Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-05-14

iect to It's appearing in onr columns giving, does an
account f the part the Goth Regiment OF n c. Troops
took the late battles the RappahannocR from an
officer of Co 81. to his brother in this place .
CAMP Goth REGIMENT, n. c. T..
May 7tb, 1868.
DEAR BRoTHE R:--Fcr several days have had no
letter from you have written you, for we have
had an exciting time. feel sure you will think that
| lould have written you before, bat assure you
have had no Opportunity since the great battle com
menced. | feel much cause to be thankful that got
through safely, but it hard time for ls.= Was
sck or almost So during part of the memorable seven
dave You ~ta4e doubtless read in the papers more
about the battle OF Charlottesville than could write
YOU but will give y0u short sketch OF the part our
regiment took in it. Ga Wednesday, April 29.h, we
heard very distinctly musketry towards the river; it
very early in the morning bile We were trying
to guess what it meant courier came post haste with
! intelligence that the Yankees were crossing ard an
order TO have rators cooked up and be ready to
any moment In about one hour thereafter the courier
was round again aGd the alarm roll was sounded for
tents TO be pulled down and everything packed About
ten minutes more and the call to fall in was sounded
| All were ready very promptly, ard very soon We
were on the march to Hamltons Crossing. 1t
pretty -eary in the day when We arl3e1 there
and We met wounded men Oh the way. After
manuVCriDg around VIII e, cur lines Of battle e.
tabshcd along the rail road, and put up some logs
and fortlf our place Oar picGet sent forward
kce fighting that day only the skirmish in The
morning ard some pretty heavy caunODadinr. The
shciIs roared around considerably. We stayed there
till before day Friday morning, when were ordered
to march agan. | should have told you that had
considerable q1actty OF rain while IN line al
the Cros ing, background got very muddy ard you may
depend We mad muddy slippery march 10 the dark Gu
Friday morning There Was & tremendous fog which
cleared II as the morning passed away. We moved up
the river, suppose about ten miles which brought Us
not great ways from Charlottesville, where sharp
s< Disl going We rmef rapidly into line OF
battle tue road loaded and were orered hold the
road al Ell hazards Artillery opened pretty heavily
ihe enc my fell back and advanced, expecting each
moment to get into battle. We were formed then Oh
the brow OF bill in fztd, all laying low again
administers ordered TO advance and TIE IinC follow
ed " advanced into thick WoOds, the ankees run
ning in disorder aid our artillery playing upon them
stayed there until night, but got nto general bat
tie. goOd many acre wounded aud teW killed bu tnOAe
bel eve OF our r1gm3nt. Night cams ; we fell! b. OK
into Pie thCkat and aHer getting orders be ready
TO fall IN IT any time, were allowed to sleep till day
Early Saturday aroused and started along tie
plank road 10 the drecii If The enemy had not gone
far, when, to the surprise ui several OF Us, battery
the enemy fled into the head Of column with shell
and grape. There some c0nfuson-a few men
wounddwa faced about, marched a little distance
and formed line OF battle through a thick woods.
There was a sharp ekiTmish with pCkets ard
those OF the enemy and the artillery. We did rot
stay there Il great while | hardly know how we
got out oil II, tut we again 10 the plLk
road and ware pretty soon the marC1 apparently 60
ing still higher up the river. Ne kues not where we
going but great many of rightly COZ jecured
that we were making iOr the enemy he march
Wos very rapid aud pretty long. Any quantity OF
blankets, Old clothes, &c, we've thrown away. Jbe
rad was s'Icwn with them. About hour and g hall
By this as Saturday evening two lines
OF battle with their stacked Our division was
slnt it roat OF these and formed through very thick
woods | Thick / never did see cbDquapin bushes SO
thick We were ordered to throw Of kuapSecks, &C..
The General told ia, Just little hard Fl ght4n and cI
would be over.
Our. picket sant ahead aud we wee ord, rcd
forward Very SOON the picket began i fire, and right
soOn the battle commenced in 1t the frat
regular battle in, but lc pretty well-the mus
kerry atery and cheers OF the men COartd along the line
the surprised Yankees il dismay before us-the
brave men ct our army rushed Oh them while the
ards plundereis Sc got behind trees. We drove them
through woods and haIds, right by splendid breast
works, Tor about 2a miles. OnlY about two hrigades
Of our division were eDgpgcdours and j oes You will
not eTntct particular description OF the tight We
drove them till 1t dark troops were almost
exhausted, Captured good many prisoners Killed.
ant wount great many wien sOpEci \. i. /
Hin division took oar place end had con2d rable
lighting after night. It was then that Gen. jackson
wounded Icy our men, and good many Others /
oIndad at the time. We we're sent little
distance to the rear bu slept that night scarcely
Early On Su4Cay were formed ag alnlnto lice OF battle
and moved forward. There was q line ahead OF us
which passed and got into the hottest SORT OF
fight. By somG mI.a4c OF the regiments OF cur
brlsad2 got detached, aud the enemy came very near
hankl 3 us. We we're subj .c.eI 10 a most aw
iul fire and our mcn lelI rapidly !
Finally We were compelled to fall back little distance
to breast work which the enemy had built jheTe. Wei
reformed and went up rgain The Yankees were vastly
superior to Us IN plumbers, and had good breasHoks
but W. he'd them in c0eck and had them running when
either trooI came TO assistance 1t did not look like
mau coud live n that woods tut there is Que who
can protect Us IN any place. About 70 O'Clock Sunday,
after we had taken the strong position of the enemy the
battle ceased and though there were lots OF ar :ery FIR
ing aid picket skirmishing were exposed to dan
ger al the time. There other regular engage
u.eDt. We lay in line of battle from Sunday evening
until Yesterday, when had most awful march back
taned almost all day yesterday ard had to wade tbro
mud about knee deep
TIE .o.owiDg extract Of letter from Young oil
Ger in the End Regiment n. c. Troops to his relative in
this town. written in the trenches near Charlottesville
It viii Explain itcclf,
For the Jou nal.
j TIE TRENCHES, Bud \. G. 1Roors, /
May 9th. 1868. |
know The agony ycu have been suffering since the
OF this terrible battle, but | have been
entirely unable to relieve your mind before this moment
We On picket six days Just before the battle ard
this makes the tenth day have been the move
have not time to give you all the Details hut will
Go so soon as settle down. The battle is not yet
over, but have passed through many dangers unhurt
Goo has been very nercitGl, aud | pray His arm may
protect throu gh the whole Ai7 trust is in Him and
live or die, it will be all for tie best.
Friday night the two armies confronted Gch other al
Fredericksburg the Identical ground we occupied in
the former tight An rrtcry duel took place inst be-
fore dark We lay down in the woods to sleep expect.
Ing to commence the fight 10 tie morning bat about ?
O'Clock in the night we were called up huuiedlg ard
marched through mud and mre about len ynjlcs TO thei