The North-Carolina standard., 1847-03-10


serve it or not-the deserving, the undeserving
all, have to share alike in the. disgrace And, no
only this but Ro wan and Davidson have to suffsl
too, and even the State ITSELF fof She is nowlef
4 with but nine companies in her regiment And
whether the blame rests mostIupon the Captain OF
elsewhere time will show. - = rsr~-s.. 3, .es.gf s
1 In reviewing ~the causes that have produced
this effect I shall use plain language, aud cali
things by their right names and, offence is
given to anysone, it is not intended. Yet, feel
myself responsible for any thieg may write OF
1 say, upon this or any other subject
! 1t cannot be expected that should write out the
history of Company A. If had an inclination
so to de, time will nor admit; and, if 4 even were
10, doubt not thak1it would not be a pleasing
| fine myself chiefly TO a. review Of Capt Long $
Defence and notice some other facts not mentioned
therein.
| Effects may generally be traced to their causes
if they cannot, it is the less true that a cause
did produce the effect Now, if the true causes
can be traced out that produced the effect of first
scattering Company A. and then disbahdingit, I
shall feel fully satisfied with the matter T@ :
| There are no doubt many causes that brought
about this effect, but it will Sc impossible to notice
them all l shall notice but o. few of the most
prominent. ..5s s.e~
1t is no doubt well known that the Department
of War had fixed the place of rendezvous of North
| Carolina at Wilmington, before Company A. or
any other Company in the State had been formed ;
but, after this, for purposes best known to those
who did it, at the solicitation of some one high ins
power in this State, the Department induced
to establish another rendezvous at Charlotte, but
detailing mastering Officer exclusively for it,
notwithstanding Capt. Burke was within 40 miles
thereof nearly the whole time. 1t is. exceedingly
to be regretted that the mastering Officer was not
thought ofasAtel as the rendezvous by those who
became so oficous in the matter
l shall not presume to say what motives opera
ted on those who procured the rendezvous at Char
loue it is to be hoped it was intended for the fur
therance of the public service; but whether it was
this, or to furnish apea TO confer the appointment
of Field Officers upon the Governor, it has bern
attended with bad consequences r
Company A. was ordered by the Governor first
10 Wilmington and then TO Charlotte; and the OF
der required the Company to be at Charlotte by
the 5th OF January This orderrcquircd a great
deal of despateh on the part ofthe Company OFF,
GERS, and after great exertions, the Company was
brought up to Charlotte on the 9th. But, in doing
this, many Of The men were forced to leave home
at moments warning, some without comfortable
clothes, and many without blankets, and with but
miserable tent large enough to accommodate six
men, was all the shelter the company had. Yet,
such was the spirit the patriotism, of both officers
and men, that all these considered but trifng
country was in danger her children ought never TO
flter in her defence. After the Company reach
ed Charlotte, notwithstanding the musrring Off
Ger was not present. they remained for nearly three
weeks waitiugfor one to conr. They waited the
greater part OF this time with heroic fortitude
but, when other causes, unlocked for; began to
operate in con junction, the mon became dscon-
tented and left for their homes. 1t is nderd 10 be
amented that The thought of establishing a rom
Joa bo5
for, had this Company been marched 10 Whining
|ton, where it would have been mustered into SER
vice, have no doubt but that it would now have
been sailing for Santiago in Mexico. Hence
consider the>estabIishng a rendezvous at Char.
loltc and its consequent orders &C. be one of the
first causes Of the disgrace of Company A..
The maxim of some men Of ancient times "to
rule ruin," fear has not been entirely unprac-
ticed by an Officer in Company A. l understand
that one of them said that he would never march
to Mexico in his present grade, for he. was too
small TO look well on the ground One thing is,
certain he did not look we'll enough then to 60
But had rather die. private upon the plains of
Mexico, and be buried and forgotten, than to be-
in his situation, how beautiful so ever he might
think it to be- Death I.hayc always been instruct
ed to prefer to base, dshonorable act
The infamous Mexican preamble did harm thr !
law confrring the appointment of Field Officers
uI>ou oO"eIuOI dppOttLVCulS
under the circumstances didanothing less to- ralsc
the, elements in the Company But 1 endorsed
for myself, and so far as was able to extend ito
others did, the sentiments of the brave old Ad
miral in the days OF Cromwell: 8: Itis true" said
be, do not like Cromwell over mcil, yet how
my country so dearly that / am determined to@dc-
fend her rif those do command whom do not Exc"
But Capt Long says, in his defence, that him
self and Officers did all in their power to keep the
Company together. Iagree with him most cheer
fully, sofar-asthe officers exccpt himself. were,
concerned But asto Capt Longs doing all with:
in his power to keep the Company together, II
cannot dare, not bclievc-but, on the contrary, /
fear he did covertly the reverse. FoE, If by tell
ing soldiers if they wanted to leave they might GO
and GO Il shall not say where) for what he cared;
or, that when he knew large portion Of the men
were about leaving, 10 use no means to prevent it. |
either by placing out proper guards or evrn ap!
peariIg in person to frown it down; or if saying
that he avas not going under such batch as were
appointed TO command the regiment: If actin g in-
this way was doing all he could to keep the Com
pany together, must confess have been.i in
gross erro- all my days as to cause and effect
cannot go into all-the points he touches: II is
proper to notice two certificates that he has brou
up to sustain himself The first is signed by al
number of the most respectable citizens of Char
Ioue, and states no more than they believe TO be
mans living in camp and one mile off; and they
appear 70 be very careful NOT 10 say things are
So but so far as they are able 10 Judge Thrro is
great difference in the judgment betwecnihosc Who
are enabled to view the surface and7those who