[The origins of this regiment began on October 6, 1862, when a partisan ranger unit with the designated number of 66th was authorized by the NC Adjutant General. Six (6) months later, only four (4) of the requisite ten (10) companies of the proposed 66th NC Regiment - Partisan Rangers had been mustered. By May of 1863, Companies A, B, and D were transferred to trhe 12th NC Battalion - Cavalry, and Company C became Company H of the 59th NC Regiment (4th Cavalry).

On July 8, 1863, the defunct 66th NC Regiment - Partisan Rangers was tentatively designated as the 66th NC Regiment (Infantry) and placed under the command of Col. James W. Hinton of Pasquotank County, and former Lt. Colonel of the 8th NC Regiment (Infantry). By August 6, 1863, Col. Hinton established his headquarters at Murfreesborough, NC, in Hertford County.

On October 2, 1863, a new infantry regiment completed its organization and was designated as the 66th NC Regiment (Infantry). This caused a three-month confusion as to Col. Hinton's new regiment's designation. Col. Hinton signed his letters as "Colonel Commanding State Forces," without using a numerical designation. Some company commanders continued to sign as being in the 66th NC Regiment (Infantry). But, Col. Hinton went forward with recruitment and organizational efforts and by mid-December of 1863, ten (10) companies from northeastern North Carolina were mustered into the new regiment. For unknown reasons, the unit was not accepted into State Service until January 20, 1864, and it was certified as the 68th NC Regiment. Like its sister regiment, the 67th NC Regiment, which was authorized two days before, the 68th NC Regiment was established solely by the State of North Carolina and not placed into service under the Confederate States Army. This meant that both regiments were under the authority of the Governor and could not be sent out of the state.

However, both regiments were actually controlled by senior Confederate officers commanding within North Carolina. Moreover, the 68th NC Regiment was sent on a "slight incursion" into East Tennessee in the Autumn of 1864.

Although most of northeast North Carolina was essentially under Confederate control, it was subject to incursions by Federal raiding parties, river attacks by Federal gunboats, and assaults by pro-Federal guerrillas, known as "Buffaloes." The 68th NC Regiment was recruited from partisan units operating west of the Chowan River, and these Independent Companies were collected by Col. James W. Hinton beginning in July of 1863 and completed by December of 1863.

Immediately above summarized from "North Carolina Troops 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XV, Pages 509-511.]

The beginnings of this regiment was organized in July of 1863, with the following Field and Staff officers:

James W. Hinton, of Pasquotank County, Colonel. He had been Lieutenant Colonel of the 8th NC Regiment.
Edward C. Yellowley, of Pitt County, Lieutenant Colonel, who had served also in the 8th NC Regiment as Major.
Joseph J. Edwards, of Hertford County, was Major, and on his resignation April 15, 1864, William H. Bagley, of Pasquotank County, Captain of Company A, of the 8th NC Regiment, succeeded.
On the resignation of the latter in June of 1864, Willis B. Sanderlin, of Camden County, Captain Company B, was promoted to Major.
Joseph W. Hixton, of Pasquotank County, Adjutant.
John W. Sessoms, of Bertie County, A.Q.M.
Lewis C. Lawrence, of Hertford County, A.C.S.
John W. Hutchings was Surgeon and was succeeded by Thomas M. Nixon.
Jesse C. Shannon, Assistant Surgeon, succeeded by J. T.F. Cummings.

Company A—From Pasquotank County—Captains, John T. Elliott and Thomas H. Tamplin. 1st Lieutenant, William J. Munden; 2nd Lieutenants, Thomas H. Tamplin, Thomas J. Garner, and Andrew J. Turner.

Company B—From Camden County—Captains, Willis B. Sanderlin and Fred M. Halstead; 1st Lieutenants, Fred M. Halstead and Simeon Burgess; 2nd Lieutenants, Enoch M. Stevens, and Willis W. Morrisette.

Company C—From Camden County and Currituck County—Captain, Caleb P. Walston. 1st Lieutenants, William P. Walston and John B. Wiginton; 2nd Lieutenants, Elijah L. Cox and John B. Wiginton.

Company D—From Hertford County—Captains, Hillary Taylor and Levi Askew. 1st Lieutenants, Levi Askew and William P. P. Taylor; 2nd Lieutenants, William P. Taylor, David A. Parker, and John A. Slaughter.

