Part 2

CHICKAMAUGA.

On reaching Chickamauga (the Indian name "Chickamauga" means river of death) the two armies were found in battle array and skirmishing more or less severe occurred from day to day, commencing on about the 10th. The Sixtieth had position on the left of the army and upon that part of the field in which vicinity were Glass' and Lee and Gordon's flouring mills.

The line of battle was constantly undergoing changes, not very considerable until the 18th and 19th. Then the changes were radical, the left, or a great part of it, embracing the Sixtieth, was moved to the extreme right wing. On the 18th everything indicated fighting and a regular engagement was unquestionably at hand. The ominous clouds of war hung like a pall over the army; the atmosphere was full of it; the warrior, as well as the war horse, could "smell it from afar." Curses were changed to prayers, cards in the pockets were replaced by Testaments and a quiet determination took the place of jests and ribaldry.

Sure enough on Saturday, the 19th, the struggle began in earnest. As the day waned the contest became hotter and hotter, and at dark it seemed only just begun, and raged furiously until way into the night. When the ranks could no longer see each other they would fire at the flash and report of their opponents' guns. The Sixtieth, up to this time, had not been hotly engaged. The night of the 19th it marched hour upon hour, crossing the river at Alexander's bridge, when it seemed almost time for cock crow, if one had dared to be so bold in hearing of men hungry enough to have eaten him, feathers and all! Tired and worn, a final halt was called and the men threw themselves upon the ground and in almost a twinkling were wrapped in sound slumber, such as is known only to soldiers. But O! of such short duration was that sleep. Not waiting until day dawn, the long roll sounded-a sound that like the rattlesnake's warning notes, never failed to put all hearers on the alert. Hastily every man, knowing intuitively what the call boded, was up in busy preparation, and at daybreak was in line ready for any fate.

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Written unmistakably in almost every face was "we go to victory or death." Alas! all to victory, many to death.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ray was in command, and being called upon for a speech, the commanding officers of other regiments on the right and left, already haranguing their men, he said: "I hardly think it just the time for a speech. Later it may be necessary. We know full well what is before us. I am no more anxious for the conflict than the rest of you, but I mean to do my full duty and have confidence that you will do the same."

Up to near this time, probably within two days, Captain Candler, senior Captain, had been acting Lieutenant-Colonel, as has been stated, the regiment having no Major, but upon an order from General Breckinridge to Acting Colonel Ray to send a mounted officer to the rear to see what was the trouble that rations for three days had not been sent forward, he detailed Captain Candler for this work and had Captain J. T. Weaver assigned to duty as second in command, and the regiment commenced the day's work so officered, young George Leavel, of Mississippi, acting as voluntary aid to Lieutenant-Colonel Ray. At this battle the Sixtieth was in Stovall's Brigade, Breckinridge's Division, D. H. Hill's Corps.

Notwithstanding the early preparations, it was near 9 o'clock before the troops were actually engaged. The skirmishers at once uncovered the Federal line of battle and the work began, the Confederates continually advancing, at many points, however, meeting strong resistance. The casualties for a time were inconsiderable. Lieutenant Wm. White and Sergeant J. L. Cathey were among the first seriously wounded, both losing a leg, Lieutenant White's proving fatal. These were both men of distinguished bravery.

It was not infrequent that ludicrous and laughable scenes came up even during the battles. In the first charge made here, the men had been strongly admonished against throwing away shots and ordered to hold their fire until ordered by commanding officers. A Federal sharpshooter had from some cause fallen behind his comrades as they had been driven back and the fellow was running for dear life diagonally

across the front of the Sixtieth. When first seen he was probably 250 yards away. Redden James a Sergeant in Company F, asked permission to fire at him. It being given, he turned loose his carbine, whereupon the fleeing soldier tumbled, but in a moment was up and off again. Another shot was fired at him and again he fell, but as quickly as before he was up and on the run. Then the third man fired and another tumbling down. By this time the line had reached him and when ordered up, it was found the fellow had not been touched, but had adopted this ruse, as he said, to prevent a volley being fired at him, and hoping every little run to pass from the front of the charging line.

