According to the history below, Captain Huff's Company (Co. H?) was apparently from Cocke County, Tennessee. Anybody know anything more about this company or other Tennessee troops in this regiment.

Jim Martin

From HISTORIES OF THE SEVERAL REGIMENTS AND BATTALIONS FROM NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GREAT WAR 1861-'65
WRITTEN BY MEMBERS OF THE RESPECTIVE COMMANDS EDITED BY WALTER CLARK, (LIEUT.-COLONEL SEVENTIETH REGIMENT N. C. T.)

VOL. III.NASH BROTHERS,BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS
GOLDSBORO, N. C.

SIXTIETH REGIMENT.

BY JAMES M. RAY, LIEUTENANT COLONEL.

The Sixtieth Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Confederate States Army, more largely representative of Asheville and Buncombe than any other regiment going out from this State, had its nucleus in a battalion of State troops. The organization of said battalion having been authorized by the Governor of North Carolina early in 1862, Dr. Joseph A. McDowell, of Warm Springs, Madison county, a member at that time of the Legislature, was invested with power to raise it. He called to his aid a number of well known gentlemen who raised the companies, and in May, 1862, the organization of said companies into a battalion was temporarily effected, with Dr: Joseph A. McDowell, Major commanding; Edward M. Clayton, Adjutant; Augustus W. Patton, Quartermaster, and Robert L. Coleman, Commissary.

The battalion was designated as the Sixth, and was composed of six companies, as follows:

FIRST COMPANY-Hardy's Light Artillery, made up in Asheville and near vicinity; Wash M. Hardy, Captain; Harry Deaver, First Lieutenant; Pleas. Israel, Second Lieu-tenant; J. Thomas Weaver, Junior Second Lieutenant.

SECOND COMPANY-McDowell's Madison county company; Joseph A. McDowell, Captain; Belton Ducket, First Lieutenant; B. F. Patton, Second Lieutenant; W. P. Cook, Junior Second Lieutenant.

THIRD COMPANY-Reynold's company, made up in Asheville and vicinity; F. S. H. Reynolds, Captain; Thomas W. Patton, First Lieutenant; John Gregg Chambers, Second Lieutenant; Thomas H. Riddle, Junior Second Lieutenant.

FOURTH COMPANY-McDowell's Buncombe company;

Wm. W. McDowell, Captain; Thomas J. Candler, First

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Lieutenant (taking the place of his brother, Wm. G., resigning on account of his father's death); Samuel C. Wright, Second Lieutenant; J. B. Hyatt, Junior Second Lieutenant.

FIFTH COMPANY-West's company, composed largely of Haw creek and Swannanoa river men; W. Riley West, Captain; Elie West, First Lieutenant; Dr. J. S. T. Baird, Second Lieutenant; John Sales, Junior Second Lieutenant.

SIXTH COMPANY-Stevens' company (this company was made up by James M. Ray and Goodson M. Roberts, but both declined the Captaincy and recommended Dr. Stevens, who was elected; it was composed principally of Turkey creek, Flat creek and Reems creek men); Dr. J. M. Stevens, Captain; James M. Ray, First Lieutenant; Goodson M. Roberts, Second Lieutenant; John H. Reynolds, Junior Second Lieutenant.

The first movement of the battalion was a march down the French Broad river, making the first day ten miles, stopping at Alexander's, a noted country hotel and stock stand; thence to Marshall and Warm Springs, going into a camp of instruction, drill, etc., on a beautiful island in the French Broad, a few miles below Warm Springs. Here there were additions to the command of two more companies:

Fletcher's, of Henderson county-Charles M. Fletcher, Captain; Rufus Downing, First Lieutenant; Thomas Shipman, Second Lieutenant; James Brittain, Junior Second Lieutenant.

Huff's company, of East Tennessee, from vicinity of Big creek, Cocke county, Jas. T. Huff, Captain; James Nelson, First Lieutenant; M. M. Jones, Second Lieutenant; W. R. Stokely, Junior Second Lieutenant. James Nelson died at Murfreesboro and Lieutenant Stokely resigned. They were succeeded by Leonard C. Huff and Royal Brooks.

In the organization of battalion and the promotion of Captain McDowell to Major, First Lieutenant Belton Duckett became Captain, Second Lieutenant B. F. Patton was made First Lieutenant, Riley Chambers Second Lieutenant, and Robert M. Clayton Junior Second Lieutenant. This addition of two companies, making eight, entitled the battalion

to two field officers, Lieutenant-Colonel and Major. Major McDowell was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and First Lieutenant Harry Deaver, of Hardy's company, was chosen Major, the vacancy in his company being filled by the promotion of Junior Second Lieutenant J. Thomas Weaver to the First Lieutenancy and the election of Marion C. Toms Junior Second Lieutenant.

