Those still living at this date (June, 1906,) marked by an *.
*Allen, Rufus; Allen, William; *Beam, Joseph; Blanton, Arthur; *Blanton,
Frank; Barnett, W. Riley; Beaver, David; Bookout, Silas; Bookout,
Marmaduke; Bedford, James; *Blanton, William; Chitwood, J. Marshall;
Cabiness, Thos. P.; *Crowder, Spencer A.; *Crowder, Mike; Crowder, Joseph;
*Crowder, John; Carter, John; *Carter, W. Jackson; Cogdall, Allen;
*Cogdall, Adney; *Cogdall, Perry; Chitwood, William; Davis, Thomas; Davis,
J. Pinkney; Daugherty, Samuel; *Elliott, James C.; Eskridge, Simeon;
Eaker, Jesse; Finch, James; *Fortenbury, Mark; *Fortenbury, Anglis;
*Gantt, Iley; Gibson, Oliver P.; Gaines, Barlet; Green, William; Glodden,
Hosea; *Grigg, John; Grigg, T. Goode; *Grigg, Levi; Hoard, Sabert;
*Hasten, Samuel; *Hasten, William; *Hasten, Frank; Haynes, Mijamon; Hamy,
Judson; Justice, Lewis; Jones, Starlin; Kirby, Monroe; Kennedy,
Alexander; Ledford, McKee; Ledford, John; Louis, Peter; *Lutz, Luther;
Lutz, Frank; Lucas, Christopher; London, Thomas; London, Anonymous;
London, Sidney; London, John; Moore, Spencer; Moore, Asbury; *McMurry,
Bartlett; Michael, Luther; Maynard, a South Carolinian; *Nowlin, Anderson;
Nowlin, John H.; Nowlin, Thos. L.; Newton, Big Son; Newton; Newton, Little
Son; Norman, James; Powell, James S.; Powell, James; *Powell, Isaac;
Powell, Christopher; Price, Peter; *Peeler, David; *Peeler, James;
Phillips, Noah; Pryor, Pinkney; Philbek, David; *Randall, Isaac; Richards,
Wesley; Revels, Wesley; Sanders, Griffin; Sparks, Albert; Smith, Elijah;
Smith, J. Marcus; *Spurlin, Jefferson; Spangler, Johnson; *Suttle, D. B.
F.; Thompson, George; *Teseneer, John A.; *Wolfe, W. Cathy; Webb, John;
Webb, Frank; Wesson, Dobbins; *Weathers, Sidney; Weathers, Albert;
Wellmon, William; White, Moses; *Wright, Sanders; Wright, Winslow; Wright,
Riley.
Making in all 135 men and officers, with probably a few more that died
before I joined the company. John H. Nowlin had served three years in a
Mississippi regiment before he was transferred to Company F, and he had
been wounded twice. O. P. Gibson was transferred to Forty-ninth Regiment,
and was severely wounded. Isaac Randall exchanged with Maynard, and went
to a South Carolina regiment, and was in the regiment blown up at the
Crater. Christopher Powell was transferred from Thirty-eighth Regiment.
William Blanton was company commissary. He was elected Lieutenant in
Captain David Magness' company, Thirty-eighth Regiment, and transferred.
George Thompson was then company commissary. Dobbins Wesson was regiment
mail boy, then Rufus W. Gardner took his place. William Green shot and
killed himself while hunting deserters. David Philbeck was the first man
to die; he died of measles. Ben. A. Jenkins was the last man to die; he
died in Point Lookout prison.
The Fifty-sixth Regiment N. C. Troops served under Generals Bob Ransom,
Martin Pryor, and then under Brig-Gen. Matt. W. Ransom, with
Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth, Thirty-fifth and Forty-ninth Regiments N. C.
Troops. For more than a year the Fifty-sixth operated on the line from
Petersburg, Va., to Wilmington, N. C., in protecting that railroad and
coast country. In the spring of 1863, the Fifty-sixth was deployed on
picket duty in Gum Swamp, below Kinston; the Federals cut it off and
attempted its capture. After some resistance by several companies, they
all took to the swamp and escaped, losing a few captured, and field
officers losing their horses. Company F was detached, and got away in good
order. This little escapade was the source of much merriment with the
other regiments, who "poked" much fun at the Fifty-sixth for running at
Gum Swamp.
The Fifty-sixth represented all sections of North Carolina, as follows:
Co. A, Captain Hughes, Pasquotank County; Co. B, Captain Roberts, Robeson
County; Co. C, Captain White, Currituck County; Co. D, Captain Graham,
Orange County; Co. E, Captain Lockhart, Northampton County; Co. F, Captain
Grigg, Cleveland County; Co. G, Captain Lanemills, Henderson County; Co.
H, Captain Graves, Alexander County; Co. I, Captain Harrell, Rutherford
County; Co. K, Captain Alexander, Mecklenburg County.
About the 1st of September, 1863, the Fifty-sixth Regiment, except
Companys B and E, were detained to assist the Home Guards to arrest
deserters and conscripts, and for five months operated in the counties of
Randolph, Davidson, Moore, Montgomery, Chatham, Wilkes, Watauga, Ashe and
Alleghany. During this time we arrested and sent two thousand men to the
front that the militia were unable to manage, killing and wounding
thirty-five in making these arrests. During the last two months of this
service Company F furnished a provost guard of eighteen men, commanded by
Sergeant F. M. Stockton, at regiment headquarters, Ashboro, N. C. About
the 20th of January, 1864, the regiment gathered in camp at High Point,
N. C., and drilled ten days, and then joined General Pickett's command of
six brigades--Hoke's, Ransom's and Clingman's N. C. Brigades, Barton's,
Kemper's and Corse's Virginia Brigades. All met at Kinston, N. C., on the
30th of January, 1864, and made an expedition against New Bern,
accompanied by a regiment of cavalry, First N. C., under Colonel Dearing,
and several batteries of artillery. Set out 31st of January, and struck
the enemy at Core Creek on Deep Gully at 3 a. m. on the first day of
February, 1864. The Fifty-sixth was with Corse's Brigade. Hoke's Brigade
made the attack on the fortified position, supported directly by Corse's
Brigade. Some of the forts and block houses were flanked, and the fighting
was continuous until 9 a. m., when all positions were taken and the enemy
in full flight for New Bern. We got all their camp equippage, five hundred
prisoners, four pieces of artillery, commissary and quartermaster
supplies, and pursued them ten miles to New Bern, invested the town, and
skirmished around for thirty-six hours, then fell back. While on the
skirmish line at 1 a. m., 2d February, we saw a Federal gunboat blown up.
