450 Nort CaroLina Troops, 1861-’65.

the cause of the South. The Second Regiment had been
brigaded with them early in the war.

On leaving the Valley of Virginia, the greater part of
Early’s command under Gordon proceeded at once to Peters-
burg and were placed behind the intrenchments erected for
the protection of that town. Soon my brigade was detached
from the division for important and special duty north of the
Appomattox, with orders to “make all reports and forward all
matter directly to General Lee’s headquarters”; a signal act
of confidence, as only steady troops were trusted to guard the
several miles of river front, on which we were stationed, from
any advance of the enemy in this direction.

The corps of sharpshooters who were under the command
of the brave and fearless Colonel H. A. Brown, of the Third
North Carolina Regiment, did not accompany me, and it may
be here stated that this body of sharpshooters were really
about the size of an ordinary regiment, and in their assault
upon Hare’s Hill 25 March, 1865, which soon after occurred,
were first to penetrate the enemy’s lines and make important
captures. When Lee decided to assault and break Grant’s
lines in front of the Hill, he endeavored to concentrate all his
available forces at this centre. A courier was sent to me
with orders to move at once to the point of intended assault.
This courier lost his way during the night, which loss of time,
together with the concentration of my troops, delayed my
movements until early dawn. Not apprised of the contem-
plated movement, my first intimation of the conflict was
given by the booming of artillery and the sharp, quick re-
ports of the small arms. Leaving my brigade moving with
a quick step, I put spurs to my horse and sought General Lee.
As I dashed across the Appomattox bridge into the town I
was surprised to find so many Federal soldiers coming down
the street and, for the moment, my impression was they had
broken through our lines. But I quickly discovered they
were disarmed and our prisoners. Keeping on, I found Gen-
eral Lee standing alone in old Blandford Cemetery, looking
thoughtfully on at the battle, whose tide had begun to turn
against us; for the Federals recovering from their surprise,
with reserves already in the rear, soon concentrated, and with

Tue ANDEeRSON-RAMSEUR-Cox BRIGADE. 451

overwhelming numbers repulsed us. Inquiring what.I was
to do, the General, calm and seemingly unmoved, quietly
directed me to hurry up the brigade, take it into the covered
way leading up to our intrenchments, and cover the retreat.
Hastening back to join the brigade, I moved it through the
covered way, deployed my troops along the line, and protected
the retreat of the army, which was rapidly falling back.
Soon everything except picket firing was again quiet. The
opposing lines were then not exceeding two hundred yards
apart. Between these lines lay the dead and wounded, who
had suffered in this contest. A white flag was now raised on
the Federal breastworks, which was responded to on our
side, and an agreement for a truce was made in order to
remove those who had suffered, who lay in great numbers over
the space of the conflict. In this interval, General M. W.
Ransom and myself entered the intervening space, and were
soon joined by a few Federal officers, who promptly said:
“Gentlemen, won’t you have some commissary ?”’ for they
knew full well this article was a scarce commodity on our
side. We promptly accepted the proffered hospitality. As
they unbraced their flasks and handed them to us, a Federal
officer, struck with the novelty of our surroundings, remarked
“TIsn’t this strange? A few hours ago we were endeavoring
to kill each other; now we are engaged in exchanging hospi-
talities and in friendly conversation.” And thus was illus-
trated that between the brave men of these two armies who
had so long and desperately contended for the mastery, there
was no personal animosity, no enmity, and no reserve. Of
one race, of one country, reared under the same institutions,
each man fought heroically for the right, as he saw it, and
accorded to his enemy equal sincerity and patriotism. Yet
let us not forget that there were ever in the rear on either side
malingerers and black flag advocates, who “did not care how
many of their wives kin were sacrificed, provided they were
permitted to remain out of the reach of danger.”

This assault upon the enemy’s lines having miscarried, it
became necessary to strengthen the lines with additional
troops. I was consequently recalled and placed on the right
of Grimes’ Division, where skirmishing and picket firing was