Captain J. M. Stevens being assigned to duty as Assistant Surgeon, First Lieutenant James M. Ray was elected to the Captaincy made vacant by his resignation; Second Lieutenant Goodson M. Roberts was made First Lieutenant; Junior Second Lieutenant John H. Reynolds was made Second, and Ervin West was elected Junior Second Lieutenant.

After a stay of two or three months on the island, the battalion was by the Governor, through General E. Kirby Smith, having headquarters then in Knoxville, Tenn., tendered to the Confederate Government, was accepted and ordered to Greenville, Tenn., to guard certain stores, railroads and railroad bridges while Bragg was on his Kentucky campaign.

Very soon after reaching Greenville it was decided to change the battalion, by the addition of two companies, to a regiment. Ward's Polk county (N. C.) company, J. L. Ward, Captain; Lawson B. Davis, First Lieutenant; Eli Jackson, Second Lieutenant; C. S. Monroe, Junior Second Lieutenant-coming in, made one of the number, and the other was made by volunteers and details from companies unnecessarily large. This was officered by the election of Lieutenant. G. M. Roberts as Captain; McGruder (W. R.) Alexander, First Lieutenant; Josiah M. Jones, Second Lieutenant; S. P. Luther, Junior Second Lieutenant.

These additions making ten companies, the complement for a regiment, another field officer became necessary. Lieutenant-Colonel McDowell was promoted to full Colonel; Major Deaver was made Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain Wm. W. McDowell was chosen Major. The vacancy made in his company by the promotion of the latter was filled by the advancement of First Lieutenant Thomas J. Candler to Captain, Second Lieutenant Sam. C. Wright. to First, Junior

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Second Lieutenant J. B. Hyatt to Second, and the election of J. M. Cole to the Junior Second Lieutenancy.

By the promotion and transfer of First Lieutenant Roberts, of Ray's company, Second Lieutenant Reynolds advanced to First, Junior Second Lieutenant West to Second, and Robert White was elected to the vacancy of Junior Second Lieutenant.

The organization of the regiment was further perfected by lettering and giving place in line to the companies. Hardy's company was given first position on the right and lettered A; Duckett's company second position on the right and lettered B; Reynolds' company third position on the right and lettered C; Fletcher's company fourth position on the right and lettered D; Candler's company right centre and lettered E, and made the color company; Ray's company left centre and lettered F; Ward's company second from centre on left and lettered G; Huff's company third from center on left and lettered H; Robert's company second from left wing and lettered I; West's company extreme left wing and lettered K.

Towards the last of September, or about the first of October, 1862, the regiment was ordered to Murfreesboro, Tenn., and on reaching there encamped to the left of the railroad and very near the city. Here the men were engaged in drilling and guard duties of one sort and another until late in December. For a time the regiment was assigned to Reynold's Brigade, then to Preston's and to John C. Breckinridge's Division. In the latter it continued until after the battle of Chickamauga.

MURFREESBORO.

In the last days of December the regiment broke camp at Murfreesboro and was advanced to meet the Federals under Rosecrans, coming out from Nashville, and meet them it did, on Stone river, a few miles west from Murfreesboro. On

This was a departure from military regulations which placed the companies in the following order from right to left A, F, D I, C. H. E, K, G. B, the object being that when the regiment was divided into 5 divisions. they would be commanded by the 5 senior captains. Besides in this way, A was on the right, B on the left and C in the centre.-ED.

Wednesday, 31 December, 1862, the battle was well on, and the Sixtieth, eager for the fray, having tired of long inactivity, was ordered across the river at a ford on the Nashville pike, the men crossing by wading and jumping from rock to rock, something of a ledge extending quite a distance into the water. On reaching the west side of the river the troops were immediately under fire, and yet they kept alignment and moved forward with the martial tread of veterans, notwithstanding the discouragements met with on every hand, for even while in the ford they were met by the litter corps, carrying to the rear the wounded, the blood running almost in streams from some of the litters. This, and the groans of the poor maimed men, and worse still the woeful tales of the demoralized retreating soldiers who had been engaged and repulsed just before this advance, were not calculated to steady the nerves of men under fire for the first time. Some were indiscreet enough to exclaim that it was "useless to go any further, for all hell couldn't dislodge the blue coats" from their strongly fortified position. The line, however, moved forward until it encountered obstacles which covered the entire front, these obstacles being the Cowan house, a large brick building, with stables, other out-buildings, gardens, lots, etc., all enclosed by cedar picket fences.

