Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-10-12
North. Carolina aud the War. :

FRANK I. WILSON, Esq.
Let it be remembered that the first blood shed in
this war, regular battle soas shed at the batte OF
Great Bethel and let IL also be remembered that
the fret blood Of Southern colder that stainsd
Confederate ssiI, .oas the blood of a North euro
linsan-young Wyatt, who knew not the meaning
Of fear, and was iEsensible to danger when and
where duty called. He was but private soldier,
but Drawer spirit has more nobly persisted on the
battle. field, whether clad in uniform or in humble
garments And from the day of his death tho
troops Of North Carolina seem to have emulated his
example. They have been among the bravsst and
most reliable troops in our armies, and have been
exceled by none They have ever sprung with
aacrty where duty called theu and by their steady
conquer or die, they have accomplished deeds that
will place them among the highest on the scroll Of
fame, when the truth of history shall be unrolled
Epr all this they have not sought prsse-lhey only
want justice for justice itself their highest praise.
And ltte, indeed is the praise they have received,
and that little apparently wrung from reluctant
tongues, cnvious pens, and begrudsing hearts. On
brayest sons have fallen with their faces the foe
and their heroism and self. DEVOTION are unchron.
icled-their glorious deeds are as silent as their
bloody graves.
Do North. Carolina troops achieve . victory, the
newspapers nearest the scene Of operations either
pass /. over in silence represent it small A.
.ar or if they speak of the bravery of the troops
are from. Ifthey meet with reverse, which, thank
God! is seldom, these Same newspapers bruit it
abroad magnify it, and ring changes upon it with
apparent delight.
1t is not my purpose to retsliate by conceAling
the heroism of other troops, or by attempting to
pluck one leaf from the wreath of honor that encir
cles their braws; but to contrast the conduct of
Al. to oh -:
chronicing faithfully the events of tho day, will
say they have never yet published the fact that
North, Carolina troops have, on two occasions At
least charged the PROSTATE forms of troops of
another State, and accomplished the work to which
these PROSTATE soldiers could be neither led nor
driven.
Let US look At . few recent events. Gen. Ram
ssur not long since met with a slight reverse neAr
Winchester, vs.. What degree of ccnsure, if any,
he merits.I know not But let him be fairly Judged
and acquitted or punished as he deserves; for
would screen no officer or soldier from me.itol cen
sure, whether from North Carolina or elsewhere.
But certain newspapers in and around the seat Of
Government, seized upon the affair, held it up as
Ramseurs defeat" and seemed delighted to ailude
to 1t as "ths first reverse to our arms since the
Maryland campaign commenced" OF course this
reverse" was attributable to North. Carolnans,
under . North Carolina commander Had they
been troops from some other State, would the
"reverse" have been heralded with such flourish
Of trumpets, Perhaps the following will answer
the question:
Quite recently-since "Ramseurs dsfeat"-Pe-
grams Battery was captured and the troops sup.
porting it repulsed know not that those engaged
were to blanc. have no reason to think they did
not fight bravely and do all that brave men could
under the circumstances; but these same news
papers touched the affair gingerly-cut it off with
paragraph-and never mentioned the States from
which the troops came-a sure indication that they
were not from North, Carolina; and they were not
few days afterwards about 5000 North Carroll
Mans with few other troops, encountered about
1900 of the enemy at Gravely Hill, not far from
Richmond, drove them back several miles, and
killed, wounded and captured many and yet, if
the editors Of these papers have ever heard of the
fight At Gravey Hill, am not aware that they
have ever communicated the information 10 their
readers
In fact one or more Of the Richmond papers, some
lays after the affair at Bethel seemed to have doubts
about any such battle having been fought At ALL
Was it because North Carolina troops, principally,
we're engaged?
-. More recently still. On Sunday, 2lst of August
last our forces were repuised in their assault on the
enemy's lines near Petersburg, on the Weldon rail
road. Virginia papers told US that the repulss wa
Attributable to the conduct-one Of them says 1.-THE
shameful conduct" Of = certain brigade which gave
way At critical moment and could not be rallied
but they told US not what brigade it was, nor have
they yet done 50. We all know it was not North
Carolina brigade.
On the following Thursday the enemy vss attack
cd near 'Reams' Station, on tho same road, driver
'ack into their fortiicssiens- their ratification
stormcd and carrisd-and the Yankee hosts scatter
ed like chat before our invincibs soldien. Thank
to that good and grsstheartsd man, Con. Lee, h
tell US in his official dispatch that Cooks NcRae'
and Lanes North Carolin. brissda with Pegrsm'
artillery, composed the asssulting col,mns-
Hsd not Gen. Iss atatsd these facts, it is quit
likely none of the Virginia papers would h.v
troubled their readers With the information.
North. Carolina, too. hiss fewer high officers tha
any other State that has furnished 80 many troops
Bat few of her sons have been promoted, and to
many of these few, hsre As well a elsewhere, bav
apparently been selected, not 50 much with refer
snce to qualifications IS to partizan predilect ons
Our troops for the mos. part, must fight under of