184 Nortu Carorina Troops, 1861-65.

Taylor, near Barnett’s Ford, where we picketed and rested
until October, having one or two fights with cavalry at the
ford.

About 11 October General Lee sent A. P. Hill’s Corps
across the river, passing Madison Court House, the second
day crossing Robertson’s Run, where our sharpshooters had
a severe battle with the Federal cavalry, driving them off,
which developed our movement and put the whole army in
motion. Ewell having been left on the Rapidan, at once
broke camp and followed by Culpepper Court House. Hill
moving by the left flank all the time, crossed the Culpepper
road by Amosville and Warrenton, where we camped in the
camp the Yankees had vacated that day. Next day Scales’
Brigade was stopped at a little town, New Baltimore, and or-
dered to wait until the army train had passed, then to follow
and guard it from raiders. After the wagons had all passed
we fell in and followed until late in the afternoon. General
Seales ordered Captain McLoud to stay with the train, and
he with the other regiments of the Brigade would go to the
front, as we could hear heavy cannonading in front. We
marched by companies on each side of the road until about
midnight, when the train stopped and we lay. down by the side
of the wagons and slept until daylight, when we were roused
up and soon joined the main force at Bristoe Station, where
we found that Hill’s Corps had had a severe and disastrous

fight, being roughly handled, all through a mistake of General
A. P. Hill.

BRISTOE STATION.

Arriving near Bristoe on the afternoon of 14 October, A.
P. Hill found the rear guard of Meade’s army, under General
Warren, moving across his line of march, and immediately
made arrangements to attack him with Cooke’s and MacRae’s
Brigades of Heth’s Division. Warren had his corps posted
behind a railroad embankment and out of sight, but had a
strong line of sharpshooters posted about two hundred yards
behind his line and in front of a piece of woods, giving the
impression that his line of battle was in the woods. Hill or-
dered Heth to advance his two brigades at once and take pos-

SIXTEENTH REGIMENT. 185

session of the railroad, but Heth not liking the looks of things,
did not move until Hill had sent him three peremptory orders
to do so. He then ordered the two North Carolina Brigades
forward, but when they were in a few yards of the railroad
Warren’s whole corps rose and gave them a volley that very
nearly cut to pieces the whole command, only a few falling
back in good order, many wounded and as many dead lying
on the ground. Our artillery opened on them and a heavy
fire was kept up during the day, the enemy holding their
ground until dark, when they retired in the direction of Man-
assas.

We remained on the ground until about 2 o’clock p. m.,
burying our dead and caring for the wounded, cooking, ete.,
when we again moved back to Catlett’s Station, where our
brigade commenced tearing up the railroad and burning the
ties, working all day in the mud, tired and hungry.

About dark Baxter Long came up and gave me some crack-

‘ers he had found in an old shed on the way, also some pork

and beans left by the Yankees. Being very hungry I did
not wait to get into camp, but commenced eating the crackers
at once, but when I got a fire so I could see I found my crack-
ers filled with black, hairy worms. I had no idea how many
I had eaten, but it did not turn my stomach for I was soon
able to make a hearty meal after getting things in shape.
Next morning we finished our job of tearing up the track and
crossed the Rappahannock on a pontoon bridge, going into
camp near an old brick house. The country beyond the Rap-
pahannock looked bare and desolate, nothing in sight but
chimneys on all sides. I do not remember seeing but one
house standing on our way from New Baltimore to Bristoe
and back to the Rappahannock, and that was a large house
with a large placard on the front gate marked: “This house
is protected by papers from the British Consul at Washing-

ton.”

While camped here the writer was lying in his tent, cov-
ered with all the blankets he could get and shaking with a
severe chill. The cry was raised, “Fresh beef, somebody’s
coming,” and we knew at once that a lot of fresh conscripts
were coming. Soon some one was heard to say: “There’s