Company E—From Hertford County and Bertie County—Captain, Langley Tayloe. 1st Lieutenants, Benjamin B. Williams and John H. Britt; 2nd Lieutenants, John H Britt, Joseph Holloman, and John A. Perry; 3rd Lieutenant Joseph T. Thomas.

Company F—From Bertie County—Captains, John T. Mebane and William M. Sutton. 1st Lieutenants, William M. Sutton and James E. Leary; 2nd Lieutenants, James A. Leary and Nehemiah Bunch; 3rd Lieutenant, Van Buren White.

Company G—From Currituck County—Captains, Cyrus W. Grandy and Willis W. Morrisette. 1st Lieutenants, Benjamin McHorney and John B. Wiginton; 2nd Lieutenant, Franklin B. Sikes.

Company H—From Chowan County—Captain, Richard Keogh. 1st Lieutenant, Richard Keogh and James C. Warren; 2nd Lieutenants, James C. Warren and James D. McCoy.

Company I—From Gates County—Captains, Richard H. L. Bond and William M. Daughtry. 1st Lieutenants, William M. Daughtry and Richard B. Odom; 2nd Lieutenants, Richard B. Odom and Arthur Willey; 3rd Lieutenant, Thomas B. Walton.

Company K—From Hertford County—Captain, Simon B. Pool. 1st Lieutenants, George W. Thompson and John A. Parker. 2nd Lieutenants, John A. Parker and Cadmus Capehart.

There were changes among the officers and the names of some officers are omitted [Website Author filled in the blanks above], but they can not now be recalled by the writer.

Col. James W. Hinton was a prominent lawyer and orator and after the war removed to Norfolk, where he died. Lt. Colonel Edward C.Yellowley was also a prominent lawyer at Greenville and in early manhood had, under great provocation, killed a man in a duel, an event which was thought to have saddened his whole life. Maj. William H. Bagley was after the war for many years clerk of our Supreme Court. He married the daughter of Governor Jonathan Worth and was the father of Worth Bagley, the gallant young officer of tlie United States Navy who fell at Cardenas in 1898 in the beginning of our war with Spain.

The writer cannot recall the date of his enlistment in what became afterwards Company D, of the 68th NC Regiment, North Carolina Troops, but it was at a X roads about five (5) miles from Harrellsville, Hertford County, NC, better known as Bethlehem Baptist Church, and where Watson Lewis, Jr., resided and kept a store, and it was in this store house that I signed the muster roll and that Watson Lewis, Jr., witnessed my signature, about thirty-eight (38) years ago, then not being quite 18 years of age.

The names of the field and staff officers of the 68th NC Regiment and the commissioned officers of the several companies recorded in Moore's Roster and above recited are familiar and most of the officers are yet well remembered.

Being Clerk of the Superior Court of Dare County at the time the Roster was filed in the office and not finding the names of the Privates of the several companies of the 68th NC Regiment recorded therein, I felt much surprised and cannot yet understand why a record of the field, staff, and commissioned officers of the companies could be found and no roll of the Privates.

I therefore deem it proper to mention here the names of as many of my comrades as I can remember of the company to which I belonged, viz.:

Company D—1st Sergeant, John A. Slaughter; 2nd Sergeant, John H. Perry; 1st Corporal, William Downing; 4th Corporal, John W. Evans; Fifer, William Bartimeus Wiggins; Drummer, Joseph Willoughby. Privates: John Downing, Thomas H. Evans, Judson L. Evans, George W. Perry, Joseph S. Perry (brothers), John Chambray, Julius J. Hayes, Joseph Perry Mitchell, William John Simons, Richard Baker, Joseph Baker, William H. Eley, John Baker, Sr., Travis J. Taylor, Francis K. Evans, Freeman E. Evans, Thomas T. Taylor, Dewitt C. Miller, Simeon P. Saunders, Frank Saunders, Kindred Hollomon, William J. Hays, James Henry Mitchell, Henry C. Sharp, Horatio Taylor, Samuel M. Aumack, Joseph H. Davidson, William Z. Lassiter, George W. Valentine, Henry D. Harrell, Daniel Barnes, all of Hertford County; Richard Rountree, James T. Parish, James M. Brinkley, of Gates County; Samuel M. Pearce, Simon Todd, Moses Todd, of Bertie County.

