Sketch of Company K., 23rd South Carolina Volunteers, in the Civil War, from 1862-1865

              Twenty-third Regiment, S. C. V. 15
The last of October we left camp for Winchester; thence we
proceeded towards Culpeper Courthouse. Stopping near we
pitched camp. Thinking we would remain there some time, some
of Company K erected as comfortable shelters as could be had,
the materials at hand considered. That night six inches of snow
fell. We tarried there only one night. We tramped through the
snow next morning (November 1, 1862), boarded the cars which
had been left open all night and were full of snow. We had to
stand up all the way to Richmond—thanks to worthy transportation agent. After a short delay we went to Tarboro, N. C. Taking a good rest we went by rail to Kinston, N. C. Passing through
the town we took the road towards Newbern and encamped five
miles beyond Kinston at a country church. The people living near
were kind enough to let us have vegetables, which we craved, having been without them for quite a while. Some had scurvy in
consequence. Some of the regiment found apple jack near the
camp. When freely imbibed the apple jack (so said) made the
best friends not only quarrel but desire to kill each other. We
remained there perhaps two weeks.
General Evans' Brigade (a little over 2,000 in all—five regiments) began fighting an advancing force of Yankees under Gen-
ral Foster, seven thousand strong. On the evening of the second
day, we broke camp and came to Kinston. Company K was sent
to guard a point one and one-half miles distant that night. Early
next morning we hastened to Kinston. As we drew near the
Yankees tried to cut us off from the town bridge, which we had to
cross to reach it. Albert and Ben Weeks, flanking out for a foraging spree, were captured. We had to hurry to prevent the taking of our company. We halted at the bridge for a few minutes,
and were ordered to form into line. The enemy meanwhile began
shelling us. Before the company could advance a shell, bursting
a little to his left, by concussion, crippled the orderly in the left
leg. Fragments of the shell tore their way through the cape
of overcoat and left sleeve. The regiment advanced for a while
and drove the enemy back. Andrew Chandler was wounded in
the leg.
Our regiment fell back, crossed the bridge and entered Kinston. General Evans tried to have the bridge burned, but the
Yankees prevented it.    General Foster sent Colonel Potter with