The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-11-09
(PART SECOND.)

AIAlS u NOTGlSTh virginia.
June Bird, 1862.
Brigadier General l.. OBJ. Branch,
Commanding, Etc.
The report Of your recent engagement
with the enemy at Slash church has
been forwarded by Major General Hill.
1 take great pleasure in expressing my
approval of the manner in which you
have discharged the duties of the posi-
ton in which you were placed, and of
the gallant manner in which your
troops opposed a very superior force of
the enemy. l beg you will signify to
the rOOps of your command, which
were engaged on that occasion, my
hearty approval Of their conduct, and
hope that on future occasions they will
evince a like heroism and patriotic de-
vOtion.
L am very respectfully your oDedlent
servant ROBERT E. LEE.
Through Major General a. p. Hill.
They frankly deferred to the opinion
of General Lee, as to the merits of
Brancb's actions in the engagements
of the 9th, and the pardon they asked
he freely gave them.
They returned to their commands
with a changed opinion. as to what
they knew about war. fully resolved,
thereafter. to attend to the duties that
lay next to their door.
General Lees letter of approval was
read that evening to each regiment OF
Branch's brigade on dress parade, and
there were two men who looked very
intentIy at something on the ground
in front Of them during its reading.
The story spread trough camp and
we had no more war correspondents.
Wait till you hear from General Lee
was the rule with the North Carolina
troops, leaving to others to make repu-
tatiOn by printers ink.
Colonel lane with the 9th had hard
fighting to keep from capture, and be-
ing cut off, mad quite a detOur to get
into the line of the C~hIckahominy, TAX
ing two or three days.
After the battle of Seven Pines, on
the 31st, in which General Joseph E.
OhnsO was severely wounded General
r. Z. Lee was placed in command OF
the army of Northern Virginia.
Brigadier General Ambrose Powell
Hill, for gallantry in that battle, and
Others of the Peninsular campaign,
was made major general, r six bril-
gades assigned to his division, lat of
Branch among them.
From Chamberlain's we were moved
to Brook church on the pike near Rich
mOnd. and did duty at C~renshaw, Mea-
dow Bridge and telegraph road cross
ings.
On the 25th of June the brigade
moved to C~renshaws, and next morn
ing crossed the C~hickahOminy above
the Meadow Bridge road. Tea Atlus
station, a part of the Seventh and Thir-
ty-third regiments, in driving in the
enemy, had n few men wounded. They
captured a flag and d lot of prisoners.
This was the first blood spilled, and
trophy of the CORY seven days fight.
Branch turning their right caused the
Yankees alarm. and a. p. Hill crossed
the division at the lower roads with
comparative ease
Mcclellan made a stand at Mechan-
i~csville, and a brisk engagement was
carried on. till night put a stop to it.
The Eighteenth was on the left of the
line. under cannOnading, from which
We lost three men.
During the night the enemy withdrew
their main forces. and their rear guard
only was encountered next morning.
Pursuit was made, and the enemy
found at Gaines Mill. or Cold Harbor,
where General Mcclellan had cOncen-
trated his troops in a naturally, very
strong position
Branch's brigade was among the
first in the battle and did good SER
vice. The Eighteenth fought on the
right of Il road, crossing a swamp, and
found the enemy strongly entrenched
on the high bluff On the opposite side,
with a0atis in front. We charged with
vigOr. but did not succeed in carrying
the position. Falling pack into the
marsh We would reform and return,
again and again to the charge, with
like result.
Colonel COwan in his report of the
battle says: Friday afternoon at
o'clock we We're put in the figh at Cold
HarbOr. By your order my line of bat
tie was formed on the right of the road
and in his order 1 advanced through
the dense woods, in which the enemy
were posted. a small raVine, deep and
DOGGY, compelled us to flank still fur
Their to the right. BY this means 1 be-
came separated from the remainder OF
the brigade. which had been formed on
the left. and for a long time was wholly
without assistance. in my attempts
upon the enemy's petition Again and
again was that position assailed, and
again and again were we repulSed by
vastly superior numbers. Regiment
otter regiment sent into the same at
tack. shared the same fate. and il wa:
not until late in the afternoon wheT
the continuous arrival of fresh troops
had given us something IL an equali'
ty of forces. that any decided impress
sion was made upon the enemy. Hi:
position was carried in that last charge
which swept his whole army from tn;
field in n perfect route. In mis-
though 1 was perfectly satisfied witt
the q of my regiment, the posi-
tiOn OF the enemy was such that W,
were exposed to heavy fire from TIT
flank as well as from the front, ant
though the regiment was frequently
broken. and compelled to fall back
yet I did not once lose command OF il
The men reformed with alacrity. anC
my commands were obeyed with tn,
promptness, If not the precision of drill
In the last charge hat we made the
writer, with others, passed through tht
abatis. and got protection from tn,
enemy'S fire, under the bank theil
breastworkS were on. Though tn,
regiment did not capture their strons
position. as it retired We a the salts
faction of seeing the YankS abandon
their workS-a drawn fight, as il were
We assembled the hill to the field il
rear OF their breastworks. and wer,
there when Writings division, of Jack
sons forces. came on the field In col
umn, the Texas brigade in front.
We looked UP our kInsman, LieuteH
ant Joseph T. McLaurin. Company Il
Fourth Texas. and marched along wit
him some quarter of a mile or more
haFo-a raturujnP rO orr command. Tn