Our naval forces had gone down Neuse River in open boats and surprised and
captured this vessel, and after taking the prisoners off, blew it up. The
enemy were ready to evacuate as soon as we should make the assault, but
from some misunderstanding of orders the attack was not made, and General
Barton was afterwards court-martialed and acquitted.
We came back to Kinston and hanged twenty-five of those prisoners who were
found to be deserters from our army. Then we went to Weldon and put up
winter quarters where we had been in camp the summer before. About the
14th of February, a detail was made of twenty-five men from Company F and
twenty-five men from Company K, under command of Captain Grigg and
Lieutenant Shepherd, to help move the Federal prisoners from Richmond,
Va., to Andersonville, Ga. We were on this service until 26th of March.
These prisoners were in a pitiable plight and infected with small-pox.
William Allen and Pink Pryor caught it from them; don't see why we all did
not. During this time or early in March the Brigade made an expedition
against Suffolk, Va., and after a running fight with negro cavalry, took
that town, but did not hold it long. Capt. Cicero Durham, in command of a
skirmish line, drove all before him and charged into the cavalry line and
single-handed cut down several men with his own hand. Gilbert Green, of
Capt. Jud. Magness' company, was killed in the town, fired upon by some
negro troops from a house. The house was fired, and when the negroes
jumped out they were shot down. Green was the only man we lost.
On the 14th of April, 1864, we were under light marching orders to leave
our knapsacks and carry one blanket. The men were all in fine condition,
and of Company F, one hundred answered roll-call and set out on the
expedition for Plymouth, N. C., under Gen. R. F. Hoke. The forces
consisted of Hoke's and Ransom's N. C. and Kemper's Virginia brigades,
First N. C. Cavalry Regiment, and several batteries of field artillery. We
went by rail to Tarboro, and on the 15th set out for Plymouth, 65 miles
distant, or three days' marching. We arrived at Plymouth Sunday morning,
17th. The cavalry rushed forward and picked up first picket posts,
followed by infantry. As they brought prisoners back, we noticed one horse
shot in the nose, and a little further on a dead Yankee in the road.
General Hoke sent a truce flag and demanded the surrender of the post.
General Wissils, in command, indignantly replied, "Take it." General Hoke
replied, "Remove all non-combatants within twenty-four hours." We threw up
earthworks that night. Next day sharp skirmishing took place until the
twenty-four hours had expired, then a heavy skirmish line was thrown
forward and all the enemy driven inside their defenses; then thirty pieces
of artillery were brought into position and we began to shell the town.
The enemy replied with great spirit, and a terrible duel raged from near
sunset until 10 p. m. We were in front of our guns, lying flat, while the
shot and shells from both sides hissed, whizzed and bursted over us. While
we were engaged with the main fortifications, Hoke's Brigade was taking a
detached fort up the river by direct assault.
In addition to the land batteries, the gunboats in the river were hurling
huge shells at us. The next day, Tuesday evening, Ransom's Brigade worked
its way around east of the town and, after a sharp skirmish fight, drove
the Yankee pickets away from a deep creek, where we put in a pontoon
bridge and crossed over and took position after dark under a picket and
artillery fire. Here we formed for the final attack. The firing soon
ceased, as we did not reply, and we lay in line of battle and got a good
night's sleep. At first dawn of day we were standing in line in the
following order; Twenty-fifth on the right next to the river, Fifty-sixth
next, Eighth (from Clingman's Brigade, which was with us in place of
Forty-ninth) in center, then Twenty-fourth and Thirty-fifth on the left,
the field officers walking up and down the line quietly talking to the
men. "North Carolina expects every man to do his duty. Pay close attention
to orders, keep closed up, and press forward all the time. The sooner we
can get into the town the better for us."
Hoke's and Kemper's brigades were on the west side. They fired the signal
guns, advanced their picket lines as if they were going to assault from
that side, while we quietly moved forward and covered half the distance
before the fire was opened upon us. Then began the shower of shot and
shell. The two regiments on the right soon struck their cattle lot, and we
had a drove of cattle in front of us, but coming to a lagoon and swamp we
had to let the cattle pass back through our line. Then through water and
slush four feet deep we made our way through the swamp and re-formed under
cover of a little hill. The three regiments on our left passed around the
swamp. We then raised a yell and rushed forward upon the intrenchments
and were soon in possession of them, the Yankees falling back and taking
shelter behind the buildings, kept up a steady fire upon us as we advanced
rapidly. Our field artillery soon came in and opened fire, while the
Twenty-fifth swept along the river and captured a fort, and the other
regiments drove the balance of the enemy into the big Fort Williamson, on
the south side of the fortifications. The Fifty-sixth split into three
sections. Maj. John W. Graham advanced the center faster than the wings
and soon planted our flag on the west fortifications. This was a signal
for Hoke's and Kemper's brigades to come in from that side. On Monday
night of the first attack, at midnight, our ironclad gunboat, Albemarle,
came down the river and cleared it of all the Yankee shipping, sinking and
running off all their gunboats. The Albemarle was firing into Fort
Williamson. General Hoke demanded the surrender of this fort, but General
Wessel was slow in giving answer. When General Hoke began to form his
Brigade to assault it, the Stars and Stripes were hauled down and a white
flag raised. After three hours of hard fighting, the town with entire
garrison, consisting of two fine New York and two Pennsylvania infantry
regiments, with cavalry and strong artillery force, and besides the killed
and wounded, 2,800 prisoners. The post was strongly fortified and well
supplied with military stores and much mercantile goods. As soon as the
surrender was made, all our troops were turned loose to help themselves to
anything they wished--grocery and dry goods stores richly stocked to
select from. Being more than sixty miles from a railroad, and the enemy
still close by at Roanoke Island and Washington, we could only supply
immediate needs. We were marched out of town that evening.
