Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-05-10
For the Standard.
May 9TH, 1862


Mr. HOLDEN: An Editor properly impressed with
the dignity and Importance Of his calling, will GER
tanly abstain from such unnecessary bitterness and
aSperty Of speech l INDUCED in, in the following
article which the Raleigh Register has caused to be
extensively circulated with regard to skirmlsh Of
u portion of the End Cavalry, at Gillett's:
1.-The circumstances attending the engagement of
portion of our cavalry with the Yankees below
Trenton, on Sunday last, in which Colonel Robinson
was wounded and with about fifty of his men cap
tured, were, we have heard them, follows -
Colonel Robinson with three companies of the
Second Regiment OF Cavalry, lately commanded by
Col Spruill, came upon body Of about two hun
dred and fifty Yankees, and haying surrounded them
were about to deprive them of their arms, when
one of his men cried out, Boys, a large party of
the enemy upon you-take care of yourselves"
This alarm created perfect stampede the part of
all our cavalry, Colonel Robinson and about fifty
men, who as we stated, were captured by the enemy
whom we could so easily have taken prisoners
Thus, by the dastardy cowardce or black-hcarted
treachery of one of our men, were we deprived Of
the opportunity of capturing large number of
Yankees and lost at least for the present. the
vices of gallant officer and fifty men who braVely
stood by him. We hope the coward or william vino
gave the alarm can be identified and that he will
be speedily brought to drum. head courtmartial,
and shot. If such conduct is permitted to pass
unpublished, panicmaking will become a trade
amongst the soldiers"
don't belong to the Cavalry nor to the army,
and shall claim the privilege Of the Register, the
Wilmington Journal and the British sheet alias
State Journal of critcising literally upon the bear
ing and behavior of those who are defending the
country. If should be bold enough to make a
few structures upon these three newspaper Gene
rails, they will know how to be civil, and bear the
attack with fortitude, not unmixed with spleen.
In the first place. we would like to know who
gave the Register his account of the skirmish In
the language of the Register, "if such conduct is
permitted to pass unpublished" if false publications
will not become trade, who "said our men had
surrounded the enemy?" Who is the man that
"created the stampede ?" Who said we lost fifty
men? | have visited Knston since the skirmish,
and learn from those who know, that the fault
was not in our men in the mode of attack.
Gillets house was some eighty yards from the
big road, lane leading up to it. with ditch on
either side of the lane. One company was TO ride
up and attack in 'front.' one company to attack the
East and another to attack the West end of the
house The companies going East and West had to
cross the bitches and pull down the fences making
the lane before they could get to their respective
posts. The enemy had their sentinels out, and they
heard the tramp of our Cavalry great way off in
short they were ready for u.s. Shooting at three
sides of a house from horse back must have put our
own men great danger of killingea other In ad
dition to this the enemy were encamped in Glletts
yard surrounded by plank fence, which we'll pro-
tected them from any charge They had one out
house and the dwelling to fire from. The result is
known, and if the Register, Wilmington Journal
and State Journal had all been there, verify be-
lieve they would not have changed the issue. 1
wish could hear of their going. They can never
make the army what it ought to be by talking; let
them take the field. We venture Wilmington and
Raleigh may be taken, and neither of these news
paper Generals will ever give order, except to
the devils, move out the type" "move out the
tvnen-uand save easV chair"
There has been another skirmsh since the Gil
lett affair Lieut.. Roberts, of Capt. Booths compa
ny, with sixteen men, at Mrs. Bryan's attacked
by thirty Yankees. Tho enemy were mounted