The direction of advancing columns up to about 11 o'clock had been a little west of south, but reaching the Lafayette pike, leading out from Chattanooga, near where stood Jones' and McDonald's houses, the direction was changed due south, at least as to Stoval's Brigade, of which the Sixtieth was a part. Soon after this charge came the tug of war. As the Federal line was driven back it seemed to be strengthened in numbers, probably by reinforcements or the falling back on reserves, and to grow in desperation, and the advance of the Confederates as the sun approached the meridian became more and more difficult. From 11 until 12 o'clock it was a life and death struggle.

The Federal line of battle was of an unheard of shape, running east and west through Kelley's field, then bending round to due north and extending probably 500 yards, bending around again in a westward direction, some distance parallel to the line through Kelley's field, but stopping short before reaching Lafayette pike, or touching the line west of said pike, thus leaving an opening or gap in their line. And it was here the Sixtieth got in its nice work; passing the right of this west. line, it forced its way into this gap, receiving an enfilading fire for a short time in passing said line, and drove the opposing forces back into Kelley's field into their breastworks.

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FARTHEST TO THE FRONT AT CHICKAMAUGA.

By forcing their way into this gap the gallant men of the Sixtieth enabled the State and United States commissoners, in reviewing the battlefield in order to locate the exact position of the various commands, to say:

"This point [marked by a tablet] reached by the Sixtieth North Carolina Regiment of Infantry, at noon, on Sunday 20 September, 1863, was the farthest obtained by ally Confederate troops in this famous charge."

The casualties in the last hour of this charge were heavy. Lieutenant-Colonel Ray was severely wounded and forced to leave the field, after calling Acting Lieutenant-Colonel Weaver, notifying him of his being disabled, and turning over to him the command of the regiment. The regiment in its last action here was confronted by the Second Minnesota, which reported a loss of 33 per cent. of its members, fighting, too, a part of the time, behind breastworks. Indicating somewhat further the severity of the struggle here, three generals were killed almost in a stone's throw of the position of the Sixtieth in Kelley's field-Generals Helm and Deshler, of the Confederates, and General King, of the Federals.

Soon after Acting Lieutenant. Colonel Weaver took command of the regiment the line was withdrawn and reformed north and somewhat west of Kelley's field and held inactive for a time, then advanced upon another part of the Federal line, and near sundown was drawn up in support of Forrest's cavalry. It was here held in reserve a short time, and then ordered into the charge being made on the enemy's breast-works, which were taken most gallantly, the Federals being driven pell-mell, the Confederates scarcely halting at the breastworks, but pursuing the panic-stricken, retreating forces in the direction of Chattanooga. And so ended the day's work, and with similar work on other parts of the battlefield, the great and bloody battle of Chickamauga.

The hurried and brief reports of commanding officers make it absolutely impossible to give the casualties of the Sixtieth in these different engagements, but they were great, some of the companies having only five or six men to answer to their

names at roll call on the night of the 20th. Among the officers wounded, not already mentioned, were Lieutenant John H. Reynolds, seriously, losing an arm; Lieutenants Leonard Huff and Sam W. Davidson and Captain W. R. Alexander, slightly. Of the color guard, every man save one, George Lindsey, was killed or wounded. The bearer of the flag, Sergeant Bailey, though mortally wounded, called Sergeant Lindsey to him, told him he was shot, showed him the wound and said: "I turn over to your keeping the colors."

Here again is another instance of great victory, at an expense of almost a deluge of the best blood of the country and apparently nothing achieved. The failure to press Rosecrans while on the run and take Chattanooga, and thus reclaim a large part of Tennessee, was a blunder that could not be understood by the rank and file of the army and was never satisfactorily explained. Had this been done, and none doubted the possibility of it, the Federals could never have boasted of victories at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, for those battles would never have taken place.

