History of Grimesland, (Pitt County) North Carolina United States of America

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Bryan Grimes, soldier, was born in Grimesland, Pitt county, N.C., Nov. 2, 1828; son of Bryan and Nancy Grimes; and grandson of William Grimes, a soldier of the American Revolution. He prepared for college at Bingham's. school and was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1848. He became a planter and in 1861 joined the Confederate army as major of the 4th North Carolina regiment. He was a delegate to the North Carolina secession convention of May, 1861. On May 1, 1862, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel and commanded the regiment at the battle of Williamsburg, May 5, and at Seven Pines, May 31, 1862. At Seven Pines all the commissioned officers except himself, and 462 of the men of the regiment were either killed or wounded. While pinned to the earth by the weight of his horse which was killed, Colonel Grimes rallied his men, who were wavering, and when he gained his feet he seized the standard that had fallen with the brave color-bearer and waving it aloft he led the final desperate charge with the remnant of his men and captured the fortification. On June 19 he was promoted colonel and on June 26 at Mechanicsville had another horse killed under him. On the 14th of September he had a third horse killed at Brownsbore and was himself in the hospital from an injured limb resulting from the fall. In November he rejoined his regiment and was placed in temporary command of Anderson's brigade, that officer having been mortally wounded at Sharpsburg, Sept. 17, 1862. He next, commanded the brigade at Fredericksburg, resuming command of his regiment in February, 1863, General Ramseur taking command of the brigade. At Chancellorsville, May 1-3, 1863, after fighting desperately for two days, the brigade was held in reserve the third day, but seeing a desperate need of prompt action, General Ramseur and Colonel Grimes led the waiting brigade over the prostrate bodies of the entrenched Confederate troops, whose commander hesitated to lead them to a charge when so ordered, and Ramseur's brigade captured the enemy's works at the point of the bayonet without firing a gun. Colonel Grimes was with the advance of General Lee's army in the invasion of Pennsylvania in July, 1863, and his regiment was the first to enter the town of Gettysburg where he drove the Federal forces to the heights beyond, He was conspicuous throughout the entire battle of Gettysburg and was with the rear guard, protecting the retreat of the Confederate army when forced to fall back on the third day. In November, 1863, he was again given temporary command of the brigade and engaged in the battle of the Wilderness, May 5-19, 1864, commanding his regiment until the 12th, On that day, General Ramseur being wounded, Grimes led the brigade to the relief of Gen. Edward Johnson's division and by a charge recovered the works and guns lost by that general. For this action he was thanked in person by General Lee, for having "saved his army." On May 12 he was given command of the brigade of Gen. Julius Daniel, who was mortally wounded at Spottsylvania, and was promoted brigadier-general, May 19, 1864. He was with Early in his raid on Washington, D.C., in July, 1864, and in the battle in the Shenandoah valley where Sheridan turned the Confederate victory into a defeat. In this battle General Grimes's horse was killed and every member of his staff was either killed or wounded. When Early met a second defeat at Cedar Creek, October 19, General Grimes had two horses shot under him, and succeeded to the command of the division when General Ramseur was mortally wounded. He received his commission as major general in February, 1865. At Petersburg he commanded a line extending from the "Crater" to Battery 45, three and a half miles, with 2200 men, and on March 25 made the final effort to break through the coils of Grant's encircling army at Hare's Hill. He succeeded in breaking the Federal line and captured a brigade commander and 500 men, but not being supported he was driven back with a loss of 478 officers and men. He contested every inch of ground from Petersburg to Appomattox and when the Confederates were overwhelmed at Sailor's creek, April 6, 1865, he escaped and the next day recaptured the defences from which General Mahone had been driven. General Lee again thanked him in person, extending the thanks to his entire division. He planned and led the final charge of the Army of Northern Virginia, Sunday, April 9, 1865, when he succeeded in opening a way of retreat to Lynchburg and held the position until ordered by General Lee to fall back and accept the terms of surrender offered by General Grant. He returned to his plantation and met his death at the hands of an unknown assassin on the public highway between his home and the town of Washington, N.C., Aug. 14, 1880.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Grimesland, (Pitt County) North Carolina

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