496 Nortu CaAro.tina Troops, 1861-’65.

they were armed with the Spencer repeating rifles. Real-
izing how great would be the loss of his men in such a charge,
General Hoke importuned General Lee, who was directing
the movement in person, not to order it to be made; but to
select a new line of defence on ground equally as favorable
and which his nen were then holding. General Lee’s reply
was that he would first reduce the enemy’s works by his artil-
lery before the assault should be made, and create a diversion
by an attack on the enemy’s flank simultaneously with Hoke’s
advance. In answer to the question where would the ar-
tillery he placed, the point was designated by the General of
Artillery. Said General Hoke: “I had rather you would
not fire a shot from your guns, sir! You will demoralize my
men more by your shells falling short and bursting among
my men, than you will inflict damage on the enemy. If you
will bring your guns up to my line and charge with my troops
you may do some good, but not otherwise.”

“But,” said the Artillery General, “my horses will all get
killed.” ‘Yes,’ says General Hoke, ‘and my men are going
to be killed. Are your horses of more value than the lives of
my soldiers?’ The Artillerist had his way. He cannon-
aded the enemy; the ground shook with the mighty coneus-
sion; the smoke enveloped the field, the enemy retreated un-
der the protection of his earth works. At the given signal,
Clingman’s Brigade rushed for the works. As one man the
enemy flashed his defiance from a thousand guns; the flank
attack miscarried ; the supports failed to come up; the charg-
ing line melted away; the fort was reached but no farther.
As many as were able, in the darkness of the night got back
to our lines. The wounded and captured were taken to north-
ern hospitals and northern prisons. The dead were buried
under the flag of truce, but the artillery horses were saved.

The brigade felt the losses sustained in this assault the
balance of the war. It could never afterwards reeruit up
its depleted ranks. About a third of those in the charge were
either killed, wounded or captured. The wounded were
probably all captured, as towards night the enemy sent over
the works a body of men who captured all those lying on the
ground wounded or unable to get hack to our lines. A few

CLINGMAN’sS BRIGADE. A497

of those unhurt favored by their location and the darkness,
made their escape, but many were too close up to the works
to get away and were taken prisoners as above stated.
Among the wounded and captured were Captain Wm, H.
S. Burgwyn and First Lieutenant L. Banks Holt, command-

-ing Company I, Eighth Regiment. Lieutenant Holt was

shot through the thigh and the bone fractured, entailing a
long and painful recovery. He was confined at Point Look-
out and Fort Delaware prisons until released in June, 1865.

Hector McKethan, the young, chivalrous and daring Col-
onel of the Fifty-first, was in command of the Brigade, and
as long as he lived never could speak of this day without quiv-
ering lips and moistened eye when he described the fearful
slaughter of his brave men in so hopeless an undertaking.
The writer well remembers Colonel McKethan’s anxious so-
licitude for the result of the assault as he lay on the ground
awaiting the signal to charge. It was the first occasion on
which Colonel McKethan commanded the brigade in a fight
and he was supremely anxious the men should acquit them-
selves creditably in the trying ordeal. He never tired in
his encomiums upon the officers and men for their gallant con-
duct on this occasion. The supports utterly failed to come
to his assistance.

THE FALL OF. FORT FISHER.

From the disastrous attempt to capture Fort Harrison,
until 22 December, 1864, Hoke’s Division-did duty defend-
ing the lines protecting Richmond north of the James river.
On that day the division was ordered to Wilmington, N. C.,
and taking the cars at Richmond we reached Wilmington
about the 28th of the month. 5

Going into quarters at Camp Whiting, on 12 January,
1865, we were ordered to Sugar Loaf Battery, about four
miles from Fort Fisher, and proceeded to fortify.

In the assault on Fort Fisher 15 January, 1865, the divis-
ion made a demonstration in the direction of the fort, but ac-
complished but little. After the fall of Fort Fisher, the
Confederate forces remained confronting the enemy until 18
February, 1865, when they fell back towards Wilmington

32