Author: George Washington Finley Harper

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2019-01-04

Total Pages: 102

ISBN-13: 9781793180278

This is a first hand account by a member of Company H of the North Carolina 58th Infantry Regiment. The North Carolina 58th Infantry Regiment was organized in Mitchell County, North Carolina, in July, 1862. Its twelve companies were recruited in the counties of Mitchell, Yancey, Watauga, Caldwell, McDowell, and Ashe. In September it moved to Cumberland Gap and spent the winter of 1862-1863 at Big Creek Gap, near Jacksboro, Tennessee. The 58th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Atlanta, guarded prisoners at Columbia, Tennessee, during Hood's operations, then moved to South Carolina and skirmished along the Edisto River. Later it returned to North Carolina and saw action at Bentonville . It lost 46 killed and 114 wounded at Chickamauga, totalled 327 men and 186 arms in December, 1863, and took about 300 effectives to Bentonville. The unit was included in the surrender on April 26, 1865.The narrative primarily focuses on the events from the battle of Chickamauga to the end of the war. Harper describes the events at Bentonville: "The 58th, in this, its last battle, numbered about 300 effectives. The Brigade (Palmer's) was selected as the directing column for the Army of Tennessee in the assault on the enemy's line. The charge was made with great spirit and dash, and the enemy entrenched and with a high fence built in their front, gave way before inflicting great loss on their assailants. In the pursuit which followed, two pieces of artillery, limbering with all haste to the rear, were captured and driven back into our lines with their teams complete. In running down and taking the guns some of the artillerymen were shot while on the chests, and the old pine field was strewn with blankets, provisions and plunder of all sorts thrown away by the flying foe." We have added biographical sketches of the officers with photos and an index to the soldiers of the regiment. Also included is an extensive bibliography of resources for researching this regiment.