ON THE CHOWAN RIVER.

This company was encamped for a few months at the Bethlehem Church during which time the United States transports which were provided with guns equal to the capacity of the vessel plied the Chowan River and a squad of about thirty (30) of the company were sent out in command of Capt. Hillory Taylor and Maj. Joseph J. Edwards, to learn of the movements of these vessels and also to aid those who were engaged in bringing bacon and live hogs across the river from Chowan County for the commissary. Being on the hillside of the river at Coleraine, Bertie County, we saw a large sidewheel steamer steaming down the river and Maj. Edwards desiring to test our accuracy with our new Enfield Rifles, commanded us to occasionally fire at the steamer, which caused her commander to brng her within about three-quarters of a mile of the shore when she fired a small shell at us that came directly over our heads and exploded which created some confusion; but being able to secrete ourselves behind the hills, we were lost to view and the steamer soon sped away with no casualties to either side. This was our first experience. We returned to camp, and soon thereafter at about 1 o'clock, a.m., the beat of the long roll aroused our slumbers, orders were given to be in readiness for marching at once, and the company was hurriedly marched to Harrellsville.

The Federals in the meantime had invaded the village before we could get there, their supposed purpose being to capture bacon and other commissary stores and commit the usual depredations on the citizens.

Our company being only a squad and not knowing the strength of the enemy, our officers did not deem it wise to make a charge in blank darkness but being acquainted with the location of the village they flanked it, and in doing so aroused a suspicion of the enemy's picket guard, that fired a scattering ball at our shadow, but without doing any execution or locating our whereabouts. When we had reached a position to make a surprise attack on them, should they return to the place whence they came before the dawn of day, a miraculous incident occurred. One of our comrades, Private George W. Valentine, an elderly man, had lagged considerably in the rear and upon his advance, was discovered by some of our men who commanded him to halt, but the old gentleman not being well drilled in military tactics and this being his first experience in a skirmish, paid no attention to the command and continued his advance that caused, to his great surprise, a volley of bullets fired at him, but fortunately was not hit, and was recognized only when he cried out: ''In the name of God, are you going to kill me?"

Thus having made our location known to the enemy, a hasty retreat was necessary. We made our way through the fields in the darkness until we reached a pine thicket about one and a half miles down the road towards the river, and there awaited the return of the enemy, with breathless silence until near 10 o'clock, a.m., when their approach brought us to arms. The road was full for quite a distance with the soldier enemy in advance of their pillaged plunder, (consisting of negroes of both sexes, and every size and age, horses and vehicles of every kind, and even the contents of the wardrobes of our best people). We gave them a volley that demoralized them and put them to flight toward the river where the vessels were lying awaiting their return. Still not knowing their strength we did not advance upon them, but took a quick step retreat to where there was no danger. Returning to our camp, we passed through the village and viewed the smouldering remains of several valuable buildings and other property.

ORGANIZED INTO A REGIMENT.

Shortly thereafter we were moved and put in quarters for the remainder of the winter and spring near Jackson, Northampton County, NC, where the companies from Princess Anne County, VA, Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Chowan, Gates, and Bertie counties and two (2) other companies from our own Hertford County, joined us. We were there organized into the 68th NC Regiment.

No accident or incident occurred while in quarters at the above named place. On or about May 1, 1864, the regiment was moved to Weldon, and only remained a short time but during the stay there a young officer by the name of Stockton, from the central part of the State, who had but a short time previous joined the regiment, was drowned in the Roanoke River while taking a swim, and so far as this writer knows, his remains were never recovered. On June 1, 1864, the regiment then at Weldon reported 548 present. 108 Volume Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, p. 988.

MORGANTON.

From this point the regiment was sent in July to Morganton, NC, to protect property and citizens. We arrived there only a few days too late to meet a band of bushwhacking guerrillas known as Kirk's Army, under Col. George W. Kirk. They had made a raid on an encampment of Junior Reserves about three (3) miles from Morganton, near the then terminus of the Western North Carolina Railroad, and on June 28th had captured more than one hundred (100) of them. Hon. W. W. Avery was killed in the pursuit of Kirk's Army. Their attack upon the Junior Reserves was made in a silent hour of night.

