382 NortH CARoLina Troops, 1861~’65.

attacks of bushwhackers and deserters from both Confederate
and Federal armies who then found hiding places in the
mountains, but some of whose names may not now be un-
known to the pension rolls of the United States,

But the overpowering necessities of the Army of Northern
Virginia in the Spring of 1864 recalled all who could be
spared and many more, from the defence of the homes of
these western counties. This battalion was called to Ral-
eigh and disbanded, its officers and men were sent to Virginia
and absorbed into its fighting, struggling, suffering, but
never despairing army, and shared its sad, but glorious, fate.

T was assigned to duty on the staff of General L. §. Baker,
and followed him in Georgia and South Carolina and in the
eastern district of North Carolina and Southern Virginia to
the end of the war.

Searcely had this battalion reached Raleigh before Colonel
Kirk swept through the passes which they had guarded and
fell upon the conscript camp at Morganton, commanded by
Major Jesse R. McLean, capturing 28 June, 1864, over one
hundred Junior Reserves and carrying those who were not
killed on the way to the prison in Ohio.

It was in the hasty pursuit of Kirk by the citizens of Burke
and the attempt to rescue the prisoners that the lamented
Waighstill W. Avery lost his life.

It very soon became necessary at all hazards to replace this
command with other troops for the protection of the lives and
property of the good people of Western North Carolina.

Jas. O. MacRaz.

Cuapret Hii, N. C.,
12 October, 1901.

NINETEENTH BATTALION.

(MALLETT’s OR HAHR’S BATTALION. )

By THE EDITOR.

This was a battalion of “Light Duty” men, five companies,
commanded by Major F. J. Hahr, a gallant Swede who had
been disabled by wounds. L. L. Prather was Adjutant. It
was originally styled Mallett’s Battalion. The rolls of the
command have been lost, or if in existence, are among the
other captured Confederate rolls in the Record and Pension
Bureau at Washington and not accessible until an act of Con-
gress is passed for their publication. It is probable (but not
certain) that the rolls of the five companies published in
Moore’s Roster, Vol. 4, pp. 284-292, are those of Hahr’s Bat-
talion. Mallett’s Battalion was reported present in the Kin-
ston-Mosely Hall engagements 13-17 December, 1862, under
General N. G. Evans, 207 strong, 26 (Serial) Vol. Off. Ree.
Union and Confed. Armies, 118, 807.

They were used at first as a camp and provost guard at
Raleigh, but on 1 June, 1864, they were at Weldon and re-
ported 349 present. 108 Off. Rec. Union and Confed.
Armies, 988. es

On 28 October, Hahr’s Battalion was sent to Wilmington
and remained there or in that vicinity till after both attacks
on Fort Fisher (25 December, 1864, and 15 January, 1865.)
On 31 January it was still in Wilmington brigaded with the
Seventy-eighth North Carolina under Colonel George Jack-
son, 96 Off. Rec. Union and Confed. Armies, 1187. What
was left of these two commands were at Bentonville where
they fought as “Jackson’s Brigade” and the remnant surren-
dered with Johnston’s army.

383