General Breckinridge, through Lieutenant Clay, of his staff (grandson of Henry Clay) sent expressions of his sympathies to Colonel Ray at field hospital on the morning after the battle on the 20th and was unstinted in his praise of the conduct of the Sixtieth.

MISSIONARY RIDGE.

The following up the retreating Federals, after the hard fighting on the 20th, was very leisurely and in a half-hearted way, giving them time to rally, reorganize and offer battle again, on plans very advantageous to them. The Sixtieth was inactive for a day or two, and then by slow marches took position on Missionary Ridge, overlooking Chattanooga. Here on 25 November it was brought into action, but was so situated as to be able to do but little effective work, having the enemy too far away at the beginning of the conflict to reach them except by plunging shots from the artillery and the longest range guns, and when getting nearer they were almost completely sheltered by the natural curvature of the mountain. On the Federals reaching the top of the bluff, a

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sharp engagement took place, but the disparity in numbers was so great the Confederates were forced to retreat, the Sixtieth falling back to Dalton, Ga., and there taking up winter quarters. Owing to the great depletion in the ranks of both the Sixtieth and Fifty-eighth Regiments, the two were consolidated while on Missionary Ridge, the field officers of the Sixtieth kept in command and those of the Fifty-eighth transferred.

The campaign of 1864 opened with a clash between the opposing forces in front of Dalton, the Sixtieth and Fifty-eighth participating in the battle. This resulted in a victory to the Confederates, the Federals again falling back in the direction of Chattanooga. The casualties as to the North Carolinians were slight in this action, save in the killing of Lieutenant Thomas H. Riddle, of Company C, an efficient and popular young officer. This battle was known as "Stoney Ridge." In the spring and summer of 1864, the Fifty-eighth and Sixtieth North Carolina belonged to A. W. Reynolds' Brigade, Stevenson's Division, Hood's Corps. In August, Colonel Wash. M. Hardy, of the Sixtieth, was in command, temporarily, of the Brigade.

FROM DALTON TO ATLANTA.

The Sixtieth returned to Dalton and went into their old quarters. Sergeant-Major Frank Miller was here made Second Lieutenant in Company A, Thomas F. Davidson was made Junior Second Lieutenant to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lieutenant Reynolds, and Calvin Shackelford to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Lieut. Wm. T. White. Here it remained until the beginning of what is known in history as the "Johnston-Sherman Atlanta campaign." This was a succession of battles and retreats upon the part of Johnston, inflicting heavy losses upon Sherman. By his peculiar tactics, of selecting his positions and drawing Sherman back on him, he was seriously crippling him and yet apparently giving him victories by his retreating and the other advancing. 'Twas said in this campaign that from first to last Johnston disabled and killed of Sherman's army in numbers aggregating nearly 50,000, a force almost equal to

that with which he fought him. The Sixtieth was frequently engaged in this campaign, a dozen or more times, the most important battles being at Resaca, Cassville, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Jonesboro and Atlanta, and never to its discredit. Its losses were considerable, particularly in wounded, many of the very best officers and men being disabled. Specially deserving mention are Captains Ed. M. Clayton and Jesse R. Gilliland, Lieutenants Frank M. Miller and Robert Cooper.

CHANGE OF GENERALS.

The War Department at Richmond, under influences, not creditable to either side, assumed to dictate to Joseph E. Johnston as to the further conducting of this "Atlanta Campaign," and this greatest of strategists, declining to be so handicapped, allowed himself to be superseded and the Confederate Government committed the greatest blunder of its short life in bringing about such a condition of things. Some of the older generals who were asked to take command, saw the unwisdom of a change at that particular crisis, and declining to become a party to it, it was left to the dashing and daring Texan, General John B. Hood, to take charge of that gallant body of men that almost worshipped their great displaced leader. A sad day indeed was it, in and around Atlanta, when the change in commanders was made known. No half dozen defeats in battle could have had so depressing an effect upon the troops. In the Federal ranks the contrary feeling prevailed; the elation on one side was equal to the depression on the other. General Sherman said: "Now we'll have something to say when and where we fight. Up to this time it has been when and where Mr. Johnston said."

