172 Southern Historical Society Papers.
wounded also became prisoners. Our loss was quite heavy, but the spirit of the brigade was not broken.
I have heard that Hoke censured Kirkland for making the dis- astrous charge on the loth, but did not hear of it at the time. If Wooten spoke the truth, Hoke should have heeded his advice and moved further to the right. Then we should have turned the enemy and had a complete victory. Kirkland did not know of the ex- istence of the strong breastworks when he charged his men through the woods. I am sure I did not until we came within a very short distance of them. It may be true that Kirkland should have moved slowly until he ascertained the true situation and then reported it to Hoke. I have never seen Lieutenant Stoddard nor Major Johnson since. Our courier was also captured riding my black horse, which I had loaned him that day a brave and dashing fellow, George Tonnoffski, now living in Raleigh.
Major Johnson was taken North, grew worse and worse with con- sumption, and died soon after his release, at his home near Wood- ville, Perquimans county, N. C. His conduct in that fight of the loth was most daring and knightly. Mounted on a large gray, he was last seen with hat in hand trying to lead the Forty-second over the works. Johnson was a fine lawyer, Christian gentlemen, thorough soldier, and unselfish patriot.
The day was rather a disastrous one for our brigade staff. A few days before our gallant and noble ordnance officer, Lieutenant Theo- dore Hassell, was killed in an artillery duel between the two armies on the 6th or yth. First Lieutenant George W. Grimes, of Com- pany G, Seventeenth North Carolina troops, one of the best officers in our command, was severely wounded and captured, and. still carries the bullet in his body, suffering great pain therefrom.
The enemy moved up from Newbern, Terry's command came up from Wilmington, and Sherman's great army was coming via Fayette- ville. Bragg, with all the odds and ends, and Hoke's and Hill's commands, joined General Joseph E. Johnston at Smithfield, under whom the remnants of our Southern armies were being concentrated. Soon after this followed the great Battle of Bentonsville, in which General Johnston displayed his great ability and his soldiers un- equaled valor, fortitude, and heroism. The history of this battle must always be interesting to the student of our war showing how the Southerners fought when under the most adverse circumstances, and when the cause was almost entirely lost. General Johnston's Narrative, and an article published in the Century war papers by
