492 Norra Carona Troops, 1861-’65.

COLD HARBOR.

We remained facingGeneral Butler’s army which was *‘hot-
tled up” in Bermuda Hundreds, our pickets daily subject to
the fire of the enemy’s sharpshooters and the gun-boats in the
river, but meeting with few casualties, until the night of 30
May, 1864, when the division hurriedly left for Richmond ;
and next afternoon was in a severe fight near Cold Harbor in
which Captain Edward White, Assistant Adjutant-General of
the brigade, was painfully wounded by a piece of shell. Early
next morning we began to entrench the best we could, using
our bayonets, tin cups and hands. There was more or less
fighting all day in our front, when about 5 p. m. the brigade,
intent on defending its lines from an attack from the front,
were surprised by seeing a large force of the enemy emerge
from the woods in our rear in line of battle preparing for a
charge.

‘Ag was afterwards ascertained, the troops on our immedi-
ate left had been ordered to another part of the field and none
had been sent to take their places. The enemy perceiving
this, had hurried a division of infantry through this unde-
fended part of our lines and formed to take us in the rear.

life, as the men fired as I fell. one ball passing through the brim of my
hat. Rising with a shout, I rushed past the pits, and the Yankees sur-
rendered incrowds. I had then just time to hand the colors to the color-
bearer, when I fell down almost fainting, and a severe fit of vomiting
seized me; but by the time the regiment had gotten somewhat into line,
this passed off and seeing a piece of artillery about 250 yards distant firing
at us, I again seized the colors and called on the men to charge the bat-
tery. With a yell that must have caused the Yankees to quake, we
started, passed by the gun and kept on at full speed to charge the enemy’s
main line of battle about 450 yards off, posted behind rifle pits. Giving
the colors to the color-bearer. I ran in advance, took off my hat, waved
it over my head, cheering as loud as I could, which was not very loud,
as I was now as hoarse asa raven. The first to reach the works I fell
down again exhausted, but rising up as the men commenced to mount
the works, I climbed over and we started after the flying enemy. But
now, not only in our immediate front, but on both flanks the enemy
were in tremendous odds, and opened fire on us. With the enemy 1n
front and on both flanks and no supports, we fell back. first to the last
works we charged. and then tothe next, and finally to the line of the
enemy we first struck in the charge, and there reformed. é
About 5 p. m., we started in pursuit with General Bushrod Johnson's
Brigade and halted for the night close up to the enemy, who were In
the woods south of the Half-way House. The Fifty-first regiment lost
about 119, and the Thirty first about 70, in this charge and during the
day’s fighting. Next day the brigade pursued Butler’s army to Bermuda

Hundreds.’’—Ep. }

Curmveman’s BrIGapDE. 493

The Eighth Regiment on the extreme left of the brigade was
the first attacked. It made a gallant fight, its commander,
the brave Lieutenant-Colonel John R. Murchison, losing his
life leading his regiment in a counter-charge. For a time
there was much confusion; but to hesitate was to be beaten,
and General Clingman, dispatching Captain Blake for rein-
forcements, but without waiting for instructions, ordered the
men out of the rifle pits, formed them in line of battle, faced
to the rear, and with the Twenty-seventh Georgia Regiment
of Colquitt’s Brigade, which had come to our assistance, gave
the order to charge the advancing foe, who by this time were
in easy range of us and had opened fire. As one man the
line rushed to meet the enemy. The contest was brief, but
bloody. The enemy, flushed with apparent victory, made a
stubborn resistance, but were finally driven back, our lines
re-established and what might have been a disaster affecting
the very safety of the army, resulted in a brilliant victory for
the Confederates and in heavy loss to the Federals. Our
own casualties were large. Captain Burgwyn, who on the
wounding of Captain White, had been assigned to duty as As-
sistant Adjutant-General of the brigade, was badly wounded
in the charge, as was Captain Blake, the Assistant Inspector-
General. The Eighth and Fifty-first Regiments sustained
the heaviest losses. The Eighth regiment, the first attacked,
having to force its way out, was badly eut up; the Fifty-first
Regiment, while gallantly charging under its brave Colonel
McKethan, lost many of its best and bravest, but that im-
portant position was saved to the army. On 2 and 3 June,
Hoke’s Division held its lines at Cold Harbor against Gen-
eral Grant’s desperate assaults to carry the position.

HOKE'S DIVISION.

Assigned to Hoke’s Division, Clingman’s Brigade, helped
to win the victory of Drewry’s Bluff. Transferred to the
northern bank of the James, it aided to save the day at Cold
Harbor. Hurried again to the southern side of the James,
it reached the works defending Petersburg just in time to as-
sist in saving the city on the memorable attack 17 June, 1864.