Nearly all the loss was in Ransom's Brigade, which numbered about six
hundred killed and wounded. The Fifty-sixth lost ninety men. Company
F--John Webb, shot through the breast; Peter Price, through the lungs;
Hosea Gladden, in bowels, and died; Anderson Nolan, Allen Cogdall, Adney
Cogdall and William Chitwood were all severely wounded; Thomas Cabiness
and several others wounded. Dr. Lieut. V. J. Palmer was very seriously
wounded by having back of thigh cut with piece of shell.
After resting until the 25th of April, we struck out for Washington, N. C.
Thirty-five miles march brought us there on the 27th at 10 a. m. The
enemy's pickets were driven in and we skirmished around there and were
shelled from gunboats until morning of the 29th, when the town was
evacuated. Leaving the Sixth Regiment of Hoke's Brigade to garrison it, we
moved via Greenville and Snow Hill, crossing Neuse River below Kinston on
a pontoon bridge that we carried with us, on to New Bern, crossing Trent
River on our pontoon, and going down south side of Trent River, struck the
Beaufort railroad, capturing a cavalry picket post of seventy-five men. We
laid siege to New Bern and were soon under heavy shelling from the Yankee
gunboats. Barton's Virginia Brigade had joined us below Kinston.
After reconnoitering and getting into position twenty-four hours for
attack, General Hoke got orders at noon, 7th of May, 1864, to hasten to
the relief of Petersburg, Va., that General Butler had landed at City
Point with a force of forty thousand, while General Grant was pressing
General Lee with overwhelming force through the Wilderness battles.
Raising the siege of New Bern, we marched back to Kinston, arriving there
the 9th at 8 a. m., where we found trains ready to transport us to
Virginia. At 1 p. m. we arrived where Butler's cavalry had cut the
railroad between Weldon and Petersburg and were burning bridges and depots
and tearing up the road to cut us off. We (Ransom's Brigade) followed
close after them all that evening until after midnight, when they left the
railroad after tearing up and destroying twenty miles of the road. Here we
rested until 8 a. m., May 10th, when trains came out from Petersburg after
us. Boarding the cars with loaded guns, we arrived in Petersburg at 11 a.
m. As soon as our train rolled in we could hear the popping of musketry
on suburbs, and the greatest excitement prevailed. The citizens, women and
children, turned out to greet us. Beautiful ladies showered bouquets of
flowers upon us as we marched the streets, with such exclamations as, "We
are safe now. These are the brave North Carolinians who have driven the
enemy from their own State and have come to defend us. These are the brave
boys that took Plymouth," etc. We were marched down the Popular Lawn
Hospital grounds to a gushing rock spring, beautiful shade trees and green
grass, where we rested until next morning. As soon as we were settled the
white ladies and colored aunties began to pour in upon us with great
baskets of everything good to eat and gave us a bountiful feast. Early
next morning we moved out and took the Turnpike road towards Richmond,
leisurely marching all day while our cavalry were rubbing against the
enemy on our right with frequent brisk skirmishes. Out a few miles from
Petersburg we passed over the ground where Hagood's Florida Brigade had
checked the enemy's advance from that quarter a few days before. The
thickets were shattered and remnants of equipments were scattered about,
and the bloody places where many had fallen were still visible. Arriving
near Drury's Bluff, we lay down to sleep in line of battle beside the
Turnpike, facing east. About 2 a. m. the rain falling in our faces woke
us, and soon our pickets close by commenced firing. We retained our
position until day. Then we moved out on a country road to the right and
coming to a turnpike turned into a wheat field at a farm house and formed
line of battle in a pouring rain. Two good companies were taken from each
of our five regiments and deployed as skirmishers under the command of
Capt. Cicero Durham. They did not get out of our sight until they opened
fire on the enemy. We then marched a mile east of Turnpike and occupied a
good line of earthworks while heavy skirmish fighting was kept up all day.
Companys G and I of the Fifty-sixth were on the firing line. Captain
Durham made the enemy think we were anxious for a fight. He would charge
and drive their skirmishers back on their battle lines and then fall back,
and as soon as they advanced, charge and drive them back again, picking up
some prisoners every time. Thus it went on all day, while the rain fell in
continuous showers.
Next morning, 13th, all was quiet on the lines. In the afternoon we, the
Thirty-fifth, Forty-ninth and Fifty-sixth, moved west of Turnpike and,
crossing the railroad, occupied some earthworks on a commanding position.
The lines ran west then southwest. A nice dwelling stood back of the
corner. Generals Hoke and Ransom had dismounted and gone into the house.
The Forty-ninth on right, Thirty-fifth center, Fifty-sixth on left. We
were stretched out single file to cover the ground. The enemy was drawing
our attention down the railroad towards Petersburg by firing some shells
at us, all of which were falling a little short. We were in fine spirits,
hoping to see the enemy advance to the open in front, but it had been
discovered that the enemy had outflanked us and a force gone around.
