Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/335

 several balloting*. Captain Samuel D. Lowe was elected. I noticed that the captains were very popular with the first lieutenants. Per- haps the recent law* of *uccession in office had some influence.

" It makes us very proud to know that we are the first North Carolina Regiment to reorgani/e. The regiment is very large, now numbering 1,250 men.

" Considering that our original term of service would not have ex- pired till the 2ist of September, and being the first North Carolina Krgiment to re-enlist and reorganize, we think very modestly, that we are entitled to some favors. We have no rifle companies. We would be glad to have two, though we are not disposed to grumble, and will cheerfully do the best we can.

" We are now realizing the privations and hardships of camp life. We often think of our comfortable quarters and the kind-hearted people of Wilmington. Some of the fair ones of Wilmington, I suspect, are remembered with more than ordinary feelings of friend- ship.

"We see nothing, hear nothing and know nothing here but to obey orders. A man has to be very patriotic, on good terms with his fellow soldiers, and on prodigiously good terms with himself, to see much enjoyment here; but so long as our country needs our ser- vices, we will be contented in her service wherever it may be."

This regiment, numbering 1,199 f r duty, was ordered to Virginia May 2, 1862. It was armed with old smooth-bore muskets from the Fayetteville arsenal, badly altered from flint to percussion. It soon threw them away and supplied itself with more serviceable and more modern weapons gathered on the bloody battlefield in that grand old State.

On reaching Virginia it was ordered at once to Gordonsville. It remained there at Rapidan Station doing picket duty only for a short time. With the rest of the brigade it was next ordered to join Jackson in the Valley; but on reaching the foot of the Blue Ridge, it was ordered back to Hanover Courthouse. On the 26th of May it was marched through mud and rain to "Slash Church." At that time the regiment had in it " many recruits just recovering from the diseases incident to the commencement of camp life. ' ' La- tham's Battery reported to General Branch from North Carolina the evening before the brigade left Hanover Courthouse ' ' with only half enough men for the efficient service of the guns and with horses entirely untrained."