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entire losses in the Carolina campaign at 2,500; but his own official return of casualties fixes his loss at Kinston at 1,337; at Averasboro, 682; at Bentonville, 1,527; total, 3,546.
The Federal authorities give the number of missing at Bentonville only 214; General Johnston reports the number of prisoners captured 903. Counted among the Confederate missing were several detachments of men who went through the Federal line in the charge of the 9th.
Referring to this, Brig.--Gen. J. B. Palmer of Tennessee reported that Col. Anderson Searcy and Lieutenant-Colonel Hall of the Forty-fifth Tennessee, and Major Joyner of the Eighteenth, ‘with fifty of my men and small detachments from other commands of our army, after having remained in rear of Sherman's army for nine days, made their way around the enemy's left flank and rejoined the brigade on the 28th of March, with four stand of colors belonging to the Tennessee regiments.
This action required great adroitness, patient courage and endurance, and justly entitles them to high distinction as soldiers.’
The incident was referred to by Gen. D. H. Hill, commanding Lee's corps, and Palmer and his brigade were warmly commended both by him and General Stevenson, the division commander.
In the operations culminating in the battle of Bentonville, Wheeler's cavalry bore a conspicuous part.
Brig.-Gen. W. Y. C. Humes of Tennessee commanded two brigades of cavalry.
The Fourth Tennessee, Col. William S. McLemore, the Thirteenth and Shaw's Tennessee battalion, Capt. R. V. Wright, constituted the brigade commanded by Gen. George G. Dibrell of Tennessee, one of the noblest of men, and the equal in every soldierly quality of any son of his State.
Always reliable, trusted in council and on the field, he won the confidence of all under whom he served.
He survived the war and was rewarded by his countrymen with distinguished and well-earned honors.
The First Tennessee, Lieut.-Col. James H. Lewis; the
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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