678 Nortu Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

tions, the command went into quarters at Big Creek Gap,
Tenn., and was engaged in picketing along the outposts along
the line of the Cumberland river. The enemy threw a force
between us and Knoxville, scattering our support (mainly
Tenth Confederate) ; but the Sixty-fifth North Carolina Reg-
iment succeeded in cutting its way through the Cumberland
mountains, and reached Knoxville, Tenn., after the evacua-
tion of that city by the Confederate infantry. In an artillery
attack upon the command at Loudon the regiment suffered.
The command moved down the Tennessee river to the sup-
port of Bragg in front of Chattanooga. On 31 August, 1863,
the Sixty-fifth Regiment belonged to Davidson’s Brigade,
Pegram’s Division in Forrest’s Corps, 51st Vol. Official Rec-
ords Union and Confederate Armies, p. 20. On 30 Novem-
ber, 1863, the regiment is reported in Harrison’s Brigade,
Wharton’s Division in Cavalry Corps commanded by General
W. T. Martin. 54 Vol. Official-Records Union and Confed-
erate Armies, p. 458.

IN ‘GEORGIA.

At Braysville, Ga., it met the enemy, capturing a company
of the First Kentucky Infantry (Federal) in the advance of
General Crittenden’s Corps. In the action a portion of
Hart’s Georgia Cavalry participated. We in this affair had
a number of men wounded. Soon after another engagement
with the enemy was had, but without important result. Cap-
tain Brown continues:

“On the night of 17 September, 1863, Company A was de-
tached, and ordered to follow a portion of Howell’s battery.
At daylight we crossed the Chickamauga at Reed’s Ford, re-
porting there to General Forrest. The remainder of the reg-
iment had also been moved forward in the same direction;
and before sunrise we were all engaged with the enemy at
close range in conflicts which lasted several hours. In the
meantime the woods between the two lines of battle caught
on fire and prevented any advance from either side. Our
command was then withdrawn and placed on duty at Alexan-
der’s Bridge on the Chickamauga, where we remained during
the remainder of the great battle.”

Srxty-Firra ReEGIMent. 679

CHICKAMAUGA.

In the action of Saturday in the opening of the battle of
Chickamauga we lost a number of valuable men and officers
killed and wounded. Captain Brown continues: “After this
battle the command was sent with other troops in Dibbrell’s
Brigade with Colonel Morrison, of the First Georgia Cavalry,
to the support of Longstreet at Knoxville. When near Phil-
adelphia advance squadrons of the regiment were charged by
a brigade of Federal cavalry by which we suffered a heavy
loss. A portion of the command also encountered, and for a
while successfully resisted the advance of Federal General
Wilder’s Brigade at a church near Mouse creek. In this ac-
tion we were assisted by Georgia troops of Rucker’s Legion.
The enemy’s cavalry, however, advanced in force and drove
us from our position, inflicting upon us additional serious
loss.” ‘

In these two engagements the organization of the regiment
was seriously impaired. Many of the men dispersed by the
onslaught of the Federal cavalry, and in the loss of their
horses, and being also practically in the enemy’s country,
made their way as best they could to their nearby homes in
North Carolina. In April, 1864, the regiment was in Har-
rison’s Brigade, Hume’s Division, Wheeler’s Cavalry Corps,
Army of Tennessee. 74 Vol. Official Records Union and
Confederate Armies, p. 650. Soon thereafter, the regiment
was in rendezvous camp near Asheville, N. C., to recruit,
where orders were received for the whole command to take up
line of march, and report for duty to the officer commanding
the Department of Eastern North Carolina‘at Kinston, N. ©.

IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

Arriving at Kinston early in the spring of 1864, the regi-
ment began picketing the outposts in front of New Bern and
other points on the coast of North Carolina covering a line
about fifty miles long. During the time we had various en-
gagements with bodies of the enemy. One of these conflicts
was at Heath’s mills, where we captured a number of the
Federals. Colonel Folk was cut off from the command and
captured in a night attack at this place. In this attack Lieu-