Duplin County, NC - Personal Reminicences of Sgt. E. Faison Hicks, 1905

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                          Personal Reminicences
                                 of the
                         Battle of Strasburg Va
                            the Fall of 1864

Prepared by Sergeant E. Faison Hicks, Co. E 20th N.C. Regt., and read 
before the Faison Hicks Chapter U.D.C. - Jan. 19, 1905

In introducing my narative of this great battle I will revert to the 
previous engagement as it was the first of a series of battles 
beginning the Campaign between the forces of Genl. Jubal A. Early and 
Genl. Phil Sheridan. It affords me pleasure to state that the account 
here given is corroborated mainly by the testimony of the late Genl. 
John B. Gordon of Ga.

While Genl. Grant was besieging Richmond and Petersburg, Genl. Lee 
detached Genl. Early's Corps to capture Washington City. Early wisely 
chose the Shenandoah Valley as a highway to the Capitol city. By forced 
marching, our scouts came in sight of the coveted prime; but Grant, 
wide awake to the peril of the city, dispatched large reinforcements to 
its defiance. Early had hardly crossed the Potomac when his rear was 
threatened by this formidable auxilary to Sheridan's forces and was 
compelled to make a hasty retreat. Retreating with his main Army by way 
of Martinsburg, Early sent our brigade consisting of the 5th, 12th, 
20th and 23rd N.C. Regts under Genl. Robt. D. Johnston by way of 
Charlestown with orders to hold Winchester at all hazards. 

Near this place Sheridan's Army closed in upon us in overwhelming 
numbers and endeavored to crush us and occupy Winchester before Early 
could reach this gateway of retreat. As I only intended to mention this 
battle I will not go into details, but on that day Johnston's Brigade 
wrote its name high on the scroll of fame. See Justice Walter Clark's 
History of the Civil War.

Our retreat was continued up the valley in good order, the enemy 
pursuing and keeping up a desultory firing at long range. At Cedar hill 
south of North Fork of Shenandoah river, Early stood at bay, and the 
Federals went into camp. Early reorganized his troops and fortified his 
position, using this place as a base for his attack upon Strasburg.

What was may have been Early's faults, he was a fighter, just at dark a 
few days after, our brigade was put under marching orders, we marched 
all night across the fields, through the woods, fording the river, the 
Yankey pickets having been guilty relieved by our advance guard, by 
light the next morning, we had gained the rear and left flank of a 
division of Sheridan's Army, the surprise was so complete that we first 
find upon the Federals fleeing from their tents, in their haste to get 
away, they left portions of their garments, besides a number being 
captured all fell into our hands without the loss of a single man.

We followed on in the distance of them whose fortune it was to escape 
in hot pursuit not giving them time to rally.

Another division supporting a battery had taken warning and were 
prepared to receive us, but our advance was unchecked, we captured the 
battery and drove the enemy from their positions.

To their credit be it said their artillermen died at their guns and the 
infantry retreated in as good order as on dress parade contesting every 
foot of ground which had the effect to reduce our numbers considerable.

Among the number was comrade Wm. Benton, except the Field officers, 
Benton was probably better known than any man in the Regt., he was 
always cheerfull on the march, hilarious in camp and courageous in 
battle, he was quick to forget a wrong and never forget a favor, he was 
twice promoted for galantry, the last and highest honor in the gift of 
our Colonel, an honor meritously won; "Color Bearer" while acting in 
this capacity he fell mortally wounded in this charge, his agonizing 
cries and pathetic appeal to me not to leave him, is yet fresh in my 
memory.

I remained with him untill the arrival of our Ambulance Corps who bore 
him away to the hospital. I lost not time to join my regt. which had 
continued to advance, the ground was thickly strewn with the Blue and 
Gray alike, our line had been so weakened by casualties in battle and 
worn by the nights march had halted on the out skirts of Strasburg.

Expecting a severe repremand from my Colonel T.F. Toon, I reported to 
him at once, explained my absence, but to my gratification he congratulated 
me on my safety and was deeply mortified at the loss of Benton.

The enemy continued to retire but kept posing a fusilade of shot on our 
ranks, a battery arriving took a position on our line and began to complete 
the destruction we began, but a Yankey battery commenced to exchange 
compliments and these bursting shells were fit messengers to keep us awake.

Up to this hour we had captured supplies enough, including tents and 
furniture, commisary stores, small arms and ammunition, cannons with 
caissons and other stores, to equip our brigade and had killed and captured 
men, to our number.

From this line of battle & with others was detailed to reinforce our 
Sharpshooter Corps, who had advanced about one mile to the front, their 
position behind a stone fence having been wisely chosen.

