188 Nort Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

intrenched camp beyond Fort Worth at the northwest corner
of the town. Company I, of the F ifty-sixth, under Captain
Harrill, was sent in advance of the regiment with orders to
keep along the river, and was thus the first company to enter
the town, and about sunrise captured twenty artillerists, who
were serving the 200-pound gun intended for the Albemarle,
which was proceeding up the river with our line and secured
Captain Cooke from further opposition of any moment.

A cotemporaneous account of the operations of the F ifty-
sixth, dated 1 May, 1864, was written by Major Jno. W.
Graham signed “Tar Heel,” and at the special request of
Captain Frank N. Roberts, who sent it to the Fayetteville
Observer, and this has been elaborated from his war journal
and researches by its historian, Captain R. D. Graham.
Out of somewhat voluminous data, what is here stated must
be condensed to come within the proper limits.

Fortunately we had no forts to encounter directly in our
front, but there were other obstacles nearly as formidable.
First, a large herd of cattle, which we drive to a deep canal
in our front, when with wild snorts of terror, they turn and
break through our line of battle. Into this ditch more than
six feet deep, we have to go and climb out on the other side
and again form our line. The next obstacle is a terrible
swamp of untried and therefore unknown bottom, through
which we flounder, many wet to the waist, and some all over,
from falling down.

Getting through the swamp our line is quickly formed
again, but here we receive an oblique fire from our left, and
under a heavy shower of “minies” go up a hill and drive an
opposing regiment from the shelter of houses and palings on
the eastern end of the town, between Water and Second
streets. Here the Twenty-fifth comes up and enters the
town on our right. We have several killed and wounded,
and among the killed, Jas. W. Hall, of Company D.

A part of the Fifty-sixth enter on Second street and pro-
ceed as far as Madison street; but Major Graham appre-
hending that this (Second) street would be swept by artil-
lery, as we have reached an open square, throws the regiment
forward into line with the left resting on Second street, and

THE CAPTURE OF PLYMOUTH. 189

the right extending over to Water street, which the other
part has entered under Colonel Faison.. Lieutenant-Colonel
Luke has been gallantly leading the extreme right.

Second street is now swept by a terrific fire from the guns
at the western end. The advance is steadily continued, but
bullets seem to come from every direction, both from houses
and excavations in the ground. Our line pushes down fences,
jerks off palings and presses forward, passing Adams, Wash-
ington and Jefferson streets. On this last we get a cross fire
from Fort Williams which is especially severe. Lieutenants
Palmer, Holton and Thornton have fallen wounded, and
many of the men. We next reach Monroe street and in ad-
vance of any other regiment on either side.

Here Company B, under Captain Roberts, with Colonel
Faison, keep to the right of the swamp beginning at this
point, as heretofore described. They thus become detached
and aid in the capture of Fort Worth and the intrenched
camp, at the west end of Water street, which makes a hot
fight kept up until about 10 a. m., when Colonel Dearing
reaches this point with one of his guns, and its capture is ef-
fected. Company I, under Captain Harrell has, as already
stated, captured the artillerists around the big gun, and also
strikes the entrenchments just north of the marsh, and secures
the surrender of prisoners at that point, and the most effec-
tive service during the rest of the battle is to hold them
securely—the intervening hill and swamp separating them
from both contending forces who are continuing the contest.

The other eight companies of the regiment keep to the
left of the swamp, under Major Graham, and capture the
battery of artillery which has been raking Second street.

As we now pass from beyond the cover of the houses, the
Yankees are pouring a hot fire into us from the intrenched
camp on the western breastworks between Second and Third
streets, somewhat to our left, and we find the Twenty-fourth

" engaged with them in front. As we are about to charge, the

white flag goes up, and the surrender is made to Major Gra-
ham, who directs Captain Lockhart, of Company E, to take
charge of the prisoners. The flag of the Fifty-sixth is handed
to Major Graham on the breastworks and waved by him to