The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-11

and then with like rapid movement
face about and rejoin the division.
Raising the rebel yell" the brigade
with CELEBRITY and precision, promptly
and faultlesSly executed the order and
having gained the brow of the hill,
the enemy anticipating a determined
struggle, commenced to deploy and
prolong their line as if on parade. But
before the movement was fully exc
cuted the command rang along the
Confederate line clear and distinct
above the din of battle, Halt, ready,
aim, fire." And While the encircling
troops were surprised and stunned by
the audacity of the charge and the
unusual character of the fire, the brig
ade safely withdrew and regained the
division, which in the meantime had
been skirmishing as it withdrew. Cen
eral Gordon, superbIy mounted, as we
passed by exclaimed, "Grandly and
gloriously donei"
This Was the Last Charge of the
Army of Northern Virginia.
According to the above statements
of Generals Grimes and Cox, written
In 1879, and published Without any
contradiction from any source for
more than twenty years, the last
charge made and the last volley fired
at Appomattox by any organized brig
ade of infantry was by Cox's North
Carolina brigade Their statements
are true of my own personal knowl-
edge.
General Cox in his statement furth-
er says that IAN irregular exchange of
hire was for sometime maintained" by
some of his skirmishers who were
covering his retreat and did not per-
ce1ve or understand the flag of truce"
In confederation of this is the follow
Ing statement written under date Of
July 18th, 1904, by Captain w. r. Jen-
kins, of Halifax county, who was cap
tain OF company A, 14th North Caro-
lint Regiment:
ION the morning of the 9th, after
a sleepless and supperless. night, very
early, while it was yet dark, we were
ordered to take up line of march i'm
the direction of Lynchburg. We were
marched across a creek beyond APP
pomattox and formed line of battle.
We were soon ordered to advance
down the Lynchburg road, General
CoxS brigade being on the right of the
advancing column. We were discov-
cred by Yankee battery on our left
and several of our men were killed
and wounded by the shells. We en-
countered the enemy in force at an
intersection of cross roads and drove
them from the field, and after going
some distance on the left of the road
we received orders to fall back and
bring up the rear. The enemy soon
discovered our retreat and attempted
to advance and cut us off but we
charged and drove them back into the
woods and continued our retreat in
the direction of the court house When
we reached the road all the troops had
passed and we halted for our rear to
come up and all get together.
General Cox then ordered me to
take the 18th and 4th regiments and
hold the enemy in check until he
could get his command to the rear,
ana send back some horses and have
a battery of artillery moved which
had been left on the road. / then adj
Vanced the two regiments down the
road and formed line of battle, the 4th
on the right with left resting on the
road and the 14th on the left and con-
Meeting with the 4th. We were soon
holly engaged and pressed back, and
not wishing to lose all our men and
colors l went to the 4th and ordered