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350 NortH CARroLina Troops, 1861~’65.

Starr’s Battery took part in the investment of Washington,
N. C., under command of General D. H. Hill, and, after the
evacuation of that place by the Federals, formed part of its
garrison, with Lieutenant-Colonel John O. Vanhook, of the
Fiftieth Regiment, commanding the post. During that time
a disastrous fire, which broke out about midday, destroyed
nearly one-half of the beautiful town.

For the last year of its service Starr’s Battery (Company
B) was under the admirable command of Captain G. B. At-
kins—for part of the time before he received his captain’s
commission, Captain Benj. Rush was suspended of his com-
mand, kept under arrest in camp, and finally deprived of his
commission. The vacancy thus caused in the commissioned
staff was filled by the promotion of Sergeant Isaac Jessup to
the Second Lieutenancy. In September, 1864, the battery
was at Wilmington. 88 Off. Rec. Union and Confed. Armies,
1225.

At the last battle of Kinston, 8 March, 1865, one part of
the battery was stationed on the banks of the Neuse river be-
low the town, while the other held a position southwest of the
place, across the river, on the brow of the hill, where the brunt
of the Federal attack was made in overwhelming force. Here
Private George Gee was killed, and his body was borne from
the field, on the ammunition chest of the gun, in the arms of
Sergeant Jessup. Gee was one of “the bravest of the brave.”

The Federals poured into Kinston on the very heels of the
retreating Confederates, and in a few moments fires were
burning in the streets in the destruction of cotton and other

government stores. ‘T’he forces holding the left of our line,
including part of Starr’s Battery, under command of Colonel
Stephen D. Pool, retreated to Goldsboro, destroying the
bridges behind them as they advanced.

BENTONVILLE.

On 17 March, 1865, the battery reached Smithfield, N. C.,
as part of Hoke’s Division, and on the 18th that command
formed a junction with that part of General Joseph E. John-
ston’s army under General Hardee, which was marching
from Fayetteville. Sherman was moving from the latter

THIRTEENTH BATTALION. 3851

place towards Goldsboro in two sections of his numerous and
finely appointed army, the columns about a day’s march apart,
and General Johnston’s plan was to attack Sherman’s left
wing, separated from the right. On the 19th Hoke’s Divis-
ion reached Bentonville, Johnston County, and took position
on the left of a large and deserted old plantation, heavily
wooded on each side, through which one main road ran, and
along which the division was stationed, with a part of Lieu-
tenant-General Hardee’s Corps. Starr’s Light Artillery,
after remaining in column in the road for some time—during
which the gallant John Murphy was struck down by one of
the enemy’s shells, and one arm torn to pieces, he afterwards
dying in hospital—took the right center of the line on the
edge of the field, supported on the right by Colonel John W.
Hinsdale’s Junior Reserves, the whole Junior Brigade being
under command of Colonel J. H. Nethereutt. The battery
was commanded by Captain George B. Atkins, as brave a sol-
dier as ever entered the Confederate service, who, although
in fearfully bad health and always racked by physical suf-
fering, was ever at his post of duty. This officer, finding a
wooden house in front of a North Carolina Regiment
serving as a shelter for the enemy’s sharpshooters, dislodged
them by a few well-directed shots from two Napoleons, and
they were seen hurrying out from the building, amid the
cheers of the Confederates. During the afternoon of the
19th the enemy repeatedly charged our line, where it was held
by Hoke’s Division, but was as often repulsed, though the
never ceasing artillery fire was causing many casualties in
our ranks.

On the morning of the 20th, couriers brought the news that
the two wings of the Federal army had been united, and that
the left, once driven back, was coming up heavily reinforced,
on Hoke’s Division. This necessitated a change of position,
and that officer reformed his line, parallel to the county road,
to which he had before heen aligned at right angles. From
11:80 to 4:00 o’cloek the whole united columns of Sherman
made attack after attack upon this part of the line, composed
of 6,200 men, with only such intrenchments as could be
thrown up with the bayonet, but were driven back with seri-

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