Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-06-23
For the 0urnaI.
21TII NORTH CAROrINA T.tOuPS.

W1NDER HOSPITAL, Richmond Va, June 7, 1864.
EDITORS JOURNAL In my last promised write
more extended account of the operations of the 20
N. q. giment in the present CAM go. My present
wherea bCus with the cause will rust, be sufficient
excuse for not doing at earlier day.
We left Tayorsvllie a. IL A. M, on Wednesday,
May b. and reached the army, Nine Run,
Friday, the 9th, having march G5 mil in two days.
On the same evening brigade (JOinstOna) was
0ered up support Gordon's Drgaie in ChaCge which
resulted in mniee success driving the eI erRy beoe
them. In this affllr Lieut.. Giles Ii Watson OF Go.
G, was killed, and some others slightly uudsd. On
Saturday the b, our regiment Was occupd III bu Id
ing breastwOrks. On Sunday, the 8 h, We marched
about 20 miles TO Spotsy yivaDit Conr H1us follow
ing the movements OF Grant, who was u lvlng 10 our
rgnt. On Monday, the 9th, we were again eng" 4
in which Lieut.. j. A. Irvin of c.. A, cDm Dand .ug
the sharpshooters of orr regiment, badly though
dangerously, wounded III the ett leg, aud several
enlisted men badly wounded, or Two ot whom
have since died. Capt. ID. j. Doyaue OF Go. l, was
now appointed 10 the command VI the sharp5hOOers o
the entire brigade.
Capt Robnsony the former commander, having been
also badly wounded Tuesday, the 0b, we Ia com
mon with two three other brigada5, he'd spirited
engagement with the enemy who had succeeded IN car
rying portion of breastworks lhe Yankees were
driven back with loss their part and c1m2ar
atively little ours. Ia this ahi MOJ)r John D
Brooks capture stand of Yankee colours with his
own hands taking them of the breastwOrks when the
ditch on one side was occupied by the Yankees and
on the other by our men. lie carried the colours lu-
medatey to Gen. Lee with The request that they be
presented to Gov. Vance, which Gen. Lee said should
be dcne Our regiment lost, believe, not man Kill
ed in this engagement though several were oady aud
few morally wounded. Lieut.. j. Forney Johnston
brother and A. D. g. to Gen obnson, was badly ant
Capt. D. p. HlIsy, A. A. e., slightly wounded. Oa
Wednesday, the IL th, lay all day in reserve ) on
Thursday the 18th, at AZ A. NJ, we were shrtel by
the now fanilar Yankee yell They bad'in rwhelm
ing numbers attacked thai portion oil our
lines held by Major General Jo5nStons dIVi-
sion. JOhDstOns brigade was among the hrst
to reach the spot. The fighting IVES tetrioe la less
than forty minutes after regiment went lnto the
fight, Major Brooks killed, Capt q. Is. Monk, ol
Co. I'll. mortay wounded, and Capt ID j. u, VAne OF
Go. l. Capt. j. T. ireland, of Go. D, Lieut.. j. Cad'
yell, of Co. B, and Adjt Fred s. Moore oily wound
cd and Lieut. A M. Wilhelm, OF Go. A, missing, BE-
sides = large number of enlisted men Killed, wounded
and can, ured. The fight continued whodt ceaslag Tor
eleven hours About IL A. NJ, Gen. j DhDsou was
wounded when the command OF the b,Gaie dcVovrd
on Col Thomas F. Toon, (Col. 4. NJ. Garrett, OF the
9Th n. &. t. and senior Colonel Of JOlDsOn Drlgade
having been killed cary in the actIOnJ UJ , .'','
though aborDg undr indisposItioD, ,ntra.
~ to the advice of bis surgeons, remained field
during the entire day. displaying amOunt Of CJoaess
courage ard Judgement which would have dJae homer
to higher position. Capt. T. A Smith OF Co. A, on
whom the command OF our regiment tcll has also
| shown himself worthy OF sucn command. From the
u 2th to the 18th our regiment did little hghng, ex-
cept the sharp shooters who ngaged near all he
while, now commanded by Ii Oliver WulIams Of Go.
G, and 1t j. IL ID Jshier, Of Co. e. On the - b we
again engaged, when It. James IJkrah I'M, Of Co
II, and acting Sergt. Mej j. H. Benton wounded,
and several enlisted killed wounded and Captured
Ga the 22nd the regiment reached Hanover Jun; iOn
where youc informant was taken 9ck aud seat TO hos
pital Up to the first OF Jdne the regiment had Lot
lost another killed.
he regiment is reduced to a mere handful at men,
living monuments OF terrible strife they have passed
through. Of the character and qualifications VI our
brave Offices and men who have fallen, c,nuot now
speak 10 detail. OF Ma jDr Ohm s. Brooke, can tr1-
ly cay, having known him from early childhood tnat
was brave, devoted aDJ ti ent CfEcr aud oae whose
place cannot be essiIy filed
Yours. &c, J. X. b.