The 4th North Carolina Infantry in the battle of Seven Pines/Fair Oaks.
Then Captain Edwin A. Osborne's account of the regiment's actions in the battle:
The day before this bloody engagement was hot and sultry. The regiment was kept under arms all day, and frequently changed its position as if expecting an engagement. About sunset we went into bivouac and were ordered to prepare rations for the next day. The men were stirring until late at night, and then, tired and jaded, they sought repose. But soon a most terrible thunder-storm came down upon us. It seemed as if heaven and earth were being torn to pieces, while the rain came down in torrents upon the men, who were poorly sheltered, some with little fly tents and many with only a single blanket on a pole instead of a tent. But towards morning the storm passed away, leaving the air cool and bracing; and the men slept. The 31st was a lovely May morning, and the sun rose bright and clear. The men were full of life and the woods resounded with their voices and movements. Breakfast was soon dispatched and the order 16 "fall in" was given.
The regiment was in fine condition. Twenty-five commissioned officers and five hundred and twenty men and non-commissioned officers reported for duty on the morning of the 31st of May, 1862; and as they filed out and moved off toward the battlefield of Seven Pines they presented a splendid picture of manhood, energy and courage. The brigade was still under command of Colonel Anderson, the regiment under Major Grimes, Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Young having been sent home on special duty. Early in the afternoon we were drawn up in front of the enemy's works near the Williamsburg road, under cover of a heavy forest, within one-fourth of a mile of the enemy's batteries and redoubts. A formidable abatis, formed by felling a dense grove of old field pines and cutting the limbs partly off so as to form obstructions to our approach, lay between us and the enemy's works. The ground was also covered with water in many places — from six inches to waist-deep. The Fourth Regiment was to the left of the stage road, the right being near the road, which ran diagonally across our front, crossing the enemy's line a little to the left of the front of the Fourth Regiment. A very heavy redoubt was in front of us, bristling with artillery supported by a mass of infantry and flanked on either side by extensive earth-works filled with men supported by artillery.
We had not been in this position but a few minutes when the enemy opened on us with his artillery. A fearful storm of shot, shell, grape and canister tore through the trees, plowing up the ground on every side and cutting down the branches and saplings around us. Soon the order was passed along the line to move forward. The men sprang to their feet without a word and advanced to the assault. For many rods we made our way through the obstructions above mentioned, under a terrible fire of musketry and artillery, which we could not return with any effect on account of the confusion into which we were thrown by the obstructions and the great difficulty of getting over them. Heavy musketry on the right indicated that the battle was raging there with terrible fury.
Onward moved our devoted men, until at last the open field was reached within one hundred yards of the enemy's works. The men quickly resumed their places in line of battle and opened fire upon the enemy with such deadly effect as to cause a momentary lull in the storm of deadly missiles that were assailing us. But again the enemy renewed his fire with redoubled fury. Our line moved on to within fifty or sixty yards of the enemy's works. The men were falling rapidly. We halted near a zigzag fence to await support on the right, which had failed to come up. The enemy's fire continued with unabated fury, and it was evident that the regiment could not remain there without being utterly destroyed.
The writer of this narrative looked around for a field officer. Major Grimes was near, sitting calmly on his iron-gray horse, with one leg thrown over the saddle bow, as afterwards so often seen on the battlefield. I seized his leg to attract his attention. He leaned toward me with his ear near my face to hear what I had to say. " Major," I shouted, " we can't stand this. Let us charge the works." "All right," said the Major, "Charge them! 'Charge them!" I rushed back to the front of my company, leaped over the fence, and waved them forward with hat and sword. My company, H, rushed forward, and the whole regiment instinctively moved with them, yelling and firing as they advanced. In front of our left was a field battery which was instantly silenced, also the heavy battery in front of our centre and right. On we rushed with such impetuosity and determination that the enemy abandoned everything and retired. We captured the works and six pieces of artillery. But again we had to halt to await necessary support on the right and left. The writer of this sketch was wounded at this point within a few rods of the breastworks. After the works were captured in the first assault the line retired to the fence from which we had made the charge, to await re-inforcements, which arrived in a few minutes, when the whole line advanced and drove the enemy entirely away.
The storming of Casey's Redoubt, by Sidney E. King.
