With the exception of two companies garrisoning Fort Bartow on Roanoke Island, the Seventeenth Regiment was captured at Fort Hatteras on the 27th of August, 1861, by the United States naval arid land forces, commanded respectively by Commodore Stringilam and General B. F. Butler. The Seventeenth Regiment was officered as follows:
W. F. MARTIN, Colonel.
GEORGE W. JOHNSON Lieutenant-Colonel.
HENRY A. GILLIAM Major.
GILBERT ELLIOTT Adjutant.
JOHN S. DANCY, Quartermaster
L. D. STARKE, Commissary
WYATT M. BROWN, Surgeon.
Fort Clark, commanded by Captain John C. Lamb, a mile up the beach, and Fort Hatteras, near the inlet, under the immediate command of Colonel Martin, constituted the defenses of Hatteras Inlet. The garrison, numbering less than 1,000 men, was attacked by the overwhelming land and naval forces of the Federals, and after an heroic defense surrendered as prisoners of war. Shortly thereafter the enemy, under General Burnside, moved upon Roanoke Island. The two companies constituting the balance of the Seventh Regiment garrrisoned Fort Bartow, and, under the splendid leadership of Captain Fearing and Lieutenant C. G. Elliott, the latter afterwards the gallant and efficient Adjutant General to Generals Martin and Kirkland, succeeded by the accurate fire of their guns in keeping back the Federal fleet, and only surrendered after the landing of the Federal troops upon another part of the island, pushing back the Confederates under Colonel Shaw, and completely flanking the fort. I am indebted to Captain C. G. Elliott for an incident of this battle which is worthy of being preserved. He writes:
"During the bombardnient of Fort Bartow a cannon shot cut down the flag-staff. Instantly Lieutenant Thomas H. Gilliam sprang upon the parapet, amid the storm of shot and shell, and firmly planted the beautiful silk color of the John Harvey Guards which waved until the order to retire was received." An historical parallel to the brave act of Sergeant Jasper at Fort Moultrie.
Thus the whole regiment in these two engagements became prisoners of war. After being exchanged, the Seventh Volunteers (as it was first called) was re-organized at Camp Mangum and became the Seventeenth Regiment N. C. T.
The Organization was as follows:
Colonel, W. F. Martin; Lieutenant-Colonel, John C. Lamb; Major, Thos. H. Sharp; Adjutant, Gilbert Elliott; Sergeant Major, Wilson G. Lamb; A. Q. M., John S. Dancy; Commissary, L. D. Starke; Surgeon, R. K. Speed.
COMPANY A-Captain William Biggs.
COMPANY B-Captain James J. Leith.
COMPANY C-Captain William B. Wise.
COMPANY D-Captain J. M. C. Luke.
COMPANY E-Captain John L. Swain.
COMPANY F-Captain George B. Daniel.
COMPANY G-Captain Thos. J. Norman.
COMPANY H--Captain Stewart L. Johnson.
COMPANY I-Captain A. J. M. Whitehead.
COMPANY K-Captain Howard Wiswall.
COMPANY L-Captain Lucius J. Johnson.
The Adjutant of the regiment, Gilbert Elliott was detailed and under this supervision the iron clad ram "Albemarle," which contributed so largely to the capture of Plymouth, was constructed. Lieutenants M. A. Cotten and Wilson G. Lamb filled his place as Adjutant of the regiment. The Seventeenth was assigned to service in Eastern North Carolina and performed picket duty watching the enemy at New Bern, Washington and Plymouth. In December, 1862, a detachment from the regiment with a squadron of cavalry from Colonel Evans' regiment (Sixty-third North Carolina) and Moore's Battery, all under Lieutenant-Colonel Lamb, captured Plymouth. Another detachment drove the enemy from Washington, N. C. Many minor raids and surprises of the enemy's outposts cleverly managed by Captain William Riggs, Lieutenants Hardison, Grimes, Cotton and others gave indication of what might be expected of the regiment when it would have the opportunity of displaying its fighting qualities.
In 1863 the regiment was brigaded with the Forty-second, Fiftieth, and Sixty-sixth Regiments, and placed under the command of Brigadier-General James G. Martin, and stationed at Fort Branch, Kinston and Wilmington, and was thoroughly drilled and disciplined by that splendid organizer and disciplinarian.
