The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-07-08

Cavalry, had all more or less seen service,
aud were Differed by veteran commanders
commanders whose regulations had been
earned on many well contested battle field,
and whose command their mon were accus-
toned to hear and obey.
OF the $3.50 men OF the North Carolina
Militia, it is not known that one ever had
been in battle, and none had ever ranked
higher than Captain. The fighting heroes of
the Old North State were freely shedding
their blood North and South, and by their
intrepidity and valor were acquiring honor
and fame for adjacent States.
The North Carolina militia were mustered
into service on an emergency, and on the
morning OF the battle one of its Captains,
Forbis, was appointed Colonel. In this I'M
trained and untried condition, they were
placed in the front Of the fight, on the
western brow of the hill, where for mile
they had commanding view Of the adyanc-
ing enemy. Three hundred yards in their
rear and beyond the point Of immediate
danger, the Virginia troops were stationed
and still further in their rear, towards the
descending hill near the Court House,
Greene had planted his other troops.
| The order OF the North Carolina militia
was to stand till the enemy advanced within
hearing distance, then to fire once or twice,
and fall back or retreat.
Did they stand, fire, and retreats Or did
they, through panic, cowardice or fear, leave
their guns untired in the cracks of the fence,
and in terror flee: This brings Us to the
point in controversy.
Stedman, the British historian Of the CAM
paign, says:
At the distance Of 40 yards they [the
| British received the enemy's FIRST hire.
/ When arrived at nearer and more conyen-
lent distance, they delivered their own fire
and rapidly charged Nth The Jdyonei."
And Tarleton, in his campaign, saws:
:. The order and GOODNESS OF that part OF
Webster's brigade which advanced across
The open ground. s1posed 10 Me eaemys fire,
cannot be sufficiently extolIed. The militia
allowed the front line to approach within
one hundred and fifty wards before they give
their fire. The front line continued to move
on; the Americans sent back their cannon,
and part Of them repeated their fire. The
Kings troops threw in their fire and charged
rapidly with their bayonets. The shock was
not waited for b. the militia, who retreated
behind their second line"
| Stedman and Tarletun were eye-witnesses
Of the event OF which they write. They
agree in admitting first fire from the North
Carolina militia, and that part Of them re-
peGted the FIRE and both say that the British
charged vifh their bayoueis Both admit
receiving the fire in the open field. None bui
The North Carolina militia rds so stationed
as 10 gire that fre,-the other troops being
500 and 600 yards in the rear, in the thicket
| towards the old Court House, in the second
and third lines. Behind the second one Of
which Tarleton SAYS the North Carolina mi
/ litia retreated.
This view Of the case is strengthened by
a letter from Capt. Dugald Stewart Of the
fist regiment, dated Ballachelish, Argyle
SHIRE, Scotland, uctoDer z3Jn, 1879, Where
/ he SAYS:
I'm the advance we received very
deadly fire from their marksmen lying on ne
ground behind RAIL FENCE. One-h Of
the HghLGaders draPpsd on that spot. There
ought to be a pretty large tumuius where
our men (1lsJ we're buried"
Again, Brown in his /" History Of the
Highland Clans" speaking in reference TO
the . LIST regiment at Guiliord, saws:
The Americans, covered BY the fence
in their front. reSsrred their fire IN he Brit.
ish ,csre piihin tiriyor forty PAGES. al which
distance they opened a n.oI dssfraefiU fire.
.chich aaniiiiatsi ntarly oNE.TmIaD Of ct.
Htbsttr brigade"
IL Is also known that great many Of
the British were buried in that field, and
near the place where their front line wds
,rhen The first fire mGs giUm. OF this there
Is no doubt, for il is we'll attested by people
10 the neighborhood, who we're on the ground
the next day after the battle, and saw them
turying their dead" [see Caruthers's Life
Of Caldwell, page a26.
From these various historical sources, the
fact i established beyond contro, ersy, that
the North Carolina militia Obeyed orders,
stood, fired,-a most destructive fre,-and
then retreated strictly in conformity TO
orders.
The traditional history Of North Carolina
Is to the same effect, and the State owes
debt Of gratitude TO DR.. Caruthers Tor EN-.
bOdyihg the evidence of the fact in his
interesting work, 4" The Old North State IN
1876, second series" That book mnst have
been within the reach Of Porte Crayon,
while in Greensborpngh. Does he consult
that a. among the authors who constitute the
" be5t dgihoriiits = No, indeed for there
be would have read, that William Montgo.
merry, one Of four u Capt. forbis's Company
Who stood BY him IN the battlefield 70 the
last, had said, that after the North Carolina
militia fired, " The part Of the lines az which
they aimei looked like NE scattering sfaiks
a. uheat feii ,chen The haJrsSiDim has
parsed ORR Il wi,h his cradle" IN the same
book too he could have read the testimony
Of two Guilfpfd men, who on the day after
the battle passed over the ground where the
British we're fired on By the North Carolina
militia, and who say. i appeared they could
have walked fifty yards on dead and wound
ed men without touching The ground.
There too he might have read. that Capt
FOrbis Colonel Of The day in tie front line, )