58 Norru Carouina Troops, 1861-’65. Narrative, pages 384 to 393, from which liberal extracts have been made. ) The Confederates never fought with more spirit, and the Federals with less, than in the battle of Bentonville. Gen- eral D. H. Hill remarked upon this and said: “It may be that even a Yankee’s conscience has been disturbed by the scenes of burning, rapine, pillage and murder so recently passed through.” General Hampton said of this last great battle of the Civil War, that in his opinion it was one of the most extraordinary : “The infantry forces of General Johnston amounted to about 14,100 men, and they were composed of three separate com- mands which had never acted together. These were Har- dee’s troops, brought from Savannah and Charleston; Stew- art’s from the Army of Tennessee; and Hoke’s Division of veterans, many of whom had served in the campaigns of Vir- ginia. Bragg, by reason of his rank, was in command of this latter force, but it was really Hoke’s Division, and the latter directed the fighting. These troops, concentrated only re- cently for the first time, were stationed at and near Smith- field, eighteen miles from the field, where the battle was fought, and it was from there that General Johnston moved them to strike a veteran army numbering about 60,000 men. This latter army had marched from Atlanta to Savannah without meeting any force to dispute its passage, and from the latter city to Bentonville unobstructed save by the useless and costly affair at Averasboro, where Hardee made a gallant stand, though at a heavy loss. No bolder movement was con- ceived during the war than this of General Johnston when he threw his handful of men on the overwhelming force in front of him, and when he confronted and baftled this force, holding a weak line for three days against nearly five times his num- ber. For the last two days of this fight he only held his posi- tion to secure the removal of his wounded, and when he had accomplished that he withdrew leisurely, moving in his first march only about four miles.” The Junior Reserves lost quite a number of ofticers and boys in this battle. Their conduct was creditable to the last degree. General Hoke, their attached and beloved com- SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT. 59 mander, thus writes concerning them: “The question of the courage of the Junior Reserves was well established by themselves in the battle below Kinston, and at the battle of Bentonville. At Bentonville you will remember, they held a very important part of the battlefield in opposition to Sher- man’s old and tried soldiers, and repulsed every charge that was made upon them with very meagre and rapidly thrown up breastworks. Their conduct in camp, on the march, and on the battlefield was everything that could be expected of them, and I am free to say, was equal to that of the old sol- diers who had passed through four years of war. On the re- turn through Raleigh where many passed by their homes, scarcely one of them left their ranks to bid farewell to their friends, though they knew not where they were going nor what dangers they would encounter.” THE LAST REVIEW. The regiment remained in camp near Smithfield until 10 April. During this time our corps under command of Gen- eral Hardee was reviewed by General Johnston, General Har- dee, Governor Vance and others. There was not in the grand parade of that day—the last grand review of the Confederate Army—a more soldierly body of troops than the Junior Re- serves. Later in the day, Governor Vance made a stirring speech to the North Carolina troops, which by its eloquence aroused enthusiasm and caused fire of patriotism to burn more brightly in our hearts. On 10 April we begun our last retreat before Sherman. THE RETREAT. On 12 April we reached Raleigh. I recall how we marched through Raleigh past the old Governor’s Mansion on Fay- etteville street, facing the Capitol, then up Fayetteville street and west by Hillsboro street past St. Mary’s young ladies school in a beautiful grove on the right. How the servants stood at the fence with supplies of water for us to drink! Tiow the fair girls trooped down to see us pass! How one tall, beautiful damsel exclaimed: ‘Why, girls, these are all young men,” and how one of our saucy Sergeants replied: