Seventh North Carolina Infantry Regiment Battles

Report of Capt. N. A. Pool, Seventh North Carolina Infantry.

[MAY] --, 1863.
SIR: [The following is] an account of the part acted by the Seventh
Regt. North Carolina troops at the battle of Chancellorsville, May
2 and 3:

At dark on the night of May 2, the Seventh North Carolina Regiment,
commanded by Col. E. G. Haywood, was ordered to the right of
the Plank road. The Thirty-third Regt. North Carolina troops was on the
right, then the Seventh, Thirty-seventh, Twenty-eighth, and Eighteenth
[North Carolina].

The Seventh, being left in front, was ordered to countermarch, and take
a position behind a line of breastworks which had been thrown up by the
Yankees. Before we were in position, the Thirty-third North Carolina
troops were deployed as skirmishers in covering our front. Soon after
they advanced to the front, a heavy column of the enemy advanced by
the right flank up the line of breastworks, with the intention of
occupying them, not knowing that the Confederates were so near. The
Federals challenged our line to know who we were. We answered,
''Confederates.'' The enemy said, ''Come in, Confederates.'' They asked
whose brigade we were. Answered, ''Gen. Lane's.'' They replied,
''Tell Gen. Lane to come in.'' The Seventh were about to fire on
them when they sent over a flag of truce, and, while the parley was
going on, they demanded time, and again why their flag of truce did not
return, threatening to fie on us, and finally did fire a gun at our right,
which caused the regiment to fire on them, under the flag of truce,
when some 250 leaped over the breastworks and surrendered prisoners
of war. They remained quiet until about 10 p.m., when there was
considerable noise heard in front, and the command ''Forward'' distinctly
heard, and a charge made by the enemy to try to break our lines. The
Seventh Regt. lay still, quietly waiting their appearance. They
advanced on the right, and were repulsed with heavy loss by the troops
on our right, not coming within range of our guns. After that charge all
was quiet during the night.

On the morning of May 3, soon after sunrise, the lines were ordered
forward, when the Seventh Regt. advanced forward through the
woods under a galling fire until we gained the enemy's works on the
first hill, and, after a desperate struggle to hold them, we were
compelled to fall back for want of support.

The loss in the Seventh was heavy, including many officers killed and
wounded. Col. Haywood was wounded early in the engagement.
Soon after, Maj. [William L.] Davidson was wounded, and, while at
the enemy's works, Lieut.-Col. [Junius L.] Hill was killed.

N. A. POOL,
Capt. Company K, Cmdg. Seventh North Carolina Troops.

[Brig. Gen. JAMES H. LANE.]

Source: Official Records, Series I, Vol. 25, Part I, Reports. Serial No. 39