Excerpt from the book "Historical Sketch of the Pee Dee Guards" (Co. D 23rd N.C. Regiment) From 1861 to 1865" by H. C. Wall - Printed 1876 - Edwards, Broughton & Co., Printers and Binders - Raleigh. The book was reprinted by the Butternut Press, 12137 Darnestown Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878.
(from pages 26 - 29)
"The battle of Seven Pines was fought on the 31st of May 1863. The attack was made by our forces with the view of capping or destroying two divisions of the enemy which had been thrown forward to the right bank of he Chickahominy, and which it was expected by Gen. Johnston could not be reinforced by reason of recent heavy rains and the consequent swollen condition of tins stream. according to the plan of attack Generals D. K. Hill and Longstreet assailed the centre of the enemy's line of entrenchments. At every other point this attack seems to have been barron of any material results, but at this point -notwithstanding the boggy condition of the ground and the great impediment of tangled undergrowth of timber- the advance was steady, though contested inch by inch, and the flight of the enemy continuous until they were driven from one line of works back upon another for a distance of two miles, when night put an end to the conflict. The brunt of the fight was borne by D. H. Hill's Division, to
which the P. D. Guards belonged. Garland's Brigade, to which they belonged, accompanied by the Brigades of Rhodes, Anderson and Rains, stormed the enemy's camp and captured everything as it stood, with twelve pieces of
artillery; while the Yankee General Casey's headquarters and official papers fell into the hands of the brave Confederates. At this point of attack the victory was certainly complete; and if equal progress had been made to the right and left of the centre, then might Gen. Johnston's anticipations have been fully realized in the capture or destruction of the two Divisions under command of Gen. Keyes—with which purpose in view, as already indicated the attack had been made. And while this statement may with truth be made, it is no reflection upon the valor and efficiency of the troops sent to the other points of attack. Gen. Huger was ordered to assault the enemy's left flank but, by reason of the swollen condition of the water, was unable to move his division to the proper point. At the same time the difficulties that impeded the advance of Gen. G. W. Smith, who assailed the enemy's right flank, were scarcely less formidable—-and lie failed to dislodge the enemy in his front, though desperate and bloody efforts were made. These statements of fact we get from the " Soldier's History of the war," by Rev. John Paris. It was in the assault upon the enemy's right flank that Gen. Johnston was wounded., when, by virtue of seniority in rank, Gen. G. W. Smith took command of the army. The battle of Seven Pines was a bloody affair—the heavy losses on both sides, and particularly on the side of the enemy, attesting the desperate character of the struggle. And, though no material advantage was gained by the bold attack, yet the Yankees learned a lesson, as at Williamsburg, of the prowess of Confederate soldiers. The P. D. Guards were in the thickest of the fight, and though the destruction in their ranks was not so great as in some other commands; the fact is not attributable in the least to a failure on their part to do their whole duty. Remarkable bravery was displayed by all of our boys in tins their first real baptism of fire. As an instance of great coolness and self-control, we may note that Private William C. Cole, on discovering that the channel of the tube was obstructed so that his musket failed to fire, deliberately removed the old tube and put in a new one, and this while under a heavy fire from the enemy—the incident showing characteristically, that Bill was not disposed to enjoy the fun unless lie could do work at the same time. It was in this action that William McKethan fell—the first victim in battle from the ranks of the company. He was quite a youth and a most faithful soldier. He was struck by a grape-shot in the forehead and instantly killed. Among the severely wounded were: Benson Ledbetter, Steve Webb and Ed Moorman. Wesley Dawkins, John Covington, Mike Scott, Charles Powell and Angus Morrison were wounded—not badly. Among the captured were Parks Chappell and John Ussery. After the battle John Ussery was numbered among the dead, and such information communicated to his friends at home, the mistake arising from the statement of some one that his body had been seen lying on the field; so that when. a few weeks afterwards John, having been released from prison, made his appearance in camp again, great was the trepidation of his friends who could hardly now believe that it was not a ghost but the veritable John.
The lesson taught the Yankees in this battle was not without its effects upon the Confederates; for, while they gathered renewed hope and confidence from a fair trial of their skill and fortitude, they learned not to despise the spirit and courage .of their foe."