1862 September 16 Chapel Hill, N.C.

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Tuesday 16th  Sarah has received two letters from Fred--He has had chills again
but said he was better.  He gave her several very descriptions of his move
ments with the enemy which I will copy--He says his company now is very
full & most of them are the pick of the country, many joined since the conscript was a
bout to take them.  There is one young man who is a private said to be worth over a
million.  Our officers when not on duty are sociable & treat us just as tho'
we were equals; most of the men call the Captain George, & we go to their tents & they
come to ours, sit on the ground & we all get on well.  He then goes on to say that on the
25th I think of August--They, his company went to Colonel Starkes encampment
I suppose to join the Regiments--found all gone but their servants-the sick, and
the colonel--who told them to get down & get something to eat for themselves & horses
& rest, as we would probably meet the Enemy that day, & about eleven or twelve we were ordered to
horse, & were soon marched down the road & formed in line. the Yankee transports had landed
and we could hear the shells from the Gunboats shelling some of our companies who were crossing
a field, Our Artillery was placed in Battery, & some companies dismounted and placed in the lane
on each side of the road as Sharpshooters.  The Colonel then rode up & ordered one of our
Officers to take 8 men from the head of the Column & go down the lane to the river & see what
the Enemy were doing.--I happened to be one of the 8--so we rode down one & a half miles
and as we got to the mouth of the Lane & looked up the rifer road we saw the Enemy advan
-cing, they discovered us at the same time we did them, & each party halted.  We could
see their officers ride up on the Levy & raise their opera Glasses--So we moved up
the lane some 25 or 30 yds & soon a rifled shell whizzed over
our heads about 30 feet.  Our horses squatted near the ground--Our officer ordered us
to move about not to remain in one position so we walked our horses about &
they continued to fire at us until one shell passed thro the rails of the fence and
threw the splinters over some of the horses & burst in the field near us.  We were
then commanded to gallop up the Lane as they had our range, We reached
the Company safely & there awaited the advance of the Enemy.  The Colonel
made our company a pretty little speech--& complemented us by saying he
relied upon us, & that we had been selected to charge them & would be led by him in person
the plan was for the Sharpshooters to begin on them, & when they had to fall back, our
Artillery was to open upon them, & at the command from the Colonel we were to
charge.  The Enemy advanced shelling the Woods in every direction some of which
tore the trees around us, & sounded quite threat'ning.  Our Colonel was per-
fectly cool riding up & down the road giving orders--soon we heard the rattle
of musketry & knew our advance was engaged--& in a few moments the horses
of our advance ran wildly by having broken away from where they were held--
Then a few wounded passed us & we heard a great uproar in the lane behind us
and presently our dismounted companies came by us in great confusion & the
Old Colonel furiously angry dashed up calling to Captain Mac "What
does this mean Sir?" & then to the men "You cowards fall behind the Washington
Cavalry & they will protect you."  They after passing the Artillery were ral
-lied & carried back.  But the Enemy were afraid to advance into the woods &
returned back to their Gunboats, & we were rejoiced to hear it for had we made
the charge it would have been a desperate one & many of us would never have
come out alive.  We were well worn out when it was over--& all returned feeling
thankful we had been spared--The Yankees I understand told some
one that they were determined to capture all of t his command, & that they would
return with a large force & surround us--Since then we have moved our
Camp to this place & my tent is just on the Bluff of "Bogue Phaliah" a beau
-tiful sheet of water that runs thro' this county & Washington we are
now 7 or 8 miles from the rifer  We had in the engagement some 3 or 4
wounded & one killed--one taken prisoner--We killed an officer of theirs
/they left one dead on the road- & we captured one also--Their Boats are
still passing about & I expect will drive us away unless infantry
are sent to our assistance--I spent the morning in Mrs Walter's room--Liz
was engaged in her room with company & washing her head--
Judge Person returned -& has brought Elizas money

MSS 6960