626 NortH Caroiina Troops, 1861-’65.

from Hampton’s report—‘Sergeant Shadburne acted as guide
to General Rosser; accompanied the leading regiment wn as
charge. Kept his party always in the front, and acted with
conspicuous gallantry.” Well now pray what has that got to
do with the Sixty-third North Carolina Regiment ? somebody
will ask. Well, just lift that splendid picture of Shadburne,
standing modestly behind it; and there right beside Shad-
burne, as he has been for years till he is as great as Shad-
burne, stands, as one of “his party,” a young boy, Julian
Shakespeare Harris, of Cabarrus County, and of Company
F, Sixty-third North Carolina Regiment. For weeks, every
night and often in the day in Federal uniform with his life in
his hand, Shakespeare Harris walked with Shadburne in the
enemy’s camps as one of “his party” and they together madé
that word-map by which Hampton captured 2,486 splendid
beef cattle, which fed the Army of Northern Virginia for
months with fresh beef which it hardly knew the taste of and
added another glory to the fame of the Sixty-third North
Carolina Regiment.

As a private of Company F, and as “one of Hampton’s
scouts, in every duty, there was not anywhere a better soldier
nor one who did more daring, desperate deeds than “Shake”
Harris.

Nothing ever so startled and shocked the Army of the Poto-
mac as the capture of their beeves. As can be readily seen
by their telegrams and reports of officers to each other from
General Grant down to the humblest officer connected with
the affair. I wish I could take space to copy some of them,
which are full of fright and consternation and ignorance.
These telegrams and reports begin early on 16 September and
run for days. All through them appear “Barringer’s Bri-
gade” and the Sixty-third North Carolina Regiment is men-
tioned. They run from p. 852 to p. 935 of Vol. 88. On
which latter page, 20 September, four days after he heard of
our “rich haul,” as he ealls it, on page 853, General Grant,
with evident, uncooled irritation, writes to General Meade:
“The ease with which our men of late fall into the hands of
the enemy would indicate that they are rather willing pris-
oners.””

Sixty-Tuoirp Recent. 627

About this affair General R. E. Lee wrote General Hamp-
ton as follows: ‘You will please convey to the officers and
men of your command my thanks for the courage and energy
with which they executed your orders, by which they have
added another to the list of important services rendered by
the cavalry during the present campaign.” Vol. 87, p. 952.

M DOWELL’S FARM.

On the morning of 29 September the enemy advanced on
the Vaughn road and drove back our pickets and forces there
to Hatcher’s Run. Here he was driven back to MeDowell’s
farm, where the fight becoming “a serious one,” General Lee
under Hampton’s orders, moved to the fight Barringer’s Br
gade, then en route, to the north side of the James. The
Nineteenth and Sixty-third alone were put into the action
with our small forces then engaged, and drove back the F i
eral Cavalry for more than a mile to Wyatt’s, capturing a
Major and twenty other prisoners.

General Hampton says: “General Lee brough up Barrin-
ger’s Brigade and at once ordered an attack. This was made
promptly and most successfully. The troops behaved as well
as possible and they were well led by their officers. The
picket line was re-established.” Vol. 87, p- 947. The fol-
lowing day the enemy captured Fort McRae, which was re-
taken by General Heth and two Virginia Regiments of Lee’s
Division and to the results here the enemy “‘attributed the

failure of their whole movement on this side of the James
river.” Vol. 87, p. 948. The Sixty-third and our brigade
took an unimportant part. Not being in action at all, but

moved here and there as needed and kept in the trenches day
and night.

BOYDTON PLANK ROAD,

On 27 October, 1864, on the Boydton Plank Road, near
Wilson’s house, occurred one of the most important actions
and greatest victories that the Sixty-third North Carolina
Regiment was: ever engaged in.

Burgess Mill is seven miles from Petersburg, almost exactly
southwest on Hatcher’s Run. This stream flows almost ex-