648 Nortu Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

bed as his last love-work for the Ninth, and necessarily not
with his usual great care.

NIGHT OF 1 APRIL.

God’s blessing of night and the valor with which He had
endowed us to fight, alone saved the regiment from utter de-
struction after we left that little field. As it was, we went
into camp that night, in good order, near Potts’ Station, on
the South Side Railroad, just about two miles north of where
we had fought and “midway between Ford’s and Souther-
land’s Depots.”

“THE RETREAT.”

To a veteran soldier, who loves his “cause” and his battle
flag fluttering “Forward” in the breeze, nothing is so painful
as to hear his own drums or his own bugles on the firing line,
beating or blowing “The Retreat.” He has not heard it
often ; he does not know that call like he does the other “calls.”
He and his comrades all along the line throw up their heads
and listen eagerly, “What call is that?’ That’s “The Re
treat.” Something hits his heart hard; harder than a shot
He looks sternly to the front, sadly to the rear, thinks of some-
body way off, and obeys. Sunday morning, 2 April, as two
of Barringer’s couriers were, under orders, moving forward
through wide, open fields placing a dismounted skirmish line
from the Sixty-third to meet the coming foe, a courier rode up
to them and said: “Petersburg has fallen, bring back this line
slowly and join in the retreat.” We all retired and moved on
“the retreat” in perfect order and not at all “with precipita-
tion,” as General Deven reports on page 1124, Vol. 95.

And, as General Barringer says, “that night we camped
near Namozine Church, covering the extreme rear on that
line,” and that church is less than seven miles from Potts’ , 80
there could not have been much “precipitation” on our part
in retiring nor on their part in attacking us.

Now let Captain Charles W. Pearson, Company H, of our
regiment, tell what occurred that day in his own attractive
words: “The brigade had been dismounted and was throw-

Srxty-Turrp Reeiment. 649

ing up defences. The road and fields soon became filled with
retreating men, wagons, ambulances and every description of
army hangers-on. We were ordered to remount. The day’s
formation put the Sixty-third in the rear; so that we were the
last to get mounted, in column of squadrons, Harris’ squad-
ron, Companies E and H, being in front. Charging and coun-
ter-charging was now going on. About the time the regiment
was ready to move, a heavy fire was opened on our right flank ;
the order was given, ‘Squadron right wheel, charge!’ The
movement was well and steadily executed, the charge made
by Companies E and H, driving off the enemy. A general
retreat now began, the enemy’s cavalry making several
charges, which were easily repulsed, and ceasing entirely as
night came on. We soon came into a large body of old field
pines, where the darkness was intense, nobody could be dis-
tinguished. The movement forward stopped. Company H.
was called for and nobly responded, promptly taking a posi-
tion to cover the rear. The way being opened, we soon found
the cause of the delay. In a boggy branch, some fellow had
cut the mules loose from his ambulance and left it in the
mud. Captain McGregor was getting his last gun out of
the mud, raving like a mad man, swearing that everybody had
left him at the mercy of the enemy. As we rode up he was
told to be easy, that there was still one command who would
stay between him and the enemy. He asked what command.
When told the Sixty-third North Carolina, he exclaimed:
‘Thank God for that. So long as there are any Tar Heels
with me, I am not uneasy. Just give me a little notice and
I will melt these guns before they shall have them.’ His
was the battery attached to W. H. F. Lee’s Cavalry Division.
This being a favorable position, arrangements were immedi-
ately begun to strengthen the position, by building a fence
across the road and cutting such timber as was convenient.
Early next morning “To Horse” was sounded and we were
moved out near Namozine Church, which stood at the cross
roads. We could hear the enemy’s advance as our pickets
were driven in.” Vol. 95, pp. 1118, 1124 and 1131.