Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 23.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[192] our right, General Martin directed me to go to General Hill and ask for troops upon our right flank. Going to the rear, on this errand, I met General Hill coming up with Wise's Brigade, delivered my message, and received his order to direct that brigade to the line at the point of junction with our own, which I did. Our men converted the enemy's works into our own defensive line, Butler being then bottled up at Bermuda Hundreds. We called this action of May 20th the battle of Howlett's House, as a Mrs. Howlett lived on the grounds.

In a few days a new division was organized under Major-General Robert F. Hoke, of North Carolina, promoted for his gallant capture of Plymouth and hard-fighting under Beauregard at Drewry's Bluff, and for his great merit, the division being Martin's North Carolina, Clingman's North Carolina, Colquitt's Georgia, and Hagood's South Carolina Brigades of infantry, with Reid's Battalion of artillery. General Hoke hesitated about commanding General Martin, an old soldier, who, as adjutant-general of North Carolina, had commissioned Hoke as a lieutenant, but Martin insisted that he should include his brigade in the new division, and it so remained until the close of the war.

The personal bravery of General Martin in the charge at Howlett's was so conspicuous, and his bearing so cool and inspiring, that his men after the battle carried him around on their shoulders, shouting, ‘Three cheers for old One Wing,’ he having left one arm on the field of Cherubusco, in Mexico. Although this disturbed his dignity, it was very gratifying to the General, for his strict and severe discipline had not made the men very affectionate towards him. From this time on he was the object of their admiration, and so was Captain Starke, who acted with great coolness and courage on the field, and also, as commissary, always fed them as well as he possibly could. Captain Starke, in addition to his duties as commissary, acted also as assistant inspector, and in every battle accompanied General Martin, and conveyed his orders with coolness and gallantry.

From this point Hoke's Division marched to Cold Harbor to reenforce Lee, arriving at Turkey Ridge, and taking position on the right of the line, under fire, on the evening of June 2d; Martin's Brigade on the extreme right, the Seventeenth on the left, Forty-second in the center, and Sixty-sixth on the right of the grand army, all digging for dear life, and by next morning completing a fair line of entrenchments.