Of course General Hood had to carry out the behests of the war department, with, it was presumed, General Bragg as adviser, and an entire change in plans was brought about, he taking the offensive and making desperate onslaughts upon Sherman's lines, and while victorious in a way, and fully sustaining his well earned reputation as a daring, successful fighter, they were at such a sacrifice of his men, as to make suicidal a continuance of it and hence it was determined to

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adopt other tactics. So the army swung around, recrossed the Chattahoochee river and opened the way to an almost uninterrupted march of Sherman to the sea; while, in the short-sighted policy of the powers at Richmond, the movement was supposed to cut their supplies from Nashville, little thinking of the communications Sherman was opening up ahead of him.

THE MARCH ON NASHVILLE.

Passing through North Georgia, North Alabama, crossing the Tennessee river at Florence, where a small force of Federals offered slight resistance, but were easily overcome by the troops of which the Sixtieth was a part, the march was continued into and through a section of the State very appropriately called "The Wilderness," where it might have been justly said, in the language of Sheridan, "that a crow in flying over it would have to carry his rations with him." The men subsisted principally upon scant supplies of "corn dodger" and "sorghum molasses."

The transition from this barren land into that fertile region known as the Blue Grass section of middle Tennessee, can hardly be imagined. Here, at Columbia, on Duck river, another body of Federals was encountered, and a sharp little engagement took place, the Sixtieth suffering somewhat, particularly in the loss of a brave young officer, Lieutenant Moreno, who had been assigned to duty with the regiment, having refugeed a short time before from Pensacola, Fla.

FRANKLIN.

Instead of pressing the retreating foe and forcing a battle upon the ground where each contestant would have been on an equal footing, or, what would have been better, outflanking him, a thing seeming altogether practicable, he was allowed, uninterruptedly it might be said, to fall back on Franklin and ample time given to strongly fortify. Then when the Federals, it might be presumed, said, "Now we are ready, you may advance!" the Confederates, never counting odds, or reckoning obstacles, did advance. But what a scene of blood and carnage. The forces were more nearly

equal as to numbers than in most battles of the war, the Con-federates having 18,000 to 20,000, the Federals 22,000 to 24,000. But by reason of the one being so thoroughly en-trenched and the other compelled to advance through broad, open fields, the odds actually might be said, not unreasonably either, to have been about five to one. The battle was a most terrific one, the Confederates fighting with a determination scarcely ever equalled, even by themselves. Privates and officers alike went down in the melee, like trees in the sweep of a tornado. The casualties were indeed appalling, especially so on the Confederate side. Six general officers were killed and six wounded. Major-General John Adams of Stewart's Corps, and that indomitable old war horse of the same rank, Pat. Cleburne, went down in death, with Brigadier-Generals Granberry, Carter, Gist and Strahl. Thirteen regimental commanders were killed and thirty-two wounded. Many other field and line officers were killed and wounded, while about 6,000 of the rank and file were left dead or disabled upon the field, on the banks of, and in, the ditches that they were so gallantly charging. The Federal losses were estimated at one-half or two-thirds less, and yet it was counted a Confederate victory, because the Federals were driven from their strongholds and retired upon Nashville. The fewer of such victories the better for the victors, and that the battle of Franklin should ever have been fought was a mistake and a misfortune that no one, at all conversant with the facts, will for a moment question.

THE RETREAT FROM NASHVILLE.