On the 2d of February, 1864, the regiment under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lamb with the Forty-second, Colonel Brown, Parris' Battery of six guns and a squadron of cavalry, Lieutenant--Colonel Jeffords, the whole under command of General J. G. Martin, attacked the enemy's forts at Newport After the capture of their block houses and driving in of their outposts, the command moved upon their forts and entrenchments. The Seventeenth N. C. on the right assailed their columns in splendid style and pouring over the works captured their guns and barracks. The brave Captain Leith of Company B, was killed. The enemy fled in dismay over the river and did not stop until safely under the guns of Fort Macon. Ten pieces of artillery, 78 prisoners and a large quantity of stores were the fruits of this victory. The railroad bridge was burned and the railroad occupied to prevent reinforcements from Beaufort and Fort Macon being sent to New Bern. Owing to the failure of General Pickett's command to capture New Bern, General Martin's troops were withdrawn the next day. In reference to this battle I quote from the official report of the Federal General, J. M. Palmer, commanding at New Bern under date of February 7, 1864.
"Martin performed his part well."
The great campaign of 1864 was now about to open and the desperate struggle to capture the capital of the Confederacy to begin. Grant crossed the Rapidan on the 4th of May, with his army of 140,000 men and moved overland upon Richmond. Butler, with 30,000 men and a large naval armament, ascended the James and occupied the Bermuda Hundreds Peninsula, threatening both Richmond and Petersburg. To meet this movement the Confederate forces operating in North Carolina with troops from South Carolina and Georgia were rapidly concentrated at Richmond and Petersburg and placed under General Beauregard's command.
On the 11th of May, the Seventeenth (1,100 strong) followed by the Forty-second and Sixty-sixth N. C., marched through the streets of Petersburg with their bright bayonets reflecting the morning sunlight to join in the mighty struggle then impending. The battle of Drewry's Bluff on the 17th resulted in forcing Butler back upon his fortified base at Bermuda hundreds. On the 20th the Confederates were or dered to assault this line of entrenchments. Martin's brigade was upon the extreme Confederate right, and the Seventeenth, N. C., was Martin's right regiment so it devoled upon this regiment to lead the assault. Then its thorough drilling and discipline proved of great value. Emerging from the woods into the open field with unbroken front and without a halt, at double quick step, its onset was not stopped until the enemy's works were won and the Confederate banner waved in triumph over Butier's stronghold. The charge was taken up along the line with equal gallantry and success and Butler's forces were driven to shelter under the protection of their gunboats in the James and Appomattox. Thus the "bottling up of Butler," so graphically detailed by General Grant, was complete. The regiment suffered very heavily in this assault, losing about 175 officers and men, killed and wounded. The brave and youthful Lieutenant Colonel Lamb fell mortally wounded upon the enemy's works and died a few days thereafter.
Our fighting commissary, Captain L. D. Starke, now of Norfolk, Va., is entitled to special notice, having sent his wagons to the rear and joined the boys in the front, and participated in the battle with distinguished bravery. A more gallant soldier never lived.
By the death of Colonel Lamb, Major Sharp became Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Lucius J. Johnson, Company L, became Major.
A division was created for General R. F. Hoke composed of the brigades of Martin, Colquitt, Hagood and Clingman and was ordered to report to General R. F. Lee.
The battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania had been fought, and Grant in his turning movement had ordered Sheridan's cavalry, supported by Warren's Corps, to seize the heights at New Cold Harbor.
"Anderson came up on the first of June, with Kershaw's and Hoke's Divisions, and attacking Sheridan drove him back toward Old Cold Harbor, and secured the heights around New Cold Harbor and Gaines' Mill, which he at once proceeded to fortify." The importance and value of this success can only be realized when it is understood that had Grant's order been carried out the Federals would have occupied the ridge, and the Confederates, instead of defending, would have been compelled to assail them, inasmuch as it was the key to the Confederate Capital. The great and decisive battle of Cold Harbor, on 3 June, followed these prelimnary engagements, and resulted in the bloodiest repulse of the Federals known in the history of the war. The Seventeenth was upon the right of the line, and supported Grandy's (Va.) battery. In its front the enemy's dead were so thickly strewn that one could have walked on their bedies its whole extent. In this battle Lieutenant M. A. Cotten and Private Benjamin Andrews greatly distinguished themselves, bringing into our works the flag of a New York regiment, of Tyler's brigade. The enemy assaulted our lines several times, the interval between the assaults, this flag was brought in and temporarily planted upon our works. Thisincident unquestionably misled the brave Hancock, who in his official report of the battle claimed that his troops had carried our line, "Having seen through his field glasses the Stars and Stripes floating from the enemy's works."