The capture of Casey's Redoubt. Sorry, don't recall who the artist is on this one.
Map of the Seven Pines battlefield showing the ground over which the 4th North Carolina fought. Casey's Redoubt is at center.
When the second charge was ordered the regiment passed over the same ground over which they had charged but a little while before. It was appalling to see how much the line had been reduced in numbers. The heavy, compact, orderly line of half an hour previous was now scarcely more than a line of skirmishers, but they moved with the same boldness and determination as before. The ground was literally covered with the bodies of their dead and wounded comrades, yet they moved steadily forward, directing their fire with telling effect until within a few paces of the fortifications, when the enemy again retired from his works.
Of the twenty-five commissioned officers and six hundred, and fifty-three men and non-commissioned officers every officer except Major Grimes was killed, wounded or disabled, while of the men seventy-four were killed and two hundred and sixty-five were wounded. Major Grimes had a horse killed under him in the charge. His foot was caught under the horse, and it was with much difficulty that he was extricated from his helpless condition. While on the ground and unable to rise, he waved his sword and shouted : "Go on, boys ! Go on !" Upon regaining his feet he saw that his color-bearer, James Bonner, of Company K, was killed, when he seized the flag himself and rushed forward, waving his men on to the charge. After the works were captured John A. Stikeleather, of Company A, asked to be allowed to carry the flag; and from that day to the close of the war, except when necessarily absent for a short time, he bravely bore the regimental colors.
A few minutes after the -enemy was driven from his works he began to rally in rear of his tents. Major Grimes ordered his regiment into a piece of woodland near by, and opened fire upon him. In moving at double-quick across the open field, to seek the cover of the woods, he discovered that the enemy was throwing up breastworks on his right. He charged, driving him away and taking a number of prisoners. The night was spent upon the field. The men being worn out, were glad to stretch themselves upon the ground and rest, surrounded, as they were, by dead and wounded men and animals, while the air was filled with cries and groans of the wounded and dying.
The conduct of the officers and men in this notable conflict was splendid beyond description. Their coolness and deliberation in making their way through the abatis, under the most galling fire at short range; the firmness and calmness with which they reformed their weakened and disordered line and awaited orders in the open field within seventy-five yards of the enemy's works, under the same awful and destructive fire; the coolness and precision with which they delivered their fire under all these trying conditions; the irresistible firmness and determination with which they made that wonderful and heroic charge in the very jaws of death; the calmness and sullenness with which they retired when the danger of being flanked was apparent, and the grim and unwavering determination with which they returned to the second charge and continued to fight, all displayed a spirit of courage and manliness worthy of any men the world has ever produced. It would be a privilege to record the list of the gallant men who fell in this fight, but time and space forbids. Their names may not be known to history or to fame, but their comrades knew them and loved them. We believe the world is better and humanity is honored and ennobled by the lives of such men, and that both are the poorer by their untimely loss.
The figures in regard to the number of the men engaged and of those killed and disabled are taken from Colonel G. B. Anderson's official report of the battle. In all this carnage these heroic men never for an instant wavered or showed the slightest trepidation. It was as if some superhuman spirit had been infused into them, and nothing but death itself could stop them. The writer shall never forget his feelings as he lay upon that bloody field wounded and helpless, and saw those brave men pressing on in the face of that death-dealing fire. On they went, their ranks growing thinner and thinner, until within a few paces of the enemy's works, behind which masses of bayonets were gleaming. Surely they will all be made prisoners. But no. The forest of gleaming steel begins to waver, and then to move away in confusion; and the works are ours! Three color-bearers were among the killed, and Major Grimes then took the flag and carried it through the remainder of the fight. . . .
After the battle of Seven Pines, until the 26th of June, we were mainly occupied in resting, drilling and recruiting the
regiment.
(E. A. Osborne, "Fourth Regiment" in Walter Clark, ed.,
Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions..., pp. 237-42.)
Report of Maj. Bryan Grimes, Fourth North Carolina Infantry:
HDQRS. FOURTH NORTH CAROLINA STATE TROOPS.
June 5, 1862
COLONEL: In accordance with General Orders, No. -, I have the honor most respectfully to submit the following report as embracing the action of the regiment under my command during the battle of May 31.
