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SOUTH*
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intrenchment
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MAP OF THE ENGAGEMENT AT SOUTH MILLS, N. C. , BASED ON THEMAP ACCOMPANYING GENERAL HUGEIi’S REPORT.
ley, which caused their artillery to retreat, and soMills, or Camden, 5, as it is now known.
they answered, “We willtry.” Arriving at thefence, the regiment wasformed in line of battle,and commenced to moveover the field. Whenwithin fifty yards of theedge of the clearing, theright companies receivedthe concentrated fire ofthe whole of the enemy’sinfantry and artillery,and in less than two min-utes lost 9 killed and 58wounded. I immediatelyordered a deflection tothe right, when suddenlythe rebels ceased firing,and fell back to avoidbeing outflanked by ourforce that entered thewood on their left. The6th New Hampshire gave them a parting vol-ended the battle of South
In his report of the fight at South Mills GeneralHuger thus describes the Confederate position:
“On the 19th, the enemy approaching. . . Col-onel Wright moved forward with his three companies,and at 9:30 o’clock was met by Colonel McComae withhis battery (1 rifled piece and 3 bronze 6-pounders).After advancing 3 miles from South Mills the roademerged from the woods, and the field on the right andthe left extended 160 to 180 yards to thick woods andswamp. On the edge of the woods, on both sides of theroad and perpendicular to it, was a small ditch, theearth from which was thrown up on the south side in aridge, upon which was a heavy rail fence. From thispoint the road led through a narrow lane for one mile withcleared land on both sides of it. Here he determined tomake his stand. About three hundred yards from thewoods ran a deep wide ditch parallel with the one firstmentioned and extending to the woods on either side ofthe road, and a short distance beyond it were dwellingsand outhouses which would give cover for the enemy.Colonel Wright therefore ordered them burned. Thelarge ditch in his front he filled with fence rails and setthem on fire, his object being to have this ditch so hotby the time the enemy came up they could not occupyit. (This ditch is marked on sketch as ‘ Boasted Ditch.’)Two pieces of artillery (the road was too narrow formore) were placed in the road just where it emergedfrom the woods, which commanded the road — the rangeof the guns. He also threw down the fences for threehundred yards on each side of the road for threehundred yards in front of the guns, and tossed the railsinto the road to destroy the effect of the enemy’s ricochetfiring, and to deprive him of the cover of the fences. The
fences on the sides of the woods were taken down andlaid in heaps on the embankment in front of his men.. . . The smoke from the burning buildings and
fences rolled toward the enemy, thus masking the posi-tion. . .
General Huger speaks of f ourrepulses of the Uniontroops between 12 and 3:35 p. m., and continues :
“ They soon advanced again, two regiments skirtingthe woods on our left, and approached near enough toengage the skirmishers. One company from the rightwas moved over, and Colonel Reid ordered to send onecompany from the reserve. The enemy deployed in theopen field and bore down rapidly, but the heavy fire ofmusketry caused them to waver, and they fell back tothe fence. Three regiments and a field-piece were in thecenter and the 9th New York regiment on the right.The fire was now brisk from one end of the line to theother, and the enemy were held in check, when just atthis moment Captain McComas was killed by a minie-ball, and his men, who for four hours had fought withmost indomitable courage, became panic-stricken andleft the field, taking their pieces with them. ColonelWright succeeded in rallying them andgettingtwopiecesand a few men in position, and the enemy had advancedso close that canister was fired on them with effect, andthey again fell back. The ammunition in the limber-boxes was exhausted, and during the temporary absenceof Colonel Wright the artillery left the field. The enemymade a charge upon our line, but the steady fire at closedistance . . . caused them to break in confusion, andthey fell back.”
The Confederate forces were the 3d Georgia,