Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/529

Rh march along the fences, while Lieutenant Potts protected our rear with his Parrott gun.

We succeeded in reaching Taylorsville about sunset, and for three days we were endeavoring to join the rest of the command and had scarcely anything to eat.

Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas L. Lowe and Major S. D. Lowe bore themselves well during the action, and were of great assistance, often in the execution of their duties passing through the hottest fires. Major Lowe was unaccountablelyunaccountably [sic] separated from the regiment after passing Hanover Courthouse, and is still missing. Adjutant D. A. McRae and Captain Gibbon, A. C. S., also rendered me great assistance in carrying orders, and proved themselves brave men.

Both Surgeon Robert Gibbon and Assistant Surgeon R. G. Barham allowed themselves to be taken prisoners rather than leave the wounded. Surgeon Gibbon subsequently succeeded in making his escape, the wounded having been cared for and sent, in accordance with orders of a Federal officer, to a Federal hospital. We were at one time deceived by the flag of the Twenty-second Massachusetts regiment, which is nearly white, when our firing ceased, and John A. Abernathy, our regimental hospital steward, volunteered to meet it, and was fired upon by the enemy. Though Companies D and E took most of the prisoners, yet the new Springfield rifles, repeaters and swords, now in the possession of the regiment, show that all behaved well and it would be invidious in me to discriminate among the company officers and men, when all acted so well their respective parts. This is the first time that the Twenty-eighth has been under fire. Their bravery has been thoroughly tested in this unequal contest; and though they have proved themselves courageous, our escape from such an overwhelming force can be but regarded as providential.

Two companies of Colonel Lee's Thirty-seventh North Carolina volunteers, which were doing picket duty at Taliaferro's mill, came up during the artillery firing, and were ordered to keep themselves covered in the woods beyond Dr. Kinney's residence. I have not learned the causualtiescasualties [sic] in these two companies. Colonel Lee will incorporate their report in his own.

Colonel Commanding Twenty-eighth Regiment North Carolina Volunteers.