From February to the tenth of May, the following men had joined our
company: Benjamin Burnsides, Henry Coble, R. L. Coltrain, John
Coltrain, D. L. Clark, John Cannady, W. W. Underwood, Jas. Hall, Jas.
R. Wiley, Hugh Hall, Wash. Williams, Lewis N. Isley, Stephen D.
Winbourne, W. W. McLean, Geo. H. Woolen, Wm. McFarland, Sam'l Young,
Lemuel May, Thos. L. Greeson, Rasper Poe, B. N. Smith, J. M. Edwards,
John H. Smith, R. L. Smith, Wm. Seats, Paisley Sheppard, Newton
Kirkman, James Lemons, Wm. Horney, Silas C. Dodson (rejoined), Jas. E.
McLean, Wm. May, S. F. McLean, E. F. Shuler, and J. J. Thom.
Samuel Park Weir, who had acted as chaplain to our company, in
connection with his duties as a private soldier, was transferred, in
May, to the 46th North Carolina regiment, to accept the office of
Lieutenant in one of the companies of that regiment. When the war
commenced, Sam was at the Theological Seminary in Columbia, S.C.
Leaving his studies, he shouldered his musket and entered the ranks of
the Grays in April, 1861. At the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13th,
1862, as his regiment was passing in our rear, at the foot of Marye's
Hill, Sam halted a moment to speak to Col. Gilmer, who had been
wounded as we were moving into our position, and was advising him to
leave the field. While thus conversing with the colonel and the
writer, he was struck by a minie-ball, and instantly killed, falling
lifeless at our feet. His remains were carried to Greensboro, and
buried in the Presbyterian burying-grounds.
On the front line, he crossed the silent stream, leaving behind him
the fragrant memory of a name engraven to remain in the affections of
his comrades, and an example of modesty, purity, courage, and devotion
to principle unsurpassed. He sleeps the sleep of the blessed, and no
spot of earth contains a more gallant soldier, a truer patriot, or a
more faithful and sincere friend--
"Sleep, soldier! Still, in honored rest,
Your truth and valor wearing:
The bravest are the tenderest--
The loving are the daring."
On the 31st of May we folded our tents, made our preparations for a
hasty adieu to North Carolina, and left Kinston for the seat of war in
Virginia. We reached Richmond about one o'clock on the first of June.
As we neared the city, we could hear distinctly the guns of the battle
of Seven Pines, and as soon as we reached the depot, we were ordered
to the battle-field. We were marched rapidly through Richmond, all
anxious to take part in the battle now raging. Before we arrived on
the field, the fight had been fought and won, and our services were
not called for.
On the following day we were assigned to Gen. J. G. Walker's brigade,
and ordered into camp at Drury's Bluff, where we remained,
constructing fortifications, until the latter part of June. While in
camp here, B. N. Smith substituted Paul Crutchfield. Dr. L. G. Hunt,
acting surgeon of our company, was appointed assistant surgeon of the
regiment. "Gwyn," with his amiable and handsome hospital steward, C.
M. Parks, of the Orange Guards, continued to prescribe "them thar
pills" until the war ended.
On the 27th of June, 1862, the memorable "Seven Days' Fight" around
Richmond began. The Grays formed a portion of the reserve under Gen.
Holmes, and were marched from battle-field to battle-field, receiving
the shells of the enemy, and acting as targets for their sharp
shooters. On the 29th, Gen. Holmes crossed from the south side of the
James River, and on the 30th, being re-enforced by Gen. Wise's
brigade, moved down the river road with a view to gain, near to
Malvern Hill, a position which would command the supposed route of
McClellan's retreating army. We were posted on this road at New
Market, which was supposed to be the route McClellan would pursue in
his retreat to the James. Our generals and their guides, being
ignorant of the country, subsequently learned there was another road
running by the Willis church which would better serve the purpose of
the retreating foe, and we were moved to a position on this road. Here
we remained under the fire of the enemy's gun-boats, whose huge,
shrieking shells crashing through the trees and bursting in our midst,
inspired a degree of terror not justified by their effectiveness. The
dust created by our march gave the enemy a knowledge of our position,
and caused the gun-boats to open this heavy fire upon us. Instead of
finding the enemy a straggling mass, as had been reported, they were
entrenched between West's house and Malvern Hill, commanding our
position with an open field between us.
General Holmes' artillery opened fire upon the enemy's infantry, which
immediately gave way, and simultaneously their batteries, of
twenty-five or thirty guns, and their gun-boats made a cross-fire upon
us. Their force, both in infantry and artillery, being vastly superior
to ours, any attempt upon our part to make an assault being considered
worse than useless, we were withdrawn at night-fall. The enemy kept up
their cannonading until after dark.
On the 1st of July, late in the afternoon, line of battle was formed
and orders were issued for a general advance at a given signal, and
the bloody battle of Malvern Hill began. Several determined efforts
were made to storm Crews Hill; "brigades advanced bravely across the
open field raked by the fire of a hundred cannon and the muskets of
large bodies of infantry. Some were broken and gave way; others
approached close to the guns, driving back the infantry, compelling
the advance batteries to retire to escape capture and mingling their
dead with those of the enemy. For want of co-operation the assaults of
the attacking columns were too weak to break the enemy's line, and
after struggling gallantly, sustaining and inflicting great loss, they
were compelled successively to retire. The firing continued until
after 9 p.m., but no decided result was gained. At the cessation of
firing several fragments of different commands were lying down and
holding their ground within a short distance of the enemy's line, and
as soon as the fighting ceased an informal truce was established by
common consent. Parties from both armies, with lanterns and litters,
wandered over the field seeking for the wounded, whose groans could
not fail to move with pity the hearts of friends and foe." McClellan
withdrew with his army during the night, and hastily retreated to
Harrison's landing on the James.