The regiment was necessarily thrown into considerable confusion and some of the companies fell back, while others pressed forward under the most terrific fire of musketry and artillery in their front and a most annoying enfilading musketry fire from a cedar grove to the front and left. The advancing companies got around the obstructions mentioned one way and another. Company F, commanded by Captain Ray, struck the obstacles at the garden and finding two or three pickets removed and a pathway through the garden, he threw his men in single file and, with three of the color guards belonging to Company E, J. L. Morgan, from Hominy creek, bearing the flag, marched through the garden and emerged into a cotten field to find themselves alone and under the most galling fire.

The men were ordered "down," the only command known in tactics appropriate to the occasion. Here they hugged the

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ground for a few minutes, when away to the left it was seen a charge was being made upon the cedar grove that was then giving the most destructive fire, when the command "Up, left oblique, double-quick, charge!" was given and the company soon reached and formed on this attacking force, which proved a part of our own brigade, containing some of our companies that had passed around to the left of the obstacles, breaking the line and then had come forward. Of these were Company E, commanded by Lieutenant Hyatt; Company H, commanded by Captain Huff, and Company K, commanded by Captain West, other companies of the regiment being engaged further up the line.

The Federals were in strong force in the cedars and were well protected by uplifting ledges of limestone rock and the larger cedars, but the charging Confederates had reached a point that there was less danger, possibly, in going forward than remaining standing, or than in retreating. Having just crossed the open field and reached the edge of the cedars, to stop short was to be shot down, having no protection whatever, and to retreat over the open, exposed ground even worse, for in this they would receive the fire not only from the small arms, but make themselves targets for the heavily masked batteries on an eminence near the river.

To go forward seemed the only alternative and to this the Federals offered a stubborn resistance, encouraged by having repelled former charges to dislodge them. They fought with a heroism only excelled by the advancing Confederates. At a critical moment in the struggle, when the lines were see-sawing and it seemed questionable which was to prove the victor, General Preston, with the gallantry of a true Kentuckian, seized the colors of one of his regiments and, sinking deep his spurs into the sides of his noble horse, cried out, in tones sounding above the roar and crash of the battle, "Follow me, my brave men!"

The act and the words were electrical, and, with a shout that will go down the ages as the "southern rebel yell," the men sprang forward as if but freshly reinforced, and the Federals were forced to fall back, though in justice to them it must be said, foot by foot, contending most stubbornly over

every inch of the ground. They were, however, finally forced to give up the stronghold, and the "boys in gray" slept that memorable night in the cedars, upon the bloody ground, in the midst of heaps upon heaps of dead men. It was actually "a sleep with the dead," for they were in arm's length that night of almost every man. The horror of it was not felt in its ghastly hideousness until the morning dawned, when the fatigue and excitement incident to the battle had worn away. Ever to be remembered will be that morning of 1 January, 1863, by the participants in that battle.

Just at the moment of General Preston's seizing the flag the Federal batteries, as if to counteract his move, sent crashing into the ranks a most terrific fire of grape and canister, taking off the head of one of the general's staff officers and killing and wounding many others of the brave band that surrounded him. Here Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Deaver, of the Sixtieth, was dashed to the ground by his frantic horse and so stunned that Captain Ray, in front of whose command the accident occurred, sent Merritt Stevens, a stalwart man, to carry him from the field. Colonel Deaver, brave, gallant fellow, was never after able to do a day's service, having been an invalid really for months before the battle.

At nightfall the tragic scene described had a respite, at least as to the small arms; the artillery never holding up during the night. At the order to "halt, cease firing, lie down," General Preston slowly rode down the line, having something commendatory to say to each command. On reaching the Sixtieth he asked: "What command?" On being answered, "A portion of the Sixtieth North Carolina," he said: "This is your first battle of any consequence, I believe. Indeed you Tar Heels have done well. I must say you advanced further than I intended you should, but I thought I would see how far you would go. Now, a little later, if any of you see fit to venture out and gather up abandoned guns, I will make honorable mention of it. It will he attended with some danger and I thus make it voluntary. Now, take your rest as best you can, but whatever you do, build no fires and make no noise which will indicate your

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position to the enemy, for they have the range of all these points and will shell you out."

