The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-28
TIE NEWS AND OBSERVERS SUNDAY MORNING JANUARY 2s 1900

of the First North Carolina regiment at
the opening of the battle and their
changes of position during its progress,
were as follows:
COMPANY A. Captain Bridgers, was
uosted in the dense wood. or swamp, be-
yond the works, beyond the creek, and to
the left of the road. They were deploy-
ed as skilunishers. When Browns how
itzer was spiked and abandoned, Com
pany A was transferred to the right,
where they attacked the enemy and re
covered the howitZer.
Company B, Lieutenant Owens, on the
the South face Of the works. From this
nosition, the company took part in the
rcpulse of the enemy's first attempt ON
our right, and in the repulse of Win
throp's attack.
Company C, Captain Ross, on the left
of Company IL. and occupying the ADA
cent part of the East face of the works.
After the temporary capture by the enc
my of Browns abandoned howitzeT, Coma
pany c. was ordered with Company AZ
TO recapture it. When this was done,
they were returned to their original post
ton, where they took part in the repulse
Of Winthrops attack.
Company ID, Captain Ashe, at the
Northeast angle of the works.
Company T.. Captain Mcdowell, on
the North and Northwest faces Of the
works.
Company f, Captain Starr, IN the
woods to the North and left OF Conn
pany DIS position. with exception OF a
detachment under Lieutenant Roberts
stationed at a ford a mile below the
bridge.
Company G., Capt. Avery was thrown
beyond the stream. TO the rght oa dhe
road. near am old mill dam, where they
took part in the repulse Gu the enemy g
first advance on our right. subsequently
they were moved forward to the support
of the howitzer which had replaced the
spiked and abandoned one.
Company III, Captain Huske, on the
West face of the works, ON the right
(North) of Montague's Battalion. Short
ly after the fight began, Company II
was moved forward to the support of the
main battery (Randolph's) Southeast OF
the church When Winthrop made his ut
tack upon the Southeast angle, half OF
the company, under LieutenaAts Cock
and Nick ethan, were sent thither by Col
onel Magruder, where they took part ia
the ropulse of Winthrop.
Company l, Lieutenant Parker, on
the right (Northl of Company HIS first
position, and extending to the Northwest
angle of the works. During the progress
of the battle. Company | was deployed in
front of its position in the works and
remained thus until it was over.
Company X, Captain Holle, inl the
woods on the left (North) of company F
During the battle, Company X was de-
ployed 100 yards in front OF its position,
in anticipation OF Winthrops skirmish-
ers striking there Upon their failure
To do this. it was withdrawn to It's O!igiE-
nj position. AT the close of the battle
Company * was sent forward as descrlb-
ed further on.
Lieutenant-C Colonel Stuart's three COM
Danies were stationed on the hall TO the
extreme right beyond the creek, where e
completed the slight breast-w0rk erected
TO protect his command.
Major Montague's three companies OF
cavalry (disrnounted We're on the west
face of the works, back and Northwest
OF the church. Upon Stuart
retirement to this point, shortly after
the action began, Montagues command
with the exception OF Worth's company
which was sent to the ford were ordered
to a point mile and quarter to the
left. The enemy making no denlonstra-
ton in that quarter. they took no Other
part in the action.
RandolpIl's artillery was posted as
follows: The PARROT gun and one
Howitzer in the main battery on the
right Of the road near the front OF the
church, q howitzer under Captain Brown
in the battery erected on the right be-
yond the ravine; a howitzer near the
bridge. OH the right CT the road; the
rihed howitzer on the left Of the road,
behind the right Of the redoubt erected
there. (a).
\ detachment of fifteen cadets from
the North Carolina Military Institute
were posted beside the last mentioned
howitzer.
How these dispositions for defense APP
peared to the attacking party is revealed
by their reports of the battle.
Captain Judson fitzpatrick. of Dur
yeas Fifth New York, afterwards the
cavalry general Who had the interesting
experience with Whecler's cavalry near
Fayetteville in 1861. with two companies
of his regiment acted as the enemy's
advance guard. He says that he drove
in our pickets at s o'clock, and then
made an EARNED reconnaissance" Of our
position and forces. He was much i'm
pressed with what he saw. He found
the enemy with about from three to five
thousand men posted in n strong position
on the opposite side of the bridge. thrcs
earthworks and a masked battery on the
right and left; in advance of the stream
thirty pieces of artillery and a args
force of cavalry" Cb) Gen. Buffers view
from Fortress Monroe, was different. He
(a) The following is a summary of such
portions of Major Rando'! h's report as
are useful to the present purpose:
The hoWitzer on the right (under Cap
tain Brown was spiked early in the ac-
ton by the breaking of n printing wire,
and was Withdrawn. 1t was replaced
near the close by Moseleys howitzer,
brought up from the Hal Way House.
The ford on the left being threatened,
the hoWitZer at the bridge was with
drawn and sent to that point. The rifad
howitzer was withdrawn from the left
of the road and sent to the rear when