Captain Durham was deploying his skirmishers in a small field near the
house and in our rear. Company H of Fifty-sixth was sent on the skirmish
line. Colonel Faison, of Fifty-sixth, was out there, and sent orders to
Captain Grigg for eighteen men. I went with them, and we lined up with
Company H. Just back of the field was a dense pine thicket. Colonel Faison
said: "They don't need you; you Company F men can go back to your
company," and he walked back with us. Then the Yankees massed in that pine
thicket, ran up to the fence and poured a volley into us. Generals Hoke
and Ransom mounted their horses and came over the earthworks through
Company F. Ransom, seeing a part of the Fifty-sixth on turn or angle would
be exposed to an enfilading or flank fire, said: "Colonel Faison, take
your regiment down and form on the railroad." Colonel Faison said, "Major
Graham, take those three companies on the left we had about-faced down and
form on railroad." Company F went with Major Graham, while Colonel Faison
kept the other seven companies there and helped to repulse the Yankees
until all could get out. The Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth were nearby,
and came to the railroad and we formed with them. Captain Durham followed
us and was taken off his horse in Company F. One arm was broken and he was
shot in the side. His arm was amputated and he died in a few days. Thus
ended the career of one of Cleveland County's bravest boys that did battle
for that cause. A battalion of picked men was being organized for him to
do all the sharp-shooting and skirmishing for the brigade.
Our company, H, had not deployed, and one over half was shot down. We
privates all thought had Colonel Faison obeyed Ransom's order to take his
regiment out, Thirty-fifth and Forty-ninth would have been captured. As
soon as they could stand the Yankees off, they came to the railroad, and
we all went up the railroad to the next line of defense, abandoning that
line. The Yankees followed us up and fortified a position, and kept up a
fire on us all day and night during 14th and 15th. General Ransom was
wounded in the arm about 9 a. m. on 15th, standing in rear of Company F,
exposing himself, I thought, unnecessarily, in company with some other
officer. I was looking at him and expecting it when he was hit. Beauregard
had now come up from Charleston and gathered up eighteen or twenty
thousand men. Tradition says Jeff Davis told Beauregard to drive Butler
away from there; Beauregard said he could not take the responsibility with
the force he had.
Jeff Davis told Beauregard to drive Butler away from there. Beauregard
said he could not take the responsibility with the force he had. Jeff
Davis: "I will take the responsibility." Beauregard: "All right, then I'll
do the fighting." On the night of the 14th and 15th of May our Company F
was ordered out in the open field in front of our breastworks on picket or
vidette duty, and lay all night in the open field under fire from the
enemy's sharpshooters.
We did not return the fire, or they would have killed us all. As it was,
they could only guess at our position in the dark. The bullets were
striking the ground around us with a noise as if they were as large as
goose eggs. Mike Crowder was severely wounded while we were taking
position.
On Monday morning, 16th of May, a very dark, foggy morning, Hoke's
division, I think, with Barton's Virginia Brigade leading the charge,
assaulted Butler's right next the river, breaking his strongly fortified
line and capturing two thousand prisoners the first dash. Then pressing
his broken flank with a strong force and throwing regiment after regiment
against his front, carried the entire line by 10 a. m. Ransom's Brigade,
commanded by Col. Leroy McAfee, made a front attack west side of Turnpike
road, Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth and Forty-ninth leading, supported by
Thirty-fifth and Fifty-sixth regiments. When our regiment got in the
enemy's earthworks their whole line was falling back. James S. Powell and
W. Cathey Wolfe, Company F, were wounded. We saw President Davis and
General Beauregard together on the field.
Our loss was three thousand killed and wounded. The Turnpike road, over
which the wounded were carried, was drenched with blood. The Yankee loss
was five thousand killed, wounded and captured. Butler fell back to
Bermuda Hundreds, under cover of his gunboats. General Hoke took his old
brigade, Clingman's North Carolina, Barton's, Kemper's and Corse's
Virginia brigades and hastened to General Lee at Cold Harbor, leaving
Ransom's North Carolina, Grace's Alabama, Walker's South Carolina, and
Wise's Virginia brigades to look after Butler. These were put in command
of Gen. Bushrod Johnson, and remained as Johnson's Division until the
close of the war.
Next day we followed Butler and fortified a position close to him and
where we were shelled from his gunboats. We extended our picket line to
within a few hundred yards of Butler's. On the morning of the 20th of May
we got orders to wash our shirts. We had left our knapsacks at Weldon,
N. C., on the 14th of April, and had had four weeks of strenuous campaign
in North Carolina and two weeks in Virginia. Six weeks without a chance to
wash or change our shirts, and now we had no vessels to warm water, so the
only chance was to wash in a small creek. Our shirts from sweat and grime
had gotten so dirty and stiff they would almost stand upright. Shirts were
washed and hung on bushes to dry, but before all got dry, or at 1 p. m.,
we were ordered to fall into line for another battle. We wanted Butler's
picket line for our line to crowd him closer and fortify our picket line.
Both picket lines had rifle pits and were hard to take at best. The
Thirty-fifth and Fifty-sixth were ordered to take the picket line in front
of our brigade. The Thirty-fifth deployed and charged forward, followed by
Fifty-sixth in line of battle. The Thirty-fifth was driven back, and
Fifty-sixth charged up and found a strong line of battle in the rifle
pits. When we got in forty or fifty yards of them we were ordered to fire,
lay down, load, shoot. When we had fired five rounds under a terrible hail
of bullets at so close range, some one said, "They are flanking us." Then
the order to retreat. We were in an old pine field with some undergrowth
of oak bushes, while the Yankee line was on the edge of a dense wood. We
fell back and rallied when some regiments of Walker's South Carolina
Brigade came in on our right and with a yell charged on the Yankees, who
were advancing on us. The Twenty-sixth lined up with them and helped to
drive the Yankees back to their line of rifle pits. Our line lay down and
kept up our fire on them until our ammunition was pretty well spent. The
Fifty-sixth had ninety-six killed and wounded. Company F lost four killed
and nine severely wounded and several slightly wounded. Our killed were
left where they fell and were buried by the enemy. They were Second
Lieutenant Dick Williams, a brave soldier and a man loved by all his
company; privates Thomas P. Cabaniss, Christopher Powell and Winslow
Wright, all good soldiers. Powell and Cabaniss were single men. Cabaniss
was killed by my side, and my left cheek was blistered by a hot bullet.