After the battle of Cold Harbor General Grant transferred his army to the south bank of the Appomattox and attempted a coup d'etat at Petersburg.
General Lee, on the 14th, moved Hoke's Division near Drewry's Bluff, in order that it might be in position to act as reserve for his army or go to the support of General Beauregard at Petersburg. The Federals under General Smith had advanced to within a few miles of Petersburg and had swept away all our forces in their front and the city was in imminent danger of capture. The brigades of Hagoed and Colquitt had been sent forward by rail and Martin with Clingman was pressing forward by forced marches and arrived after midnight of the 15th and commenced to entrench.
The Confederates now numbered about 10,000 men behind their hastily entrenched line. The Federal General Smith had been reinforced by Burnside's Corps which came up at noon and raised the Federal forces to 66,000. The morning of the 16th was spent in skirmishing and artillery fire. In the afternoon General Hancock, now in command of the Federals, assailed with all his forces and just at sunset broke through General Wise's lines, whose troops went streaming to the rear. These brave men had fought unceasingly for two days and were much exhausted and only yielded when completely overwhelmed. As many of the men of our division as could be spared were hastily gathered from various points on the line and with the remnant of Wise's brigade being organized in a compact body were hurled upon the victorious Federals--the right wing of the Seventeenth joining in the attack. The Federals were driven out and our line re-established. Warren's Corps had now come up, which increased the Federal army to four corps--numbering 90,000--and no reinforcements had reached General Beauregard from General Lee.
The battle re-opened on the 17th, at noon. Three times were the Federals repulsed but as often resumed the offensive. At dusk on the extreme right our lines were again broken and partially restored by the timely arrival of Gracie's Brigade, the conflict raging until 11 o'clock.
During these engagements Beauregard's engineers had been at work seleeting a line nearer the city-shorter and stronger, being the line afterwards held during the siege. After midnight our troops were withdrawn to this new line. Our skirmishers being left in the old works with instructions to de- lay the advance of the enemy in order to gain as much time as possible for our troops to fortify the new line. The writer of this had the honor of commanding the skirmishers of his regiment and can testify to their brave and determined resistance, in connection with other commands, which resulted in keeping back the enemy until 3 o'clock p. m. of that day (18th).
Fortunately about this time Field's and Kershaw's Divisions of General Lee's army arrived, which swelled the Confederate forces to 20,000 against 90,000 of the enemy's.
About 3 p. m. a general and final assault was given. It was urged with as great pertinacity and was resisted with equal determination as those preceding. Before dark it ended in a complete repulse of the Federals along the whole of our front. In these series of engagements the regiment lost many of its most valued officers and brave men. Lieutenants Perry, Hobbs, Pope and others were among the killed.
The writer would desire to appear not ungrateful to his comrade and friend, Lieutenant W. J. Hardison (now sheriff of Martin county) and at the risk of being personal, wishes to place on record the act of his brave friend, who, at the risk )f his own life, sprang over our breastworks during the enemy's last assault and bore his wounded friend in his arms to behind them.
I am indebted to General Hagood's recent address for much information as to data, etc., of these battles and note with pleasure his closing words: "I have told the story of Petersburg without comment. The narrative itself is an immortelle and a reverently lay it upon the tomb of Beauregard, the soldier."
Foiled in his attempt to carry Petersburg by storm General Grant now laid siege to the city. I cannot better describe the hardships endured by the brave soldiers than to make extracts from the recent address of Captain Elliott.
"At the beginning of the siege, June 20th, the report of Martin's Brigade occupying Colquitt's salient showed 2,200 men for duty. In September, when they were relieved, the total force was 700, nothing but living skeletons. Occupying the sharp salient, the work was enfiladed on both flanks by direct fire and the mortar shells came incessantly down from above. Every man was detailed every night, either on guard duty or to labor with pick and spade repairing works knocked down during the day. There was no shelter that summer from sun or rain. No food could be cooked there but the scanty provisions were brought in bags on the shoulders of men from the cook yard some miles distant. The rations consisted of one pound of pork and three pounds of meal consisted 'iwebe meal for three days-no coffee, no sugar, no vegetables, no grog, no tobacco, nothing but the bread and meat. No wonder that the list of officers was reduced to three Captains and a few Lieutenants with but one staff officer, (spared through God's mercy) to this brigade of 700 skeletons. But every feeble body contained an unbroken spirit and after the Fall months came those who had not fallen into their graves or been disabled, returned to their colors and saw them wave in victory in their last fight at Bentonville."
