Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/344

 336 Southern Histori<-"i No--/

It remained in camp at Brandy Station until the enemy captured a large portion of the two brigades under General Early beyond the Rappahannock, on the 7th of November. When the corps formed line of battle near Culpeper Courthouse on the 8th of November, the regiment was with the brigade when it was ordered back on the War- renton road, where it repulsed a cavalry charge with slight loss. After that it returned to its old and comfortable quarters at Liberty Mills.

When General Lee confronted Meade at Mine Run, November 27, 1863, the weather was intensely cold and the sufferings of the men were great. Not being allowed to have fires on the skirmish line, the men were relieved every half hour. The 28th was a part of the troops withdrawn from the trenches at 3 A. M. on the 2d of December and moved to the right to make an attack, but at day- light it was found that Meade had withdrawn.

Late in the afternoon of the 5th of May, 1864, the 28th went gal- lantly to the support of the hard-pressed troops in the Wilderness when Colonel Venable, of General Lee's staff, said to Colonel Pal- mer, of General A. P. Hill's: "Thank God! I will go back and tell General Lee that Lane has just gone in and will hold his ground until other troops arrive to-night." The brigade did more than hold its own ; it drove the enemy some distance. The troops did not arrive that night as was expected, and next morning those brave m'en were compelled to retire before the overwhelming force of the enemy. The regiment lost four officers and eighty-four men.

The 28th also did its part nobly on the morning of the i2th of May, at Spotsylvania Courthouse, when Johnson's front was broken, and "Lane's North Carolina veterans turned the tide of Federal victory as it came surging to the right. ' ' It was also with the bri- gade the afternoon of the same day, when, under General Lee's orders and in his presence, it crossed the works in front of Spot- sylvania Courthouse, and in that brilliant flank movement handled Burnside's Corps so roughly and relieved Johnson's front. Its loss in these two engagements was five officers and 121 men.

On the afternoon of the 2ist it moved to the right of the Court- house, and made a reconnoissance, in which Lieutenant E. S. Edwards was killed and two men wounded.

At Jericho Ford, on the 23d of May, the 28th advanced as far as any of the troops engaged, held its ground until relieved that night, and removed all its dead and wounded. Its loss was two officers and twenty-eight men.