592 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

New Verdierville, on the plank road a short distance north-
west from Spottsylvania Court House; and General Gordon’s
headquarters, under Hampton then, 2 May, were near Mil-
ford, Va. Vol. 68, p. 941 and 948. Gordon’s Brigade, then
in Hampton’s Division, consisted of the Ninth, Nineteenth
and Sixty-third North Carolina (First, Second and Fifth
Cavalry), as it did immediately afterwards in W. H. F. Lee’s
Division. Vol. 67, p. 1027.

TRANSFER FROM HAMPTON’S TO W. H. F. LEE’S DIVISION.

On 30 April, 1864, were issued “Special Orders No. 118,
Department of Northern Virginia.” The part of these or-
ders applicable to Gordon’s Brigade was as follows:

“In accordance with instructions from the War Depart-
ment, the brigades of Brigadier-Generals Gordon and Cham-
bliss are detached respectively from Hampton’s and Fitz.
Lee’s Divisions of cavalry, and will constitute a new division
under the command of Major-General W. H. F. Lee.”

These “special orders,” being considered “unimportant,”
are not published in “Official Records,” but this extract was
kindly furnished me, as it is given, by General F. C. Ains-
worth, U. 8. A., Chief of Record and Pension Office, War
Department.

The Sixty-third North Carolina afterwards became very
much attached to General W. H. F. Lee and found him a fine
cavalry commander; but not such a man or commander as
Hampton, whom we loved personally and officially. There
was sad regret on our part as there was with General Hamp-
ton at this transfer. Hampton’s order in executing this
transfer is on page 945, Vol. 68, and is now quoted in full to
show his estimate of the Sixty-third and his attachment on
that account to this regiment:

“Herapquarters Hampron’s Division Cavary,
“Cavatry Camp, Army or Norruern VirGInia,
“Milford, 5 May, 1864.
“Brigadier-General J. B. Gordon, Commanding Cavalry Bri-
gade:
“GENERAL :—In pursuance of Special Orders No. 118, De-
partment of Northern Virginia, of 30 April, and of instruc-

Srxty-Turrp Reciment. 593

tions from Major-General J. E. B. Stuart, commanding cav-
alry, you are directed to proceed without delay with your
command to the vicinity of Shady Grove, where you will con-
centrate your brigade and report for further orders to Major-
General Stuart. I am directed by Major-General Hampton,
in communicating the above orders, to express to you, and
through you to your whole brigade, the surprise with which
he has received the orders and the pain it causes him to exe-
cute them. He indulges the hope that his wishes may be con-
sulted, and that a new assignment may be made as soon as the
present emergency shall have passed, which will return your
brigade to his division and. give him back the troops to whom
he has become so attached and whom he has learned to trust
in times of danger and trial.

“Indulging this hope, he refrains from saying farewell,
but will watch the performance of officers and men in the ap-
proaching contest with the same anxious interest as if they
were under his own command, confident that if your regi-
ments should be eventually returned to him they will bring
back unsullied banners and a record of glory increased and
illustrated by new achievements in the coming campaign.

“T am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

“Truro. G. Barker,
“Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.”

Thus we see that the illustrious Hampton had become “at-
tached” to and had “learned to trust in times of danger and
trial,” the Sixty-third North Carolina which, by this order,
he places side by side with the Ninth and Nineteenth in his
attachment and estimate of merit, without the slightest dif-
ference as to either. A great tribute of love and confidence
to our regiment from a very great source.

BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS.

The foregoing orders and our execution of them placed the
Sixty-third right on the ground for the great battle of the
Wilderness. General Grant crossed the Rapidan 4 May with
the intention of an immediate forward movement by his front,

38