In July their beloved Brigade Commander, General Martin, was transferred to North Carolina and General Kirkland became his successor. General Martin was greatly beloved by his soldiers. They had the most unbounded confidence in his military skill and admiration for his personal bravery illustrated on every battlefield where they had followed him. In October the brigade was sent to the Richmond front and participated in the minor engagements of Henrico C.H., Charles City Road and others, maintining its high reputation for bravery.
Advices having reached General Lee of the preparation by the Federals of a land and naval expedition for the capture of Fort Fisher, Hoke's division was sent to its relief. The Seventeenth and parts of the Forty-second and Sixty-sixth regiments were the advance of the division and reached Wilmington at 1 a. m. on 24 December, and, after being lunched at the depot by the patriotic ladies of that city, took up the line of march for Fort Fisher, the Seventeenth bivouacking there on the night of the same day. The enemy having effected a landing at Fort Gatling on the ocean side, the regiment was withdrawn from Fort Fisher on the morning of the 25th, and moving down the military road were ordered to attack Butler's troops. Norman's company in front, supported by the balance of the regiment, deployed as skirmishers, assailed the enemy. General Kirkland in his official report said:
"Lieutenant-Colonel Sharp, Seventeenth N. C., pressed close upon and drove their skirmish line back upon their main body, which was covered by the guns of at least thirty men of war lying broadside to the beach. Captain Norman, Company G, deserves special notice."
A Lieutenant and ten men were captured. The regiment lost three men killed and twenty wounded in this engagement.
'Before the arrival of the balance of our division, Butler re-embarked his troops and thus ended the powder-ship fiasco and the military career of this modern Falstaff-he being relieved by General Grant.
The ease with which this land and naval attack was repulsed, undoubtedly created in the mind of General Bragg an undue feeling of security. Not anticipating a renewal of the attack on Fort Fisher, unfortunately the division was withdrawn to Wilmington.
On the afternoon of 14 January, whilst the regiments of the division were on dress parade in Wilmington, the enemy had reappeared before Fort Fisher and were landing their forces, and before the division could be transported the bulk of the Federal forces has landed and, pushing that night across the peninsula, constructed a line of field works from the ocean to the Cape Fear, thus cutting off all land communication between Hoke's Division and Fort Fisher. This line of works was held by a negro division, commanded by General Paine and a white brigade under General Joseph C. Abbott, who afterwards misrepresented North Carolina in the United States Senate.
At 4 o'clock on the afternoon of the 15th, the skirmishers of Kirkland's Brigade, which was on the left of our line, under command of Lieutenant Lamb, were ordered to drive back the enemy's pickets to enable Generals Bragg and Hoke, to make a reconnoissance of the enemy's position. The effort was only partially successful, owing to several of the enemy's ships which were lying close to the shore, having opened a terrible enfilading fire upon our skirmishers so soon as they appeared on the open sand beach; but further to the right where the small undergrowth was some protection, the enemy's skirmish line was driven in and their rifle-pits occupied, giving opportunity for an examination of the enemy's position. The writer recalls the calm and heroic bearing of the medest and gallant Hoke who withdrew from the reconnoissance with two bullet holes through his coat For reasons satisfactory, I presume, to General Bragg, no assault was made, notwithstanding at this moment the enemy had withdrawn Abbott's Brigade and a portion of Wright's negro Brigade to join in the assanult upon Fort Fisher, which was then in progress.
The troops at the time in our front were all negroes and did not number more than 2,500, defending a line of a mile in extent That evening Fort Fisher after a most gallant defense, surrendered, and the last port of the Confederacy was closed forever.
Several small engagements approaching closely to the dignity of battles followed the fall of Fisher, in all of which the enemy were repulsed. The rapid advance of Sherman from the South made the evacuation of Wilmington a mere question of time, and on 22 February, Kirkland's Brigade, forming the rear guard of our army, marched sadly and leisurely through the streets of our "City by the Sea," and Wilmington passed under Federal control. Continuing our retreat up the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, the army, after crossing the North River, halted for the night. The enemy's cavalry pumued up to this point and attempted by sudden dash to prevent the burning of the bridge over the railroad. They were promptly encountered by our rear guard, under the brave Captain C. G. Elliott, and were repulsed, sustaining heavy loss. The next day the march was resumed and without further fighting the army reached Goldsboro a few days thereafter.
