Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-03-27
THO~. |. OATES,
Adjltant 35th Reg't n. G. I.
KrSsroN, n. c., March 18th, 1876:

! Editor HlmingtOH Jo:rnGt
elR:-In your ditorul OF the l7jh inst. in purport,
iug give the recent defeat OF the army
OF the Paml co. in the battle OF the IA inst you i'm
ply il led directly ate that OF the was
that clars f. gment had lett the t-ld leaving the
5ruR of the eIgagems ut to the other regiments. My
h4 regard for you public JOURNALIST. as gentle
and OF honor, leads to believe that you
would not single cut any particular Regiment, and cir
culae before The world grave charge, all citing The
reputation pot only OF hundreds OF soldiers bu OF fan
lies connected with Them unless you had Iii the absence
OF fl ai reports, the best author: tor dong so. The
charge, however, unmltlgated tasebOud 1t lm-
plies, 6rst, that the Regiment LIT the i>d without Or
ders second, that il the whole gment that left
the field aud third that with the exception of the mill.
tia it the first to leave the fd. respectfully de-
mand Of you your author, matter Of justice to the
| brave III the Regimeot to their tamlIies, TO The
State, and TO the facts Of history.
Now for the lacs gardug this Regiment, so Tar as
they affect the point at is,ue:
Flrst. The 80 Regiment did not retreat as Regi
IT. did not aIl bac6 b. command OF ito Colonel on
I'll he Was ordered command them TO do 50 BY h'S
superior off .er Col Campbell in whose brigade the
35th f. gimeEt placed That retreat moreover was
not ordered until the Regiment, which had been ali the
morning exposed to frt in its front, Was flnked and
exposed to falling FIRE OF musketry on lis right with
nothing to protect il from the enemy.
Secoud. he 35th Regiment having fallen back
cordug to orders not the first Regiment Of the reg
uLar force to leave The field. Ii it Was it would have
been The trs Of COURSE to get to New bern, Witch
not Hence all the other Regiments were not lett
to bear the bruOt of The battle.
Third. Before the 35h r giMent came into New
bern, other whole Regiment entered in dsorganlz
ed condition, and large fragments OF two other Regi
ments to RhOm your author would award the mede OF
praise Furthermore, with the exception OF one Regl
ment, the 35th made hard fighting made there
that day and when ordered to fail back OF the
few that retreated in any thing like good order.
These, Mr., Editor, the f4c1s, and they can be
proved On OATH 1t is unknd to say the least to take
up groundess affecting the courage of brave
men who have perled their lives for their countrys
sake. That there bad management well as scar
city Of men, very attempt to dtny. The blame OF
our disaster be laid where but justice. sir
demands that the innocent b. cleared Of every false i'm
alton. therefore respectfully demand the pubca"
zion of the above, well the author OF the base aUd
caumDous TT port which 1t refutts.
AN OFFICE 50 h RECT n. G. Y.
We do not often reproduce any of our editorials
lever except under peculiar circumstances but this
OF the circumstances under which quotation from
editorial appearing in yesterdays Journal of course
before the above communication reached this NOR
Mug will best explain position aud reply to the de-
mand of our friend, the author OF The communication
signed An Officer of the 35th Regt n G. Vols - We
take the Liberty for once Of devatiug from our usual
rule The concluding paragraph OF this extract is sufi
cent to meet that demand lar certainly the public
concerned and eel satisfied that the Of the
gentlemen would be sufficient guarantee to cores
pondens and all others, that they would not be guilty OF
intentional misrepresentation other justice n one
would, could, take greater pleasure in publishing y
thing calculated to remove even the slightest mpuaon
upon any regiment in service and, fOrtio,i from
a regiment in whose ranks We number more than one
personal friend -
From Yesterday Is Daily Journal.
10 regard to the thiryffth regiment that which was
at the battle under the command of Col James Sinclair
1t is Gu act of justice to say that we have made
digent enquiry and have been assured by gentleman
them when they retreated thai, while he saw
them they moved Of in order and exhibited no appear
ance of running eff. Why the regiment left when it
did, may be explained We trust it will. AS we said
before, it is composed OF excellent materials and al
though as is the rumOr some dissatisfaction
Was SAID to exist with Col. Sinclair, b. ard
that such dissatisfaction founded upon any want Of
confidence in his bravvry fidelity, aud slow
credit any Of the rumOls which have gone forth since
| the battle mpeaching either.
Thus far in justice TO others. Justice to ourselves
Gairts to add that the account gave Monday
derived from The statements OF ir elgent gentlemen
OF high character who had been to Kineton on Sunday
and had conscentiousy en6eavoured to nd the facts,
aud Who agree that account reproduced these facts
nearly they could ascertain them. be mistake OF
the Dumber OF particular ment, have already
rected. Any other unDteDtiona justice and would
do inus tice intentionally will be cheerully and
promptly Corrected when brought TO atteutO -
DAILY Journal, Goth inst.
Tuu okoo zI,:lo l., L.