Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/323

Rh eight years in Florida, practicing law and in the early part of 1841 participating in the Seminole war. In 1844 he married the daughter of Gen. W. A. Blount, of Washington, N. C., and soon afterward made his home at Raleigh. In 1852 he was an elector on the Pierce ticket; in the same year became president of the Raleigh & Gaston railroad, and in 1855 was elected to Congress, where he served until the war began. Upon the resignation of Howell Cobb he was tendered, but declined, the position of secretary of the treasury. Returning from Congress March 4, 1861, he advocated immediate secession, and in April enlisted as a private in the Raleigh rifles. On May 2oth he accepted the office of State quartermaster-general, but resigned it for service in the field, and in September following was elected colonel of the Thirty-third regiment North Carolina troops. On January 17, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier-general in the provisional army of the Confederate States, his command including the Seventh, Eighteenth, Twenty-eighth, Thirty-third and Thirty-seventh regiments. At New Bern, March 14, 1862, he was in his first battle, commanding the forces which disputed the advance of Burnside. Retiring to Kinston, he was ordered to Virginia and his brigade was attached to A. P. Hill s famous light division. It was the first in the fight at Slash church (Hanover Court House), also the first to cross the Chickahominy and attack the Federals, beginning the Seven Days battles, in which the brigade fought at Mechanicsville, Cold Harbor, Frayser s Farm, and Malvern Hill, winning imperishable fame, at a cost of five colonels and 1,250 men killed and wounded, out of a total strength of 3,000. General Branch bore himself throughout this bloody campaign with undaunted courage and the coolness of a veteran commander. Soon followed the battles of Cedar Run, Second Manassas, Fairfax Court House and Harper’s Ferry. Hurrying from the latter victory on the morning of September 17th, he reached the field of