After we had been encamped for awliile where the Junior Reserves had been, the Hon. Zebulon B. Vance, who was canvassing the State for the gubernatorial chair for a second term, paid us a call and made an address in his own humorous way. After having delivered his speech relating to public affairs, he said that he was glad that he had had the pleasure of meeting us, and complimented our healthy, stalwart soldierly appearance, and said that he hoped no one of the regiment would have to be sent to the hospital for want of drinking water, as we were from the eastern part of the State for he had been informed that we had searched the hill and mountain sides, and even the valleys, for tadpole water to drink. This was too much for us to bear, our Col. James W. Hinton thought, without a retort, who was much like the Governor for wit and humor, and so he related a story that went without contradiction. He said that shortly after the outbreak of the war, while Roanoke Island was being fortified, an additional force of troops being necessary, it happened that the troops sent were from the western part of our State. When the steamer that transported them, having made the run down the Albemarle Sound in the night time, at the dawn of day came in view of the island, the troops arousing from their slumbers, began taking a view of their surroundings and discovered the men at the fort on the island getting out to their work with wheelbarrows. One of them called out to his comrade and exclaimed: "Boys, have those few men over yonder dug this great ditch already?" and then the Governor surrendered himself amidst the cheers of the men, and said he was captured.

EAST TENNESSEE.

Shortly after this event preparations were made under marching orders to raid the section of country from which Kirk's Army came, and each comrade being provided with as many rations as he could carry, together with a soldier's other equipment, we moved under command of our Lt. Col. Edward C. Yellowley, and went along the line most of the way, as far as graded, of the Western North Carolina Railroad then turned off and crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains via Bakersville, the County Seat of Mitchell County, and on into Tennessee, known as the Crab Apple [Crab Orchard] section. We then returned on nearly the same line of march as we went, nothing was accomplished so far as the writer has any knowledge, farther than to make an impression upon the people that it would not be wise on the part of Col. George W. Kirk's Army to make another raid as herein referred to. We did not meet an opposing foe nor were attacked save one gun shot that was fired by an enemy in ambush, that was impenetrable at night by reason of the campfires that shone against the thickest forrest that ever grew on a mountain side, and no pursuit could be made. The shot fired took effect in the thigh of the camp servant of 1st Lt. William P. Taylor, who was lying on a log bench by a campfire, but the wound proved to be of no consequence.

The marching over the rocky roads was hard to endure, yet the picturesque mountain scenery, the good water, milk, butter, and honey that was found in great abundance, will ever be remembered by the members of the 68th NC Regiment.

SALISBURY.

Shortly after our return to camp near Morganton, the regiment was ordered to Salisbury, NC, to guard a large number of Federal prisoners. Upon our arrival the ground within the prison was covered with men and within three (3) days they had dug themselves holes in the ground covering the entrance to each with a little mound, so that they were most completely protected from the open air and weather. The hardship, disease, and death among that mass of human beings this writer prays never to witness again.

We had no casualty or death in our ranks during the time of our service around the Salisbury Prison, save the accident that occurred to James P. Roberts, of Company I, in the old prison building. When on guard duty he unthoughtedly, with his right arm resting on the muzzle of his rifle, with his foot fired the rifle which shattered his arm and caused its amputation.

Remained at Salisbury until about the first of December of 1864, when we were ordered to the eastern part of the State, the first stop, as the writer remembers, was at Halifax, where we remained for a few days only. Thence the command was sent to Tarborough, NC, but only remained a short time.

BUTLER'S BRIDGE, NEAR HAMILTON.

It being learned that the Federals were advancing from the vicinity of Plymouth, NC, to make an attack on the fort at Rainbow Banks, near Hamilton, NC, we were ordered on a hasty march in the afternoon of December 11, 1864, and marched with an occasional rest till dark, when a beautiful pine thicket was reached. Orders were given to rest, as was supposed, for the night. The temperature was falling to a low point; yet the weather was clear, and being very tired, we were very soon snugly retired in beds of new pine straw as comfortably as any squad of soldiers ever enjoyed; but at the hour of midnight, our sound and happy slumbers were disturbed by the beat of the long roll, which all knew meant to be in readiness quickly, and then orders were given to march. At that hour it had become very cold, the road bed was frozen hard and a march of about ten (10) miles was made without a rest.

