Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/345

 \in-tlt {'nrnlni'1 /// /'//////.

On the 3ist of May, at Storr's farm, on Tottapottamoi creek, near 1'ole (ireen Church, it was m^a^cd all day in ht-avy skirmishing and u.is under a terrible artillery fire.

At the Second Cold Harbor it behaved as gallantly as it did at the first. It also behaved with its accustomed bravery at Riddle's Shop, June I3th; action three miles southeast of Petersburg, June 22d; ait ion in front of Petersburg, June 23d; Gravel Hill, July 28th; Fussell's Mills, August i6th and i8th; and Ream's Station, August 25th. In the last-named battle it had to crawl through an almost impenetrable abattis, under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery. Captain Holland, of Company H, was among the first to mount the \\orks, and seeing that they were still manned and but few of his own men were up, he yelled out: " Yanks, if you know what is best for you, you had better make a blue streak toward sunset." They made the streak, and the men often laughed and said Grant would have to send Hancock back North to recruit his command. General Lee, in speaking of this fight to General Lane, said that the three North Carolina brigades, Cook's, McRea's and Lane's, which made the second assault, after the failure of the first by other troops, had, by their gallantry, not only placed North Carolina but the whole Confederacy under a debt of gratitude which could never be repaid. In writing to Governor Vance about the same battle, he said : " They advanced through a thick abattis of felled trees, under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, and carried the enemy's works with a steady courage that elicited the warm commendation of the corps and division commanders and the admiration of the army."

At Jones' farm, on the right of Petersburg, on the 3oth of Sep- tember, this regiment was second to none in bravery. In this fight both lines were advancing when they met. To the delight of all, this battlefield was rich in oil cloths, blankets, knapsacks and the like. Some of the knapsacks, judging from the appearance of the straps, were cut from the shoulders of their owners in their hasty retreat under a murderous fire accompanied with that well known rebel yell.

Next morning the regiment advanced with the other troops and helped to drive the enemy from the works at the Pegram House. which were held in the rain until dark, when it returned to the works near the Jones House. It soon after went into winter quarters in rear of these works.

During that winter, the Twenty-eighth constituted a part of the force sent against the Federal cavalry raiding on the Petersburg &