742 NortH CaRroLina Troops, 1861-’65.

who several years since has “crossed over the river and is
resting under the shade of the trees.”

“J oined to a gallant band,

?R ound their colors sworn to stand;
L egions ’gainst you, rushing came,
O you drove them back again.

V otes of thanks, so well deserved,
E ver greet such men of nerve.”

BLOUNTSVILLE, TENN.

While we were waiting a few days near Blountsville,
Tenn., our cavalry under William E. Jones, made a nice cap-

ture of twelve or fifteen hundred of the enemy’s cavalry at

Rogersville, and near 100 wagons of the Second Tennessee
(United States) and Seventh Ohio. The citizens here-abouts
were mostly our friends, something unusual in East Tennes-
see, and had noble kindred in our army, mostly with Bragg.
While around Blountsville, company and regimental drill
was daily enforced. Lieutenant Thomas Ferguson, a good
soldier, afterwards made Captain and captured at Piedmont,
joined us here with 75 recruits. A painful example for
discipline was made here, one poor fellow of Company K, a
Tennesseean, with two others of Tennessee troops, captured
at Rogersville, Tenn., by General W. E. Jones, in the uni-
form of the enemy, were court-martialed and shot at the
stake. The army then moved down the Rogersville and
Kingsport Valley towards Knoxville, on the north side of
Holston river, wading the river and creeks in the ice.
General Robert Ransom was a fine disciplinarian and
fighter. Sometimes unpopular in camp, or upon the march,
but universally popular in battle, where it was an inspiration
to see him. He did not “snuff battle ftom afar,” but rushed
into the thickest fray, to cheer and guide his men. In all
this dread winter campaign the Sixty-ninth were cheerful
and obedient. Winter quarters were built near Rogersville
in December, but were occupied only one week. After this
neither the men or officers had tents or houses, but faced the
storms of rain and snow, mud and ice, in tramps several miles
above and below Rogersville, down towards Knoxville.
General Alfred E. Jackson was our brigade commander

 

Stxty-Ninto Reaimenr. 743

this winter in all our campaigns. He was a cultivated gen-
tleman and personally a brave man. He was a good man and
always managed the men to the best advantage in so hostile a
region. He was personally and scrupulously honest, and
demanded the same of his mien; but he was a little too strict
for the “old soldier” ideas of those who wanted to prowl.
The marches below Rogersville and down to Blaine’s Cross
Roads were mostly made in bad, and very cold weather.
When we met Longstreet’s returning forces after his repulse
at Knoxville, and our great defeat at Missionary Ridge, the
entire army fell back near Rogersville, and the Sixty-ninth,
with others crossed the Holston river and went into camp on
the railroad near Russelville on 1 January, 1864. Soon
afterwards the Sixty-ninth returned to our old quarters at
Carter’s Depot, where with that as a base of operations we
could “swing around” the mountains on several trips after
“venegades,” blockade stills and deserters.

CARTERS, TENN.

About 1 April, 1864, Longstreet’s army returned to Rich-
mond and several of Burnside’s regiments returned to their
old game of annoying us. On 26 April we were assaulted by
the Third Indiana and Ninth Michigan Cavalry at Carter’s,
but we nicely repulsed them. Our loss, one killed and five
captured. Theirs, twenty killed and wounded—our regi-
ment alone engaged. At this time and place the writer, with
250 men, was ordered to cross the railroad bridge and re-
connoitre the enemy. The troops were left in the railroad cut
at the end of the bridge, under Captain J. W.. Cooper, a
brave and gallant Southron, while I looked ahead and around
a little, taking Lieujenant Gallahar, of Company K. We
walked a quarter of a mile ahead through the fields. While
here I discovered a flank movement of the enemy on the ridge,
south and west, and ordered the men by a wave of the hand
into the fort. In the meanwhile, the enemy seeing their
movements discovered, charged up through the fields and
woods, 1,800 strong, with yells and the huzzahs peculiar to
themselves. Captains Welch, Cooper and McConnell, Lien-

tenants Conley and Gallahar and the men, every one of them,