244 Norro CaroLina TROOPS, 1861-65.

Williams, which organized at Garysburg and was ordered
first to Richmond, thence to Norfolk.

While in camp there Ex-Governor Wise, then a Brigadier-
General, sent me unsolicited on my part, authority to raise a
regiment and join his command, known as the Wise Legion.
Governor John W. Ellis gave me an order for some six hun-
dred Enfield rifles, the only ones at the State’s disposal. Un-
fortunately, however, before all my companies could reach
the camp of formation and requisition be made for the guns,
this glorious son of North Carolina had breathed his last, and
his successor revoked the order and gave the guns to another.
The Legislature thereupon voted fifty thousand dollars to
arm and equip my command. Ordinarily such a sum would
have far more than sufficed, but in those days weapons of ap-
proved pattern were above money and above price, simply
because they were not to be had. Luckily my command was
composed of the right sort of men, and not over fastidious as
to outfit. Though cheated of our ‘““Enfields,” to the front we
would go with squirrel substitutes and double barrel shot guns
of divers calibre. Every man was afraid that he could not get
a hand before the game would be ended. And so these honest
workmen took the best tools that they could get, and there was
no grumbling. We all expected better after our first fair field
and an honest fight. Fortunately our uncouth armament
was supplemented by some 350 old flint lock muskets which
Governor Letcher, of Virginia, generously turned over to us,
because his folks would not touch such tools. After being
percussioned by the Government, they made very respectable
killing implements, especially when each double barrel man
carried beside a two foot carving knife of the heft of a meat
axe in lieu of bayonet.

WILMINGTON.

On 12 December, 1861, was ordered to Wilmington and re-
ported to General Joseph R. Anderson, commanding the De-
partment of North Carolina. By him was assigned to the
duty of guarding the coast above and below Masonboro
Sound, some seven miles to the east of that city. We con-
tinued in the discharge of that duty until 30 January, 1862,

Seconp BaTTALIon. 245

when I was ordered by General Cooper, Adjutant and Inspec-
tor General, to proceed at once to Roanoke Island, then threat-
ened by the Federal force under General Burnside: At this
time the Second North Carolina Battalion consisted of the
following eight companies, averaging about eighty-five men to
the company. ‘The two other companies necessary to a regi-
ment, had not reported. :

(Owing to the loss of my papers when captured, necessity
frequently compels the usesof proximates. )

FIELD AND STAFF.

Wuarton J. Green, Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding.
Marcus Erwin, Major.
Dr. Frank Parterson, Surgeon.
Dr. Samvuet Youne, Assistant Surgeon.
—. —. McNorr, Adjutant.
Captain A. H. Saurorp, Quartermast i
ie z arte fer and Com
Rev. H. E. Brooks, Chaplain. ee
Company A—Madison County, N. C.—Captain, 8. F
Allen; Lieutenants, Van Brown, Condell.
p seal B-—Stokes County, N. C.—Captain, Milton
t o H F cs . 2 .
a 3 ieutenants, J. B. Tucker, N. G. Smith, Edwin
;, a C—Mecklenburg, County, Va.—Captain, R. ©
verby; Lieutenants, B. P. Williamson, He a
R. Williamson. el ahaa
Company D—Pike County i
unty, Ga—Captain, Edward
Smith; Lieutenants, W. H. McCl bes i
ge ‘ue, R. M. Julian, David T.
Company E.—Meriwether Cow i
; g 1e Jounty, Ga.—Captain, D
Bose; Lieutenants, J. J. Tucker, W. J. Hudson, J : N. tie
Company F—Randolph County, N. C.—Captain, T. W.
Andrews; Lieutenants, John M. Hancock, Z. J. Williams.
oe G—Forsyth County, N. C.—Captain, W. i
wes er; Lieutenants, J. S. Swain, H. C. Wheeler, R. Gor-
Company H—Surry Cowr y i
Surry County, N. C.—Captain, D. M.
Cooper ; Lieutenants, L. J. Norman, J. Sayars, J. Goxten,
As has been said above, the order from the War Depart-
ment to proceed to Roanoke Island (the only one under which