SEVENTY-FIRST REGIMENT 
NORTH CAROLINA TROOPS
SEVENTY-FIRST REGIMENT
(SECOND JUNIOR RESERVES. )
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BY DAVID E. McKINNE, CAPTAIN, COMPANY A
The Second Regiment Reserves (Juniors) was formed by the consolidation of the Second and Fifth Battalions, with the addition of other companies.
THE SECOND BATTALION.
This battalion was composed of three companies, Company A, Captain W. H. Overman; Company B, Captain J. Q. Holland; Company C, Captain John K. Wells, and was organized 31 May, 1864, at Camp Holmes near Raleigh, by the election of John H. Anderson, Major. Major Anderson had served as a private in the "Bethel" Regiment and later as First Lieutenant Company D, Forty-eighth North Carolina, and had resigned on account of wounds. His battalion 2 June was ordered to Goldsboro. There on 15 June Captain T. C. Rowland's company was added as Company D.
THE FIFTH BATTALION.
This battalion was also of three companies. Company A, Captain A. R. Hicks; Company B, Captain J. W. Grainger, and Company C, Captain McD. Boyd. It was organized at Goldsboro 2 June, 1864 by electing W. F. Beasley Major. Major Beasley had seen service as First Lieutenant Company II, Forty-eighth North Carolina Regiment. A few days later Captain S. Spears' company, afterwards commanded by Captain Corl, was added to this battalion and both these battalions were ordered to Weldon.
ANDERSON'S BATTALION.
On 16 July at Weldon the Second and Fifth Battalions were combined into Anderson's Battalion of eight companies by electing J. H. Anderson Lieutenant-Colonel and W. F. Beasley Major.
The fall of 1864, this battalion spent at Weldon. On 4 October Captain W. S. Flynn's company was added and on 10 October this battalion and the First Regiment of Reserves united in an offer of their services to go to Virginia.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
The writer, in August, was assigned to duty as Adjutant of the post of Weldon and filled that position until called to the command of his company by the subsequent retirement of Captain Hicks and Lieutenant Draughon. The following personal experiences may be of interest. On 31 August, a dispatch came that the enemy had burnt Winton and Newsom's and were advancing. The commander of the sub-department issued an order to Major Walter Clark, of the Seventieth Regiment (First Junior Reserves) to go to the front, and take command of the scattered companies, infantry, cavalry or artillery in that section and keep the enemy in check till he could send back authentic information. The writer was ordered to accompany him as Acting Adjutant-General. An engine and a box car containing our horses, were obtained by an order for them from General Arnold H. Elzey, commanding at Richmond, who happened to be passing through Weldon. The engine ran down the Seaboard road, car in front, till we reached Boykins, where Lieutenant Bienvenu, of the Louisiana Artillery, was on post with a section of his battery. He and some of his men armed with rifles were taken on board. Lieutenant Bienvenu and his men, took post with us on the top of the front end of the car and we ran down to the end of the track at Nottoway river. The enemy had burnt a few houses but our pickets reported they had left. Returning to Boykins the special train was sent back to Weldon while we saddled our horses and reached Murfreesboro by 10 o'clock at night. Off at daylight next morning, we went to Winton to find the enemy had burnt houses there and withdrawn. Thence we went on in the Coleraine section towards Pitch Landing, everywhere visiting our cavalry outposts. Nothing more being left to be done, we got back to Murfreesboro by dinner and here a singular thing happened. Major Clark seeing a soldier sitting on the porch with a Spencer seven-shooter, captured from the enemy, readied out his hand to look at it, when to his surprise the soldier held on to one end of it and declined to let it go out of his hand. When we went to the stables to order our horses, he kept at a respectful distance, but in sight. Soon after Captain Hugh L. Cole, enrolling officer of that district, whom we knew, came over to the hotel, and at sight of us seemed much amused for some unknown cause, while the soldier suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Not till after the war did we learn the solution. The sight of two boys of 17, one wearing the stars of Major and the other the bars of a Lieutenant together with our very rapid movements, had caused some of the cavalry the former had been sent to command to suspect we were spies and we had been virtually prisoners in the hotel ''unbeknownst to ourselves" till Captain Cole raised the blockade. That evening we reached Jackson, having ridden that day 72 miles, capturing on the way a Yankee straggler and a Confederate deserter, both of whom, with the aid of two cavalrymen, picked up by us, we carried into Weldon next day as the sole result of our commission to ''take command of our forces on the Chowan and skirmish with the enemy, falling back if necessary, but sending all the information to be gathered."
