430 NortH Carorina Troops, 1861~’65.

tenant Denson given the charge of the erection of the works
near Smithfield, with the company. As laborers on these
works, several hundred “galvanized Yankees,” as they were
ealled in camp, were also sent to the writer. They had been
prisoners from the Union army confined at Salisbury and had
then taken the oath and enlisted under the Confederacy. But
they were not trusted with arms, were uniformed in a very
bright butternut colored cottonade and furnished with in-
trenching tools.

But the works were only fairly begun when the menacing
attitude of Sherman, reinforced ‘by Foster at Goldsboro, and
the activity of Grant at Petersburg demanded precautions in
Johnston’s rear. Every bridge on the Neuse had been car-
ried away by the repeated freshets. The company was or-
dered to Milburnie to build a substantial bridge upon cribs
filled with stone for the passage of Johnston’s artillery and
trains. This work was pushed night and day, and when
nearly finished was left with the command under temporary
charge of Captain Sweetman, an artillery officer who had
some experience in engineering, while, under special order
by General Johnston, Captain Winder and Lieutenant Den-
son alone made rapid military reconnoissances of the terri-
tory of the Tar river sixteen hours daily in the saddle, learn-
ing the fords, roads, ete. Their orders also included a route
to the Roanoke, with Gaston on the right flank. This indi-
cates preparations for a junction between Lee and Johnston.
But at this moment, the army was put in full retreat, the
bridge being finished on Sunday, 9 April, when the head of
the‘column was only seven miles distant.

Here General J. E. Johnston informed Captain Winder
that General Bragg had been ordered to the southwest, with
his staff, and that he claimed Company A, Second Engineers,
as part of his department, and as escort. Captain Winder
was promoted to Major (deserved years before) and placed
upon his personal staff by General Johnston, and Lieutenant
Denson ordered to command the company, and take the en-
gineer train, including 300 slaves from the Cape Fear, with
tools, ete., to accompany Bragg.

At Morrisville, after the first day’s march from Milburnie,

Corps oF ENGINEERS. 431

we learned the surrender of Lee at Appomattox, but the men
of Company A remained faithful to duty. General Bragg
had a numerous staff and many accessions were made of of-
ficers and stragglers moving south who refused to surrender
in Virginia, but no other organized command. The writer
having charge of the escort, without commissary service, sup-
plied the troops, under orders, from the county tithing sta-
tions, moving by Pittsboro, Carthage, Troy, Albemarle,
Monroe, and finally into South Carolina, where a battery of
artillery, and a portion of Lipseomb’s Second South Carolina
(cavalry) joined us in camp southeast of Chester. Captain
Hawks had rejoined from the hospital, while on the march,
but was not called upon for duty.

Here orders were read on dress parade, creating General
Bragg Commander-in-Chief of a department, from the south-
ern line of North Carolina to the Gulf. But General J. E.
Johnston having surrendered 26 April, a final order was
read, thanking the troops for their fidelity in remaining by
the colors to the last, and instructing us to return to our res-
pective States, and acquaint the senior Confederate officer
residing within the same, with our address, and “await or-
ders from the War Department.”

This was the last order to a company of North Carolina
troops during the war east of Asheville, and the next morn-
ing we disbanded, most of the negroes and remaining men
leaving for the east, after crossing the Catawba river. The
writer reached home horseback, at Pittsboro, 7 May.

Unfortunately he has access to no roll of the men whose
superb endurance, courage and fidelity deserve lasting com-
memoration. The non-commissioned officers often had the

. responsibility of Captains, on detached duty, and were of a

high order. Sergeants Hardison, Leggett and Basket are re-
membered only, of these. All believed they were on the way
to the Trans-Mississippi for the prolongation of the war.
There was no attachment to Bragg whatever, as there had
been to Whiting—but the sense of duty was paramount, as
long as a shred of hope remained. In this, it may be said,
that they were true Tar Heels.

This sketch has somewhat been lengthened, because the