744 NortH Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

acted with conspicuous bravery. Seeing ourselves outflanked
on both sides of the fort, I ordered the men back to the
friendly protection of an old time saw and grist mill on the
river bank, and here in a hand-to-hand fight up to the water’s
edge, we fought, and finally drove the enemy back, killing a
Major of the Ninth Michigan and a Lieutenant and a num-
ber of the men at the very side of the water. We were or-
dered to retire to the east side of the Watauga river, recross-
ing the bridge, but the enemy were too close upon us, and
the river atour backs. It was “hilt to hilt? indeed. We had
the right wing of the enemy to fight—four or five to one.
Their left wing was upon the north side of the railroad and
up to the railroad bridge, thus completely cutting off our
route across the bridge; but our friends on the east side of
the bridge, while cut off from us, were by no means idle. With
six or eight cannon and long range guns, they materially
aided us in driving back the enemy. I wish also, in addition
to officers named, to add the names of Captains Butler and
Phillips, Lieutenants Peck, Raby and Sergeant-Major Car-
mack and others who were conspicuous for their gallantry.
After this repulse the enemy remained quiet till night,
during most of which they “shelled the woods” and our army,
flanking our position next day and again forcing us to fall
back to Zollicoffer (now Bluff City) and on to Bristol.

SALTVILLE, VA.

The first week in May we were ordered to the Salt Works,
Virginia, where we remained till 1 June, when we were sent
to the Valley of Virginia. While at Saltville, Va., our men
were constantly drilled and disciplined. While here the en-
emy in the meanwhile were making tremendous efforts to take
and hold all of East Tennessee and South West Virginia.
The Salt Works were an especial object of interest and around
here were raids and fights all the balance of the war. While
here the railroad having been cut and held by the enemy, we
had double rations of rice, salt and water for near three
weeks, and nothing else.

The Valley campaign being one of the most exciting as
well as one of the most interesting of the war, is deserving of

Srxty-NintH REGIMENT. 745

a more extensive notice than can be given in this sketch. At
the time of our hasty departure from Southwest Virginia for
the Valley, orders had been issued by the War Department for
our transfer to Western North Carolina. Colonel Thomas
had manfully worked to that end. He claimed with truth
and much force that troops were needed in North Carolina
to protect that section, as well as upper South Carolina and
Georgia. Many of the men had joined the regiment upon
the express understanding that it was for home defense; hut
Hunter’s raid up the Valley demanded our immediate atten-
tion and we must go. Several East Tennessee cavalry regi-
ments went with us. We left horses and “bag and baggage”
behind, regimental officers and all. The First, Third and
Fourteenth Tennessee Cavalry, under General John C.
Vaughn, Colonel James E. Carter and Lieutenant-Colonel
Key—the latter since well known as United States Senatcr,
Postmaster-General under President Hayes, and Federal
Judge at Knoxville, since dead. Colonel Carter, of the
First Tennessee Cavalry, was a brave and knightly Southron,
cool, clear-headed and fearless—“Sans peur et sans reproche.”
The same may be said of General Vaughn. Several Virginia
infantry regiments also went with us from New River bridge
—the Thirty-sixth, Forty-fifth, Fifty-first and Sixtieth. These
were good men and had recently passed through a fiery ordeal
in Southwest Virginia, where most of their regimental and
company officers were killed, wounded or captured. Colonel
Thomas A. Smith, Colonel of the Thirty-sixth Virginia, was
also along, and after the killing of Colonel Brown, brigade
commander, at Piedmont 5 June, Colonel Smith continued
to command us while in the Valley. He was always kind,
considerate and knightly in camp or upon the march—in bat-
tle he was little less than bridled lightning. He was a great

favorite with our men.

STAUNTON, VA.

We reached Staunton via Lynchburg, Gordonsville and

Charlottesville in June, on the 2d day of the month in the
afternoon. At once drew and cooked three days’ rations

and marched towards the enemy, brigaded with the Vir-