Frank Webb and J. M. Smith died of their wounds. Jefferson Spurlin lost a
leg and Johnson Spangler lost an arm. Sam. Daugherty, Peter Louis, Morman
Bookout, B. McMurry and Monroe Kirby were all severely wounded. That night
we fortified our picket line, and General Walker reconnoitering his
position was wounded and captured. We were so close to them that firing
was kept up all night and for several days following. On the evening of
the 22d a truce was had to bury some dead between the lines. And the
graves of our dead were visited. A few days after this a skirmish line
from our brigade charged and took this Yankee skirmish line which had cost
us so much on the 20th of May. Here we lay in the burnt woods, within a
few hundred yards of the enemy, firing and shelling every day until the
1st of June. Our brigade crossed James River on a pontoon bridge and
passed through the Seven Pines battle ground to the Chickahominy River,
where we spent a few days in sight of the enemy's position on the north
side, the picket of each making the river the line. We then came up to
Chafin's farm or bluff and spent about a week, until the night of 15th of
June. We marched all night to Petersburg, Va.
Grant had now advanced the head of his column, and our little force of
four brigades must hold him in check until Lee could come. So we had to
vacate our lines between the Appomattox and James rivers and throw our
main forces in defense of Petersburg, where we arrived at sunrise. The
Fifty-sixth was sent up the north side of the Appomattox to guard the
cotton factories from a cavalry raid, while the other four regiments went
to the front and were fighting all day. During the day Butler's forces
destroyed the railroad between Petersburg and Drury's Bluff. After dark we
joined the brigade on the Turnpike and started back toward Drury's Bluff.
We only went a few miles, feeling for the Yankees, but were kept on foot
nearly all night. Next morning, 17th, some flat cars came after us and
landed us in Petersburg, and we hurried to the front. Grant had taken some
of the outside lines, and we formed a line in a corn field and threw up
breastworks under shelling and picket fire. While fortifying our line,
Joseph Crowder was killed and James Bedford and Simon Eskridge were
mortally wounded. About 2 p. m. Grant began to assault our line next to
the river on our left, and kept it up for a long time. Our boys would yell
when they would drive them back and pass the word along the line,
"Repulsed with great loss; hold your position at all hazards; Lee's army
will be here at 10 to-night." Near sunset they took the position held by
Wise's Brigade. We were under moving orders at once, and a little after
dark the Thirty-fifth and Fifty-sixth, and probably some of our other
regiments, joined Grace's Alabama Brigade to retake the lost ground. The
full moon was an hour or two high. After a quick but desperate struggle
the line was retaken, to be abandoned next morning. All our historians
give the Alabamians all the credit and none mention the North Carolinians.
In the night and through the woods I thought at the time all our brigade
was there. I know the Thirty-fifth was next to us and sustained heavy
loss. About 2 a. m. we fell back to a new and last position in front of
Cemetery Hill, now known as the Crater, leaving a strong skirmish line
with orders to hold as long as they could and to fall back as slowly as
possible. This was to enable us to fortify another line which had only
been staked off the day before.
At daybreak on the 18th we were standing in single file, half line of
battle, when we heard Grant's massive columns charge on our skirmishers
and take the last ditch between them and Petersburg. Our artillery was all
in position on our last line. Lee's army had not come, and Grant only had
a half line of tired and worn-out soldiers in his front, standing in open
field between him and Petersburg. The Fifty-sixth in the night battle was
on the left flank, and did not suffer like the other regiments. Of Company
F, Noah Phillips, was killed, Spencer Moore and Wesley Revels captured.
When the enemy got those earthworks, we expected them on us at once.
Having only seven or eight tools to the company, we fell to work with our
bayonets to make a hole to squat in. We had bluffed them so the night
before that they thought Lee had arrived, and waited several hours before
they drove in our brave skirmishers that held them in a wood until we had
a good ditch. Though we had had but little sleep and rest for three days
and nights, we moved dirt in a hurry. We occupied a most commanding
position. Fifty-sixth covered the ground now known as the Crater. Some
branches, broad fields, with some skirts of woods lay in front of us.
About 10 a. m. our skirmishers were driven in after an heroic resistance.
Then the long blue lines came gleaming on. The officers galloping over the
field, while battery after battery were taking position under the fire of
our artillery and opening fire on us. Then to our left, winding down a
ravine, we saw Longstreet's column coming in, and soon came crowding up
our ditch Anderson's Division, South Carolinians and Georgians. Most of
these regiments were very short, and I was eager to note what these
battle-scarred veterans who had just been fighting for a month through the
Wilderness thought of the situation. Tired from an all-night's march, but
as soon as they got in position they stripped blankets and piling handfuls
of cartridges on the breastworks got up on the parapet, took a look in
front and said, "This is a good place; we would like for them to come on
ten lines deep, so we won't waste any lead." Then they quietly sat down.
