OF THE NORTH CAROLINA TROOPS, IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES, 1861-’65, BY Col. John W. Hinsdale of Raleigh, N. C. NASH BROTHERS, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS, GOLDSBORO, N. C. (THIRD JUNIOR RESERVES.) It affords the writer pleasure to respond to the invitation of Judge Walter Clark, himself a distinguished officer of the boy-soldiers, to make a lasting memorial of the courage and heroism of the brave and patriotic lads who composed the Third Regiment of Junior Reserves, known since the war as the Seven

The Third Regiment of Junior Reserves was formed 3 January, 1865, by the consolidation of the Fourth Battalion, commanded by Major J. M. Reece; the Seventh Battalion, commanded by Major W. F. French; and the Eighth Battalion, commanded by Major J. B. Ellington. It is proper, therefore, to give an account of their services as separate organizations....

The Fourth Battalion, four hundred strong, was organized at Camp Holmes, near Raleigh, N. C., on 30 May, 1864, by the election of J. M. Reece, of Greensboro, Major; John S. Pescud, of Raleigh, was appointed Adjutant. Pescud was a brave, true-hearted lad, and is now an honored citizen of Raleigh. The battalion was sent to Goldsboro 2 June. It was composed of the following companies: Company A — From Guilford County —John W. Pitts, Captain; J. N. Crouch, First Lieutenant; T. A. Parsons and George

The Seventh Battalion, 300 strong, was organized at Camp Lamb, near Wilmington, in June, 1864, by the election of W. F. French, of Lumberton, Major, and E. F. McDaniel, of Fayetteville, was appointed Adjutant. This battalion was composed of the following companies: Company A — From Cumberland, Robeson and Harnett Counties —T. G. Hybart, Captain; D. S. Byrd, First Lieutenant; C. C. McLellan and C. S. Love, Jr., Second Lieutenants. Upon the death of Captain Hybert, on 9 September, D. S. Byrd was p

The Eighth Battalion, three hundred strong, was organized at Camp Vance, near Morganton, N. C., on 7 June, by the election of James B. Ellington (First Lieutenant of Company D, Sixty-first North Carolina Regiment), as Major. It was composed of the following companies: Company A — From Iredell County —W. G. Watson, Captain; George Rufus White, First Lieutenant; Amos M. Guy and Sinclair Preston Steele, Second Lieutenants. Captain Watson resigned in January, 1865, for the purpose of joining a caval

On 8 December, 1864, General Whiting was notified by General Lee that the Fifth and Second Corps of Grant’s army, with Bragg’s Division of Cavalry, were moving under General Warren upon Weldon, and that they were near Belfield and that Hill and Hampton were following them. One object of this raid was to destroy the railroad bridge at Weldon and thus cut off supplies for Lee’s army from that direction. General Whiting at once ordered Colonel George Jackson to proceed with the Fourth, Seventh, Eig

The three battalions composing the Third Regiment of Junior Reserves participated brilliantly in the defence of Fort Fisher, when attacked by General B. F. Butler and Admiral Porter on 23, 24 and 25 December, 1864. Fort Fisher was located on the point of a narrow peninsula which extends southwardly from New Inlet between the ocean and Cape Fear river, near its mouth. It defended Wilmington, the last remaining port through which army supplies, ammunition, clothing and food for Lee’s Army were bro

On 3 January, 1865, while the regiment was at Camp McLean, near Goldsboro, it was finally organized by the election of Captain John W. Hinsdale, Colonel; W. F. French, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain A. B. Ellington, Major. On 7 January the last two were assigned to duty. Frank M. Hamlin, one of the gallant young officers who refused to surrender with Major Reece, was appointed Adjutant. But from time to time Lieutenants W. W. King, Andrew J. Burton and Frank S. Johnson, son of Senator R. W. Joh

The operations near Kinston, sometimes called the battle of Kinston, but usually the battle of South West Creek, were upon the whole a Confederate success, and when the disparity in numbers between the contending forces is considered, were very creditable to the Confederates. General Bragg in general orders thanked the troops for their heroism and valor and complimented them upon their achievements. The arrival of Sherman in Fayetteville and the approach of the troops from Wilmington to form a j

Arriving at Smithfield 16 March, we remained two days and there witnessed one of the saddest spectacles of the war—a military execution. The regiment constituted a part of the military pageant which attended the shooting to death of G. W. Ore, a private of Company B, Twenty-seventh Georgia Regiment, who had been tried and condemned for mutiny by a court-martial. The poor fellow was first marched around, to the solemn music of the Dead March, in front of the regiments which were drawn up in an op

The enemy soon thereafter charged Hoke’s Division, but after a sharp contest at short range was handsomely repulsed. On the morning of the 20th it was reported that the Federal right wing had crossed over to unite with the left wing which had been driven back, and was coming up rapidly upon the left of Hoke’s Division. That officer was directed to change front to the left. By this movement, his line was formed parallel to and fronting the road. Here light entrenchments were soon made out of dead

The regiment remained in camp near Smithfield until 10 April. During this time our corps under command of General Hardee was reviewed by General Johnston, General Hardee, Governor Vance and others. There was not in the grand parade of that day—the last grand review of the Confederate Army—a more soldierly body of troops than the Junior Reserves. Later in the day, Governor Vance made a stirring speech to the North Carolina troops, which by its eloquence aroused enthusiasm and caused the fire of p

Our line of march was through Chapel Hill. The University at that place was deserted and many refugees from the lower counties were again preparing to fly. After leaving Chapel Hill we camped on the Regulators’ Battleground, thence our line of march was on the Salisbury and Hillsboro road, over which 200 years before the Catawba Indians passed in their visits to the Tuscaroras in the East. Governor Tryon and later Lord Cornwallis had led their troops over this historic way in the vain endeavor t

General Johnston on 26 April made his final surrender of the army to General Sherman and on 2 May, 1865, at Bush Hill, all who remained of the one thousand boy-patriots of the Third Junior Reserves were paroled, and turned their faces sorrowfully homeward. The last roll had been called, the last tattoo beaten, and the regiment was disbanded forever. Special Commissioner . Commanding . This was the end of all our hopes and aspirations. Might had prevailed over right, and the conquered banner had

The writer appends hereto two letters received by him approving the accuracy of the foregoing sketch—one from the distinguished jurist, who was his comrade in arms in the Junior Reserve brigade, and to whom the old soldiers owe a debt of gratitude for his monumental service in editing the Regimental Histories, the other by one of Lee’s best fighters and most trusted lieutenants, and the beloved commander of the boy-soldiers, whose valor is only equaled by his modesty. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, SU