of Winchester gave Jackson s soldiers, and while every form of edible was being thrust upon the hungry North Carolinians, General Trimble ordered them to follow and protect Latimer’s battery wherever it went As this battery was pressing the retreating enemy, and moving rapidly oftentimes, the regiment was led a dance over the twelve miles intervening between Winchester and Martinsburg, where the industrious artillerymen finally rested.
In the furious fire at the stone wall Colonel Kirkland was wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Pepper wounded so seriously that he died in a few days, and Captains Hedgcock and Ligon killed. The total loss of the regiment in the battle was 21 killed and 55 wounded. At the battle of Cross Keys, on the 8th and 9th of June, the Twenty-first was held in reserve to support Courtney s battery, but the two companies of sharp shooters, deployed as skirmishers, opened the action. General Trimble says of the regiment: "The Twenty-first North Carolina, left to support this battery, was exposed to the effect of the terrific fire, but under cover of the hill, happily escaped with few casualties. When the battery was threatened with an infantry force, this regiment was called and readily took its place to repel the enemy s attack, and stood modestly waiting to do its duty as gallantly as heretofore."
From June 25th to June 28th, some of the regiments of Gen. Robert Ransom’s North Carolina brigade, in conjunction with Gen. A. R. Wright s Georgia brigade and other troops, were involved in some sharp minor engage ments with Gen. Philip Kearny s division of stout fighters on the Williamsburg road, in the neighborhood of King’s schoolhouse. The regiments taking most part in these affairs were the Twenty-fifth, Colonel Rutledge; the Forty-ninth, Colonel Ramseur; the Twenty-fourth, Colonel Clark; the Thirty-fifth, Colonel Ransom, and the Twenty-sixth, Col. Z. B.Vance. At the schoolhouse battle,