After marching to the field agreeably to orders, when near the Williamsburg road the enemy commenced an enfilading fire from a battery stationed in the road, concealed by the woods. I then filed my regiment to the left and brought it into line of battle and ordered it to lie down until the other regiments of the brigade moved up. Just as the next regiment reached us a courier arrived from the front calling for re-enforcements, and you ordered me forward. The woods were very thick and water deep in ponds from recent rains, in places waist-deep. The enemy, during our advance through the woods, playing upon us with canister and shell, it was impossible to keep an accurate alignment; halted at the edge of the woods, rectified the alignment as near as possible before uncovering my men, and then ordered them to advance, which was through a thick and entangled abatis, formed by felling the trees in opposite directions, which was difficult and tedious to march through. At this time I first saw the redoubt of the enemy about half a mile in front, and somewhat to the right, of my center, which caused me to right-oblique my command. The enemy also had a section of a battery (two pieces) which was dealing destruction to my left wing, while my center and right wing were being mowed down by grape and canister from the redoubt; but the men steadily advanced in admirable order. The enemy fled from the field pieces on my left, and we then concentrated our whole attention to the redoubt. Between this entangled brush-wood and the redoubt was a plowed field, rendered very miry by the late rains, in which the men would mire ankle deep at every step; through this we continued our way. Other regiments at this time were emerging from the thicket both on my right and left, when I gave the order to charge the redoubt, which was done by my men in gallant style. When within about 100 yards of the redoubt my horse was killed, catching me under him in his fall. Assistance came and I was extricated uninjured, when we rushed on. When within 30 or 40 yards of the redoubt I saw that we were 200 yards in advance of any other regiment and thought best to fall back to a ditch midway between the redoubt and entangled woods, which I ordered, and the regiment retired in good order; but the color-hearer misunderstanding the order, fell back beyond the ditch to this entangled brush. Those who had taken cover in the ditch then followed the colors, which were then halted, and all ordered to lie down, being still within 250 yards of the redoubt.
About this time our battery arrived and commenced playing upon the enemy. As an evidence of the severity of time fire of the enemy while in front of the battery 46 of my men were found killed within an area of one acre. After allowing my men time to recover from their fatigue, just then I saw my third color-bearer shot down. Captain Simonton and myself rushed up to raise time colors. Captain Simonton, reaching them first, placed them in my hands, raising them aloft, calling upon my men to rally around their standard. It was done with alacrity, and, together with several other regiments, we reached the redoubt, the enemy fleeing.
About 300 yards distant to the left I saw two regiments of the enemy drawn up in line of battle, protected and partially concealed by woods. I faced my men to the left and double-quicked them through an open field to reach a cover of the same woods, but before reaching it I saw breastworks to my right thrown up, which the enemy were leaving, and ordered my men to move by the right flank and got behind their breastworks, firing upon them during the while, which was continued until I saw a regiment of ours marching to the left to attack them. I ordered them to cease firing for fear of shooting our friends. In a short time we were ordered forward to support a regiment in front and to our right, which was done. While at this spot, of my four officers who had followed the flag through the day two were shot - Captain Simonton killed instantly and Captain Wood very seriously wounded. From here we were ordered to fall back from the breastworks, and in a short time it became dark, orders arrived for me to retire to the road. Just before doing so I ordered them to count the number then present, which was 54, whose names should be most honorably mentioned.
Particularly conspicuous among them for coolness and deeds of daring were Lee A. Steel, of Company B; Robert Peel, of Company D, and Robert Gibbons, of Company E. It is impossible for me to obtain the names of those who acted with more than common gallantry in the first and hottest part of the engagement, as the company officers, who had better opportunity of noticing them, are absent wounded, consequently many deserving of honorable mention would be left out. My attention during the action was particularly called to the daring and gallant conduct of the adjutant (Thomas L. Perry), whose services were invaluable to me; since died of his wounds.
No braver men died that day than Captain Barnes, of Company F, and Lieutenant White, of Company C, who were killed while leading their men up to the breastworks; but where all acted so well, with perhaps one or two exceptions, who failed to keep up, it is almost impossible to say who behaved with most gallantry, as reference to the list of casualties will show, leaving the encampment with 29 officers, 23 of them being killed and wounded.*
All else occurred under your own eye, which it is unnecessary for me to mention.