At Butler's Bridge, two miles from Hamilton, four (4) companies of the 1st NC Regiment Junior Reserves and (2) two companies of the 65th NC Regiment (6th Cavalry) and a section of Lee's (Ala.) battery, all under Lt. Col. Charles W. Broadfoot of the 1st NC Regiment Junior Reserves had been stationed at a creek, crossing the public road. The enemy, piloted by some buffaloes (traitors), crossed the creek below and took our troops at the bridge in the rear. We had turned off from the main road from Tarborough to Williamston in order to come in by Hamilton to reinforce from the rear our troops at Butler's Bridge. After passing through or near the village of Hamilton, our regiment wearing long cape overcoats, and it being just before the dawn of day, to the surprise of officers and men, we found that we were marching side-by-side with the enemy. Lt. Col. Edward C. Yellowley and the Colonel or officer commanding the Federal troops, were riding side-by-side. Lt. Col. Yellowley supposed the other horseman was Col. James W. Hinton's body servant who was riding an extra horse of Col. Hinton. He did not discover to the contrary until the Federal officer gave a command to the person riding by his side, supposing him to be his courier. Lt. Col. Yellowley not obeying the command, caused a suspect that there was a jumble. Immediately the two Colonels separated, each commanding the attention of his troops, and a face-to-face skirmish took place. Several shots were fired, each side capturing some of their own men as prisoners.

Having come together in the way described, and the most of the enemy gotten in advance of us, we had to fall back; but the troops at Butler's Bridge, though flanked both front and rear, escaped by the fact that the cavalry being dismounted for skirmishing their horses which were held in the rear were stampeded by the sudden firing behind them broke loose and charged across the bridge. The enemy in front were stampeded by this, supposing we were advancing in force and our forces saved themselves by crossing over and turning to the right up the road to Tarborough. The enemy had turned to the left going back towards Spring Green Church. Col. James W. Hinton, however, who was at the Sherrod House, unknowing of these movements, was captured, as was his brother, Joseph W. Hinton, our Adjutant. But Adjutant Hinton made his escape after the break of day. The enemy at daylight fell back to Spring Green on the road to Williamston our forces following and driving them further.

BATTLE OF SOUTHWEST CREEK.

Then only a short time had elapsed when the regiment was ordered to a point just below Kinston, NC, to reinforce Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) command at a place known as Cobb's Mill, and here a heavy battle, the battle of Southwest Creek or Wyse's Forks, on March 8-9, 1865 [aka 2nd Kinston], was fought. Our regiment was in the division of Maj. Gen. Hoke and several of the regiment were killed and wounded. After this event the regiment was moved to a bridge across the Neuse River a short distance beyond Goldsborough, NC, and there remained till the Federal forces had advanced from Kinston and stopped on the opposite side of the river for a night and day. At this place there was a little skirmish engagement. The bridge was burned and two or three (2-3) of the regiment were wounded. Then a movement was made eastward, making no permanent stop at any place during which time orders were given to the officers of the several companies to return with their men to the respective communities in which they were mustered, seize and take from any neighbor a horse, where he had more than one, for the purpose of mounting each member of their companies and re-enlisting them into cavalry service. But while these orders were being carried into effect the information came that the chief commander of the army, General Robert E. Lee (VA), had surrendered. And thus each member of the several companies being at home, remained, with all the paraphernalia of a soldier without being discharged or mustered out of service in accordance with military rule; and so in the month of April of 1865, the career of the 68th NC Regiment, State Troops, came to an end.

TWO ADDITIONAL COMPANIES.

The writer deems it proper since the Roster of the North Carolina Troops fails to give the names of the privates and non-commissioned officers of the several companies of the 68th NC Regiment, to mention the names of a portion of two (2) companies, as remembered by Mr. B. T. Daniel, a native of Roanoke Island, who is still living. He says that two (2) other companies besides those above named were enlisted in the counties of Beaufort and Hyde, and belonged to the 68th NC Regiment, and were supplied with guns, ammunition, and all of a soldier's equipment, and that they were kept in these counties to watch the movements of the enemy, and that Laban Bridgeman was their Acting Quartermaster, through whom their military supplies were furnished and that they signed the quarterly payrolls and same was forwarded to headquarters by Quartermaster Bridgeman, and also says that if the companies were designated by letters, that he don't remember them.

