Brig. Gen. James G. Martin (NC) discovered that Union Brig. Gen. Alvan C. Gillem, with most of his command, had departed from Swannanoa Gap. He ordered Col. John B. Palmer's Brigade (remnants of the 62nd NC Regiment combined with remnants of the 64th NC Regiment, and the 69th NC Regiment - 7th Cavalry) to Hickory Nut Gap, about ten (10) miles south of Swannanoa Gap and eight (8) miles north of Howard's Gap. However, most of the men "refused to obey," having "picked up a rumor that Johnston and Sherman had signed an armistice."

Brig. Gen. Martin fell back to Asheville, and from there he sent his four cannon and a small escort of steadfast infantrymen to Hendersonville. On April 22nd, he learned that General Joseph E. Johnston (CSA, Department of North Carolina) and Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman (U.S. Army, Military District of Mississippi) had agreed to a truce on April 18th and that surrender negotiations were in progress. He immediately recalled the artillery and troops sent to Hendersonville, but it was soon learned that they had been captured (on April 23rd).

It is likely that the bulk of what remained of Col. John B. Palmer's Brigade (as described above) disintegrated on the afternoon of April 21st, when most of Brig. Gen. Martin's command refused to obey orders to move to Hickory Nut Gap. Most men "probably" set out for their homes; a few "may have" awaited the arrival of Union troops to whom they could surrender; and many "probably" fell back to Asheville as ordered. It cannot be confirmed that any of the "seventy men captured by Major Slater on April 23rd" were of the 62nd NC Regiment, but it is possible—just not known at this time.

It appears that at least some of the remnants of the 64th NC Regiment (consolidated into the 62nd NC Regiment) actually made their way to Hickory Nut Gap (actually Howard's Gap). Capt. Beverly T. Morris (Company E) is the only one "known." [see next entry]. "In short, it appears that the seventy infantrymen who were guarding the four cannon as they withdrew toward Asheville on April 23 included a contingent of men from the 64th North Carolina."

My wife was living off from the Howard's Gap Road about one mile, so I spent the night with her and we were up early before light next morning to take breakfast at my father's, who lived on the road. When we came into the road we found it full of blue coats. What to do I could not tell. To turn back looked too suspicious, so I decided in my mind to go on to the house and on I went, my wife by my side, but just before we reached the house they arrested me. I was turned over to a guard who was exceedingly kind to me; he seemed to be sorry for me; he told me I would get a parole next morning. He put me on an old poor horse and we started for Hendersonville. I can not express my feelings as I went up town riding that horse following the Yankee Army to the music of Yankee Doodle. My guard took me to Dr. T. A. Allen's and had Mrs. Allen to fix me a good dinner (which she knows exactly how to do) after which we took the State Road for Asheville, camped that night where the Mills Gap Road leaves the State Road. We stopped a while before night.

Col. John B. Palmer came out from Asheville under a flag of truce and after he returned I heard the soldiers talking and from what was said they made me believe there would be no parole for me. I then made up my mind to take care of myself. They had two (2) of their own men under guard for some misdemeanor. The man that guarded me all day said to me that if I preferred, he would keep me with their men and not put me with the soldiers they had captured that day. I told him that would just suit me. About 9 o'clock they made their bed and I retired with my shoes and clothes on. We were in a lane and they had all the fences on fire. I heard a conversation with the guard wanting each man to take a prisoner and sleep with him, but my guard said no, so another guard was put on who took his seat near me and commenced to play with a negro boy who was asleep; I got up, walked through the crowd leaning to the dark side of the road and was soon out of sight without any alarm being raised. I went on the mountain side and stayed till morning and bid Maj. Gen. George Stoneman adieu, went home and so ended my part of the war. This was a few days after General Robert E. Lee's surrender, but we did not know of it.

Immediately above written by former Captain Beverly T. Morris on May 30, 1901, and provided as Pages 659-671, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III," edited by Walter Clark.

[It is "fairly clear" that Col. John B. Palmer and the rest of his brigade remained in Asheville and did not go to Howard's Gap or Hendersonville.]

"... marched at 5 a.m. on the 23d instant [April]; reached Andersonville [Hendersonville] at 8 a.m.; distance thirty-eight miles. Marched at 3 p.m.; captured a four-gun battery on the way to Asheville."

"At daylight on the 23d [April] the advance entered Hendersonville. Here I ascertained that the enemy had learned that I had left Swannanoa Gap and had been in Hendersonville the previous day with four pieces of artillery, but being able to hear nothing of us had returned toward Asheville late in the afternoon. I immediately ordered Colonel [Major] Slater, commanding the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry, to pursue, attack, and capture this artillery at all hazards. The Eleventh Michigan was ordered to support the Eleventh Kentucky. At 12 m. the colonel [major] reported he had overtaken the artillery pieces and 70 of its infantry guard. At Hendersonville about 300 stand of arms were captured... At 12 m. I left Hendersonville, intending to attack Asheville the same evening. At 3 p.m. I received a flag of truce from General Martin at Asheville, stating that he had official notificaiton of the truce. Later in the evening another flag of truce informed me that General Martin would meet me next morning. At 11 p.m. I received an official announcement from General Sherman of the existence of the truce. General Sherman's order to General Stoneman to come to the railroad at Durham's Station or Hillsborough was received at 11 p.m..." 

Capt. Beverly T. Morris — Commanding Officer,

62nd NC Regiment/64th NC Regiment Consolidated Detachment — Capt. Beverly T. Morris,
Company E — Capt. Beverly T. Morris (POW),
With about 70 men and 4 Field Pieces (POW).

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Brig. Gen. Alvan C. Gillem — Commanding Officer,

District of East Tennessee, Cavalry Division — Brig. Gen. Alvan C. Gillem,

2nd Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Simeon B. Brown,
11th KY Cavalry — Maj. Frederick Slater,
12th KY Cavalry — Maj. James B. Harrison,
11th MI Cavalry — Lt. Col. Charles E. Smith,

Artillery:
1st TN Light Artillery, Battery E — Lt. James E. Regan.

North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XV, PP.33-34, PP.167.

Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III, edited by Walter Clark, PP.659-671.

Offical Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Part XLIX, Part I, P.325, P.329, P.335.