I am, colonel, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
BRYAN GRIMES,
Major, Commanding Fourth Regiment N. C. State Troops.
Sgt Ashbel Fraley's description of the battle in his diary:
Aroused before daylight and all are prepared to march. Move back and to the left one or two miles. Stack arms in the woods. But soon receive orders to prepare to go into battle. Made password “our homes” response “our firesides”
Leave our knapsacks in the woods March toward the picket lines Firing commences See the Stars and Stripes. Run through the advance attacking battalion. Charge the enemy’s battery. Terrific struggle. And hit with a ball but not much hurt Keep with the Company. Dreadful slaughter. Reg falls back. Rally again. Advance with 5th Ala. Battery taken. Continue to advance. Yankee’s shoot close. Captain Simonton killed. Fall back. Night closes on. Only 54 men present with coulors. Night comes in. Go to carry up the wounded. Are engaged till near midnight. Try to find my way back to camp but fail. Made a fire and sleep by the roadside. A victory, but dearly bought.
(Ashbel Fraley,
Incidents of the War. Southern Historical Society Collection. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Private S.A. Hoover, Company C, recalls of the battle in his postwar reminiscences:
The next day was the battle of Seven Pines - there we met the Yankee’s behind their breastworks - we had to charge their batteries through a piece of cut down forest, which was cut and thrown in every direction. The limbs cut off from two to four feet from body of trees in order to keep us from advancing rapidly, so they would have a better chance to cut us down, but we got through that thicket and got their battery but lost lots of good men…lay on battlefield all that night. My brother John was mortally wounded the same day and died the next day. He and I were taken to the field hospital the next morning and then to the railroad station where they loaded us on the cars and took us up to Richmond hospital…My clothing was so thoroughly saturated with blood they asked me if I was a Yankee or a Southerner. I was taken to hospital at Richmond, lay there two months.
(S.A. Hoover,
Reminiscences 1861-1865. Southern Historical Society Collection. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Corporal B.B. Ross, Company I:
When we were marching to Seven Pines we passed through a huckleberry pond. The woods was thick, and water was half a leg deep. While in the midst of this pond a shell exploded over us and cut the calf of one leg off, and tore the other ankle into pieces of Raleigh Rowe in our company. The piece went through the hat of Tom Crawford and tore the skin on top of his head. Another piece knocked the bugle off Lient. Creekmur’s hat. The Captain told me to pull Raleigh Rowe out of the water, and make him as comfortable as possible. By the time I had ministered to Rowe, the Company had left me and I had to go through the pond alone. In going through, the cannon balls were striking in water all around me, spattering mud in my face. I rushed forward, trying to catch up with the Company, but did not catch them until they had got in front of the breastworks.
. . . In Seven Pines battle I was within twenty yards of the breastworks when I was struck in my left breast. I had on my overcoat with twentyrounds of cartridges in my left breast-pocket. The ball went through all of these, into my uniform coat - pocket, and made holes through about 20 letters in my coat, several holes in my handkerchief in that pocket and lodged in there. When I regained consciousness, I felt that death would claim me in a few minutes, for I was sure the ball had gone through me. Our company was ordered to fall back, but I remained where I was to die. But after seeing the havock played in our regiment when they did fall back - as many killed as when going forward, for the Yankees kept “pouring it into them,” and out of fifty-two men and officers and Company I, 30 were killed or wounded - I concluded to move if possible. I slipped over the fence out of the field, and got behind a stump. There was wounded Yankee behind the stump, so I got at his feet. While I was lying there, a cannon ball struck the stump in front of us, split it open, blew it up, and stuck the top end in the ground, one piece about six inches from me on one side, and about one foot off on the other side. The Yankee whose ankle was broken, crawled to another stump, but I, seeing the uselessness of the stump, remained where I was. While lying there, I summed up courage to examine my wound, and found that the ball, which I thought had gone through my side, had lodged in my pocket. My side was badly bruised but I felt relief to find the bullet, and although I was suffering dreadfully, I went into camp.”
(B.B. Ross,
Experiences of B.B. Ross during the war of 1861-1865. Southern Historical Society Collection. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Last three accounts courtesy of this excellent article on the 4th North Carolina at Seven Pines:
http://www.authentic-campaigner.com...th-Carolina-at-Seven-Pines-by-Philip-Hatfield