In response to the request to gather in abandoned guns, William Hutson, from the vicinity of Shufordsville, a member of Ray's company, brought off the field thirty-five, more than enough to arm his company, after its depletion by the killed and wounded in the battle through which it had just passed. This man Hutson was conspicuous for his cool bravery under fire. The daring fellow succumbed, however, to disease and died a few months later in the hospital at Tullahoma.

On New Year's day the regiment was comparatively inactive. The next day, 2 January, 1863, it, together with the balance of the division, was ordered to recross the river and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon went into that ever to be remembered "Breckinridge's Friday evening charge. Rosecrans had massed a heavy force in a skirt of timber on the east bank of the river, under the shadow of his "batteries of an hundred guns," and Bragg ordered Breckenridge with his division to dislodge them. To do so he was forced to cross an open field more than a quarter of a mile in width, with the enemy lying stretched upon the ground in the edge of the woods with deadly aim on the advancing line.

To say that the fire was terrific but mildly expresses it. How any escaped has ever been a matter of wonder. Nothing but a Divine Providence could carry men through such an ordeal. About half way into the field the Sergeant-Major of the Sixtieth, young Stanhope Erwin, from Burke county, was killed; an early martyr in his country's cause, a noble, gallant boy, not out of his teens.

Here, as on Wednesday, the contest was a stubborn one, the Federals seemingly determined at all hazards to hold their position under the protecting care of their heavy artillery, while the Confederates were equally as determined that they should not, and on they surged, little reeking the thinning of their ranks, or the disadvantages that they fully recognized they were laboring under. Harder and harder they pressed, driving, at first it seemed, the opposing line inch by inch, finally moving it more easily, at last to the river, into and

across it. Soon they rallied and came forward again to find Breckinridge's sturdy men as immovable, by any confronting demonstrations, as the great oaks about them.

An unexpected flank movement, however, accomplished by crossing a force up the river and climbing a precipitous bluff, made necessary by reason of inadequate numbers to meet both lines, a falling back. This, while not as orderly as might have been wished, was without panic and Patton Anderson's Brigade had no part in protecting Breckinridge's men from annihilation, as was falsely reported and strongly intimated, at least, in General Bragg's official report, his troops not coming up until darkness closed the action.

This Friday's battle has always seemed a most useless one, and one too showing most inefficient generalship on the part of General Bragg. Without a simultaneous move on the part of the army on the west side of the river against the enemy's strongly fortified position, the attempt to do more than Breckinridge did was one of the impossibilities, as any one at all versed in military affairs could readily have foreseen.

Saturday, following the grand work of a few men the day before, was spent in marching and countermarching, through an almost incessant rainstorm, the whole appearing to be purposeless. Later in the day, or rather at night, the re-treat of the entire army commenced; indeed, it might be said both armies, for there can be no doubt that the Federals had determined to fall back and that both armies were retreating at the same time, a case several times repeated in subsequent battles by reason of our generals not following up their victories.

The losses of the Sixtieth in the two battles may be summed up as follows:

In Company A, Lieutenant Weaver commanding: Sergeant-Major Stanhope Erwin, killed; Sergeants M. C. Toms, D. H. Waggoner and D. W. Owen, wounded; Captain J. T. Garison, wounded; Privates J. E. James, Robert Paris, H. N. Bridgers, wounded, and J. L. Alexander missing.

Company B, Captain Duckett commanding: Sergeant J.

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A. Hipps, missing; Privates Wm. Shetley, killed; Charles Stokely, W. R. Cook, seriously wounded; James Woody Elkanah Hicks, John Shetly, John F. Waddell, Wm. Plemmons and B. F. Lawson, slightly wounded.

Company C, Captain Reynolds commanding: Wednesday, Lieutenant Alexander; Friday, Sergeant W. A. McBrayer, wounded; Privates J. W. Dillingham, A. W. Searcy, W. S. Penland, W. G. Dillingham, Jackson Whitlock, wounded.

Company D, Lieutenant Shipman commanding: Privates Noah Hudson and F. J. Israel wounded.

Company E, Lieutenant Hyatt commanding: Wednesday, Lieutenant Wright; Friday, Lieutenant Hyatt, wounded; Sergeants W. W. Slate and T. J. Harkins, wounded; Corporal W. P. Green, wounded; Privates E. G. Howell, Thomas Brookshire and John Morgan, wounded.

