Stxtry-E1entH REGIMENT. 721

bed was frozen hard and a march of about ten miles was made
without a rest. At Butler’s bridge, two miles from Hamil-
ton, four companies of the Seventieth North Carolina (First
Junior Reserves) and two companies of the Sixty-fifth (Sixth
Cavalry) and a section of Lee’s (Ala.) battery, all under
Lieutenant-Colonel C. W. Broadfoot of the Seventieth had
been stationed at a creek, crossing the public road. The en-
emy, piloted by some buffaloes (traitors), crossed the creek
below and took our troops at the bridge in the rear. We had
turned off from the main road from Tarboro to Williamston
in order to come in by Hamilton to reinforce from the rear
our troops at Butler’s Bridge. After passing through or
near the village of Hamilton, our regiment wearing long
cape overcoats, and it being just before the dawn of day, to
the surprise of officers and men, we found that we were
marching side by side with the enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel
Yellowley and the Colonel or officer commanding the Federal
troops, were riding side by side. Yellowley supposed the
other horseman was Colonel Hinton’s body servant who was
riding an extra horse of Colonel Hinton. He did not dis-
cover to the contrary until the Federal officer gave a com-
mand to the person riding by his side, supposing him to be
his courier. Colonel Yellowley not obeying the command,
caused a suspect that there was a jumble. Immediately the
two Colonels separated, each commanding the attention of
his troops, and a face to face skirmish took place. Several
shots were fired, each side capturing some of their own men
as prisoners. Having come together in the way described,
and the most of the enemy gotten in advance of us, we had to
fall back; but the troops at Butler’s bridge, though flanked
both front and rear, escaped by the fact that the cavalry be-
ing dismounted for skirmishing their horses which were held
in the rear were stampeded by the sudden firing behind them
broke loose and charged across the bridge. The enemy in
front were stampeded by this, supposing we were advancing
in force and our forces saved themselves by crosing over and
turning to the right up the road to Tarboro. - The enemy
had turned to the left going back towards Spring Green

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