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REMINISCENCES OF THE GUILFORD GRAYS,

CO. B, 27TH N.C. REGIMENT,


BY JOHN A. SLOAN.


WASHINGTON, D.C.:
R. O. POLKINHORN, PRINTER.
1883.




CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I.

Organization of the Grays--General Joab Hiatt--Original members--
Election of Officers--Drill--Arms received--First public parade
--"Jake Causey"--Exercises at Edgeworth--May Queen; presentation
of banner.


CHAPTER II.

The Greys celebrate Fourth of July--Visit the Orange Guards at
Hillsboro--Dinner and Ball--Celebrate 22d February at Greenboro--The
"boom" of War--Secession of the Gulf States--Correspondence between
Gov. Ellis and Secretary Holt--Organization of the Confederacy at
Montgomery--We celebrate our own Anniversary--Our Visitors--The
Ladies--Feasting and Dancing--"Call" on Gov. Ellis for troops--Ellis'
Response.


CHAPTER III.

Effect of Lincoln's call for troops--Gov. Ellis convenes the
Legislature--The Greys ordered to report at Goldsboro with three
days rations--Ordered to report at Fort Macon--Ladies' Aid Society
--Political excitement--North Carolina Secedes--New recruits--The
Greys sworn in--Arrival at Fort Macon--Latham's Woodpeckers--Assigned
to the 9th Regiment--Assigned finally to the 27th Regiment--Deaths
--New recruits--Routine duty at the Fort--Sports and Past-times.


CHAPTER IV.

Election of Regimental Officers--Ordered to New Berne--Burnside
approaches--Fleet arrives on the 12th--The morning of the 14th--The
Battle--The retreat--At Kinston--Changes and promotions--Expiration of
enlistments--Regiment reorganized--Grays reorganized as Company B--
Election of commissioned and non-commissioned officers.


CHAPTER V.

More recruits--Sam'l Park Weir--Leave North Carolina for Virginia--The
Seven Pines--The seven days fight--Malvern Hill.


CHAPTER VI.

Marching in the rain--From Drury's Bluff to Petersburg--Riddling the
"Daniel Webster"--Shelling McClellan's camp--Ordered to Richmond--At
Rapidan Station--Discharges and deaths--Regimental Band formed--First
Maryland campaign--Across the Potomac--Two Grays captured--Lost in
the woods--Turn up in Loudon County, Va.--At Harper's Ferry--Surrender
of Harper's Ferry.


CHAPTER VII.

Battle of Sharpsburg--The 27th Regiment in the fight--Complimentary
notice by President Davis, Gen. Lee and others--Cook's heroism--
Casualties--Captain Wm. Adams--Recross the Potomac--Rest at Occoquan
--Election of Officers to fill vacancies--Deaths.


CHAPTER VIII.

McClellan moves Southward--Our march through the Valley--At Upperville
--Return to Paris--Cedar Mountain--Col. Cooke promoted--Major J. A.
Gilmer made Colonel--On to Fredericksburg--Incidents on the march--
Burnside advances--Battle of Fredericksburg--Casualties.


CHAPTER IX.

Muster Roll of Grays in December, 1862--Ordered to Richmond--To
Petersburg--Take cars for North Carolina--At Burgaw--The sweet potato
vine--On to Charleston, S.C.--The Alligators of Pocataligo--In camp
at Coosawhatchie--More deaths--Return to North Carolina--On the old
grounds near Kinston.


CHAPTER X.

The affair at Bristow Station.


CHAPTER XI.

The affair at Bristow--Gallant conduct of Color-Guard W. C. Story--
Losses of the Grays--Lieut. McKnight killed--Sergeant-Major R. D.
Weatherly mortally wounded--The affair a criminal blunder--President
Davis' comments--The surprise at Kelly's Ford--Meade crosses the
Rapidan--Lee advances--Meade's retreat--In winter quarters near
Orange Court-House.


CHAPTER XII.

Company promotions--Our "Fighting Parson" appointed Chaplain--New
recruits--Transfers--Deaths--Virginia Xmas hospitality--Visited by
Rev. J. H. Smith, of Greensboro.


CHAPTER XIII.

Relative strength of the two armies in May--Their respective positions
--The Wilderness--Private Williams receives a wound--Casualties.


CHAPTER XIV.

The enemy re-enforced by Burnside's Corps--Heth and Wilcox overpowered
--Critical situation--