Company F, Captain Ray commanding: Privates M. Foster, J. Foster, J. Wilson, F. R. Wilson, N. Hudson, James H. Tweed, Wm. White, J. H. Penland, D. L. Mann, Solomon Frisby, wounded; F. M. Parham and Wm. Pritchett, missing.

Company G, Captain Ward commanding: Privates Leander Peck, Alexander Edwards, J. B. Swain, M. M. Edwards, Davidson Edwards, Wm. Pegg, wounded; George Ellison, W. P. Caruth and James Wilson, missing.

Company H, Captain Huff commanding: Lieutenant W. M. Jones and Sergeant C. C. Jones, wounded; Privates W. H. Headrick, Nicholas Ellison, George Marrow, W. P. Moore, G. W. Manstook and Corporal Willie Chapman, wounded.

Company I, Captain Roberts commanding: Corporal Wilson and Privates R. Gray and Peter Gray, wounded; Privates Wm. S. Alexander and Alfred Fisher, missing.

Company K, Captain West commanding: J. G. Ledbetter, killed; Privates Moses Hall, R. W. Alexander, M. A. Roberson, Ephraim Glass, J. W. Clark, W. R. Bartlett, A. L. Bird, S. P. Young, Jonathan Allison, D. M. Wells, J. A. Clark, wounded, and M. C. Gossett and Thomas H. Wilson, missing.

Breckinridge's Division, of which the Sixtieth was a part,

fell back to Tullahoma and went into winter quarters. The weather following was of the meanest-raining, sleeting and snowing, and slush and mud seemed to he the normal condition of things in that dreary and desolate region. The suffering was great. The men sickened and many died, both of officers and privates, Quartermaster-Captain Augustus W. Patton among the former, entailing a loss irreparable to the regiment, he being a most efficient officer and the highest type of a man in every way.

CHANGES IN OFFICERS.

Here, too, commenced an investigation of the conduct of certain officers and companies in the fights in front of Murfreesboro, and while most, if not all, were from the peculiar state of things not greatly censurable for any neglect of duty, a pressure was brought to bear on them and several resignations were tendered, and quite a revolution was wrought in the officials; an entire change in the field officers and many changes in company officers. Captain Hardy, of Company A, was made Colonel and Captain Ray, of Company F, Lieutenant-Colonel. The position of Major for some reason, was left vacant. The promotion of Captain Hardy making a vacancy in his company (A), First Lieutenant Weaver was promoted to Captain, the Second Lieutenant and Junior Second Lieutenants advancing respectively, and John W. Lindsay was elected to the vacancy of Junior Second Lieutenant. The vacancy of Captain in Company F, caused by the pro-motion of Captain Ray, was not filled, but First Lieutenant Reynolds allowed to command. Captain Belton Duckett, of Company B, resigning, First Lieutenant B. F. Patton was advanced to the Captaincy; the Second and Junior Second Lieutenants advanced respectively, and the vacancy of Junior Second Lieutenant was not filled. Captain F. S. H. Reynolds, of Company C, resigning, First Lieutenant Thomas W. Patton was promoted to Captain, and Second and Junior Second Lieutenants advanced respectively. Samuel W. Davidson was elected Junior Second Lieutenant. After the death of Lieutenant Riddle, Lieutenant Davidson advanced to Second and Henry K. Rhea elected to the vacancy of

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Junior Second Lieutenant. Captain Fletcher, of Company D, and his Lieutenants leaving the company, Lieutenant John Gregg Chambers, of Company C, was temporarily put in command. Later H. Clay Lorance was appointed First Lieutenant, James M. Ford Second, and Robert C. Evans Junior Second Lieutenants. Lieutenant Lorance taking command, relieved Lieutenant Chambers, who returned to his company on 17 November, 1863, Jesse R. Gilliland was appointed Captain and commanded the company until wounded in front of Atlanta, from which he never recovered, Lieutenant Lorance again taking command. Captain West of Company K, resigning, Adjutant E. M. Clayton was made Captain and William T. White elected Junior Second Lieutenant.

The vacancy of Adjutant by the promotion of E. M. Clayton, was filled by the appointment of Orville Ewing, Jr., of Nashville, Tenn. The position of Sergeant-Major made vacant by the killing of Stanhope Erwin, was filled by the appointment of Frank M. Miller. Captain G. M. Roberts, of company I resigning, First Lieutenant W. R. Alexander was promoted to the Captaincy, the Second and Junior Second Lieutenants advanced respectively, and the Junior Second Lieutenancy was not filled.

