682 NortH Caroxtina Troops, 1861-’65.

mortal honors achieved by her sons on the many hard fought
fields of the war. I place the valor and courage of the hum-
blest private who did his duty on the highest plane beside
those whose genius directed. In the bitter and long struggle
the men always fought at a disadvantage; they were greatly
outnumbered ; and they were never placed on an equal footing
with their enemies in points of equipment and resources.
These facts we all knew. And when the victor lays claim for
equal honors in valor in the struggle, we can simply point
him to the official records which show that it required three
millions of the Federals—among whom were more than five
hundred thousand of our own Southern people—and more
than six hundred thousand men enlisting from foreign lands
—five to one in all—to vanquish in battle and fire, the armies
of the Confederacy. These armies never reached six hun-
dred and sixty thousand soldiers, all told, enlistment and con-
scriptions, from beginning to the end of the war.

North Carolina has her share of the glory, as well as her
part in the great overwhelming sorrows of that long struggle.
That glory was well achieved as we all know, as much through
the heroism of the private, as through the wisdom of her
many justly distinguished officers. And hence, I feel that it
is half wrong in any writer who refers to one without fully
honoring the other, yet as the history of the world is largely
the history of a few great leading individuals of genius and
strong dominating characters, I must crave pardon of my old
comrades of the Sixty-fifth if I mention only a few of the
prominent officials of the command. I trust that these com-
rades also will gladly welcome the brief references to those
whom I have space for naming. I would have gladly men-
tioned others; but as I have been so long separated from
North Carolina and her immediate sons; and as some of my
old comrades to whom I have appealed for aid in refreshing
and strengthening the memory have failed to respond to my
inquiries, I shall have to confine my notices to the few of
whom I have personal knowledge at this writing.

Colonel George N. Folk, the commander of the regiment,
has been so long and so well and favorably known to the peo-
ple of North Carolina as one of her most eminent lawyers,

Srxty-Firra REecmenr. 683

that it is unnecessary for me to refer to him at length here.
He is a native of Virginia, but when quite a young man, just
admitted to the bar, sought his fortunes in Watauga county of
this State. He was a representative of that county in the
State Legislature at the outbreak of the war. After the war

lived in Caldwell county in the enjoyment of a lucrative law
practice.

Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Baird is a Buncombe County
man, since removed to Texas, related to the late Senator
Vance. He is a man who has always stood high as the im-
personation of a lofty chivalry, courage and patriotism.

Major J. J. Spann is a successful farmer living near Hen-
dersonville. He has always been a genial, conscientious,
Christian gentleman. Major Siler died recently at his home
in Macon county, N. C., a noble whole-souled man without
fear and without reproach. The adjutant of the regiment
was Lieutenant J. H. Merrimon, since the war a prominent
lawyer at Asheville, honored also by judicial honors in his
district. The Quartermaster of the regiment was the pres-
ent writer, Captain M. V. Moore, a native Tennesseean,
whose present home is Auburn, Ala. After the war he en-
gaged for several years in business in Lenoir, N. ©. Later
he was on the editorial staff of the Atlanta Constitution, and
a contributor also to numerous magazines and other papers.

The Surgeon of the regiment was Dr. Thos. A. Houston, (a
relative of General Sam Houston, of Texas), of Tennessee.

The Assistant Surgeon was Dr. Leon F. Sensabaugh, a tal-
ented gentleman, who died soon after the war. His home
was Franklin, Macon county, N. C.

Another Assistant Surgeon was Dr. Robert C. Rhea, of
Tennessee. His home, Shown’s X Roads, was in that State.

Rev. Mr. Porter, a Presbyterian from Charleston, 8. C.,
was Chaplain. I am not familiar with his history.

Captain Brown, of Company A, is a Tennesseean, a suc-
cessful farmer and stock raiser near Shown’s X Roads, John-
ston county. He is a knightly gentleman and was a beau
ideal among the cavalrymen—brave, dashing, quick and Wise.

Captain Council, of Company B, lives at his home in