PLYMOUTH.
After this, in October, the Seventieth Regiment and Anderson's Battalion were ordered to Tarboro and thence to Plymouth, where the "Albemarle" had just been blown up by Lieutenant W. B. Cushing, of the Federal Navy. After a forced march, just as we were nearly to Plymouth, we met the Fiftieth North Carolina, which had been forced to evacuate the town by the Federal fleet now that their dreaded enemy, the iron-clad ''Albemarle," was out of the way. Anderson's Battalion returned to Tarboro and thence to Weldon. leaving the First Regiment at Fort Branch near Hamilton.
SECOND REGIMENT ORGANIZED.
On 7 December the company of Captain W. R, Williams was added, making a full regiment, of which Jno. H. Anderson was elected Colonel, W. F. Beasley Lieutenant-Colonel, and N. A. Gregory Major. W. G. Hunter, of Salisbury, was appointed Adjutant; J. P. Jordan, Assistant Surgeon; Chas. R. Ramseur, of Lincoln, Sergeant-Major; C. F. Bisaner. of Lincolnton, Commissary Sergeant; J. W. Worth, Quartermaster Sergeant.
The companies as finally reorganized and relettered, were as follows (including all the officers from the beginning):
COMPANY A--Wayne and Duplin--Captains, Albert R. Hicks, of Duplin, David E. McKinne, of Wayne; First Lieutenant, James Walter Draughan, of Sampson; Second Lieutenants, David E. McKinne and Buckner H. Smith, of Wayne, and Hugh F. Murray, of Pitt.
COMPANY B--Rowan--Captain, W. H. Overman; First Lieutenant, Nevin D. Fetzer: Second Lieutenants, J. J. Trotter and Turner P. Trotter, all of Rowan.
COMPANY C--Lincoln and Gaston Counties--Captain, J. Q. Holland, of Gaston; First Lieutenant, J. A. Beale, of Bertie; Second Lieutenants, L. M. Hoffman of Gaston, C. F. Bisaner of Lincoln, G. F. Lucas and J. N. Hopper.
COMPANY D--Cleveland and Ruutherford--Captain, J. K. Wells, of Cleveland; First Lieutenant, H. G. Logan, of Rutherford; Second Lieutenants, J. G. Falls, Jr., of Cleveland, H. H. Weatherman and R. J. Durham.
COMPANY E--Cabarrus--Captains, S. Spears and G. F. C. Corl of Cabarrus; First Lieutenants, W. G. Hunter of Rowan, Thos. J. Shinn of Cabarrus; Second Lieutenants, Frank Winecoff, John O. Wallace and B. F. Rogers of Cabarrus, and W. R. Hines of Edgecombe.
COMPANY F --Union--Captain T. C. Rowland; First Lieutenant, B. H. Benton; Second Lieutenants, S. R. Robinson and H. E. Nelson.
COMPANY G--Greene and. Lenoir--Captain, Jesse W. Grainger, of Lenoir; First Lieutenant, Samuel Laughing-house of Pitt; Second Lieutenants, J. Ed. Clarke of Pitt, Jno. F. Humphrey of Wayne, Charles S. Smith of Halifax.
COMPANY H--Pitt, Johnston and Wilson--Captains, McD. Boyd and Joseph J. Laughinghouse; First Lieutenants, J. J. Laughinghouse, Benj. Sheppard; Second Lieutenants, R. B. Anderson, -. -. Smith, all of Pitt, and Robert M. Furman, of Franklin.
COMPANY I--Beaufort, Hyde and Tyrrell--Captain William S. Flynn, of Beaufort (previously in United States Army); First Lieutenant, Samuel Selby, of Hyde; Second Lieutenants, John W. Wilkinson and John Adams.
COMPANY K--Halifax--Captain, W. R. Williams; First Lieutenant, David C. Whitaker; Second Lieutenants, W. K. Martin, Jr., and W. T. Purnell, all of Halifax.
This last company had done provost duty at Weldon from its organization in May, 1864. Captain Williams had been Captain Company F, Forty-third Regiment, and had resigned on account of wounds. It had been attached to the Seventieth North Carolina as Company K, 4 July, when it was first organized. but subsequently Captain. Jno. A. Manning's company was substituted.
BELFIELD, VA.