Dr. J. M. Stevens resigning as Surgeon, Dr. Griffin, of Louisville, Ky., was assigned to duty in his stead, assisted by Lieutenant Robert Cooper. Dr. Griffin was superseded by Dr. Mackay about the time the regiment left for Mississippi. The latter was a surgeon of considerable note, having served quite a time in the English army with the Scottish Highlanders before coming to America. Phifer Erwin was made Quartermaster in place of W. Augustus Patton, deceased, B. J. Alexander being retained as Quartermaster-Sergeant.

In the early spring of 1863 the regiment, as also the division, broke camp at Tullahoma and moved to Wartrace. It was then in Preston's Brigade, Breckinridge's Division, Hardee's Corps. In early summer it went to Fairfield, and later was ordered to Jackson, Miss. On reaching there it went into camp upon the banks of Pearl river, here remaining until about 1 July, Joseph E. Johnston in the

meantime hurriedly getting together transportation for a movement on Vicksburg to relieve Pemberton, who was being besieged by General Grant. Four days' marching via Can-ton, under the broiling sun of that, then, almost tropical clime in dust shoemouth deep, drinking water from any place it could be found, and this, much of the time, being stagnant, muddy, stockponds and even from hog-wallows along the line of march, the command reached the waters of the Big Black on the night of 4 July, the commander of the Sixtieth, Lieutenant-Colonel Ray, being the general field officer of the day. About midnight the word passed from brigade to brigade and from regiment to regiment that Vicksburg had capitulated. A retrograde movement was at once ordered and the retreat commenced and continued until Jackson was reached. The troops fared better on the retreat than on the advance, so far as water was concerned, for the wells and cisterns along the route that had been stripped of buckets and drawing arrangements by the owners had been replaced after the passage of the troops and, of course, not anticipating so speedy a return, they were found in place and there was comparatively little suffering for water. The citizens of Canton, it must be said, however, did everything possible for the comfort of the soldiers, both advancing and retreating, lining the sidewalks with buckets and pitchers of water.

Johnston made a stand at Jackson and set himself in battle array. Very soon he was confronted by the Federals in force and the contest commenced, first skirmishing along various parts of the line. Finally, on 16 July, a strong demonstration was made upon that part where the Sixtieth had position and for a time the battle was fierce, but the defense was stronger than the enemy seemed to have anticipated, the retreat. was sounded and the attacking forces withdrew.

The Sixtieth's casualties were but slight, a few men only being wounded. Among that number was James Parker, of Company E, whose wound necessitated the amputation of one arm. This was done most skilfully by Dr. McKay, surgeon of the regiment.

General Johnston did not see fit to offer resistance for any considerable time to the occupancy of the city and withdrew

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his forces, the Sixtieth going to Brandon and encamping on a ridge not a great way from the station, in the track of a cyclone that had passed through that section of the country some time before, and hence the name "Camp Hurricane," by which the rendezvous was known. Here Colonel Hardy, Lieutenant-Colonel Ray and several officers of the line passed their examinations for promotion, although they had been on duty in their respective assignments, most of them, from the time of leaving Fairfield, Tenn. Lieutenant-Colonel Ray commanding the regiment on the advance from Jackson to Big Black and on the retreat as well.

It was here, too, that Dr. McKay, by his extra rigid regular army discipline, incurred anew the anger of many of the regiment, who claimed that they were out to fight tyranny in every form, and while engaged fighting back an invading army, they would at the same time resist being domineered by, as they claimed, a military martinet in the person of the regimental surgeon. They commenced the exhibition of their determination to get rid of the doctor by a night attack upon him as he swung in his hammock in his marquee, cutting down the hammock and then casting some stones, more to frighten, possibly, than to hurt, for they were not really bad men. The doctor appealed to Lieutenant-Colonel Ray, again in command of the regiment, for redress and reported an entire company as being the offenders, but as he could name none, either as leaders or participants, no action could well be taken. Colonel Ray, esteeming him for his skill in surgery and his general learning, was anxious to save him any injury, or any repeated indignity and begged the doctor to allow him to effect his transfer, which was done and old Dr. Straight, a Mississippian, was put in his place, a most lovable character, who soon endeared himself to the men very greatly.

In September Breckinridge was ordered to Georgia to reinforce General Bragg, who was again to join issue with General Rosecrans. It so happened that some of the higher officers being away on leave, and others desiring to go via Mobile, Ala., the command of the brigade devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Ray, who had it in charge until reaching the point of destination.

End of Part 1