Year: 1863




are kindly permitted to copy the following
from letter received by lady in this place
from her brother, an officer in the battalion,
who has been in the service since the COM
mencement of the war, has shared in manv
battles and always with high distinction:


CAMP HOLMES, Dec. 81.


am still in the land of the living though
| cannot say that the "smell of fire has not
passed upon my garments" " for l was thrown
into the fire upon the burning bridge
Thanks to very wet and muddy pair of
| boots, escaped scorching.


We arrived at Kinston on Sunday
morning about o'clock and were i'm
mediately placed in position in the rife
pits commanding the bridge, supporting a
battery placed there for the same purpose


In short time the fighting commenced on
the other side Of the river. Our men were
in. splendid spirits and were prepared to
obey with alacrity the order to move for
ward across the bridge at double quick
AS soon as we had crossed we were met by
Gen. Evans who ordered us to pass through
some open fields upon our right and engage
the enemy who were in the woods beyond.


You may be assured that felt great anx-
iety with regard to the action Of our fellows
who were IN for the first time The shells
were flying thick and fast, and one or two
men were struck but the others held out
bravely, and being led forward by their Off
GERS passed through the fields in line of
battle until they reached the woods, on the
other side of which was fence, under which
8 they took cover and commenced firing


And here let me call to your mind an old
saying, that appearances are often deceit
full" You know our officers had the repu-
/ tation of being " fancy fellows" and some
: may have supposed that they would not
fight; but it was a great mistake. | tell
you any gentleman is obliged to behave we'll
!, in battle, and they were all gentlemen.
Owing to a misunderstanding there was q
, temporary break in the battalion for mo-
ment, but they were rallied splendidly and


came back in fine order. l noticed Captain
D Jesse R. Mclean bring his company up first
= with great gallantry, and in moment the
!, whole line was again in position We re-
a ceived an order from Gen. Evans to return
. to the bridge, and again we had to pass
y. through the ordeal of crossing the fields un
y der heavy Ere of artillery. Upon reaching
the bridge it became. necessary that WI
Q should Immediately go back to the fence, 81
n that you see that we were pretty we'll ex-
K posed. When we reached the fence sec
Is ond time we became at once hotly engaged
O with the enemy, who were pressing har,


upon our left-so much so that Capt Johl


McRae's company had to change position
70 from the right to the left under a very heav,
70 fire. They came down upon us yelling lik
x devils, three regiments (as General Foste
r said) upon our battalion, but a witherin


volley drove them back with great loss.
,s Suddenly our artillery, which had bee
:, doing good service on our left, ceased frin
of and retired, and the infantry followed sui
u and. the direction of the enemy's musketr
u showed that we were flanked and about t
+ be surrounded Then, all of our support
o. being gone, both infantry and artillery, tt
l. enemy pressing upon US on all sides and !