BRANCH-LANE BRIGADE.

Reuben P. Campbell, Colonel, 7th Regiment.

J. MeLeod Turner, Lieut.-Colonel, 7th Regiment.
Wm. Lee Davidson, Lieut.-Colonel, 7th Regiment.
Wesley M. Campbell, Surgeon, 7th Regiment. —
Pinckney C. Carlton, Captain, Co. A., 7th Regiment.
F. D. Stockton, Adjutant, 7th Regiment

 

THE BRANCH-LANE BRIGADE.

By BRIGADIER-GENERAL JAMES H. LANE.

This brigade was organized at Kinston and left the State
for Virginia as a North Carolina Brigade, under General L.
O’B. Branch. It was composed of the Seventh, Eighteenth,
Twenty-eighth, Thirty-third and Thirty-seventh North Caro-
lina regiments, and there was no change in its composition
throughout the war. It was known as “Branch’s Brigade”
till after General Branch’s death at Sharpsburg 17 Septem-
ber, 1862, and then as “Lane’s Brigade” from the writer’s
promotion shortly thereafter to Brigadier-General, till 9
April, 1865. After reaching the Old Dominion, it was or-
dered over the mountains ostensibly to reinforce Jackson, but
it did not cross the Blue Ridge. It was marched backwards
and forwards between the foot of the mountains and a little
town called Criglersville to deceive the enemy whose signal
station was in full view, and whose flag was kept constantly
waving during the day. It was then suddenly ordered back to
Gordonsville, from which point it was moved rapidly by rail
to Hanover Court House. Shortly afterwards it made a gal-
lant fight at Slash Church and Kinney’s Farm against an
overwhelming force of infantry, artillery and cavalry under
Fitz John Porter, and was handsomely complimented by Gen-
eral Lee in a written communication which was read on
parade. It was then assigned to A. P. Hill’s Light Division.

Tt was the first brigade of Lee’s Army to cross the Chicka-
hominy, which it did near “Half Link,” and sweeping down
its eastern bank, it cleared the way for the division to cross at
Meadow Bridge. The official reports tell how nobly it
fought and how terribly it suffered in those memorable seven
days fights around Richmond.

At Cedar Run it was the first brigade of Hill’s Division to
go into action, and it there gallantly repulsed the enemy’s
infantry and cavalry, and restored Jackson’s disordered left.

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