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SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.
1. William F. Martin, Colonel.2. John C. Lamb, Lieut.-Colonel,3. Wilson G. Lamb, ad Lieut., Co. F.
4. Gilbert Elliott, 1st Lieut, and Adjt.(Builder of the "Albemarle.")
SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.
By WILSON G. LAMB, Second Lieut. Company F.
With the exception of two companies garrisoning Fort Bar-tow on Roanoke Island, the Seventeenth Regiment was cap-tured at Fort Hatteras on the 27th of August, 1861, by theUnited States naval and land forces, commanded respectively
by Commodore Stringliam and General B. F. Butler. TheSeventeenth Regiment was officered as follows:
W. F. Maetiw, Colonel.
Geokge W. Johnson, Lieutenant-Colonel.
Heney a. Gilliam, Major.
Gilbert Elliott, Adjutant.
John S. Dancy, Quartermaster.
L. D. Staeke, Commissary.
Wyatt M. Beown, Surgeon.
Fort Clark, commanded by Captain John C. Lamb, a mile
up the beach, and Fort Hatteras, near the inlet, under the im-
mediate 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 Gen-
eral Burnside, moved upon Roanoke Island. The two com-
panies constituting the balance of the Seventh Regiment gar-
risoned Fort Bartow, and, under the splendid leadership of
Captain Fearing and Lieutenant C. G. Elliott, the latter af-
terwards the gallant and efficient Adjutant General to Gen-
erals Martin and Kirkland, succeeded by the accurate fire of
their guns in keeping back the Federal fleet, and only surren-
dered after the landing of the Federal troops upon another
part of the island, pushing back the Confederates under
2 North Carolina Troops, 1861-65.
Colonel Shaw, and completely flanking the fort. I am in-
debted to Captain C. G. Elliott for an incident of this bat-
tle which is worthy of being preserved. He writes
:
"During the bombardment 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 JohnHarvey Giiards which waved until the order to retire was re-
ceived." An historical parallel to the brave act of Sergeant
Jasper at Fort Moultrie.
Thus the whole regiment in these two engagements be-
came prisoners of Avar. After being exchanged, the Seventh
Volunteers (as it was first called) was re-organized at CampMangum 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, E. 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. ISTorman.
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 detailedand under his supervision the iron-clad ram "Albemarle,"which contributed so largely to the capture of Plymouth, wasconstructed. Lieutenants M. A. Cotten and Wilson G. Lambfilled his place as Adjutant of the regiment. The Seven-teenth was assigned to service in Eastern North Carolina and
Seventeenth Regiment. 3
performed picket duty watching the enemy at New Bern,
Washington and Plymouth. In December, 1862, a detach-
ment from the regiment with a squadron of cavalry fromColonel Evans' regiment (Sixty-third North Carolina) and
Moore's Battery, all under Lieutenant-Colonel Lamb, cap-
tured Plymouth. Another detachment drove the enemy fromWashington, N. C. Many minor raids and surprises of the
enemy's outposts cleverly managed by Captain William
Biggs, Lieutenants Hardison, Grimes, Cotten and others gave
indication of what might be expected of the regiment when it
should have the opportunity of displaying its fighting quali-
ties.
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 sta-
tioned at Fort Branch, Kinston and Wilmington, and was
thoroughly drilled and disciplined by that splendid organizer
find disciplinarian.
On the 2d of February, 1864, the regiment under com-
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Lamb with the Forty-second,
Colonel Brown, P arris' Battery of six guns and a squadron of
cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Jeffords, the whole under com-
mand of General J. G. Martin, attacked the enemy's forts at
Newport. After the capture of their block houses and driv-
ing 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 qiiantity of stores were the fruits of this victory.
The railroad bridge was burned and the railroad occupied
to prevent re-inforcements 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,
4 ;N"oeth Caeolina Troops, 1861-'65.
J. M. Palmer, commanding at ISTew Bern under date of Feb-
ruary 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 Confed-
acy to begin. Grant crossed the Eapidan 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 IvTorth Carolina with troops from South Caro-
lina and Georgia were rapidly concentrated at Richmond and
Petersburg and placed under General Beauregard's com-
mand.