And now the closing scenes of the bloody drama of the Civil War was to be enacted upon the soil of North Carolina. Goldsboro became the objective point of three armies. Sherman with 70,000 men was advancing northward. Schofield with his army corps of 21,000 raised the Federal forces to 30,000 at Wilmington; and Cox's Division arriving at New Bern increased Palmer's command to 15,000. These different armies aggregating 115,000 men, if allowed to concentrate, would make short work of the Confederate forces whose total, including the remnant of Hood's army, did not reach 40,000 men. The hope of successful resistance was indeed forlorn and the only chance of any success was to fight these armies separately.
The column under General Cox advancing from New Bern, was encountered near Wise's Fork on the 8th of March, by Hoke's Division, reinforced by the Sixty-seventh and Sixty-eighth North Carolina, and the Junior and Senior reserves. Leaving, at midnight, their entrenchments along the line of a creek, Kirkland's, Hagoed's and Colquitt's Brigades under the guide of Colonel Nethercut of the Sixty-sixth North Carolina, (who was familiar with the country) found themselves at day dawn on the flank and rear of the enemy, and forming line of battle in echelon of brigades, Kirkland's leading, burst upon the surprised enemy and drove them in rapid flight to the rear capturing 1,000 prisoners and 4 pieces of artillery. The enemy had been driven nearly a mile when Palmer's Division appeared upon our right flank. The Seventeenth was on our extreme right and its advance having thus become arrested immediately changed from to meet the enemy, and not knowing their force, boldly charged the division and drove back that part of it in our front, wounding their commander, General Palmer. Finding itself overlapped right and left, it deployed as skirmishers with both wings reversed, and held its position until reinforcements were brought up under the personal command of General Hoke, and thus had the honor of preventing the flanking of our army. Later a congratulatory order from General Kirkland was read to the regiment on dress parade at Goldshoro complimenting it upon its splendid achievement.
The enemy proceeded to fortify their position, and on the 10th General Bragg sought to employ the same strategy in again attacking the enemy. It was contemplated by reconnoissance in force to develop the enemy's extreme left and renew our turning movement of two days before. Kirkland's Brigade was assigned this duty, supported by the other brigades of the division. Our skirmishers were thrown out, supported by the brigade, and engaging the enemy's pickets, drove them rapidly before us. The enemy's works were developed and, not knowing that it was intended that we should not assault, we rushed upon the works under the heaviest fire which we had ever received. Notwithstanding the brigade had lost one-half of its number, it reached the abatis and slashing and held its position until ordered to withdraw. In this assault the heroic Captain Elliott added another gem to the crown of his military fame. The gallant Lieutenant Grimes, distinguished in many battles, had been desperately wounded and beeame a prisoner. This is the only battle in which the regiment was ever repulsed, and even here it felt that if it had received support its colors would have been planted upon the enemy's works. Sherman having reached Averasboro it became necessary to concentrate all available troops in his front and Hoke's Division was withdrawn and sent by rail to Smithfield Depot and marched thence via Smithfield to Bentonville. The army of General Sherman was moving from Averasboro to Goldsboro, upon two roads running parallel and about ten miles apart. Our division swelled our army to about 15,000 men, against Sherman's 70,000. On the morning of the 19th Jefferson C. Davis' and Slocum's Corps, numbering about 35,000 men were attacked by our troops and driven back a considerable distance, three guns and nine hundred prisoners falling into our hands.
The other corps of Sherman's army came up and were thrown on our left flank, which had become much advanced in the battle of the previous day. In consequence of this movement it became necessary to change the position of our army. The brigade of Kirkland, deployed as skirmishers, held the enemy in check while the entire army changed front, and thereafter occupied a position in the centre and joined in the repulse of the many and furious charges of the Federals. In this battle Captain William Biggs, Company A, was greatly distinguished for his intrepid bravery. The brigade received the special commendation of General Jos. F. Johnson for its valued services in this engagement.
Thus closes the volume of the bloody record of the Seventeenth North Carolina troops and their brave companions of associated commands.
The army was withdrawn, retiring through Raleigh and Chapel Hill and was surrendered to General Sherman at Centre Church, Randolph county, at the final capitulation.
Supplementing this record it would not be amiss to state that the flag of the Seventeenth North Carolina Troops saved at the surrender by Private Abel Thomas, of Company A, was unfurled at the unveiling of the Confederate monument at Raleigh on 20 May, 1895, and beneath its tattered and bullet riddled folds the veteran survivors marched to do honor to their dead heroic comrades.
WILSON G. LAMB,
Second Lieutenant Company F.
WILLIAMSON, N. C.,
26 April, 1901.