266 Norra CAROLINA Troops, 1861-’65.

the battle at Newport barracks. The enemy with a force
about equal to that of General Martin, was driven from its
positions on both sides of the road, and besides considerable
loss in killed and wounded left about two hundred prison-
ers. The same battery had by its splendid practice against
a block house earlier in the day so dismayed the garrison that
it was captured without loss to the assailants, who came charg-
ing upon it across an open plain.

CHARGE BY ARTILLERY.

Adjutant (since Judge) Aug. M. Moore contributes the
following incident:

“When Pickett was sent to attack New Bern in the winter
of 1864, a small detachment of about 1,500 men, infantry,
cavalry and artillery under General Martin was sent to cap-
ture Morehead, and the large army supplies collected at that
point. Pickett failed to do anything, and in a few days with-
drew his forces, but the expedition under Martin was par-
tially successful, and had it not been for the withdrawal of
Pickett’s forces, we would in a few hours have captured More-
head.

After two sharp skirmishes, the entire force of Martin,
Seventeenth North Carolina, Forty-second North Carolina,
Ellis’ Battery A of Moore’s Battalion, and about 250 men un-
der Lieutenant-Colonel R. J. Jeffords, Fifth South Carolina
cavalry, engaged the enemy in the afternoon about two miles
from Newport. The enemy, as well as our infantry, ‘was on
each side of the straight road leading to Newport, near the
town, and to the left and rear of the enemy was their fort, a
strong earthwork, mounting several guns.

The writer was sitting on his horse on and near the left
of the road, watching the effect of shells firing from a small
brass field piece over the heads of the Seventeenth North
Carolina, as that gallant regiment was advancing and engag-
ing the enemy. Occasionally a shell came screaming from
a rifled field piece-of the enemy, stationed about two thou-
sand yards down the road and in full view of Ellis and oth-
ers of us. For a little while it seemed as if the enemy was
to have all that fun to themselves, when a sudden and sharp

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TuirD BATTALION. 267

command from Captain Ellis attracted my attention and,
looking around, I saw him straighten himself in his saddle,
and with his gun dash down the narrow road towards the en-
emy. Every once in a while he would wheel into position,
his lead horses sometimes falling in the deep and wide ditch,
go into battery, fire a few well-directed shots, and then he was
again leading his gun at a gallop, only to go into battery
and again fire.

We were warm personal friends, and anxious to know
what had become of him and his gallant men, the writer
dashed down the road to learn what he could. So rapid had
been Ellis’ charge with his artillery, that two of his seven men
were wounded along the road by the enemy’s skirmishers.
The gallant officer and men had passed the line of our advanc-
ing troops, and when I found him, the enemy was fleeing, and
Ellis, with the glee of a boy was standing in the road patting
the fine gun he had captured, and laughing with his little gun
crew that followed him in that wild, dashing charge. They
had run the enemy’s cannoneers with their horses from their
gun, and whilst their infantry support had not fled.

I have seen and read of many desperate and gallant acts
during the Civil War, but of none that ever surpassed, if in
fact equalled the one I have attempted to describe.

That was more than thirty-six years ago, and some of the
brave boys “who charged artillery with artillery” have doubt-
less passed away. Captain Ellis, however, is still alive, and
residing at Garysburg, where as an accomplished and success-
ful physician, he has filled a useful life full of gentle acts, and
crowned it with the esteem.and affection of the people of that
section.”

DEFENCE OF WILMINGTON.

After General Pickett’s failure before New Bern, there
were no more movements of importance involving the Third
North Carolina Battalion until about 1 November, 1864.
Major J. W. Moore was ordered to leave his post at Kenans-
ville, in Duplin county, and with Battery A, to report to Brig-
adier-General Louis Hebert, then commanding the defences at
the mouth of Cape Fear river. The battalion was thus once