The advance was then upon Nashville, the Sixtieth having a position from which the capital city could be seen, but into which it was never permitted to enter. In the engagement in front of Nashville the Confederates were defeated and commenced a retreat that with slight interruptions ended only in the surrender of the army in North Carolina. The Sixtieth, with a certain part of the troops, fell back on Murfreesboro, and while in line of battle here, with no active engagement on hand, the daring and gallant Lieutenant-Colonel

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Thomas Weaver, in command of the regiment, was the target of a sharpshooter and instantly killed.

The command then devolved upon James T. Huff, of Cocke county, Tenn., who had some time before been promoted to Major. While the loss of Colonel Weaver was irreparable to the regiment, it was still in good hands, Major Huff having proven himself an efficient officer. The line of retreat was again taken up and again that desolate land of "The Wilderness" was traversed, on through Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina into North Carolina, disembarking at Smithfield, and in time to take a hand in the Bentonville battle of 19, 20 and 21 April, 1865, practically the last battle of the most remarkable war in the annals of history. Many of the Sixtieth had the distinction of having taken part in the first and last battle of the war-Big Bethel and Bentonville.

Quartermaster Phifer Erwin taking sick, Captain M. J. Bearden, former Quartermaster of the Fifty-eighth, took his place; Commissary Sergeant King in charge of commissary stores.

BENTONVILLE.

The casualties in the Sixtieth at Bentonville were not great, fighting principally from rudely constructed breast-works. There were a few slightly wounded, among the number Ed. Reno and J. M. Alexander. The sixtieth was in the brigade commanded by General Joseph B. Palmer. This battle, aside from being the last, was somewhat remarkable in bringing into conspicuous notice the daring and fighting qualities of the boys of the dear southland, the Junior Reserves. They fought with a heroism creditable alike to themselves and their veteran sires. The Buncombe Juniors were in the first battalion, commanded by Major D. T. Millard, of Asheville.

The battle of Bentonville was fought: by Joseph E. Johnston, the idol of the western army, with less than 20,000 men, the Federals under Sherman numbering between 70,000 and 80,000, and that only a part of his army, yet victory perched upon the banners of the "cross in red." The Sixtieth re-treated with the army through Raleigh, thence to Greensboro

and then to Jimtown. The Fifty-eighth and Sixtieth North Carolina on this retreat (which began 10 April) were consolidated and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Thad. Coleman, and belonged to Brantley's Brigade, D. H. Hill's Division, S. D. Lee's Corps. Official Records Union and Confederate Armies, Vol. 98, p. 1064. It was doubtless surrendered as thus organized.

The news of the Army of Northern Virginia, under that grand old leader, Robert E. Lee, having surrendered reaching Joseph E. Johnston, he at once opened negotiations with General Sherman, looking to a closing of the contest between their respective armies, and on 26 April, 1865, the agreement was perfected and the scene sadly closed

The Sixtieth was very fortunate in having a number of the Buncombe Riflemen, known as the Bethel company, to join its ranks, their experience in drill making them efficient drill masters. Many of them were made officers, to-wit: W. W. McDowell, Major; Robert L. Coleman, Captain Commissary; T. W. Patton, B. IF. Patton and Marion Thomas, Captains of the line; Robert M. Clayton, John T. Sales, Thomas J. Shipman, H. Clay Lorance and Sam. W. Davidson, Lieutenants, and Ed. M. Clayton, Adjutant and later Captain. Others to the number of twelve or fourteen were noncommissioned officers and privates.

Three Buncombe families furnished fifteen men to this regiment; six Stevenses, five Sales and four Davidsons, and, singular to state, while several of them were wounded, none were killed and but one of the number has since died.

Dock V. Shope, of Swannanoa, was Orderly Sergeant from the beginning to the ending, and George Alexander, of the same section, Commissary Sergeant for the whole time, almost unparalleled instances, and, singularly enough, both were of the same company-Company I, G. M. Roberts', later W. R. Alexander's company.

