290 Norra Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

absent on leave and detached service. Judging from the de-
pleted ranks of Company A, it will be safe to say, that less
than fifty men of the battalion returned from the expedi-
tion. The battalion halted at Big Creek Gap only long
enough to feed and rest their tired and starving horses, and
refresh the men with something to sustain the inner man, to
which they had been strangers for the last full week, then
pushed on rapidly as possible and reported to General Pegram
at Maryville, south of Tennessee river, and was ordered toe
Concord to recuperate. The recuperation was of short dura-
tion. It was apparent at this time that the enemy was pre-
paring a forward movement into East Tennessee, as well as
all along the front, bordering the Kentucky line, and it be-
came necessary to utilize all the cavalry force at the com-
mand of the army to watch the movements of the enemy
along the Cumberland river and the eastern Cumberland
Mountain range. The fragment of the Fifth Battalion
slightly increased by this time in numerical strength, under
Lieutenant Garrett was ordered to the front to do outpost
duty along the border of Kentucky; to watch the enemy in
that vicinity, and keep the General in command of the De-
partment of East Tennessee posted as to their movement.

The Battalion did not have long to wait.
JACKSBORO.

The enemy threw a strong force across the Cumberland
Mountain at Big Creek Gap. The battalion hastened across
the mountain and intercepted the enemy at Jacksboro, and
together with the Tenth Confederate Regiment and a Ten-
nessee Regiment attacked the enemy on the road between
Jacksboro and Clinton. A sharp engagement ensued. The en-
emy greatly outnumbered the Confederate forces, and the lat-
ter fell back in the direction of Kingston. The Federal forces
crossed Clinch river above Clinton and went in the direction
of Knoxville, while the Confederates erossed the Clinch be-
low Clinton and fell back on Kingston, where a junction was
formed with the remainder of the brigade, which continued
to fall back on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad.
This movement brought on a fight, which was kept up until

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aise eee roe

FirrH Batra.ion. 291

the brigade crossed the Tennessee river at Loudon and de
stroyed the bridge at that place. The Confederates were on
one side of the river and the Federals were posted on the other
side. A fine opportunity was afforded for an artillery duel
ACTrOss the river which lasted for several hours. The Fifth
Battalion was under fire during the entire cannonading. Here
Major Baird, who had been down with a severe attack of
typhoid fever, appeared and took command of the battalion

which continued to fall back in the direction of Chicka-
mauga. A stand was made at Pea Ridge, and a fierce fight
took place between Scott’s Brigade and a brigade of the ee
emy’s mounted infantry, which lasted all the afternoon and
into the night, when the enemy retreated in confusion. The

Fifth Battalion partici i i
pated in this battl i
great courage and bravery. ee es

ORGANIZATION OF SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.

Here a must take leave of the Fifth North Carolina Bat-
talion of Cavalry, as it goes off the roster as a separate organ-
ization in the military service of the Confederate Ann
being merged into the Sixth Regiment of Cavalry on 8 ie
gust, 1863, by the consolidation of the Fifth Battalion with
Lieutenant-Colonel Folk’s Seventh Battalion. I was not con-
tent to leave the reputation of the brave officers énd private
soldiers who fought by my side during the trying scenes of
that bloody struggle and shared with me the hardshi s of th ,
campaigns of the late war, to the pen of any one a k :
not “ gots deeds and heroic bearing of the men mente
ing the Fifth Battalion of Cavalry. ee
fifth North Carolina (Sixth Orlin). a Th ‘Secten
participated in the great battle of Chickamauga slide the
command of Colonel Folk, and bore themselves with be va
ing bravery and soldierly bearing through the thickest f the
battle. After that battle the regiment was dispatched ‘e ths

assistance of General Longstreet in hi ; ;
Knoxville. ngstreet in his campaign against

PHILADELPHIA, TENN.

At Philadelphia, Tenn., a blood
I Sy y encounter took
between the Sixty-fifth and the enemy’s forces under ee