578 NortH CARorina Troops, 1861-65.

R. E, Lee’s instructions, General Stuart proceeded with
Gordon’s brigade and other cavalry to protect the right flank
of our infantry column moving by Rixeyville toward War-
renton. Gordon’s Brigade crossed the river at Warrenton
Sulphur Springs about sunset and moved to Warrenton
tkat night and occupied the town and bivouacked near
there. At this crossing of the river the Sixty-third was
in a glorious charge of which General Stuart, innocent-
ly and inadvertently, of course, gives all the praise to the
Twelfth Virginia. But the Sixty-third: was certainly in
that charge as men now living well know. With the
Twelfth Virginia, the Sixty-third North Carolina “charged
first up to the piers of the bridge. It was discovered that it
had been taken up thus exposing them to a dangerous fire
from the enemy on the opposite side. Nothing daunted in
purpose, however, they turned about and took the road to the
ford below, which they plunged into in the face of the enemy’s
fire without halt or hesitation,” and thus, with the Twelfth
Virginia, the Sixty-third North Carolina forced that cross-
ing most valiantly.

General Gordon strangely reports this “sunset” crossing as
of the Hazel river. His statement about moving on “to War-
renton that night”? shows his error. It was the Hedgeman
river of upper Rappahannock. Vol. 48, pp. 444-445 and
460.

AUBURN.

On the morning of the 13th, our army was concentrated
about Warrenton, holding the roads from the east, the enemy
being in that direction and as far south as Fayetteville.
About 10 a. m., General Stuart was directed by General Lee
to make a reconnoisance eastward to Catlett’s Station. He
proceeded with Lomax’s, Funston’s (Jones’), and Gordon’s
Brigades, via Auburn, where he crossed the Fayetteville and
Greenwich road, Greenwich being about five miles north-
east of Auburn. At Auburn he left Lomax to guard his rear
and, advancing towards Catlett, soon discovered an immense
park of Federal wagons extending for miles south of Cat-
lett’s, and great columns of the enemy moving toward Bristol

Srxty-Tuirp REGIMENT. 579

up the railroad and also via the Weaverville and Greenwich
road, which latter road, converging north west from Catlett’s,
met at Greenwich the road we crossed at Auburn and thus
made a triangle with its apex at Greenwich and its base at
Cedar Run, flowing from west of Auburn east towards Weay-
erville, just north of which run, near Stuart’s left, as he re-
tired from Catlett’s, was the road from Auburn to Catlett’s,
and along this road for several miles a mill race. As soon as
Stuart made his discovery of the situation at Catlett’s he
quickly sent Major Venable of his staff to inform General
Lee, so that a night attack might be made in great force at
Catlett’s, and retired towards Auburn. When he neared
Auburn, about dark, he found that Lomax had been driven *
off and that the enemy’s Third Army Corps and two bri-
gades of Kilpatrick’s Cavalry, with wagons and artillery
were on the road we had crossed in the morning. Stuart
had two brigades of cavalry and seven pieces of artillery
and there was but one place to cross the Run, and that at
Auburn, which was now in full possession and immediate
use of the enemy. We were absolutely cut off from Gen-
eral Lee, whom Stuart, at once, informed of his perilous con-
dition, by disguised volunteers sent through the lines of the
Third Army Corps, in hope that relief would come by
daylight, at least. As at Jack’s Shop, every man in the ranks
was taken into Stuart’s confidence at once and told of the sit-
uation. It was soon evident that the enemy had no knowledge
in the world of our presence. Stuart massed his men for an
attack, the Sixty-third North Carolina being dismounted
and placed in line of battle. Night favored us and we “went
into silent, sleepless, cheerless bivouac.” All night long
we could clearly hear the tramp and the talk and the rumble
of the wagons and artillery of the enemy along the road in
our front. But everybody had faith that Stuart would come
out all right. A contemporaneous correspondent wrote of our
situation thus: ‘Not a word was allowed except in whispers,
not a spark of fire could be struck, while through the long
night we stood there listening to the sounds of that mighty
column of armed foes passing near by us. Anxiously we
waited the morrow, wondering and whispering conjectures of