The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-27
9[N[g77GE1 OF TG1[E
@N1[O NJ c. GAWEAL4GHY q
From Gettysburg to Appomattox,

Intelligent sketch of the regiment
up to Gettysburg, it lost heavily at nan ,a.
over. Penn, and upon its return TO VII
g;nia If was a mere shadow of its former
solf and an effort was made to reorganiza
= hut tbere was not much Of it to re-
organize.
However. Lieut.. Col. J. Il. Gordon, OF
the First North Carolina Cavalry, was
made Colonel. but short time after he
returned TO his own regiment ana De-
came it's Colonel. after it's gallant Coon
81. l.. s. Baker, had been made Brlgadler-
General.
In August | was commissioned captain
of COMPANY &C." vice Captain D.. M.
Wynns. its old commander, who hao re-
signed and returned to North Caroliha
commissioned to raise battallon Oh
cavalry. After the resignation OF Col.
Gordon. Major G.. M. Andrews, late Oh
Company "R," became its Colonel, ana
was its commander until June, loo1'
During the remainder of the campaign
Of 1863. at Jack Shops and Brandy Sta
tion. in the Bristow campaign. at War
rnntop Mine Run and other places, and
nnt;l it's close. the gallant little regiment
was always in readiness and took IT'S
place in front whenever called upon 10
do so.
During the winter of 1864, it dld its
full share of picket duty on the hapldah
liver. and with other detailments or the
brigade levelled many breastWorks
thrown up by General Meade when he
crossed that river in November. Also
during the winter the regiment was great
w augmented in strength and discipline,
so that when the campaign of lSo4
onaned If was in fair condition, although
numerically much smaller than any other
regiment of the brigade, because of its
great losses at Hanover, before mention
ed. both in prisoners and killed.
Let us state just here that the re-
giment never entirely recovered from the
blow it received at Hanover. Some OF
it's officers and men were exchanged only
a few DAYS before the advance OF General
Grant in March, 1865; hence its losses
were smaller than those of the other re-
giments Of the brigade as reported at the
time: but am sure that the loss of the
2nd was as great, if not greater, than
that of any other regiment, If numbers
are to be considered.
But to return In the night attack
made by a part OF the brigade under the
command of Col. w. II. Cheek, of the
First North Carolina Cavalry in March,
the Second was part of the attacking
column. and did its duty. ] remember
that it was here that DR.. Thomas T..
Williams, Of Clarke county, Virgin.
and surgeon of the Second Regiment,
mistook Col. Dalghren, Union soldier,
for the writer and had quite conference
with him before he found out his mis-
take.
I was commissioned Major of the re-
giment in March, 1864, and in May be-
gan the Wilderness Campaign Of General
Grant.
Gen. Sheridan's "On To Richmond"
soon followed with 1900 horse and
horse artillery in abundance, and certain
ly everything looked badly for Richmond,
as thought But that great soldier and
our Incompatible leader Gen. Jeb Stuart,
at once followed him, and though he lost
his life in the pursuit, yet it was his
genius and quickness Of movement that
saved Richmond on this occasion.
Among the pursuing columns was that
Of General J. b. Gordon, commanding
the North Carolina Brigade, and l beg
to state here that the South furnished no
grander or more glorious soldier to the
cause Of Southern liberty. Gordon was j
great favorite Of Stuart's, and when at
last Stuart was 50 sOrely pressed, his
squadron broken, and just before his
death, his last words were: "Would to
God, Gordon were here" And Gordon,
too, received his death wound the day
after his beloved chief fell.
+, tho vurcu;f nF Sheridan tho CaapuH
bore conspicuous part, and was more
than once complimented on the field by
General Gordon. It's losses. too, were
heavy, and among the killed was the
gallant Adjutant Of the regiment, Lieut..
Worth, Of Randolph county, who lost his
life at the head Of the regiment while
charging battery well posted and heavi-
~ protected. The battery was not cap
tured here for reasons that need not be
explained here, but all the same the regi-
ment covered itself with glory, as Cen
eral Gordon afterwards said to me.
The regiment was engaged at Todd's
tavern, White Hall, Hanover Court
House and at Hawes's Shop, and at the
last place it did splendid service. Upon
the latter occasion it was in front and
made several charges; i was there
wounded in the head, but did not leave
the field. The loss of the regiment was
inconsiderable, but it was here that Lieut.
Joseph Baker. of Company 3D." was
either killed or captured, and his fate
was never afterwards ascertained.
In the engagement near Hanover
Court House in May, there occurred one
Of those unfortunate stampedes which
are always inexplicable: but at the
time the brigade was a mere handful,
most of it having gone with Gen. Fitz.
Lee to attack negro stronghold on the
James river. BY accidest / was in COM
mand of the regiment when the STAN
pede occurred, and in the midst OF it,
when the best officers and men seemed
| TO be demoraiized, the color sergeant of
| the regiment, Private Ramsay, of Com
pany 3D." brought his flag to me, as
| bad ordered him to do when he could not
| rally his men around it, and, offering it
| to me, said: major, will you stand by
the fag?' Everything was then in per-
| feet rout, myself with the rest, and I
| replied: Ramsay, d-n the flag; |