154 Norrnu Carorina Troops, 1861-65. with several canteens of “fire water” and gave each of the men a dram. He knew we needed it, and the good angels only smiled. There was a great deal of bluster and bragging among the Hampton Legion men, and one company proposed to go back into that swamp and demolish the Yankee army, but I noticed that nobody held them. Dark coming on about this time, we moved back a short distance, cold, wet and hungry, without blankets, overcoats or any kind of covering, having left every- thing back on the road; but what was our surprise on waking up in the morning to find that we were lying in a few yards of a depot of supplies filled with overcoats, blankets, all kinds of clothing, with barrels of crackers, sugar, coffee, meat of all kinds, and army supplies, in addition to the knapsacks, blankets, etc., belonging to a Pennsylvania and a New York Regiment driven out the day before, affording a great treat for our famished, worn out men. Unfortunately for the writer, just as he was lying down between two men to keep warin, the Adjutant came and said he wanted me to take charge of a party and go back into the swamp. This spoiled all my prospects for a good night’s rest. Going back cau- tiously, we established a picket line as near the entrance as we thought prudent. Everything passed off quietly during the night, except we could hear wounded men calling for help, and about daylight we had the pleasure of helping several of our friends to get back into our own line. Still keeping careful watch, about 9 a. m., I was notified that the army would retire in the direction of Richmond and we must hold the line for three-fourths of an hour, and then get out and join the command if we could. Remaining the required length of time, the men were withdrawn and marched back to the road, where, looking back across the river, we saw three balloons making observations. Very soon a gun was fired and a shell came whistling along near us. Thinking we were being fired at and in great danger, the men were ordered tq leave the road and march in the woods. Fol- lowing up the road about two miles, we came up with the army and were relieved from further duty for the time, and thus ended our part in the battle of Seven Pines. We had i SIXTEENTH REGIMENT. 155 lost our Colonel and many brave men, but how many killed and wounded, at this late day, thirty-seven years after, it is impossible to tell. NEW BRIGADE FORMED. Remained at this place about ten days doing picket duty, when under general orders Hampton’s Brigade was broken up and the troops sent to their several State organizations. The Sixteenth was brigaded with the Twenty-second North Carolina; Thirty-fourth, Colonel R. H. Riddick; Thirty- eighth, Colonel W. J. Hoke; and the Thirteenth, Colonel A. M. Scales, and General W. D. Pender as commander. The Twenty-second was reorganized and Major Conner, of the Legion, was appointed Colonel. The brigade was attached to General A. P. Hill’s Light Division. General J. E. Johnston being wounded at Seven Pines, General R. E. Lee, our old Valley Mountain commander, was put in command of the Army of Northern Virginia. When General Pender took charge of the brigade, he made a requisition on the 16th for an officer to take charge of the Ordnance Department of the brigade, and the writer was de- tached for that purpose, was given a horse and permission to go into Richmond at will, a privilege which was used to the -fullest extent. We remained in camp on the Nine Mile road, getting into good shape, until 25 June, when we moved out in the diree- tion of Meadow Bridge, reaching that point at 10 o’clock at night. I have always thought that General Lee formed his plan of campaign from General Johnston’s, which was not earried out, as circumstances changed all of the latter’s oper- ations. SEVEN DAYS FIGHT. At 4 p. m. en the 26th the Light Division was put in mo- tion. Pender’s Brigade was the fourth to cross the Chicka- hominy at this peint; General Branch, who was ordered not to cross until he heard from General Jackson,,crossing above, and Hill was ordered to move when Branch gave him notice that Jackson was in position, but not hearing from either he became impatient and ordered a forward movement.