292 NorrH Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

ing my eye toward the river I saw Brown still on his horse
as he was being assisted across by two friends. Ten paces
perhaps from the landing his horse reared and hurled the
dying man to the ground. He arose to his feet, staggered
once or twice around a small circle, and fell with his face to
the earth. The writer was among the last recrossing the
stream. Hastening to the spot where my dying playmate
lay, I dismounted, gave my reins to Lansing Lowrance, who
dismounted and remained with me. Running to my friend,
I raised him in my arms. Only a few moments passed, his
eyes closed forever to scenes of blood, the brave heart grew
still, and that noble spirit that no face of earthly foe could
daunt, passed bravely, grandly into the great beyond.”

The force was now divided, part having fallen back across
the creek, and part having reached the pines east of the build-
ing. There was no chance to re-unite, and after waiting un-
til dark, the men withdrew, some reaching Moravian Falls
that night. These met the others at “Squire” Hubbard’s next
morning. In retreating under the severe fire from the fort,
the men were compelled to leave the bodies of Linney and
Brown. Wade’s men afterwards buried them near the fort.

These men returned to Alexander County and raised a
large company, a strong force having been brought from Ire-
dell County under the command of Wallace Sharpe. On
Wednesday the force started towards Fort Hamby. After
crossing Cove’s Gap, a courier was sent back to Iredell County
to request Captain Cowan to raise a company and come to
their assistance; also, another courier was sent to Statesville
to an encampment of Federal soldiers to inform them of the
condition of things and to ask their assistance. Before
reaching Moravian Falls, they received a message from
Wade saying, “Come on; I am looking for you; I can whip a
thousand of you.” It was dark when Holman’s Ford was
reached. Some one in the woods before the company ordered
them to halt. The men thought that the order was from
some of Wade’s band and were about to fire upon them, when
it was found out that this was a company from Caldwell
County, under the command of Captain Isaac Oxford, on the
same mission. They had encamped near the ford and had

A Barrie AFTER THE War. 293

thrown out their sentinels. The two companies camped
together that night, and next morning marched up the river
and crossed at a small ford. They came to the house of Mr.
Talbert, who lived on the public road, and there they found a
woman dying. She had been shot the day before by the men
from the fort, while she and her husband were coming to the
ford in a wagon on the opposite side of the river from the fort
—nearly a mile distant.

Mr. Talbert begged the men to return, telling them that
Wade was expecting them, and had sent for reinforcements.
He told them that it was impossible to dislodge him, and to
make an attempt and fail would make it worse for the people.

Captain R. M. Sharpe, of Alexander County, assumed
command of both companies, numbering several hundred
men. W. R. Gwaltney was sent with a small body of men to
reach a high hill, overlooking a creek (Lenoir’s Fork), and
to remain there while all the others marched around to the
north and east of the fort. Gwaltney’s men were to be noti-
fied by the firing of a gun, when the main body had reached
their position. One or two men were seen to escape from the
fort before it could be surrounded. They were fired at, but
escaped. The supposition was that they had gone to get re-
inforecements from the other band. The companies had left
their encampment before day and by daybreak the fort was
surrounded, the men being placed about twenty steps apart.
The soldiers kept up the fire on the fort during the day and
night. Wade’s men returned the fire, shooting with great
accuracy. The soldiers were compelled to keep behind logs
and trees, or out of range of the guns. It seemed impossible
to take the fort. “Some of the bravest men were in favor of
giving it up, while others said death was preferable to being
run over by such devils.”

One old veteran, James Harvey Connolly, was heard to re-
mark, “Well my interest in heaven may not be much, bit
such as it is I would be willing to give it all for a piece of ar-
tillery one hour.” Thursday morning just before daylight,
Wallace Sharpe and two others approached a small house near
the log fort, under cover of the night, and Sharpe set fire to
$t. Wade and his crowd begged for terms. Sharpe in vig-