We were now too much crowded, and our regiment was ordered out and I was
ordered to help carry some boxes of ammunition that belonged to our
company. The Fifty-sixth started back in a run across a broad field under
heavy fire. Longstreet's men objected to our taking the ammunition, and
while we were parleying about it, Captain Gee, of Ransom's staff, came
along and I called his attention to it, and he said, "Oh, leave it here,
those men may need it." We were now left and started around to go up the
ravine and came up with Lieutenant Davis, of Company G, Fifty-sixth, who
said: "Fifty-sixth is just ordered back to rest. A part of the companies
on the right of the battery (at Crater) are still here. The Yankees had
opened such a heavy fire they would not try to get out. There is going to
be an interesting time here, and I want to see it out. If you will stay
with me I will take care of you." Six or seven of his company were with
him. Soon Sergt. Wm. London and Isaac Randall of Company F joined us.
Peter Price, who had been shot through the lung at Plymouth, was wounded
in the thigh as they fell back, and Mayor Graham was wounded in the arm.
We were now about one hundred and fifty yards to the left of the Crater
battery. At about 1 p. m. three lines of battle made a desperate effort to
break our lines on the right. We could see them form an advance like they
were on dress parade, raise their cheer and rush close to our line; then
our volleys would knock them into confusion. In the meantime they were
bringing line after line down to the branch in our front, where they could
find cover under the hill. We would let them get about midway in a field,
then we could get about two rounds into them before they got under cover.
Soon they began to charge us from this close quarter, but two or three
rounds would drive them back under cover shelter. Finally they crawled up
the side of a hill and massed seven flags within two hundred yards of us,
and lay there until night. The heavy firing of musketry and artillery
lasted until midnight before we could get out. Captain Roberts, of Company
B, Fifty-sixth, had his head shot off. One tall, dark-eyed South
Carolinian was shot in the head and killed by my side. He was a brave man,
taking deliberate aim every shot. One other man was wounded close to me.
A. P. Hill's corps got to Petersburg at night of 18th. Next morning Jesse
Lattimore, of Company F, Thirty-fourth N. C. Regiment, visited us, and was
still in good spirits of whipping the Yankees. We told him they hadn't
brought men enough with them and their regiments were too small. After
resting twenty-four hours we moved right and worked on some
fortifications.
On the evening of 24th of June, Wilcox's Division attacked Grant's left,
supported by our brigade and a part of Johnson's division. It was called
the battle of Huckleberry Swamp. The enemy was strongly entrenched, and we
fell back after dark. We were only slightly under fire. We recalled that
Lafayette Beam, of Capt. David Magness' company, Thirty-eighth Regiment,
was killed that evening. We occupied Scales Brigade camp, and about
midnight they came in on us and we all lay and slept until late next
morning.
The next night we took position on the branch to the left of the Crater.
We had always felt pretty safe in the earthworks until here Grant began to
shell us with mortars, throwing huge shells up to fall on us or to burst
over us and the fragments rain upon us; so now began the most serious time
when we could not get rest day nor night except under incessant fire. The
left of our brigade rested on the Norfolk railroad, and we held this
position in the open fields under a July sun for six weeks, the regiments
changing position every week. Our food was miserable--musty meal and
rancid Nassau bacon. Our bread was cooked at the wagon yard on canal, west
side of Petersburg. When the bread had been cooked twelve hours it would
pull out like spider-webs. We were on picket or fatigue duty nearly every
night. One-third had to stand to arms all the time, and from 2:30 a. m.
all had to stand to arms until sunrise. The two lines were on an average
five hundred yards apart.
On the 11th of July, while working on a covered way to the rear, I was
wounded in the left arm above the elbow, the ball grazing and bruising the
inside of the arm. I was disabled and sent back to field hospital for a
few days, during which time I caught measles. Then after a week in the
trenches I was sent back to the hospital at Richmond. The men were now
breaking down faster under the awful strain and bad fare; many were taking
typhoid fever, and nearly all had dysentery. A train load of sick and
wounded were being shipped to Richmond every day.
I left on the 28th of July. It was known that the Yankees were undermining
our works, and we were tunneling all around to meet them, but our tunnel
at the Crater missed them about fifty feet. On the 30th the Crater was
exploded under Elliott's South Carolina Brigade, formerly Walker's, on our
right. I shall not attempt a description of that memorable event farther
than to say Ransom's Brigade, commanded by Colonel Rutledge of
Twenty-fifth, held its position and helped to retake the lost ground,
though none of our historians seem to be advised of that fact. Up to this
time, Lieutenant Grigg, Perry Ross, Arthur Blanton and Alexander Kennedy
had been wounded, and soon after Starlin Jones was mortally wounded. When
I convalesced I found John Carter and Dobbins Wesson in the same ward with
typhoid fever, and I went to see them every day. One evening when I
called, Carter said he was glad to see me, that he wanted to talk with me,
for he was going to die. I tried to encourage him, but he said he could
not live long. He said he was not afraid to die, that he had always tried
to live right, and that it was a great consolation that he had never done
anything that would reflect on his people left behind. Thus, before the
rising of another sun, a good and true man passed to his reward. A few
days after when I visited Wesson he told me that he was in great trouble,
that his wife had quit writing to him, etc. I tried to encourage him, when
the ward master beckoned to me and said, "You need not pay any attention
to him. He is delirious and don't know what he is talking about. He jumped
out of the window and we had to catch him and bring him back. If you know
his people you can write them that he will not live until to-morrow
morning." I wrote them to that effect. He was a brave and faithful soldier
and loved by his comrades.
Of the twenty-five of Company F that died that summer of sickness, I will
mention four of my mess, who were all good and true soldiers and
participated in all the battles up to squat. Thomas Davis, Riley Barnett,
John Ledford and Thomas L. Nowlin. While I was away, Ransom's Brigade was
in the battle of Ream's Station on Weldon railroad, in August, and Louis
Justice and Migamon Haynes were killed. Sergt. F. M. Stockton, Luther Lutz
and William Chitwood, and probably others, were wounded.
