The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-11-28


now about 10 take place.
In this regiment alone, which advanced
upou the North Carolina militia, five Of the
officers lived to attain the rank of Lieut.. Gen.
era in the British service. one General,
two Colonies, three Lieut.. Cnlonels, and some
Majors. This Is strong evidence Of the met
lie against which the militia had TO con-.
tend.
And yet this same regiment, when under
the command OF Tarletun, at the battle Of
the Cowpens, after having broke through
the centre, aud when left unsupported and
pressed on all sides, did what Stewart says
no Highland regiment ever did. "Run from
an enemy" Ramsey casts the blame on
Tarleton. and Stewart SAYS the officers and
men petitioned CORVALLIS never to suffer
rarleton to command them again, which he
promised, and in the battle ul Guilford they
were led by General Leslie.
have been led TO this depression because
it seems fashionable for all our modern au
thors, following in the wake Of Johnson in
his life Of Greene, to speak Of the ''cowarilv
North Carolina militia and assign their
conduct as the cause Of Greene sdeieat. Even
nv distinguished friend. DIR. Garuthers. in
his life Of Caldwcll, am sorry to say, chimes
in with this sentiment. when at the same
time his book contains evidence, that the
North Carolina militia obeyed Instructions
BY firing "twice and retiring"
This view Of the case is strengthened by
a letter from Capt Dugald Stewart Of the
list regiment, dated Ballachelish, Argyle
shire, Scotland, October 25th, 1928, where
he SAYS:
ain the advance VIC received very deadly
fire from their marksmcn lying on the ground
behind rail fence. One hall Of the High
Ianders dropped on that spot. There ought
10 be pretty large tumulus where our men
t7lstl were buried"
See Caluther's Life OF Caldwell, page
az.
Aud the same author. page 2a6, says;
/" Ii is also known that great many OF
the British we're buried in that field, aud near
the Mace where their front line was when
the first fire wa. given. OF this there is no
doubt, for il il we'll attested by people IN the
neighborhood, who we're On the ground the
aext day after the battle. and saw them bury
ing their dead"
Again, Brown, in his "Ilistory Of the High
land Clans" speaking in reference TO The
list regiment at Guilfrrd, SAYS:
. Tie Americans, covered by the fence in
their front, reserved their fire I'LL the British
we're within thirty o. lnrty PAGES. at which
distance they opened most destructive fire,
which annihilated nearly one.third Of Col.
Wrbster's brigade"
The list regiment formed the right 1T the
British army, and Mebster's brigade the
left.
The North Carolina Militia also formed
the frnnt line Of the American Army. They
aione met the British Veterans flushed with
preyious ,ictories-annihilated one-thirl Of
Webster. brigade aud one-half of the list
or Frazer Northumberland yet their memo
ries are held mp 20 execratlon as disgraccd
towards BY I.os,ing and Johnson-and What
is more unkind still, by the Historians d oul
own State.
Standing here, where the defenders Of the
stste-l NAV add, the defenders of the en-.
tire Southern states-st.cd impartisliy re.
I viewing their conduct on that eventiul day
IN the light Of the circumstances suggested
the wonder to my mind is, that they did >,
much, rather than they did not do mare.
/ They had been taken from their field,
and firesides within the week. They had NJ
Distinguished North Carolinian at their head
uhnm thew could implicitly obey or follow
Setther Graham, Davidson. or Dayie, va,
present. Ramsey saws the front line gave
way-npt that il ran away. The very de.
sign IL the battle shows they were to Civ,
asy-thcy we're not expected to fight III,
entire battIe-the residue IL the tronps wa,
/ intended TO have some share ~ deciding III,
fate oG the day. Ramsey blames the impru
,Ience Of 4 Colonel, Tor the frnnt line giving
wsy. .who called out 10 an officer al Sum,
distance that he would be surrounded !" ans
\ remarks, chat a. une govd officer can ment
K tie face Of affairs. 20 the misconduct " |
bad 0ne may injure whole army An,
vet the remark u the Colonel was not with
out cause, fur both Webster anil Tarlet1i
we're exerting themselves 10 outiiank and sur
round the Americans. and according to Mar
.hall in his Life u Washington, they wcr
successful.
Having viewed the ground where The frs
shnrk Of the coniending armies va lelf, ~
turned our faces towards MarlinyIlle. ID
/ the way DR.. CafBtbers pointed out in the for
est sf oaks, Trees viii, which are associate,
/ The names and deeds Of rrs0luie aud herOi'
men. On emerging from the woods VI
caught view II the site 81 the DID Ccur
House. On the west side Of the road, on ID
hillside, the British sleep the sleep u death
on tie east. quietly repose the America
dead. Over tleir remains stand few ma
ljs.tic uak.. whpse wide spreading branche
aud heavy foliage, attest alike their sIgn
and their aye. Close by can be seen y
trunks oi sislwart trees. which returning
Spring has ceased TO renWate with strengt
and ,igor. But they yet lingcr Oh, blightel
though thcy BE-, and serve TO paint stranger
10 WHERE tile thirkrst u the fight took place
where the last stand WAS made, 10 behalf Q
i North Cardinals affairs and her fires BY tins
brave men whose names can never die. u