644 Nort Carorina Troops, 1861-65.

a good fight,” he had “kept the faith,” and that awful glorious
day, near the hill top at Chamberlain Run, to add heaven’s
lustre to the splendor of his Colonel’s stars, he received “a
crown of righteousness.”

That night Sheridan wrote General Grant: ‘The enemy’s
cavalry attacked me about 10 o’clock to-day. This attack
was very handsomely repulsed by General Smith’s brigade
and the enemy driven across Chamberlain’s creek. * * *
The enemy again attacked at Chamberlain creek, and forced
Smith’s position. At this time Capehart’s and Pennington’s
Brigades, of Custer’s Division, came up, and a very hand-
some fight occurred. The enemy have gained some ground,
but we still hold in front of Dinwiddie, and Davies and
Devin are coming down the Boydton road to join us.” Among
the opposing force he names “W. H. F. Lee’s Cavalry com-
mands” and then continues: ‘The men have behaved splen-
didly. * * * This force is too strong for us. I will
hold out to Dinwiddie Court House until I am compelled to
leave.” And this was the “rebel cavalry” that Sheridan had
reported “the almost total annihilation of” just after Brook
Church.

That night, 31 March, General Grant wrote General Sher-
idan: “The Fifth Corps has been ordered to your support”
and “MacKenzie’s Cavalry.” Vol. 95, pp. 1110 and 1111;
1117 and 1122-1123 and 1299. See also page 628.

We camped on the battlefield that night, right at that awful
ford on the side where MeNeill fell, until about 3 a. m. 1
April, 1865, when, after learning of the Fifth Corps’ move-
ment on our left flank, we recrossed Chamberlain Run and
marched to Five Forks, without seeing the enemy.

Mention must be made here of Colonel James L. Gaines,
whose splendid career shed lustre on North Carolina. He was
a son of Matthew M. and Margaret L. Gaines, of Asheville,
N.C. He went to the war as a young private of Company G,
Ninth Regiment (First North Carolina Cavalry). 9 June,
1863, we find him Adjutant of that great regiment and, on
page 726 of Vol. 44, Colonel Baker, of the Ninth, “thanks Ad-
jutant (Lieutenant J. L.) Gaines for his great coolness and
assistance rendered me in reforming my regiment and keep-