Color Sergeant George Lindsay, who was entrusted with the flag of the regiment by his wounded predecessor on the battlefield of Chickamauga, 20 September, 1863, carried it to the end of the conflict., and on or about 2 May,1865, at

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Jimtown, N. C., was paid his prorata of the silver remaining in the Confederate States treasury, $1.15, and paroled. Spending the 15 cents for luxuries of one sort or another, he retained the $1.00, and still holds, as a precious souvenir, that and his parole.

The records of this regiment, from the time of the moving from Dalton early in 1864, are necessarily imperfect, by reason of the rapid movements and the multiplicity of incidents and events. To bring in more than has been done would so lengthen the narrative as to deter many from reading it and to require quite a volume to hold it.

The writer has labored assiduously to give the history of the regiment as correctly as possible in brief form and submits it to the charitable criticisms of the survivors of the regiment. That there are some errors need not surprise any one. It could not be otherwise in writing without any substantial data, after the lapse of thirty-six years. The worst fault, he feels, is that of omission. He wishes it was practicable to note the heroic deeds of hundreds of the rank and file, some of which would bear no unfavorable comparison with that since famous act of Lieutenant Hobson; but to do this would take illimitable time and space. To mention some and not all would be an invidious distinction.

JAMES M. RAY. ASHEVILLE, N. C., 26 April, 1901.

ADDITIONAL SKETCH SIXTIETH RECIPIENT.

BY THOMAS W. PATTON, CAPTAIN COMPANY C.

The above regiment was organized early in the summer of 1862, in the county of Madison, N. C. Of its ten companies, seven were composed of men from Buncombe, one from Madison, one from Polk, and one from Cocke county, Tennessee.

The Field Officers at organization were Joseph A. McDowell, Colonel; W. H. Deaver, Lieutenant-Colonel; and W. W. McDowell, Major.

As soon as its organization was completed, the regiment was marched to Greenville, Tenn., and thence by rail transported to Murfreesboro, at which place it took part in the famous and hard fought battles of 31 December to 3 January. With the Army of Tennessee, it retreated to Tullahoma, and there passed the balance of the winter of 1862-'63. At this place it suffered much from sickness, losing many good men.

About 1 May, 1863, it was in Stovall's Brigade, Breckinridge's Division, carried to Mississippi, and encamped near Jackson, on the banks of the Pearl river. Remaining there till 1 July, it marched in direction of Vicksburg, the intention of the General commanding being to attempt the relief of the garrison which had long been closely beleaguered there by General Grant, but on approaching the Federal lines, on 5 July, it was learned that the Confederates had capitulated the day previous, and the relieving forces were hastily marched back to Jackson.

In the fortifications around Jackson a rather severe engagement occurred on Sunday, 12 July. The Federals who had followed from Vicksburg concentrated on Stovall's Brigade and were repulsed with heavy loss, four flags were captured by our brigade. Subsequently, about 15 July, the Confederate forces were withdrawn, Jackson evacuated, and the Sixtieth Regiment for nearly six weeks was encamped at a point midway between Jackson and Meridian, Miss.

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About 1 September, 1863, the troops there were carried by rail to Cave Spring, near Rome, Ga. Then began the marching towards Chattanooga, and the 19 September found this regiment on the field of Chicamauga. It took position late at night, and next day experienced its most severe battle, and that which was the most decided victory of any in which the Army of Tennessee ever took part. The loss in the Sixtieth was very great both in officers and men, among the former Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. Ray was wounded so severely as to force him to leave the field and for the rest of the day the command devolved upon Captain J. T. Weaver, the ranking of the company officers. The following names were inscribed upon the roll of honor for gallantry in this battle: Second Lieutenant James H. Cole, Company G; Private H. Lowber, Company A; Private John Hinton, Company B; Private Marcellus S. Matthews, Company D; Private Henry Haman, Company H; Sergeant F. P. Randle, Company I.

The regiment's next experience was severe skirmishing around the fortifications of Chattanooga, followed by the disastrous battle of Missionary Ridge, from which it retreated to Dalton, and went into quarters for the rest of the winter of 1863-'64.

