The
Greensborough Patriot
June 5,
1862
Page 2
Col. Scales Regiment.
Mr. T. C. Evans, Junior Editor of
the Milton Chronicle, who was in the Williamsburg fight, has published in the
Chronicle the following account of the action of the Regiment commanded by Col.
A. M. Scales:
COL. SCALES REGIMENT IN THE FIGHT
The 13th N. C. Regiment
left the Brigade at 3 o’clock in the evening, and were guided through a field,
all the while exposed to a galling fire from the enemy, and posted in the rear
of an old ditch. We had hardly taken our
position before the left of the line was attacked by a Regiment of the Yankees
came up under the guise of friends, drying, “Don’t shoot! We are friends—the 19th
Mississippi.” This Yankee trick was
played so well that they succeeded in getting twenty or thirty steps from us,
besides we had been cautioned not to shoot till we were certain, for friends
were before us.—But no closer did they come, for just then Companies B, G, and
K opened a heavy and effective fire upon them, which seemed to stagger them for
a while—but again they rallied, when Lt. Col. Ruffin, who had charge of those
companies at the time commanded “charge the scoundrels boys,” and right
glorious was the charge—man to man with bayonets locked, disputed every inch of
ground fiercely. Just then Captain Baily with sword raised to strike down a Hessian Colonel,
was shot through the arm and right breast and fell badly wounded.—Whether he
was conveyed off the field or not is yet unknown; they opinion is he was taken
prisoner. This charge lasted about ten
minutes, when the Yanks fell back, finding there was no flinching on the part
of the 13th, though Cos. B, G, and K were badly cutup. A soldier of another Regiment who witnessed
the charge, cried out after it was over, “go it pluck,” and the old Thirteenth
felt in no small degree proud of this rude but expressive compliment.
Col. Scales acted in a manner
becoming the Regiment: he gave unmistakable proof that the honor of the
Regiment would ever be safe in his hands.
The bearing of Lt. Col. Ruffin on that day reflects grace on the sword
that hangs at his side and adorns the position which his is so eminently fitted
for. Walking up and down the line with
admirable ease and nonchalance, his person exposed to the enemy’s fire, his
voice was heard everywhere enlivening the men and cautioning them to keep cool
and be watchful. By some unaccountable
cause our Regiment remained in that thick wood from dark till 11 o’clock, alone
and unsupported. Orders were issued in
the evening for us to leave, but strange to say we never received them and we
would in all probability have been there till day break had not Col. Scales
sent to enquire into the matter, when word was returned that orders had been
issued. If morning had have dawned on us
there the whole Regiment would have been cut off and either cut to pieces or
all have been taken prisoners.
Capt. Erwin was wounded while
leading his men to their position. I
annex a correct list of our casualties.
LIST OF THE KILLED, WOUNDED AND MISSING.
Company A—Killed: A. C. Totten—Wounded: H. C. Thompson, Joseph Gillaspie.
Com. B.—Killed: 1st
Lieut. J. Thompson, R. S. C. Baker, J. F. Knox, E. I. Prather, Corporal R. L.
Swan, J. F. Wilson—Wounded: Capt. A. A. Erwin, Lt. J. W. Alexander, J. A. Boyd,
C. W. Brown, J. M. Erwin, Corp. W. A. Freeman, F. A. Hawkins, J. R. Kerr, H. L.
Wolfe, S. H. Magain, W. S. Taylor.
Com. D—Wounded: W. H. Bradford.
Com. F.—Wounded: J. H. Farchess, N. M. Igmer.
Com. G—Killed: W. M. Hussey, L.
Morgan, S. Pippin, J. Marshall, V. B. Anderson.—Wounded: W. H. Adkins, Sergt. W. Peel, Sergt. Dupree,
Corp. W. Andrew, Corp. G. W. Stancill, E. Andrews, W.
Proctor, W. Alston, B Parker, 1st Sergt.
G. L. Brown, (slightly) J. Tanner, (slightly).
Com. K—Killed: M. D. Hines, R. W.
Stanfield, M. N. Ward—Wounded: P. R. Wright, Sergt.
J. N. Justice, R. A. Maxwell, W. R. Totton, J. L.
Ward, W. A. Walker, J. M. Martin, A. B. Powell, J. Taylor, Capt. G. P. Bailey, Sergt. R. L. Watt (slightly)
Missing—Co. B: 3
“ Co. D: 1
“ Co. G: 4
“ Co. K: 7
Total Missing: 15
“
Killed: 15
“
Wounded: 48
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