I got back to the company the 15th of October, after a sixty-days
furlough, and found our brigade resting left of Appomattox River. Here we
remained through the long, hard winter, under fire day and night. During
this time Lieutenant Purse was wounded, also Wesley Richards and Sergeant
William London mortally wounded. I can not see how we escaped so well, but
we learned to lay low, dig holes and contrive bomb-proofs. Then Spencer
Crowder used to say that we had Uncle Johnnie London to pray for us.
Spencer tried to quit swearing, and we thought he had succeeded, but the
last battle we were in he cursed the Yankees as bad as ever. We fortified
our position and had portholes for our sharpshooters made of sand bangs
and iron plates. Besides the hard fare, we suffered for want of fuel. Our
company only got eight or ten sticks of green pine wood per day most of
the time. During the winter we got coffee and some canned beef, which
helped us greatly. Governor Vance tried to give us a Christmas dinner, but
it was only a quart of little Irish potatoes. Our wages were raised from
$11 to $15 per month, but they quit paying us at all and owed us for three
or four months at the close. The following prices prevailed: Bacon, $10
lb.; pork and beef, $5 lb.; peas, $1 qt.; corn meal, $1.25 qt.; rice, $1
lb.; salt, $1; sweet potatoes, medium, $1 each, and everything else in
proportion.
On the 15th of January, 1865, I was detailed to report to General Ransom's
headquarters for special duty, and met a force of several others from
brigade. We were taken in command by Lieut. A. Clate Sharp, of
Forty-ninth, to boat wood down the river and canal for the men in the
trenches. We were soon comfortably quartered at our wagon yard. Here we
went seven miles up the canal and two miles up the river into another
canal, where we got the wood. This was a real picnic all the time. With
three men to the boat, we would bring down four cords of wood on a boat.
While out there I would often see General Lee, nearly always by himself,
riding around leisurely. I got rations from home and fared sumptuously,
while the poor fellows in the ditches were having it rough. They were now
trimmed out to one man to the yard. About the first of March about a dozen
of Company F concluded they had enough of it, and all started for home,
taking their guns with them. They had gotten information from me that
there were no guards next to the river, and succeeded in getting through.
I will not name them here. They nearly all had been good and faithful
soldiers who had borne more hardships than I. They had been in those bleak
and bloody trenches for nearly nine months. The annual spring campaign was
coming on, and every private knew that resistance could not much longer be
sustained. On the 15th of March my detail ended, and we were relieved from
the ditches and went to Hotches Run, ten miles away.
Grant was pressing Lee's right, and about 3 a. m. on March 25th, Lee
attacked Grant in front of our old position next to the river and carried
it with little or no loss. We went in to hold it, and after day they
attacked us with a heavy force, and holding the lines on both our flanks,
after two hours of hard fighting, turned our right flank and compelled our
right to fall back or surrender. The enemy held a fort close on our left,
and when they came swarming over the hill on our right and pressing our
front we had to surrender with two thousand on that end of the line. All
of Company F that were together, thirty-four in all, including Captain and
Lieutenant Grigg, Lieutenant Dr. V. J. Palmer, had been in front of our
line, and seeing the predicament, slipped out and escaped without coming
back through the company. George Thompson was mortally wounded. This was
the last of Company F, except five or six rallied by Lieutenant Palmer.
The spring before we started out with one hundred, this spring we had
forty men in line.
We took our position an hour or two before day. The Yankees had three
strong lines of earthworks, with stockade in front, but they only had a
skirmish line holding it, while their comfortable encampments were in the
rear. We could easily have taken the lines on our left to Appomattox River
when we first went in, but it was soon strongly reinforced. As we were
marched back to the rear we met battery after battery of field artillery
coming in. An artilleryman said, "Johnnies, if you had held them works an
hour longer we would have had five hundred guns and cannons playing on
you." We were soon back in our camps and marched around through them for
three miles to General Meade's headquarters. In some camps the men were
playing ball and frolicking like no enemy was near. Others were falling
into line of march; others had muskets stacked ready to fall in at a
moment's notice. Far back in the rear endless columns were marching to the
left flank of their lines to outflank Lee's right. At Meade's headquarters
we were joined by two thousand more of our men who had been captured that
morning on Hotche's Run. About 2 p. m. we were reviewed by General Grant
and President Lincoln, riding horseback, followed by a troop of cavalry
and a number of fine carriages containing officers and ladies. They
marched by us and returned and came back by us, where we were in the open
along the road. We were then put on some flat or freight cars and shipped
to City Point. There we were put inside their large barrack inclosure
where their own men were kept under the same guard with us. The next
morning they gave us some boiled fat pork and a handful of hardtack. As we
came down we passed through Sheridan's cavalry camp of thirty thousand
strong.
On Sunday evening, March 26th, General McHenry, a white-headed old man,
commanding the post, got upon a barrel and made a speech. He said the war
would soon be over, and that President Lincoln had offered amnesty to all
who would lay down their arms or desert the Confederate army and come over
to the Union side, and that they would be allowed to go North and work. He
said that no doubt some of us had wished to desert and quit fighting and
had not had a chance to do so, and now he would give us a chance to take
the oath of allegiance to the United States if we would volunteer to do
so. He would send such up to Washington and see if President Lincoln would
accept it and allow them to take the oath and go North and be free from
war. When the call for deserter volunteers was arranged, the greatest fun
started among the four thousand prisoners. They would make all kinds of
humorous remarks about the deserter volunteers. When one would step out,
"You are welcome to him; he is as cowardly as any of your hirelings. There
goes another; we are glad to get rid of him, for he never was any good,"
etc. About thirty volunteered and were removed from their fellows. Then he
called for three hundred volunteers who wished to be exchanged at
once--sent up to Richmond, where they could go to fighting again. We
raised a yell, and about two hundred rushed forward. He then called, "Come
on, all who want more fighting." There was much stir, comrades hunting up
each other so as to keep together. Company F rallied and joined the
fighting column, except five or six, who held back and afterwards went up
to Washington with the deserter volunteers. We were marched to the wharf
and put on a steamboat that carried us to Point Lookout Prison, Maryland,
instead of Richmond for exchange. At the time we volunteered so briskly we
did not believe we would be exchanged, and its very evident that not many
wished to be, for they all believed that the war would be over in a few
weeks.