On the 11th of May, the Seventeenth (1,100 strong) fol-
lowed 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 Ber-
muda hundreds. On the 20th the Confederates were or-
dered to assault this line of entrenchments. Mai*tin's bri-
gade was upon the extreme Confederate right, and the Seven-
teenth, IST. C, was Martin's right regiment sO' it devolved
upon this regiment to lead the assault. Them its thorough
drilling and discipline proved of great value. Emergingfrom the woods into the open field with unbroken front andwithout a halt, at double quick step, its onset was not stopped-
until the enemy's works were won and the Confederate ban-
ner waved in triumph over Butler'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 pro-
tection of their gunboats in the James and Appomattox.Thus the "bottling up of Butler," so graphically detailed byGeneral Grant, was complete. The regiment suffered veryheavily in this assault, losing about 175 ofiicers and menkilled and wounded. The brave and youthful Lieiitenant-
Seventeentpi Regiment. 5
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 par-
ticipated in the battle with distinguished bravery. A moregallant soldier never lived.
By the death of Colonel Lamb, Major Sharp became Lieu-
tenant-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 Clingmanand was ordered to report to General R. E. 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 Llarbor.
"Anderson came up on the first of June, with Kershaw's
and Hoke's Divisions, and attacking Sheridan drove himback toward Old Cold Harbor, and secured the heights around
JSTew Cold Harbor and Gaines' Mill, which he at once pro-
ceeded to fortify." The importance and value of this suc-
cess can only be realized when it is understood that had
Grant's order been carried out the Federals would have occu-
pied 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 prelim-
inai'y engagements, and resulted in the bloodiest repulse
of the Federals known in the history of the war. The Seven-
teenth 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 tlieir bodies its whole
extent. In this battle Lieutenant M. A. Gotten and Private;
Benjamin Andrews greatly distinguished themselves, bring-
ing into our works the flag of a New York regiment, of Ty-
ler's Brigade. The enemy assaulted our lines several times,
and during the interval between the assaults, this flag was
brought in and temporarily planted upon our works. This
6 ISToETH Oaeolina Teoops^ 1861-'65.
incident 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 Beaure-
gard 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 im-
minent danger of capture. The brigades of Hagood and
Colquitt had been sent forward by rail and Martin with
Clingman was pressing forward by forced marches and ar-
rived 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 Smithhad been reinforced by Bumside's Corps which came up at
noon and raised the Federal forces to 66,000.
The morning of the 16th was spent in skirmishing andartillery fire. In the afternoon General Hancock, now in
command of the Federals, assailed with all his forces andjust at sunset broke through General Wise's lines, whosetroops went streaming to the rear. These brave men hadfought unceasingly for two days and were much exhausted
and only yielded when completely overwhelmed. As manyof the men of our division as could be spal-ed were hastily
gathered from various points on the line and with the rem-nant of Wise's brigade being organized in a compact bodywere hurled upon the victorious Federals—the right wingof the Seventeenth joining in the attack. The Federals weredriven out and our line re-established. Warren's Corps hadnow come up, which increased the Federal army to four corps—numbering 90,000—and no reinforcements had reachedGeneral Beauregard from General Lee.
The battle re-opened on the 17th, at noon. Three timeswere the Federals repulsed but as often resumed the offen-
SEVENTEENTH BEQIMENT.1. L. J. Johnson, Major 2. Geo. B Daniel, Captain, Co F
3 William Biggs, Captain, Co. A.
Seventeenth Regiment. 7
sive. 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 hadbeen at work selecting a line nearer the city—shorter and
stronger, being the line afterwards held during the siege. Af-
ter midnight our troops were withdrawn to this new line. Ourskirmishers 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 resist-
ance, 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 Divis-
ions of General Lee's army arrived, which swelled the Con-
federate 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. Lieu-
tenants 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
of his own life, sprang over our breastworks during the ene-
my's last assault and bore his wounded friend in his arms to
safety 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 im-
8 NoETH Caeolina Teoops, 1861-'65.
mortelle and a reverently lay it upon the tomb of Beaure-
gard, the soldier."
Foiled in his attempt to carry Petersburg by storm Gen-
eral Grant now laid siege to the city. I cannot better de^
scribe 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. Occupy-
ing 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. JSTo food could be 'cooked there
but the scanty provisions were brought in bags on the shoul-
ders of men from the cook yard some miles distant. Therations consisted of one pound of pork and three pounds of
meal consisted 'iwcbe
meal for three days—no coffee, no sugar, no vegetables, nogrog, no tobacco, nothing but the bread and meat. No won-
der that the list of officers was reduced to three Captains anda 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 wavein victory in their last fight at Bentonville."
In July their beloved Brigade Commander, General Mar-tin, was transferred to North Carolina and General Kirklandbecame his successor. General Martin was greatly belovedby his soldiers. They had the most tmbounded confidence
in his military skill and admiration for his personal braveryillustrated on every battlefield where they had followed him.In October the brigade was sent to the Kichmond front andparticipated in the minor engagements of Henrico C. H.,Charles City Road and others, maintaining its high reputa-tion for bravery.
