The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-27

"Old Cowp.", as he called himself, to the
undiscovered country from whose
bourne no traveller returns" He was
brave and gallant man, and died like
soldier, with his face to the foe.
At Wilson's farm, on the B0yden plank
road, on the 9th of October, 1864, the
md regiment was again conspicuous for
gallantry, and bore its full share Of the
fight, as it had done at Reams's, Mellow
ellis farm, White Oak Swamp and other
places.
In the great cattle raid in pSetember
1864, the End was a part of the COM
mand of Gen. Hampton commanding
the expedition, and after the herd of cat
tie, 2,700, had been captured and driven
from the corral l received orders from
him in person to bring up the rear. The
regiment remained in the vicinity of
where the cattle were captured for near
ly an hour after the entire command had
been withdrawn, and / at once busted
myself in making the necessary DISPOSE
ton of the regiment to, protect our rear.
But very soon the Federal cavalry began
to press me and there were a number
OF mounted charges given and received
and was glad when night came to
end the pursuit. The days work was
hard one; none more so that | remember,
but l managed to keep my command so
well in hand that | lost only one or two
men, l think, before reaching Belcher's
mills.
| The Second was at Bellcfield on the
! Sth Of December when the Federals
under Gen. Warren attempted once more
to secure the Weldon and Petersburg
railroad, and when the rear of Warrens
corps was struck, a squadron of the Sec
/ ond, commanded by Captain A. +. Har-
| rell made a splendid charge and captur-
ed some prisoners.
| Soon thereafter the regiment went into
winter quarters near Bellefield where it
was fairly comfortable during the winter,
being called out occasionally. During
this interval of partial rest | addressed
myself to discipline, and there was drill
and dismounted dress parade every day;
! but the men were wearing out, or rather
the regiment was, from its great work
/ during the previous campaigns, and not
much Roadway was made in filing up
our greatly depleted ranks. Yet the men
were cheerful and apparently happy, and
{ lllbSl VI lltLu tIJOytu lIit hIultI III LltlT
comfortable quarters near Bellefeld.
On the 21st of February, 1865 / re-
ceived my commission as a Br;gadier Gen.
eral, and was assigned to the command
of Bearings Brigade, he having been
| transferred to the brigade of General
Rosser.
| The bearing of both officers and men
| for the most part while l commanded
Al i
there was much individual gallantry dis
| played by both. but time has blunted
my memory and regret that I cannot
recall the names of all whom / would
be glad to mention in this sketch, written
from memory, after the passage Of more
than thirty years.
| Let me say that in the beginning the
regiment did not have the same thor
oUgh military training that the first
cavalry had, as we'll as other regiments
commanded by old army officers. Its
first commander, though a splendid and
courteous gentleman, and a brave man,
was made Colonel for political reasons,
and this made great difference. 1t went
to meet the enemy, too, poorly armed
and equipped. But / am glad to bear
testimony to the fact that in the CAM
paigns from 1868 to 1865 it was almost
equipped entirely by captures from the
enemy, including brides and saddles, car
bines, pistols, swords, canteens, blank
cts and every article necessary to a thor
ough equipment OF a trooper.
! l believe that the regiment was equal
to the best in either the brigade, divi-
sion or corps, and it never failed to res
pond with cheerfulness to any command
of mine. There was an enthusiastic res
ponse to every order of attack-but few
| laggards-and the bearing of the regiment
on every occasion elected praise from
| those high in authority. l remember
once that that courteous gentleman and
splendid soldier, Gen. w. II. F. Lee, the
! Division commander, said to me: Rob
/ erts l think my division equal
| to il not superior to any division in the
| army, but let me tell you that 1 think
| l am growing a little partial to your
! regiment, because I feel more secure and
my sleep is less disturbed when the gal
liant 1.-TWO Horse" is in my front"
| These were his exact words, and it was
, the most splendid compliment ever paid
! the regiment. l felt especially compl-
mented when l remembered that there
were in the division the gallant First N.
| c., the brave Ninth Virginia, and other