While on the wharf a nice, clever old citizen came up to me, a beardless
boy, and entered into a conversation. He said, "It is very fortunate for
you that you were taken prisoner. You are in the hands of a civilized and
Christian people who will treat you well and you will not have to fight
any more. The war will be over in six months, and you can then return to
your loved ones at home." I heard him patiently, and he felt he was making
a good impression on me. Then I retorted: "You are putting it off for six
months now, are you? I thought you said you would whip us in three months
at the start." He turned away and seemed to lose interest in me. I was
from the inside and could have told him the war would be over in six
weeks.
We had a good voyage. Stopped a half hour at Fortress Monroe, where there
was a great deal of shipping, including war vessels of all nations. We
arrived at Point Lookout, Md., at sunset. Our names were recorded and we
were overhauled and ushered into prison. There were about three thousand
there when we arrived, on the first boat load of the spring campaign. We
were assigned quarters in tents already occupied. I thought they would be
glad to see us and hear from home, but they seemed mad and asked very few
questions that night. But we soon learned that talking was not allowed
after dark, as white guards walked the streets inside, while negro
sentinels were on the outside parapet. We were always interested in the
new-comers, who continued to come for two or three weeks, until the number
was increased to twenty-three thousand. Point Lookout lays between
Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River, and is nearly surrounded by water. The
prison on the Chesapeake side was drained into that bay, and was an ideal
place for a military prison, and was considered one of the most healthful
prisons. It was enclosed by a high plank fence with two gates, opening to
bay and one for entrance on southeast corner. It was divided into ten or
twelve divisions, with nearly as many cook-houses, one chapel and
school-house, eight wells, no two of which contains the same kind of
water. The water was strong coperas, alum, and some nearly fair freestone.
The Confederate government had an agent there, a Methodist preacher by the
name of Morgan and a South Carolinian. His business was to look after the
welfare of the prisoners, to distribute clothing, etc., very little of
which was distributed after we got there. He ran the schools and regulated
religious worship in the chapel. We got for a day's ration three-quarters
of a pound of loaf bread and six crackers, one pint of soup with a
spoonful or two of beans and potatoes in it. About one-quarter pound of
fat boiled pork two days, one-half pound fresh beef or mutton one day, and
one-half pound of fish (mackeral or codfish) four days in each week. We
had no fuel and had to eat fish raw. We got plenty of soap, but nothing to
warm water with to wash. We had access to the bay for washing and bathing.
There were several details to work on outside of prison, for which we got
tobacco and some extra rations. When outside about the wharves we could
get a little wood, such as barrel staves, chips and pieces of planks.
There were two or three hundred men taken out every fair day to work, and
I got out a good deal, was on a regular detail for two or three weeks,
which was a great help. The hospital grounds adjoined the prison, and many
were in the hospital. It was reported that the death rate some days was
more than twenty. Only one of our company died there--Benjamin Jenkins.
Lee's surrender was celebrated by firing signal guns for twenty-four
hours. Then Lincoln's death was honored by all flags half-mast and firing
one-half-hour guns for twenty-four hours.
Those fellows who volunteered to take the oath and were sent to Washington
had been refused by President Lincoln, but they were all discharged first.
Major A. G. Brady was in command of the post. We got no mail or papers.
There was a bulletin board for posting orders and news.
There were negroes who had been captured in the Confederate army that
remained true and preferred staying with us instead of taking the oath and
going free. Also a large number of English sailors, blockade runners, West
India negroes, and political prisoners all together. When they began to
discharge us about the 6th of June, thirty-two were called out at a time
and stood under the Stars and Stripes and took the oath of allegiance
together and subscribed to the same in the record books. I got out the
12th of June, and was landed in Richmond on the night of the 13th. Here we
were bountifully supplied with rations and given railroad transportation.
Everything had now changed. Richmond and all the principal towns were
swarming with Federal troops. We remained in Richmond two days on account
of a washout, and did not reach home until the 20th of June.
I will state that Lieut. V. J. Palmer and the four or five men with him
were captured at Five Forks when the lines were broken. About the first of
April, Lieutenant Palmer had his men to load for him, and he stood on the
parapet and fired as fast as the guns could be handed to him, until he was
surrounded. In the last battle, on the 25th March, 1865, Lieutenant
Palmer, with several others, took a position in front of the lines in some
narrow drain ditches, where they could keep up a continual fire, while the
main line only fired when the enemy advanced in force. During this time T.
J. Dixon shot down a brave Yankee at close range, and said, "Boys, don't
shoot him any more." L. A. Bridges brought down several of the bravest
Yankees at close range. The Yankee who took Bridges' gun said, "You have
been using it; it is pretty hot." Bridges said, "Yes, I got it from you
and have made the best use of it I could. You can have it; I reckon it
belongs to you."
Among those who were never seriously wounded or sick, but were always in
their places, were First Sergt. Andy London, who stood at the head of
Company F in every battle; Sergt. H. Dedmon, Spencer A. Crowder, Jno. A.
Tesseneer, Flay Gantt, Samuel Hasten, Graham Wilson, T. J. Hoard, Sabert
Hoard, Joseph Beam, David Peeler and L. A. Bridges. Lieut. V. J. Palmer
and Alfred Grigg were always at their posts except while disabled by
wounds. Peter Price died last July, James Finch died last year, Lieut.
Alfred Grigg moved to Kentucky, Jno. Grigg to Louisiana, Frank Hasten to
Tennessee.