Our brigadier-general (Hoke) being absent, wounded, since the battle of Fredericksburg, May 4, Colonel Avery was acting in his stead. Lieutenant-Colonel [R. F.] Webb being absent in Virginia, sick, left me in command of the Sixth in this Pennsylvania campaign. But this, with the fear of being suspected of a desire to claim more on that account, shall not deter me from complying with a promise I have made the regiment to acquaint you as their Governor with the truth, that history may hereafter speak truly of them. Let me say at once that I desire nothing and wish no notoriety; but I do say at once, that I desire nothing and wish no notoriety; but I do want the glorious band of veterans in this regiment to be appreciated and honored at home. They are rapidly away, but North Carolina will have reason to point with pride to their valorous deeds. On July 1, the Confederate Army made a general attack on the enemy posted in front of Gettysburg. Of Early's division, the Louisiana and Hoke's brigade were advanced to charge the enemy, behind fences. It was rapidly done(and, as is our usual fortune immediately in our front was a stone fence), and the enemy driven before us through the town to their fortified heights behind. In this charge we lost a number of gallant officers and men(more than the balance of the brigade), and captured a battery near the fence. This battery will be credited to Early's division-see if it don't. The Virginia and Georgia brigades were held in reserve. Next day (2d), we were ordered (Louisiana and North Carolina brigades) to charge the heights. Now, it is proper to state that there are a series of heights there, upon which the enemy had state that there are a series of heights there, upon which the enemy had been driven from all around. Longstreet charged on the south face, and was repulsed; A. P. Hill charged on the west face, and was repulsed; and our two brigades were, late in the evening, ordered to charge the north front, and, after a struggle such as this war has furnished no parallel to 75, North Carolina and Ninth Louisiana on the guns. It was now fully dark. The enemy stood with a tenacity never before displayed by them, but with bayonet, clubbed musket, sword, and pistol, and rocks, from the wall, we cleared the heights and silenced the guns. In vain did I sent to the rear for support. It was manifest that I could not hold the place without aid, for the enemy was massed in all the ravines and adjoining heights, and we were then fully half a mile from our lines. Finding the enemy were moving up a line, I ordered the small band of heroes to fall back from the crest to a stone wall on the side of the hill, where we awaited their coming. Soon they came over the hill in pursuit, when we again opened fire on them, and cleared the hill a second time. Very soon I found they were very numerous in the flats in my rear, and now became the question of surrender or an effort to retreat. There was a calm and determined resolve never to surrender (one of our North Carolina regiments had done so the day before), and under cover of the darkness, I ordered the men to break and to risk the fire. We did so, and lost not a man in getting out. On arriving at our lines, I demanded to know why we had not were supported, and was coolly told that it was not known that we were in the works. I have no doubt that the major-general will recalled not be taken. Such monstrous injustice and depreciation of our efforts is calculated to be of serious injury; and then always to