The names given and the county in which they resided at the time of enlistment are as follows:

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

E. S. Swindell, Captain, and William N. Spencer, Captain, both of Hyde County; William Windley, 1st Lieutenant, Beaufort County; Benjamin Boomer, 2nd Lieutenant, Hyde County; Dave Credle, Jr. 2nd [3rd] Lieutenant, Hyde County.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Elisha Credle, Sergeant, Beaufort County; Joseph Baum, Sergeant, Hyde County; Samuel Jones, Corporal, Hyde County; Josephus Flinn, Corporal, Beaufort County.

PRIVATES.

James Pledger, Saunders Smith, William Williams, William Davis, John Swindell, Willis Williams, Nathaniel Gibbs, Frank O'Neal, Morgan O'Neal, David Johnson, David Gibbs, Stanley O'Neal, Richard Daniels, JesseW. Daniels, Frank Bell, George Boyd, of Hyde County; John Whitney. of Beaufort County; John Bell, Alvin Swindell, Asa Voliver, James Sadler, Joseph Spencer, Alexander Gibbs, Thomas Watson, Hyde County; B. T. Daniel, Amos R. Etheridge, Daniel B. Austin, John W. Meekins, Samuel D. Hooker, Dare County [not created until 1870; men most likely from Tyrrell County]; Edward Burgess, Frank Credle, Hyde County; William O. Resspass, Fenner Respass, Beaufort County; names of other officers and men of these two (2) companies are not now recalled.

Jno. W. Evans,
Manteo, N.C.,
30 May, 1901.

As there seems to be no record of this company on file in the Adjutant General's office, the writer has undertaken to give a brief history of it. Thirty-six (36) years having elapsed since the war between the States ended, and the writer being less than 18 years of age at the close of hostilities, and less than 16 years of age when he entered the service in this company, the history of the company will necessarily be brief and liable to have omitted a good many facts that would be of value and importance in its history.

IN NETHERCUTT'S BATTALION.

This company was raised or recruited near by and around Goldsborough, NC, by Wiliam R. Bass, who had formerly held a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in Company I, 35th NC Regiment, in the winter of 1862 and 1863. The officers first commissioned by the State for this company were: Captain, William R. Bass; Redden C. Barden, 1st Lieutenant, formerly 2nd Lieutenant Company K, 27th NC Regiment; Josiah W. Smith, 2nd Lieutenant, formerly a Private in Company K, 27th NC Regiment; and Erastus Smith, 3rd Lieutenant. All of the officers were from Wayne County, and from the Nahunta and Saulston sections of the county. The company was first raised or recruited as a company of Partisan Rangers. Soon after its formation it was assigned to Major John H. Nethercutt's Battalion (8th NC Battalion-Partisan Rangers) and remained with that command until the formation of the 66th NC Regiment by the uniting of Moore's and Nethercutt's Battalions, which took place on October 2, 1863.

WILMINGTON.

Upon the formation of the 66th NC Regiment, this company was not included in the regiment, but assigned to duty at some obstructions on the Cape Fear River a few miles below Wilmington, then known as Batteries or Forts Lee, Davis, Campbell, and Meares. While here the company performed duty as heavy artillerists and infantry, furnishing details for train guards on the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad, the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad, and the river steamers that plied the Cape Fear River from Wilmington to Fayetteville, and from Wilmington to Smithville [now Southport], Fort Caswell, and other points on the lower Cape Fear River, besides other provost duties in Wilmington. Some time in the Fall of 1864, this company was assigned to the 68th NC Regiment State Troops as Company C, and after the fall of Fort Fisher and the evacuation of Wilmington in January of 1865, this company was ordered to join the regiment which was then encamped on the Roanoke River near Fort Branch, below the town of Hamilton in Martin County.

ASSIGNED TO THE SIXTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.

There we first joined the regiment and found it under the command of Edward C. Yellowley, Lieutenant Colonel, of Pitt County. Remaining there for a few days the regiment was ordered to Williamston, NC, to gather in some commissary stores at that point; from there the regiment was ordered to Tarborough, thence to Goldsborough, and from Goldsborough to Kinston, NC, where we met the advance of Federal Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield's army on their line of march from New Bern to Goldsborough to form a junction with Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman. We met Maj. Gen. Schofield at Wyse's Fork or Cobb's Mill, a few miles from Kinston, on the New Bern Road, and the regiment was engaged in that fight on March 8-9, 1865. We suffered some losses. I do not remember all of them. Edwar Sasser, of our company, was wounded in the arm; William Taylor, of Wilson, in the leg, and William H. Reid, of Company I, was wounded. They were on the sharpshooter line with the writer. There were other casualties. Our regiment was then brigaded with the 67th NC Regiment, 65th NC Regiment (6th Cavalry) and some other unattached troops, and placed under the command of Brig. Gen. Laurence S. Baker (NC), and in that battle was on the extreme left wing of our army, which was commanded by Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (NC).