We arrived none too soon for the enemy were advancing to attack with three 
lines of battle. Reserving out fire untill the first line came within about 
fifty yards from us it was litterally wiped out, the second and third lines 
advanced to about the same distance seemed badly demoralized fled in great 
confusion under the galling fire of our well aimed rifles.

During this time a heavy assault was made on our extreme left and the rattle 
of musketry could be heard approaching our rear. We began to realize what 
had happened and that there was eminent danger of our being captured. A 
retreat was ordered and to add to our peril, we were compelled to face our 
artillery fire that was raking the field to cover our retreat.

For just at that time, we having been discovered on the run, a column of 
Federal Cavalry like a great cloud, came charging up the pike at full speed, 
as far down this pike a macadamized road sixty ft in width, as the eye could 
reach, a solid moving mass of men and horses could be seen. Their infantry 
deployed on either flank, and discovering our weakness, made haste to take 
revenge for the slaughter of an hour ago.

When darkness ended the chase, we were a gang of stragglers without a guide 
or leader. The bridge across the river being in possession of the enemy, our 
only hope of escape was in the mad attempt to ford the cold and treacherous 
stream at the midnight hour.

I always had a horror of prison life, and I knew to remain on that side of 
the river meant surrender. To do this, as a comrade once facetiously remarked 
"I did'nt know how".

A prison or a plunge; I plunged, crossed over with difficulty, wet, cold, 
hungry, sleepy, humiliated by defeat, and suffering from a wound received in 
the recent fighting, Encumbered with my wet clothing, I struggled onward and 
luckly found myself in an apple orchard, whose trees were laden with an 
abundance of delicious fruit, nearly starved, I ate, and ate, and continued 
to eat, I cannot tell, nor do I wish to tell, how many apples I ate that night.

I next came to a road, near which was a camp fire, and around it were the 
forms of men stretched out fast asleep. I heard in my rear the tramping of 
soldiers, and concealing myself in the darkness, I carefully watched and 
awaited developments. I knew that if the tramping proved to be either our rear 
guard or Federal scouts, my purpose to make this camp fire my headquarters for 
the night would be frustrated, if discovered. 

To my great surprise and gratification I learned that the party were neither 
our rear guard nor Federal scouts. I recognized among the squad Genl. Early by 
his inclatic voice, crying out to the prostrate men, as he rode about the camp, 
"Men get up"; "Damit get up I say"; "The rear guard has passed and you'll be 
captured"; "I wish I had a rock"; Having said this, they rode on.

Having obtained this information and being worn out with fatigue, hunger and 
pain I decided to risk the worst and share the fortunes of my sleeping comrades 
around this fire.

Let it not be thought for a moment, that I considered my hardships greater 
than those of my fellow soldiers. It is probable that during that same night a 
thousand of my comrads were wandering about in the woods and reduced to the 
same or greater extremity.

Falling down before the fire I was soon soundly asleep. In the early morning 
light, my fellow stragglers succeeded in arousing me sufficient to hear picket 
firing on the pike not a great distance away. With eye lids seemingly glued 
together and stiffened limbs, I arose and moved onward, anxious to find my 
company.

Getting my bearings from the firing line I soon reached our army falling back. A 
few of our pickets had reached the command before my arrival and had reported the 
remaining line either killed, or captured.

As soon as opportunity afforded we began to exchange notes concerning the battle, 
I was informed at the time of our heavy picket firing, when I was on the line, 
our brigade, as the left wing of our army had stampeded, was ordered to fall back 
and hold the bridge in our rear, which was threatened. They defended the bridge 
for several hours under great disadvantages in the hope of saving our pickets, 
artillery, and wagon trains.

This ended one of the most decisive battles of the war, resulting in the 
annihilation of our Sharpshooting Corps. Besides the batteries we had captured 
from the enemy at the great cost of nerve and blood, were abandoned without 
firing a gun, our wagons and teams all fell a trophy to Sheridan's Army and our 
whole army disorganized and demorilized. All this was the result of a blunder of 
one in high command.

If the enemy had been pressed by our forces and our flanking column had been 
properly supported by the reserved troops who had a good nights rest, whatever 
may have been the final outcome of this was between the States, the appropriations 
of the prefix title "little" to Phil Sheridan's name would have been demonstrated 
and U.S. Grant would have never have been president of the nation.

At some future day I may give a minute description of the battle of Cedar hill and 
the desolation of the beautifull Shenandoah Valley by Sheridan's Army.

Source: Civil War, Military Col. #70, N.C. State Archives

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