The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-08

in killed and wounded 77s-as heavy
a loss as any two of Pickett's famous
brigades and il did not fail to carry
the position of the enemy which it as
saulted.
After the retreat of Lees army to
Virginia the 3@hd regiment was not
engaged in amy battle until the Spots
ylyania battles i'm May, 1864, but parti-
cipated in a few skiImishes and was
stationed much of the time near the
Rapidan river, whore nothing Of espe-
Cial interest occurred. But this per
iod OF comparative rest vas followed
by a campaign that was probably the
most arduous, the most bloody and the
most exciting recorded in the aA1als of
war Yes, on the 4th Of May. 1864, the
send regiment with all the troops of
Dodes' Division moved from their camps
ON the Rapidan, and were either
marching or fighting (and frequently
botm nearly every day from then until
the surrender ON the 9th of April, 1865.
They began their long series of battles
no the 9Th Of May, being quite heavily
engaged on that day. They were more
or less engaged on the 9th, 18th, Sth
and 9th, and on the 10th the 32nd regi-
ment suffered heavily, among it's kill
ed being it's Colonel, the brave and no
bic Brabble. and a large number of its
officers and men. This loss was occa-
stoned 10y the enemy breaking through
Doles' Georgia. brigade, which was
stationed on the right of the Send,
thereby exposing that regiment to a
deadly fire, but reinfOrcements soon
came to the rescue and the eXultant
enemy driven back. This was a most
critical and trying occasion to the 32nd
but it was fully equal to it and it's
steadiness and courage prevented Sc
rious disaster.
The next day (the 11th) it rained
hard all day and there was no fighting,
but on the 18th was probably the most
desperate fighting during the war,
when the enemy at early dawn captur-
ed the salient in our works occupied
| by Gen. Edward Johnson's division, and
in checking their advance (which came
so near being crushing disaster)
Daniels and Ramseur's brigades tall
North Carolinians) fought with such
| unsurpassed courage and pertinacity
as to deserve and receive the personal
| thanks of Gen. Lee himself. An accur-
| ate and full description of that day
| fighting by those two brigades should
be written and published in pamphlet
form, and q copy be placed in the
hands of every North Carolinian, be-
| cause that fighting has never been sur
| passed in any battle in ancient or mo-
dern times. There il was the lament
| ed Daniel was killed and Ramseur sew
| erely wounded early in the day, and
| yet Notwithstanding the loss of their
| commanders those brigades bravely
and unfinchingly fought on, hour af-
ter hour, against greatly superior mum
| bers.
After its desperate fighting on the
18th of May the 32nd regiment was
comparatively quiet until the 10Th,
| when il Joined in a flank movement n
| round the enemy's right and was quite
heavily engaged on that afternoon. In
| these battles at pottsylvania, during
| those bright May days. the 32nd regi
| ment lost over one half Of it's men, in
| killed, wounded and captured. as in
deed did all OF Ewells corps to which
ii belonged, and this but the beginning
the first month, of almost an entire
years continuous fighting.
And now begins the famous valley
campaign, beginning so brilliantly and
/ ending so disaStrously. On the 18th
| of June, 1864, the 32nd regiment with
| the other regiments of the brigade
moved from their camp near Cold Har-
| Dor and proceeded to Iynchburg. The
| brigade was now known as Grimes
| brigade, as Col. Bryan Grimes of the
4th regiment had been promoted and
| assigned TO the command of Daniels
| old brigade, most worthy successor
| and also one of the best and bravest of.
| ficers in the Confederate array. On ar
| irving at Lynchburg then threatened
| by the enemy under Gen. Hunter) the
brigade prepared for an immediate at
| tack, but the enemy ertreated precipi-
| lately, and then commenced the New
| Market Races" the ConfedeFates chaS-
ing the fleeing Federals to the very
| gates of Washington. Al Lexington
our troops passed by tine grave of their
old commander, StonewalI Jackson.
with reversed arms and uncovered
| heads-a sad and touching tribute OF
their love and admiration. Our troops
| reached Harper's Ferry on the 4th of
July, and the 32nd regiment there as
sisted in doing garrison duty and in
I iOdulliS wagons Will blt Iudfh
ter's and commissary supplies captur-
ed at that place. After leaving Har-
per's Ferry Grimes brigade moved in
the direction of Frederick City, and at
the battle of Monocacy was not active
ly engaged, being held in reverse. On
the nth of July, after a very rapid and
most fatiguing march $50 miles in one
day. over dusty road that was almost
suffocating and under blistering July
sun, the brigade arrived in front of the
Federal Capitol. This brigade was the
front infantry brigade of Early's army,
and its sharpshooters approached near
er Washington than any other Confed-
crate troops, an incident of the war
that North Carolinians have cause to
boast of. After some skirmishing the
Notifications were found to be too for
midable and strongly defended to be
captured, and no assault was made. The
men were utterly exhausted by their
continuous and fatiguing march and
were physically unfit for fighting. For
tunately for the Federals, and proba-
bly, the salvation of Washington, they