On 5 December, the regiment, together with six companies of the Seventieth Regiment (First Juniors), hastily ordered from Hamilton, and the Seventh Battalion (French's), Eighth Battalion (Ellington's), and Ninth (Millard's) battalion, all of Junior Reserves, ordered from Wilmington, were sent to Belfield, Va., to meet the advance of Warren's Corps. The Junior Battalions from Wilmington were under the command of Colonel George Jackson. They were there under the enemy's fire for the first time and followed the enemy several miles on his retreat. The weather was intensely cold and the boys, poorly clad and badly fed, suffered terribly from exposure, though only a few were killed or wounded in the fight. For their conduct in this expedition, the Legislature of North Carolina passed a special vote of thanks to the Junior Reserves.
COLERAINE EXPEDITION.
In January, the regiment was joined by Millard's Battalion and sent to Coleraine, on the Chowan, to meet an expected advance of the enemy. The command forded rivers, marched in the rain without tents at night, with almost no camp equipage, to find that the enemy had withdrawn. On our return, we were ordered to Goldsboro, thence to Kinston where the three regiments of Junior Reserves (Seventieth, Seventy-first and Seventy-second North Carolina) and Millard's Battalion-being all the Juniors-were placed in a brigade commanded by Colonel F. S. Armistead and encamped on the north of the railroad, about one mile west of the residence of John O. Washington.
SOUTH WEST CREEK.
The enemy advancing from New Bern on 6 March, we crossed the river with Hoke's Division (to which we were thenceforward attached) and other troops and marched down to South West Creek four or five miles below Kinston, where we were on the left of our army, the right of our brigade resting on the county road which runs north of the railroad. For some reason, Millard's Battalion was not with us in this battle bus was placed farther to the right. On the afternoon of the 8th we crossed the creek in our front on an improvised bridge and as soon as the brigade was formed in line, we moved forward in handsome style and drove back the enemy in front of us. After dark General Hoke put himself at our head, some other troops being added, and we moved by the left flank down the road towards Neuse river, the object being to turn the enemy's right flank. About midnight, scouts came in with information which caused General Hoke to order us to retrace our steps and by daylight we were again in our entrenchment's west of the creek, which we had marched out of the afternoon before.
As news came that Sherman was coming up by way of Fayetteville on the 11th, we were withdrawn, passing through Kinston. We marched through Goldsboro on to Smifhfield, where we united with the Western army and saw General Joseph E. Johnston. En route, on 15 March the brigade which at the battle of South West Creek was commanded by General L. S. Baker, was placed under Colonel John H. Nethercutt, of the Sixty-sixth North Carolina, and that gallant officer and good fighter remained with us to the close.
BENTONVILLE
On 17 March the army took up the movement to meet Sherman. On the night of the 18th we encamped just beyond Bentonville. The next day was a bright Sunday morning, and we were in the fight on the left of Hoke's Division. In the afternoon we witnessed the gallant charge of our depleted army of the West when it charged and took two successive lines from the enemy. His overwhelming numbers, however, enabled Sherman to out-flank us on our left during the night and next morning our line of battle which had faced southwest on Sunday was thrown back and faced nearly due east. This line was strengthened by a hasty breastwork of logs and dirt which we held, against all assaults, on the 20th and 21st. On the night of the latter day the enemy having outflanked us again on our left we quietly withdrew, and leisurely fell back to Mitchener's depot. Sherman did not pursue, but moved on to Goldsboro to join the column from New Bern which we had met at South West Creek. The conduct of the Junior Brigade at Bentonville was admirable and elicited high praise not only from Colonel Nethercutt, commanding the brigade, but from Generals Hoke and Hardee, commanding the division and the Corps. General Jos. E. Johnston in his published writings since the war has added, his encomiums. Our loss in killed and wounded was reported as 41. For three days with 14,000 men, at no time, with all reinforcements, reaching 20,000, Johnston had held at bay Sherman's 70,000, and had fought one of the most remarkable battles of the war.
At Mitchener's depot, the army was reorganized and took a much needed rest. On 6 April we had a grand review, the last held in the Confederate armies. The Junior Brigade was the largest on the parade. Governor Vance was present and made one of his most stirring speeches.
THE RETREAT.
On 9 April General Lee surrendered at Appomattox. On the next day, we began our retreat simultaneously with Sherman's advance from Goldsboro. On 12 April we passed through Raleigh, Hoke's Division being the rear guard.
Here a few of the officers heard of Lee's surrender, but it was not known to the army at large. At midnight, our last pickets passed through and early on the 13th the United States forces took possession of the Capital of the State.