We then fell back to Goldsborough and were engaged at the time of the Bentonville fight with Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's extreme right wing at Cox's Bridge on the Neuse River, between Goldsborough and Smithfield, in Johnston County. Here we had quite a sharp encounter with the enemy. I do not remember the casualties. The men fully realized now that further continuance of the heroic struggle was useless. At this place in one night our Orderly Sergeant with eighty (80) men of our company, went home, leaving only thirty-seven (37) behind. I, with several others of our regiment, was sent off as a guard to the wagon train under the command of Capt. Stephen G. Barrington, of the 67th NC Regiment. From thence we went to Smithfield. At this point the writer was detailed as a guide to a scouting party composed of a part of the 51st Regiment of Alabama Cavalry, a part of Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler's (AL) command, and was with this command at the time of General Joseph E. Johnston's (VA) surrender, receiving his parole at the Yadkin River Bridge, near Salisbury, and arrived home early in May of 1865. While with the 51st Regiment of Alabama Cavalry as a guide he led them through a portion of Wayne, Greene, and Lenoir counties to the Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad at Falling Creek (in Wayne County then), where they cut the railroad and burned the bridge across Falling Creek in the rear of Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield's command, and made a successful escape or retreat with some prisoners and stores which they captured.

The writer did not rejoin his regiment or company, but learned that the regiment was mustered out of service or disbanded near Wilson, NC, within about fifteen (15) miles of his then home. While at Goldsborough in March of 1865, and a few days before the engagement related at Cox's Bridge, the writer was promoted from a Private to 4th Sergeant in his company. At the time the company joined the regiment at Fort Branch it was officered then as follows: William R. Bass, Captain; Redden C. Barden, 1st Lieutenant; Isaac V. Barden, 2nd Lieutenant; Alex. H. Hamilton, Junior 2nd (3rd) Lieutenant; and Erastus Smith, Sr., 2nd Lieutenant. The company, first and last, had 150 members.

At the time of the enlistment of the writer, on July 11, 1863, he was 15 years, 11 months, and 10 days old.

W.T. Caho,
Bayboro, N.C.,
26 April, 1901.

"North Carolina Troops 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XV," Page 541 pretty much disputes former Sgt. Caho's assertion immediately above that this unit was truly part of the 68th NC Regiment. On this page, the editors assert that Company G of the 68th NC Regiment was so depleted that it was consolidated into Company C on January 9, 1865. Then... verbatim:

"Capt. William R. Bass's Independent Company was attached to Company C on the same date, and Capt. E.D. Snead's Independent Company was attached to Company C shortly thereafter. It seems probable that the latter two companies either reverted to their independent status a few weeks later or never reported for duty with the 68th. In any case, their services with the 68th cannot be documented. Many of the members of Bass's Company deserted or were captured in March, 1865, but the evidence suggests that none of them, and no members of Snead's Company, were serving at the time with Company C of the 68th. Moreover, there is no evidence that the members of either company were ever formally mustered into Company C."

Additionally, in the same book, on Page 524, the editors noted that the 67th NC Regiment and 68th NC Regiment were assembled into a new "brigade" commanded by Col. John N. Whitford of the 67th NC Regiment by March 17, 1865, with a combined strength of about 1,000 men, about 300 belonging to the 68th NC Regiment. The next day, this brigade was sent to Cox's Bridge, on the Neuse River between Goldsborough and Smithfield. During the battle of Bentonville, Col. John N. Whitford was given command of the NC Junior Reserves, and his new "brigade" did not arrive in time to participate in this battle.

Col. John N. Whitford signed a surrender agreement with Federal Brig. Gen. Innis N. Palmer on April 26, 1865 and it included both the 67th NC Regiment and the 68th NC Regiment. However, both were already disbanding on their own. It is entirely possible that a handful of men were still under arms when the surrender took place.