The gallant and conspicuous part which the 27th regiment took in the fight, Capt. Graham, of the Orange Guards, describes graphically as follows:
"Forming in a corn-field we advanced under a heavy fire of grape and canister at a quick step up a little rise and halted at a rail fence, our right considerably advanced. After holding this position for half an hour or more our front was changed so as to be on a line with the other troops. In the meantime we had suffered heavily, and I think had inflicted equally as much damage. [On this first advance Capt. Adams was shot down.] About 1 o'clock the enemy having retired behind the hill upon which they were posted, and none appearing within range in our front, Col. Cooke ordered us to fall back some twenty steps in the corn and lie down so as to draw them on; he, in the meantime, regardless of personal danger from sharpshooters, remained at the fence beside a small tree. After remaining there some 20 minutes, the enemy attempted to sneak up a section of artillery to the little woods upon our left. Colonel Cooke, watching the movement, ordered the four left companies of our regiment up to the fence and directed them to fire upon this artillery. At the first fire, before they had gotten into position, nearly every horse and more than half the men fell, and the infantry line which had moved up to support them showed evident signs of wavering. Col. Cooke seeing this, and having received orders to charge if opportunity offered, immediately ordered a charge. Without waiting a second word of command we leaped the fence and 'made at them,' and soon we had captured three guns and had the troops opposed to us in full retreat. A battery posted near a little brick church upon a hill to our left was playing sad havoc with us, but supposing that would be taken by the troops upon our left—who we concluded were charging with us—we still pursued the flying foe. Numbers of them surrendered to us and they were ordered to the rear. We pushed on and soon wheeled to the right, drove down their line, giving them all the while an enfilade fire, and succeeded in breaking six regiments who fled in confusion. After pushing on this way for a while we found ourselves opposed by a large body of troops behind a stone wall in a corn-field. Stopping to contend with these, we found that we were almost out of ammunition. Owing to this fact, and not being supported in our charge, we were ordered to fall back to our original position. This of course was done at double-quick. As we returned we experienced the perfidy of those who had previously surrendered to us, and whom we had not taken time to disarm. They, seeing that we were not supported, attempted to form a line in our rear, and in a few minutes would have done so. As it was we had to pass between two fires: a part of the troops having been thrown back to oppose our movement on their flank, and these supposed prisoners having formed on the other side. A bloody lane indeed it proved to us. Many a brave man lost his life in that retreat. At some points the lines were not sixty yards distant on either side. Arriving at our original position, we halted and reformed behind the rail fence. We opened fire with the few remaining cartridges we had left and soon checked the advance of the enemy, who did not come beyond the line which they occupied in the morning. In a short while all our ammunition was exhausted. Courier after courier was sent after ammunition, but none was received. Four or five times during the afternoon, couriers came from Gen. Longstreet, telling Col. Cooke to hold his position at all hazards, 'as it was the key to the whole line.' Cooke's reply was, 'tell Gen. Longstreet to send me some ammunition. I have not a cartridge in my command, but I will hold my position at the point of the bayonet.'"
Mr. Davis, in his history, says: "Col. Cooke, with the 27th North Carolina regiment, stood boldly in line without a cartridge."
"About 5 o'clock in the afternoon we were relieved, and moved to the rear about one mile. After resting half an hour and getting fresh ammunition, we were again marched to the front, and placed in line in the rear of the troops who had relieved us. Here we were subjected to a severe shelling, but had no chance to return the fire. After nightfall we rejoined our division on the left, and with them bivouaced upon the battle-field."
General R. E. Lee, in his report of this battle, makes complimentary mention of our regiment, and says, further, "this battle was fought by less than forty thousand men on our side, all of whom had undergone the greatest labors and hardships in the field and on the march. Nothing could surpass the determined valor with which they met the large army of the enemy, fully supplied and equipped, and the result reflected the highest credit on the officers and men engaged."
General McClellan, in his official report, states that he had in action in the battle 87,184 men of all arms. Lee's entire strength was 35,255. "These 35,000 Confederates were the very flower of the army of northern Virginia, who, with indomitable courage and inflexible tenacity, wrestled for the mastery in the ratio of one to three of their adversaries; at times it appeared as if disaster was inevitable, but succor never failed, and night found Lee's lines unbroken and his army still defiant. The drawn battle of Sharpsburg was as forcible an illustration of southern valor and determination as was furnished during the whole period of the war, when the great disparity in numbers between the two armies is considered.
The Grays went into this battle with 32 men, rank and file. Capt. William Adams, privates Jas. E. Edwards, A. F. Coble, James M. Edwards, R. Leyton Smith and Samuel Young were killed on the field. Privates Peter M. Brown, Benjamin Burnsides and Robert L. Donnell were badly wounded and fell into the hands of the enemy. R. L. Donnell died of his wounds at Chester, Pa., November 6th, 1862. Privates W. D. Archer, Walter D. McAdoo, J. E. McLean, Samuel F. McLean, L. L. Prather and W. W. Underwood were wounded and sent to the hospital. W. W. Underwood died of his wounds September 29th, 1862. Privates Paul Crutchfield, H. Rufus Forbis, Rufus B. Gibson, James M. Hardin, James L. Wilson and William McFarland were exchanged and returned to their company the following November, except McFarland, who was reported dead.
On account of the forced and continuous march from Rapidan, many of our men from sheer exhaustion and sickness were compelled to fall out of ranks, among them some of the best soldiers in the company.
Captain Adams, as before stated, fell early in the action. He was carried from the field and buried in the cemetery at Shepherdstown. His remains were afterwards removed and interred in the cemetery at Greensboro. He was a brave and gallant officer, and fell front-faced with his armor on. The other members of the company who were killed, wrapped in their martial garb, sleep in some unknown grave, on the spot where they fell, amid the carnage and gore of the battle-field:
"Whether unknown or known to fame—