264 Nort Carotina Troops, 1861-65. across the river and attempted, by a tremendous infantry and artillery fire, to so drive off the men on our side, that he could pontoon and cross the river. More than a dozen pieces of artillery were brought to bear upon the point where Lieu- tenant McCleese and his men were so bravely holding their ground. From early in the morning until well past midnight this unequal struggle went on. McCleese lost but two men and two horses, but his right gun was, after being struck re- peatedly, finally disabled by a shell that broke the axle and struck down five of his cannoneers.. After such creditable service, Lieutenant McCleese was relieved by Lieutenant J. G. Moore, who brought a fresh section into action. The en- emy, however, soon ceased firing and moved for another bridge a few miles higher up the stream. At that place on the next day Lieutenant John M. Jones, with the centre sec- tion of Battery B, did also most effective service. It is proper to say here that the battalion at this time con- tained only two batteries. It was found so difficult in the fall of 1862 to procure enough cavalry and artillery horses that many artillery and cavalry companies were induced to change themselves into infantry. Then, too, many four-gun batteries were by orders of the Secretary of War, formed into large six-gun batteries by uniting the men of both companies and allowing them to elect officers for the new command thus formed. When the order for distributing inchoate com- mands reached Major Moore in Camp Lee, near Richmond, in 1862, the Third Battalion contained five companies. There were in addition to the three already mentioned, two others, commanded by Captains Thomas Capehart and Solomon White. The latter of these two gave up its artillery organ- ization and joined a regiment of infantry. Batteries A and D were combined under the command of Captain Ellis, while Company © was added to Battery B un- der Captain Badham and Captain Julian G. Moore became First Lieutenant in the same until in March, 1863, by another order from Richmond, Company C was reorganized under the officers as mentioned above. PORN Serta ree re rer ere een ne cece ee “yess | en commana in erento ons opener Pina reer ap Tee TAN RI TOTTI INE Turtrp BATTALION. WILMINGTON. After the battle of Goldsboro, the Third Battalion was or- dered to reunite by Company B marching across the country to rejoin the other half of the command at Wilmington. During the whole year of 1863, the enemy left the Cape Fear region unassailed, so there were only the ordinary incidents of a life in camp so far as the Third Battalion was concerned. About 1 November, 1863, General Whiting relieved Colonel George Jackson of his command at Kenansville, to assume charge of the intrenched camp then being constructed above Fort Fisher. Major J. W. Moore, with Battery A, under Captain Ellis, went to his new post of duty and found a little army embracing all three branches of military service repre- sented. ‘Two squadrons of cavalry were kept on outpost duty and a battalion of heavy artillery doing infantry duty were camped in close proximity to Battery A., This force was kept for the security of the Wilmington & Weldon Rail- road; and also to secure Froelich’s sword factory at Kenans- ville, that had been burned by a raiding party some time be- fore and was then making sabres for the Confederate Gov- ernment. At the same time Battery ©, under Captain J. G. Moore, was assigned duty at Fort Caswell, while Battery B, under Captain William Badham, was assigned for duty on Smith’s Island or Bald Head. The new year of 1864 was inaugu- rated by an important military movement in North Caro- lina. NEW BERN. General George Pickett was sent by. General Lee with five brigades of his veteran troops, against the United States forces then holding the city of New Bern. Brigadier-Gen- eral Martin, with two regiments of infantry, three squadrons of South Carolina Cavalry and two batteries of Light Artil- lery was sent by way of Smith’s Mills across White Oak river, to cut railroad connections from Morehead City. The Third North Carolina Battalion was represented in the move- ment by Battery A, under the immediate command of Cap- tain A. J. Ellis. He and his command did noble service in