+16 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

Williamston, which he did successfully with a force of de-
tailed men as experts. The enemy made two or three at-
tempts to disturb our quiet, and on one occasion Major Clark
followed them with part of the cavalry, and three companies
of infantry and a section of artillery nearly to Jamesville,
the rest being left to guard the road from Washington.

 

BELFIELD, VA.

About 10 December, six companies, A, C, D, F, G and K
were ordered from Camp Baker to Virginia and went as far
as Belfield, Va., where they took part in the fight at that place
which turned back the raid under General Warren. The other
four companies, B, E, H and I, were at the time below Wil-
liamston at and near Foster’s Mills, and were ordered to
follow the others as rapidly as possible. These four made
a forced march to Tarboro, when they were immediately or-
dered back to meet a raid from Plymouth.

 

 

 

 

 

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4 %

“N330u438Y 529

BUTLER'S BRIDGE.

On 12 December, after marching one hundred miles in
eight days, they were in line behind breastworks at Butler’s
Bridge, near Hamilton, Fort Branch and Camp Baker, with a
section of Lee’s light battery from Montgomery, Ala., and two .
companies of cavalry of the Sixty-fifth North Carolina State
Troops, Captains Brown and Pitts in the immediate front.
The whole force under command of Lieutenant-Colonel
Broadfoot. Just before daylight on the morning of the 13th,
we were attacked in front and rear at the same time, the
party in the rear having been piloted through the swamps by
one or more traitors, known as Buffaloes. The cavalry com-
panies were dismounted and in front as skirmishers, and their
horses were a few yards in rear of the breastworks, on the
Hamilton side, when they were fired upon by the enemy and
broke away from the few men in charge of them and dashed
over the bridge and up the road in the direction of Tarboro.
The noise of these loose horses crossing the bridge was mis-
taken by the enemy in front for a charge, and they fell back,
allowing the entire command to escape, and reform on the
Tarboro road about one-fourth of a mile distant, in a line of
old breastworks commanding the road.

‘ALINISIA GNV 3J9GING SYSILNG 40 dVW
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