just
prior to the charge, in which Colonel Evans was shot,

Srxty-THirpD REGIMENT. 567

the Sixty-third, then mounted, was subjected, on its left, to a
most terrific artillery fire which slew men and horses. Com-
panies A and F were ordered to support the charge dis-
mounted behind some rock walls along the pike a few hundred
yards west of Upperville. When Colonel Evans gave the
order to charge, General Robertson about the same moment
gave an order not to charge just then and, by the consequent
confusion of orders, only part of the Sixty-third Regiment
followed Colonel Evans, Company H leading. The first
Maine Cavalry was coming magnificently in column up the
pike and the yelling men of the Sixty-third North Caro-
lina went at them with a rush. ‘The First Maine, after
firing a few shots, scattered to the right and left,’ and
this charging part of the Sixty-third rode headlong into
a hot carbine fire from the Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry,
suffered fearfully and was driven back. Vol. 43, pp.
983-984. But the Sixty-third still rode and charged
and fought as rear guard back to Paris, near which we
eamped, in Ashby’s Gap, that Sunday night. In these
actions it had twice as many men killed and wounded as any
other Confederate regiment engaged. Vol. 44, p. 712. At
5:30 p. m. 21 June, General Pleasanton reported: “I have
not been able to send to the top of the Blue Ridge. Stuart
has the gap covered with heavy Blakeleys and 10-pounder
Parrots. I shall return to Aldie to-morrow.” General
Meade, commanding the Fifth Army Corps, reported 22
June, of Pleasanton: ‘‘He was yesterday opposed only by a
brigade of cavalry and one battery, but the character of the
country was so favorable for defense that it took him all day
with his large force to drive them back some twelve miles.”
“Character of the country” was a pitiable excuse. 21 June,
5 p. m., General Hooker, commanding Army of the Potomac,
telegraphed President Lincoln: “This cavalry force has
hitherto prevented me from obtaining satisfactory informa-
tion as to the whereabouts of the enemy. They have masked
all their movements.”’ Thus our actions were of sufficient
importance to attract the attention of General Hooker and
the President of the United States and the former shows that
we sacredly guarded General Lee’s great secret and that our