564 - Norta Caroiina Troops, 1861-65.

ride in the wagons. The quick manner in which General
MacRae had them out, and his stringent’ regulations for the
march furnished on the first day of his coming into command
of the brigade, the opportunity of establishing his control.
Officers and men felt that laxity of discipline was at an end,
and to the consequent grumbling in camp by a few, succeeded
an absolute faith in the commander. His exact discipline
prepared them for the trying ordeal through which they were
to pass from new to the end.

The only change in the staff was the substitution of Lieu-
tenant Joseph E. Porter, A. D. C., for Lieutenant Stoddard,
who went with General Kirkland to his new command; and
later, when Captain Nash was made Assistant Adjutant-
General to Walker’s Virginia Brigade, Captain Alexander
T. Cunningham was appointed Ordnance Officer.

For some reason the brigade was detached from Heth’s
Division, and it was for a long time under the command of
General Mahone, who did not spare it. If there was any
hard work or hard fighting to be done, MacRae’s Brigade was
appointed to the task. For example: Because of the try-
ing character of the service in the trenches in and near the
Crater, where the works of the two armies were very close to
each other, and a ceaseless fire day and night was kept up, it
was usual to retain the troops in them only three days at a
time. We were in them eight days consecutively, and were
then marched out to join in an attack on Warren’s fortifica-
tions on the Weldon Railroad, which commencing early on 21
Angust, lasted for us all day; for after driving in the pickets
and advance line of the enemy, the brigade found itself alone
in front of the works, too weak to go on and too near to re-
treat. We were compelled to wait under fire, for night to
conceal our withdrawal. The command behaved splendidly.

Seven brigades had attacked on the flank and failed, yet
we were put in to do the impossible in front. This seemed
to make no impression on the men, who rushed for the works
and would have gone there, probably to their destruetion, had
they not been checked. The brigade was then marched with
the corps to Reams Station to meet Hancock’s Corps, which
was out on an expedition to tear up the Weldon Railroad.

THE PerrigRew-KIRKLAND-MACRAE BrigaDE. 565

The brigade arrived opposite the station late on the 24th,
and was held in reserve until the afternoon of the 25th, when
the troops making the attack in the morning having failed,
another attacking column was formed. Its composition was
Lane’s Brigade under Conner on the left, Cooke’s on the
right supported by MacRae’s—all North Carolina troops ;
and as this was perhaps the most brilliant of the many affairs
which occurred in the siege of Petersburg, one of which all
has not hitherto been told, and as I believe that General Mac-
Rae contributed more than any other to its success, I give a
minute account of it.

In front of Lane’s Brigade the trees had been cut down in
such a manner as to make a most formidable abatis. Cooke,
concealed in a wood of small pines, had no obstruction be-
tween him and the enemy. MacRae was in the rear and
partly to the right of Cooke. .

General MacRae having reconnoitered the enemy’s ‘posi-
tion, returned to his command, which was in line and ready,
Taking the right himself and assigning to me the left of the
brigade, he instructed me to walk down my portion of the
line, and say to the men, that beyond the wood was an open
field over which they must pass before reaching the enemy ;
that while advancing through the wood they must be quiet,
but when the field was reached, the charge would begin, and
then every man must yell as though he were a division in
himself, dash for the enemy’s works, and not fire until there.

As I looked into the eyes of the men while giving them
these unusual instructions, it was easy to see that the works
would be taken.

MacRae was not to advance until Cooke did. From our
position we could not see when Lane’s, which was the direct-
ing brigade, moved. Cooke could and did see, but did not
join in the movement.

Apprised of the advance of Lane’s Brigade by its “rebel
yell,” MacRae waited a little while on Cooke and then gave
the command “Forward.” The instructions to advance
quietly at first, were forgotten by the men in their eagerness,
and with a “yell” which reached the enemy’s line and sent
their shots into the tops of the trees, the brigade absolutely