EE OT

 

680 NortH Carona Troops, 1861-65.

tenants Kilpatrick and Dehart were killed; two brave officers
falling at the post of duty. Colonel Folk was released after
a few weeks’ confinement in one of the Northern prisons, and
he rejoined his command at Kinston.

On 20 September, 1864, seven gallant men of this regi-
ment entered the enemy’s lines at Deep Gully, near New
Bern, routed a company of Federal cavalry, capturing twelve
horses with accoutrements and arms, and afterwards sup-
pressed a picket post, killing one and capturing five men, and
all without loss to themselves. Their names were Sergeant
James Greaver, Privates Murray Brown, Patterson Moss,
Hiram Gregg, Thomas Sullivan, John Houston and Wil-
liam Johnson.

The most important of the engagements in Eastern North
Carolina was the assault upon and capture of Fort Croa-
tan, near New Bern, and the bringing away of a number of
the enemy’s guns and the garrison which consisted of Lieu-
tenant Whiting and a company of Rhode Island troops. An-
other gallant exploit in which the men of the regiment from
companies A (Brown) and F (Moore) participated was in
the capture and destruction of the Federal gunboat “Albe-
marle,” on the Roanoke river. In the fall of 1864 the two
companies of Brown and Pitt were stationed at Williamston,
together with Lee’s (Alabama) battery and several companies
of the Fiftieth Regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel John C:
Vanhook, to guard against an advance of the enemy from
Washington or Plymouth. Later the Fiftieth were replaced
by four companies of the Seventieth North Carolina (First
Junior Reserves). under Major Walter Clark, who took com-
mand of the post, including the cavalry and artillery. Major
Clark was a mere boy of 17 or 18, but he had the bearing
and command of a born soldier and displayed the executive
talent which he has since shown. The enemy made many
attacks, especially at Foster’s Mills and Gardner’s bridge, but
were always driven back.

When the Junior Reserves were called off to meet the en-
emy at Belfield, Va., the enemy came up from below and a
sharp fight between the two companies of cavalry with Lee’s
Battery and the enemy took place 11 December at Spring

Srxty-Firra ReGment. 681

Green, which was very creditable to our forces. Our small
force, faced by over 1,000 of the enemy, fell back on the 12th
to Butler’s bridge near Hamilton, where they were rein-
forced by four companies under Lieutenant-Colonel Broad-
foot, of the Seventieth hurried back from Tarboro, and the
Sixty-eighth. Though several hundred of the enemy, piloted
by a traitor, crossed the stream below and fired upon us in our
rear during the night, they were driven back with small loss
to us except the capture of Colonel Hinton and his Adju-
tant. of the Sixty-eighth.

The Sixty-fifth, it may be said, finally covered the retreat
of the Confederates from Eastern North Carolina in the ad-
vance of Schofield from New Bern. It had been assigned to
Dearing’s Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia, but
never joined it, being detained by events in North Caroling.
On 10 February, 1865, Companies A and F, under com-
mand of Captain Barton F. Brown, were still on the Roanoke
and the rest of the regiment under Major J. J. Spann was be-
low Kinston, according to the Official Reports of that date
published by the United States Government. On 17 March,
1865, they are reported as being at Goldsboro and on 25
March, after the battle of Bentonville, they were ordered by
Gen. Bragg to scout on the Cape Fear in rear of the Federal
army, but on protest of Gen. Hampton, this order was revoked.
Vol. 100 Official Records Union and Confederate Armies, pp.
691-693. The regiment was then attached to Butler’s Cavalry
Division and aided to cover the historic retreat of Johnston’s
army as it fell back from Raleigh to Greensboro and until
the final surrender at the latter place. The men disbanded
when near Salisbury. The survivors—about 300—wending
their way home as best they could afoot and on their half
famished horses. :

I should like to speak fully of the personnel of this regi-
ment, if the limits of the space assigned me permitted expres-
sion. But when we come to consider the principle of patriot-
ism which prompted the organization of the North Carolina
soldiery, I am loath to make attempt at any separation of the
elements, officers and men. To the heroism and devotion of
the private soldiers of North Carolina is largely due the im-