Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/254

 2">0 Southern Hi.t<n-i<-tif ,sVv/r/// Papers.

firing. It was about sunset when the regiment reached safely the rear. General Fender in his report says:

" I at once changed the direction of two of my regiments so as to bring them to the right of the artillery, and succeeded in getting in 150 or 200 yards of it before we were opened upon, but when they did open upon us, it was destructive, and the obstacles so great in front, the creek and the mill dam, that after the 38th North Carolina had reached these obstacles, and in less than 100 yards of the en- emy's rifle pits, they had to fall back. This regiment here advanced boldly and maintained its ground well. * * *

" I should state, while relating the incidents of this day's battle, that Colonel Hoke, 38th North Carolina, was wounded, and had to leave the field. The Adjutant of the 38th was also wounded, but nobly maintained his post until after dark."

Lieutenant-Colonel Armfield took command as soon as Colonel Hoke was wounded, which was soon after getting under fire. Adju- tant Miles M. Cowles received a wound from which he soon died, the regiment losing one of its bravest officers. Lieutenant Coving- ton, Company E, and Lieutenant Darden, Company D, were killed, and Lieutenants Dan. F. Roseman, Company F, and Angus Shaw, Company H, were severely wounded.

In Company G, Captain Flowers and Lieutenant Harrington were severely wounded, and out of thirty-two men in the company at the opening of the engagement, twenty-seven were either killed or wounded. About 420 men belonging to the regiment were engaged in the fight, the others being on picket. The loss was 152 in killed and wounded.

Colonel Hoke in his report speaks in highest terms of the conduct of Captain B. H. Sumner, A. C. S., Sergeant- Major D. M. Mclntyre, John Young, an attache to the regiment, and Edward Goldsmith, a drill master. The color-bearer, John O. Waters, was severely wounded, but remained bravely at the head of the regiment, and bore his colors through the fight, returning them safely. During the night the troops were collected as well as possible, and it was late before the 38th was gotten together, when the wornout soldiers slept on their arms. At early dawn the march was begun, the regiment passing over the spot where so many men were lost the evening be- fore. The enemy fled and the Confederates marched through the deserted camp. General Hill in his report, says:

" It was a costly and useless sacrifice, for early the next morning