The campaign of the next summer began early with an engagement some few miles west of Dalton and continued, almost uninterruptedly, a succession of hard fights almost every day, and of wearisome marches by night, until Atlanta was reached, about the end of July. During this period, the Sixtieth performed its full part, and mourned the death of many of its good men. At Atlanta the army was reviewed by President Davis, and shortly thereafter, much to the grief of his soldiers, the beloved General Joseph E. Johnston was relieved of the command, and his place filled by the appointment of General John B. Hood. This officer was distinguished for his bravery, but had not the affection of the army to the degree in which General Johnston enjoyed it.

Under General Hood the army (the Sixtieth being still commanded by Weaver, then Lieutenant-Colonel) marched through Georgia, Alabama, crossed the Tennessee river at

Florence, and penetrated Tennessee. This was done almost without opposition. The enemy not being met to any serious degree until the arrival at Columbia, on the Duck river. Here some resistance was made, but not to amount to very much. On 15 and 16 December, 1864, was the dreadful battle of Franklin. The battle which there occurred, while apparently a Southern victory, was at such terrible cost of life as to completely cripple the army, and to put a stop to further prosecution of the intended invasion of Tennessee. The advance was, however, pushed, till a sight was obtained of the capitol building, but no effort was made to enter Nashville.

There being a Federal force at Murfreesboro, then in rear of the Confederates, a part of the army were detached to meet it, and to destroy the railroad between the two cities; the Sixtieth was included in this detachment; the labor and suffering involved in tearing up the rails and crossties from the frozen ground, without proper tools or appliances, was very great. Arriving near Murfreesboro, the Confederates being then under command of General Forrest, the Federal Garrison brought on an engagement which, with other disastrous results, caused the greatest calamity that had ever befallen the Sixtieth, in the death of its gallant Lieutenant-Colonel, James Thomas Weaver.

From the nature of these sketches, notices of individuals must be restrained to those who formed a part of the very life of each regiment. Realizing the necessity of this restriction, and readily obeying it, I do not hesitate to record the name of

JAMES THOMAS WEAVER,

as not only the one who was indeed the very life of his regiment, but who was as gallant a soldier, as true a man, as devoted a citizen, as was ever produced in North Carolina, which is equivalent to saying that he had no superior in the world, in these qualities.

From Murfreesboro the fearful retreat began, recrossing the northern portions of the States of Alabama and Georgia, and the Sixtieth was found again facing Sherman at Branchville, S. C., hoping to restrain his march of destruction from

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Savannah. With the feeble force at command of the Confederacy this hope, of course, was futile; the small army was easily flanked, and it followed to Columbia, just in time to grieve over its cinders. Thence through Charlotte, Salisbury, Raleigh and Smithfield, Bentonville is reached and the last battle of the war is fought, the Sixtieth participating, and some of its members having the distinction of having taken part in the first, and the last of the Confederacy's battles, that of Great Bethel on 10 June, 1861, and that of Bentonville, 19-21 March, 1865.

Falling back, we passed again through our State's capital 12 April. How sad did Raleigh look that day. Greensboro is reached and Johnston surrenders; with this ended the history of the Sixtieth North Carolina Regiment. While others perhaps may have gained more renown, and we have no intention of denying the right of any to all the honors which can he heaped on them, we insist that no regiment sustained more severe hardships, was more faithful to its recognized duty, to protect the honor of North Carolina than the Sixtieth. From its full ranks of 1,200 men, a bare handful, scarcely 75, remained to lay down their arms. The large majority of the others had given their lives to their State. Surely her citizens, now enjoying peace and prosperity, will not forget to honor the memories of those brave men.

With all ascription of praise and gratitude, as is their due, we will pray, "Let them rest in peace."

THOMAS W. PATTON. ASHEVILLE, N. C., 26 April, 1901.