D. H. Hill, Jr., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 4, North Carolina
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

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[305] Thirtieth regiments, to which were attached those of the First and Third regiments who escaped from the wreck of Steuart's brigade of Johnson's division. After the battle of Cold Harbor he served with Early's corps in the relief of Lynchburg, the expedition through Maryland to Washington, including the battle of Monocacy, and the Shenandoah battles of the fall of 1864. He then returned to the heroic army of Northern Virginia in the trenches before Petersburg, participated in the gallant and desperate effort of Gordon's corps to break the enemy's line at Fort Stedman, and during the retreat rounded out his reputation for good soldiership. It has been related by Governor Vance that on one occasion during the retreat to the west, when General Lee was endeavoring to form a line from disorganized troops, his heart was gladdened by the appearance of a small but orderly brigade, marching with precision. He called out to an aide: ‘What troops are those?’ ‘Cox's North Carolina brigade,’ was the reply. Then it was that, taking off his hat and bowing his head with knightly courtesy, he said, ‘God bless gallant old North Carolina.’ Cox led the division at the last charge at Appomattox, and had ordered his brigade to cover the retreat, when he was recalled to the rear. It was the brigade of General Cox, marching in the rear, which faced about, and with the steadiness of veterans on parade, poured such a sudden and deadly volley into the overwhelming numbers of the Federals that they temporarily abandoned the attempt to capture the command. General Cox was with his men to the bitter end. Eleven wounds had not sufficed to retire him from the service. Subsequently he resumed his law practice, and became president of the Chatham railroad. For six years he held the office of solicitor of the metropolitan district; was chairman of the Democratic State executive committee for five years; was delegate for the State-at-large in the national convention of 1876, and in January, 1877, was appointed circuit