Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-01-13
The Semi Ueekjy Sfapoafo.
For the Standard.
tut Tue DIHIIuaIU'
C.NP OF The 2SrH N. G. REG'T.

CAMP OF TIE 2STH n. G. REG'T.
up Ep1roR:-l hope you will excuse me for
.-onblinr YOU with communication, but as the
,oLa Of the great battle of Fredericksburg clears
IF tho Greater evidences still have we OF our great
v,c,ory. Our Reg't and brigade with Gen. a: +.
HilTs division had only rested some four or nVe
d.rs from one of old StOReOdlrs long marches,
.o or one hundred and sixty five miles, from
-. Winchester in eleven days. We were camp
g., r,,r miles of the battle ground. On Thurs
~, r,ornjnr at four o'clock we were aroused by
L s;anal Guns Soon the roar of artillery COM
,nsnrsd which lasted all day. We were soon put
pnder arms and so remained all day ready 10 marcn
ata moments warning. We DID not get oruers I'LL
nipht to move next morning at 8, A NJ we slept
cI6Sa 70 our arms At the appointed time we were
of and nv s O o'clock, A. NJ, we formed our line OF
battle behind Railroad track. Our line OF battle
was about six miles long. We sent out our pick
cts and it was not long before We heard them crack
inv away at each other 1t was very smoky, so
that YOU could not see a man over three hundred
wards. The smoke was from the burning houses in
the city set On fire by the shells of the enemy the
dav before BY this time the artillery on both
s;es was booming away. About IL o'clock the
smoke cleared up which revealed to US the enemy
in line of battle about onefourth oil mile from US,
and our pckes in killing distance of each other
II seemed by mutual consent the firing ceased with
the pickets 10 let the artillery wind up the days
mate that evening" proposing tOtswap snhiskey or
coffee for tobacco. We had onesman in our .regi-
ment killed, and some wounded from the days
work. We slept on our position that night. Ear
IL Saturday morning the 18th, our picketS began
the work OF death in earnest The balls of the en-
emv came crashing over and by US, so that our men
had to lay close behind. the Railroad track, to pro-
tect themselves About up the artillery opened
again more rapid than ever-by this time We were
well satisfied that the ball opened IN good ear
nest for our pickets were falling back, and the
sklrmiShing getting more general A regiment OF
sharpshOOterS moved up in front of one of our bat
terieS and played destruction with horses and men
until the 7th \. c. regiment moved up in splendid
style from its position to the brow of the hill, and
few we'll directed volleys from the 7th, drove the
enemy back The artillery fighting by this time
had become general both on right and LETT
The roar of artillery, the bursting of SHE'LL and
crashing of timber terrific to the sight and ears
of mortal man. 1t was now about II o'clock when
we could see the enemy advancing with eight solid
columns in long lines, IN mass to the attack The
first attack was made on the left wing of Gen. Ar
cher's brigade, and the right wing of Gen. Lanes
brigade the 37th n. c., with its brave commander
Col Barber, was the first of brigade to receive
the terrible shock of eight solid columns hurled
upon them like a tornado. 1t looked as if they
would crush every thing before them, but alas!
they were moving to sudden death-for no sooner
were they in reach than the brave 37th turned
loose upon them with terrible slaughter. They
were now moving to the attack of the brave 26th
with four long lines of infantry. 1t was then it
seemed that all might be lost; only one line to
ceve the shock of four hurled in mass upon it.
with strong reserve behind to take their places,
when we should cut them down. for they knew
were not going to run without giving them all the
lead we had but they till they got in reach
Of the boys of the 28th when they turned loose on
thcm and the sight awful to behold; in less than
fifteen minutes there were long gaps Of fifteen or
twenty feet in their lines; the distance apart
about one hundred and fifty yards; you could see
the men fall in every direction but on they came
and still our boys give it 10 them for two and half
hours When we had fired the last cartridge and
had orders to fall back and fresh column to take
our place, then fell back TO our ammunition train,
supplied ourselves with plenty of ammunition,
when we were marched back to our old position
about sundown. The infantry lighting was now over
nearly, except the pickets, who banged away more
or less all night The terrible roar of artillery did
not cease till it was quite dark. The work Of the
day was done; the old brave 2Sth never did more
execution for the time than the present occasion
have been in nine pitched battles With the 2Sth reg
iment and l do declare it my honest opinion, that
never have seen such slaughter made before with
the enemy. Our regiment the 2Sth, did its whole
duty to-day. Our commanders, Col. L. d. Love,
Lieut. Col. Barringer and Maj w. H. A. Speer
duty with as much GOODNESS and bravery as veteran
old soldiers; the regiment never fought better nor
her officers discharge their duty better. But, alasl
the GJefuI scenery by which we were surrounded.
We slept on the battle field, and, Mr.. Editor,
not describe the awfulness of the scene, in about
twenty steps from me lay all night one of my county
men, conseript, shot through the head, and yet
otdead, mourning and struggling all night for life
close to me lay one OF my own company dead, and |
little to the left lay two Yankees dead, and about
me hundred and fifty yards of us lay hundreds Of
lead and wounded Yankees, making all the lamen-
atoms, mourning praying and crying for help, for
ater and for death-deliver me from such an awful
cene again.
our loss in our regiment was comparatively |
mall, fifteen killed and fOrty-six wounded, one
4'dred missing. am truly sorry to say that we |
ave lost some Of our best officers and men, The |
S IN our division IN killed, wounded and missing, |
% aear l,SOO; and think that 1000 will cover the
,are loss Of Gen. Lees army; out of that number
10 We're taken prisoners and are now paroled, a !
" many struggled aud have since returned to |
sT commands, and good many, were slightly |
-"~ q, who are now with their companies bit for |
E: 80 that, actual killed and badly wounded, I
list Is small
.Jo"5ay morning came when our regiment was
~ y i. oy the troops Gf ID. H.. Hill; had been !
nJ -: 'tCheS with snow for Our beds for two days |
onS, and many of our men were as barefoot
,Go "Hen I they were born. Sunday there was but |
Hso'ing done, although We were in line of bat
ert a reserve all day. That evening Burnside !
mo nag Of trace to bury his dead, and from that |
nS. u','h Monday night, they were thus engaged |
ba Tue Immediate command of Their field officers,
In uheY skedaddled across the river, leaving in |
,aiS IahuS hundreds of their dead and wounded to
v1" rHeh care of. was the attle-ield on Tues
morning where the 2sh fought and there were /
Iiy y ol dead Yankees still unburied, and was |
-? oincers high in command that it was so all
'uF lines So you have some idea Of their |