660 Norra Carorina Troops, 1861-’65. Company A—Captains, Jas. A. Keith and M. E. Carter. Lieutenants: M. E. Carter, B. W. Woodward, O. H. Ramsey, J. M. Ray, G. D. Ray, N. W. Woodward and William Pend- ley. Company B—Captains, Thos. P. Jones, W. G. B. Morris, Lieutenants, W. G. B. Morris, W. N: Luther, Richard How- ard, Daniel Pace, Richard Howard and W. A. Batson. Company C—Captains, John Peek, C. N. Candler. Lieu- tenants, C. Alexander, Alfred Peek and Levi Peek. Company D—Captains, A. A. Duees, L. W. Peek. Lieu- tenants, L. W. Peek, Wm. C. Harrison, Thos. Hunter, T. W. Allen and Job B. Peck. Company E—Captain, B. T. Morris, Lieutenants W. K. Tabor, B. F. Hampton, H. H. Collins, W. L. Morris and J. W. Morris. Company F—Captain, D. W. Anderson. Lieutenants, John J. Duych, J. A. Jarvis, A. J. Brown and Miles Frapps. Company G—Captains, Wm. M. Keith and R. M. Deaver. Lieutenants, R. M. Deaver, A. E. Davis, J. B. Peek, W. A. Patterson and Thos. Keith. Company H—Captain, J. T. Reynolds. Lieutenants, Jas. H. Davis, Wm. S. Davis, John Moore and Edwin Reynolds. Company I—Captains, John S. Love and J. V. Baird. Lieutenants, J. Debush, C. W. Wells, Thos. W. Keith, A. M. Sheffey and Frederick Devalt. Company K—Captains, Wm. E. Tilson and S. E. Erwin. Lieutenants, S. E. Erwin, J. E. Tilson, J. B. Erwin and A. G. Bailey. Companies A, C, D, F, G and I were from Madison County, Company B from Henderson County, Company E from Polk County. The regiment was first stationed at Greenville, Tenn., for a short time, and was moved to Knoxville, where they were drilled and used on guard duty for the city and as scouts for the surrounding country for about three months. About two hundred of the regiment were then sent to Shelton Laurel, in Madison county, N. C., under the command of J. A. Keith, Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment, and were kept there Stxty-Fourta REGIMENT. 661 until the spring of 1863, when they joined the regiment at Clinton, Tenn. This regiment, like several others from North Carolina, was moved about from “pillar to post”—rather from post to post: In these tramps, marches and scouts very few comforts were furnished. As we are endeavoring to arrive at the truth of history, it is but fair and just to say that this regiment did not have a fair pull with some from other States. Strangers always commanded the Department of East Tennessee, and while high-toned and fearless to a fault, they could not, or did not, understand the character and genuine merits of our rough mountain boys. Consequently, there was friction, jealousy, dictation and some tyranny. Colonel Allen, of this regiment, was not an attractive man—rather otherwise—but was chosen leader because he was known to be brave and fearless. Fighting was expected, and his men had the utmost confidence in him. Lieutenant-Colonel Keith was intrepid and fearless. He had bitter enemies among the enemies of his country. He did severely punish some of the enemies of his country— some say far too severely, and his resignation was demanded in the spring of 1863 by the authorities. It is well known that the “Shelton Laurel” section of Madison County, bor- dering on East Tennessee, was infested with bushwhackers of such fierce audacity and viciousness that only severe and caus- tic measures would suppress them. In addition to the native disloyal element, scores and hundreds fled from conscription in Tennessee, and when hunted in those mountain fastnesses they fought back, retaliated and did many outrageous things. Colonel Keith caught some of these and punished them severely—perhaps cruelly. His resignation was called for at the instance of Governor Vance for shooting certain parties accused of having looted the town of Marshall. When an officer finds himself and men bushwhacked from behind every shrub, tree or projection on all sides of the road, only severe measures will stop it. Keith and Allen were fighters—soldiers. Their first duty was self protection, protection of their people from midnight marauders.