We encamped the night, of the 12th about seven miles west of Raleigh. Next morning our army divided, part going via Hillsboro to Greensboro, while Hardee's Corps, to which we belonged, took the route through Chapel Hill and via Alamance battle ground. Haw river and Alamance creek were greatly swollen by the rains and with great difficulty were crossed.
A striking incident of the crossing is thus related by Lieutenant R. M. Furman, of our regiment (since State Auditor). One of the smaller boys disappearing under the water, a taller and stouter comrade grabbed him and pulled him up, he dived down a second and third time and on being pulled up his comrades, suspecting an attempt at suicide, asked what he meant. "Why, said the little fellow, shivering and dripping, "My gun's down thar and I'm trying to git hit."
THE SURRENDER.
We halted several days at Red Cross, in Randolph, to await, as it turned out, President Johnson's action on the Johnson-Sherman treaty made at the Bennett house near Durham 14 April. This being disapproved at Washington, we again moved westward but the definite surrender of 26 April near Greensboro having been arranged, we were again halted at Bush Hill, half way between Trinity College and High Point. Tin's proved our last march and our last halting place as Confederate soldiers. After it became apparent that a surrender was at hand, many left, fearing a prison. At our last halt $1.25 in silver was paid to each man in the army without respect to rank and at the close the mule teams were divided among the members of the regiment to which the wagons belonged.
On 1 May, Major-General Robert F. Hoke, who was one of the youngest and best generals in the army and commanded our division, issued the following farewell address to the division.
"Soldiers of my Division :
"On the eve of a long, perhaps final separation, I desire to address to you the last sad words of parting.
"The fortunes of war have turned the scales against us. The proud banners which you have waved so gloriously on many a field are to be furled at last; but they are not disgraced. My comrades, your indomitable courage, your heroic fortitude, your patience under suffering have surrounded these with a halo which future years cannot dim. History will bear witness to your valor and succeeding generations will point with admiration to your grand struggle for constitutional freedom. Soldiers, your past is full of glory. Treasure it in your hearts. Remember each gory battle field, each day of victory, each bleeding comrade. Think then of your future.
"Freedom's battle once begun,
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son,
Though battled oft, is ever won."
"You have yielded to overwhelming forces, not to superior valor; you are paroled prisoners, not slaves; the love of liberty which led you in the contest still burns as brightly in your hearts as ever, cherish it, nourish it, associate it with the history of the past. Transmit to your children, teach, them the rights of freemen and teach them to maintain them; teach them that the proudest day in all your proud career was that on which you enlisted as a Southern soldier, entering that holy brotherhood whose ties are now sealed in the blood of your compatriots, who have fallen and whose history is covered with the brilliant records of the past four years.
"Soldiers amid the imperishable laurels that surmount your brows, no brighter leaf adorns you than your late connection with the Army of Northern Virginia. The star that shone with splendor over its oft repeated field of victory, over the two deadly struggles of Manassas Plains, Richmond, Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg has sent its rays and been reflected wherever true courage is admired and wherever freedom has a friend. That star has set in blood, but yet in glory. That army is now of the past. Its banners trail, but nor with ignominy; no stain blots its escutcheon, no blood can tinge your face as you proudly announce that, you have a part in the past history of the Army of Northern Virginia.
"My comrades, we have borne together the same hardships, we have braved the same dangers, we have rejoiced over the same victory; your trials and your patience have excited sympathy and admiration and I have borne willing witness to your bravery. It is with a heart full of grateful emotion for your service and ready obedience that I take leave of you.
"May the future of every one of you be as happy as your past career has been brilliant and no cloud ever dim the brightness of your fame. The past looms before me in its illuminating grandeur. Its memories are a part of the past life of each one of you; but it is all now over. The sad, dark veil of defeat is between us and a life time of sorrow is our only heritage.
"You carry to your home the heartfelt wishes of your General for your prosperity.
"My command, farewell!
"R. F. HOKE,
"Major-General.
"Headquarters Hoke's Division, near Greensboro, N. C, 1 May, 1865."
On 2 May, 1865, we fell in ranks for the last time and our paroles were given to each man and dividing into squads, we took our several ways to our homes, where "amid departed hopes there lingered (for many) the melancholy attractions of the grave." Those days have passed, so was our youth. The Juniors are now more than Seniors, but while one of our regiment remains, he will always say with pride "I belonged to the Second Regiment of the North Carolina Junior Reserves."
DAVID E. McKINNE
PRINCETON, N. C.
2 MAY, 1901.
[from North Carolina Regiments, by Walter Clark, Vol. 4, pg. 25-34
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