Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/86

68 the regiment was withdrawn. Its brave colonel, Champ P. Davis, had, however, fallen in the action.

Colonel Fender’s Sixth North Carolina regiment arrived on the field somewhat in advance of Whiting’s other regiments. Colonel Fender was ordered to move for ward, with the assurance that the rest of the brigade would speedily support him. He advanced rapidly, and his skirmishers drove back the first line of the enemy from their position near Fair Oaks. He crossed the road leading from Fair Oaks to Grapevine bridge, and had moved some distance to the front when his attention was called to a large force massed in column by company in a field near the road, and also near the swamp where Pettigrew and Hampton were wounded. In the fog of the evening, the enemy had failed to make out Fender’s colors. At a glance Fender saw that the enemy was situated so far to his left and rear as to make his capture almost a certainty should their officers at once recognize him and intervene between his command and the rest of his brigade. So, without even replying to the officer who pointed out the troops, and with the born soldier’s quickness of perception and promptitude of action, he instantly ordered, &quot;By the left flank, file left, double quick!&quot; In an instant his splendidly drilled and disciplined regiment had changed direction, and was moving in double time to place itself across the front of its foes. The moment the line fairly attained its new bearing, Colonel Fender commanded, "By the right flank, charge! Before the Federals realized the intent of the movement, his men were pouring volley after volley into their unformed ranks. &quot;Under the suddenness and fury of the attack,&quot; says Judge Montgomery, &quot;the foe reeled and staggered, while the glorious soldier withdrew his force and rejoined his brigade, which was just coming up.&quot; In the general advance which followed, the Sixth regiment, entirely unprotected by the swamp that partly —