Advices having reached General Lee of the preparation by
Seventeenth Regiment. 9
the Federals of a land and naval expedition for the capture
of Fort Fisher, Hoke's division was sent to its relief. TheSeventeenth and parts of the Forty-second and Sixty-sixth
reginaents were the advance of the division and reached Wil-
mington 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 enemyhaving edEEected 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. ISTorman's companyin 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 engage-
ment.
Before the arrival of the balance of our division, Butler
had 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 re-
pulsed, undoubtedly created in the mind of General Bragg
an undue feeling of security. Not anticipating a renewal of
the attack on Fort Fisher, unfortvinately 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 land-
ing their forces, and before the division could be transported
to Sugar Loaf, the bulk of the Federal forces had landed and,
pushing that night across the peninsula, constructed a line
of field works from the ocean to the Cape Fear, thus cutting
10 ISToETH Oaeoliwa Teoops, 1861-'65.
off all land eominuiiication 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 tinder
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 ene-
my's skirmish line was driven in and their rifle-pits occu-
pied, giving opportunity for an examination of the enemy's
position. The writer recalls the calm and heroic bearing of
the modest and gallant Hoke who withdrew from the recon-
noissance with two bullet holes through his coat. For rea-
sons satisfactory, I presume, to General Bragg, no assault
was made, notwithstanding at this moment the enemy hadwithdrawn Abbott's Brigade and a portion of Wright's negro
Brigade to join in the assaunlt upon Fort Fisher, which wasthen in progress.
The troops at the time in our front were all negroes anddid not number more than 2,500, defending a line of a mile
in extent. That evening Fort Fisher after a most gallant de-
fense, surrendered, and the last port of the Confederacy wasclosed forever.
Several small engagements approaching closely to the dig-
nity of battles followed the fall of Fisher, in all of which the
enemy were repulsed. The rapid advance of Sherman fromthe South made the evacuation of Wilmington a mere quesr
tion of time and on 22 February, Kirkland's Bri-
gade, 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. Continuingour retreat up the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, the
Seventeenth Eegiment. 11
army, after crossing the North Kiver, halted for the night.
The enemy's cavalry pursued 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 0. G. Elliott, and were re-
pulsed, sustaining heavy loss. The next day the march wasresumed and without further fighting the army reached
Groldsboro 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 N"orth Carolina.
Goldsboro became the objective point of three armies. Sher-
man with T0,000 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 NewBern increased Palmer's command to 15,000. These differ-
ent armies aggregating 115,000 men, if allowed to concen-
trate, 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, byHoke's Division, reinforced by the Sixty-seventh and Sixty-
eighth North Carolina, and the Junior and Senior reserves.
Leaving, at midnight, tlieir entrenchments along the line of
a creek, Kirkland's, Hagood's and Colquitt's Brigades under
the guide of Colonel Nethercut of the Sixty-sixth North Car-
olina, (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 front 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 com-
12 ISToETH Caeolina Troops, 1861-'65.
mander, 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 Goldsboro 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 recon-
noissance in force to develop the enemy's extreme left and
renew our turning movement of two days before. Kirk-
land'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 de-
veloped 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 andslashing and held its position until ordered to withdraw. Inthis 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 became 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 beenplanted 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 andsent by rail to Smithfield Depot and marched thence via
Smithfield to Bentonville. The army of General Shermanwas moving from Averasboro to Goldsboro, upon two roadsrunning parallel and about ten miles apart. Otir division
swelled our army to about 15,000 men, against Sherman's 70,-
000. On tlie morning of the 19th Jefferson C. Davis' and Slo-
cum's Corps, numbering about 35,000 men were attacked by
Seventeenth Regiment. 13
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 v^^ere
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 Feder-
als. In this battle Captain William Biggs, Company A, was
greatly distinguished for his intrepid bravery. The brigade
received the special commendation of General Jos. E. John-
son for its valued services in this engagement.
Thus closes the volume of the bloody record of the Seven-
teenth 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 Com-pany A, was unfurled at the unveiling of the Confederate
monument at Raleigh on 20 May, 1895, and beneath its
tattered and bulletrriddled folds the veteran survivors
marched to do honor to their dead heroic comrades.
Wilson G. Lamb^Second Lieutenant Company Y.
WiLLIAMSTON, N. C,26 April, 1901.
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