On 3 January, 1865, while the regiment was at Camp McLean, near
Goldsboro, it was finally organized by the election of Captain John
W. Hinsdale, Colonel; W. F. French, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain
A. B. Ellington, Major. On 7 January the last two were assigned
to duty. Frank M. Hamlin, one of the gallant young officers who
refused to surrender with Major Reece, was appointed Adjutant.
But from time to time Lieutenants W. W. King, Andrew J. Burton
and Frank S. Johnson, son of Senator R. W. Johnson, of Arkansas,
who had shortly theretofore left the University of North Carolina
and volunteered in the Third Regiment, acted as Adjutant. J. K.
Huston was appointed Quartermaster Sergeant, and George B. Haigh,
of Fayetteville, grandson of the Hon. George E. Badger, Commissary
Sergeant. Drs. E. B. Simpson and J. S. Robinson were assigned to
the regiment as Surgeon and Assistant Surgeon.
The companies composing the regiment were then lettered and
designated as follows:
COMPANY A--_From Guilford County_--Captain, John W. Pitts.
COMPANY B--_From Alamance and Forsyth Counties_--Captain, A. L.
Lancaster.
COMPANY C--_From Stokes and Person Counties_--Captain, R. F.
Dalton.
COMPANY D--_From New Hanover, Brunswick and Columbus
Counties_--Captain, John D. Kerr.
COMPANY E--_From Catawba County_--Captain, J. R. Gaither.
COMPANY F--_From Iredell and Rowan Counties_--Captain, W. G.
Watson.
COMPANY G--_From Burke and Caldwell Counties_--Captain, L. A.
Bristol.
COMPANY H--_From Cumberland, Robeson and Harnett
Counties_--Captain, D. S. Byrd.
COMPANY I--_From Richmond County_--Captain, A. B. McCollum.
COMPANY K--_From Rockingham County_--Lieutenant, F. M. Hamlin.
Colonel Hinsdale, upon receiving notice in the city of Raleigh
of his election, at once signified his acceptance, but it was
questioned by General Holmes whether he was eligible under the
orders of the War Department, by reason of the fact that he was not
a disabled officer. The matter was referred to the authorities in
Richmond and after considerable delay the department decided in
Colonel Hinsdale’s favor and he was assigned to the command of the
regiment on 14 February, 1865, by the following all too partial
general order:
“HEADQUARTERS RESERVES NORTH CAROLINA,
RALEIGH, N. C., 14 February, 1865.
_General Orders No. 4._
“Major C. S. Stringfellow, Assistant Adjutant-General
C. S. P. A., will relieve Captain John W. Hinsdale,
Assistant-Adjutant-General of Reserves of North Carolina, and the
latter officer will proceed to join the Third Regiment Reserves
of North Carolina as its Colonel, he having been duly elected to
that office on 3 January, 1865.
“The Lieutenant-General commanding in taking leave of Colonel
Hinsdale, tenders his warm congratulations on his promotion
and earnestly hopes that the intelligence, zeal and gallantry,
which has characterized his services as a staff officer may be
matured by experience into greater usefulness in his new and more
extended sphere.
“THEO. H. HOLMES,
“Lieutenant-General Commanding.”
While at Camp McLean, near Goldsboro, the regiment was ordered to
Halifax to repel another Federal raid. It remained there only a
day or two, the enemy having withdrawn. It returned to Goldsboro
where it remained drilling and doing guard duty until the last
of January. It was then ordered to Kinston and camped near the
beautiful home of Colonel John C. Washington. It was here employed
in constructing the breastworks and fortifications for the defence
of the town and especially of the county bridge across the Neuse
river. Kinston was in easy reach from New Bern and had been visited
by many Federal raiding parties from time to time. Our boys were
heartily welcomed by the good people of that town.
The rations which were issued to officers and men while here and at
Goldsboro were very scant. They consisted of half a pint of black
sorghum syrup, a pint of husky meal every other day, a third of
a pound of pork or Nassau bacon and a few potatoes occasionally.
The old soldiers will all remember Nassau bacon, a very gross,
fat, porky substance which ran the blockade at Wilmington and
was distributed among Lee’s veterans as bacon. When a ration of
cornfield peas was issued, the boys were in “high jinks” indeed.
But never was there collected together more uncomplaining men. They
recognized the fact that the Confederacy was doing for them its
best.