The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-04-16

rvanced. never saw men behave more gal
lantly. nor do believe men ever did. L speak
not for the whole Division. though / hope all
did their duty. That Archer's Brigade kept
on . line with Pickett, / am quite sure, and that
Petuerew.s Brigade was on a line with Archers,
l know That. Pickett, aud possibly portioa
OF Archers Brigade, reached the works. aad We
did not. confess Fortune favored Pickett;
they escaped the flank FIRE from the left and
from which We suffered so severely. We heard
their shouts. as they entered the works; We
struggled to carry our point, but failed. We
heard the huzzas of the Yankees when they
were driven out and though the retreat may
have commenced on the left, yet we honestly
think it was nearly simultaneous. q, ~
The want of men made the charge a failure;
We could no more help Pickett than he could
us, and we have as much right to complain that
be did not como TO our support, as be has to
complain that We did not go to him.
Pickett was more successful than we were
He broke the line, and for a moment held the
front work; but that he and Pettigrew were
both fairly beaten and driven back, however
painful may be the confession, is fact that can.
oot be denied Had both Divisions broken
through the line, they would have been driven
out as Pickett was, aud the triumph have been
as short lived. .s r ~ -...sr- .,.r
TO attach blame to ,Pettigrew's Brigade for
the failure is as absurd as it would be to charge
the South with want OF manhood, because she
failed; and with no data by me- | venture the
assertion that Pettigrews Brigade lost as many
in killed and wounded (ond mare prisoners)
as any Brigade in Picketts Division. We mean
not to reflect on Pickett or his gallant soldiers,
but We do deny on any field, and under any
circumstances, they ever displayed more gall
lantry than Pettgrew's old Brigade.
And what is it our Virginia friends would
have us do, to convince them that there is some
manhood 10 the Old North State? Why was
1t that, when victory perchcd upon our banner,
they forgot that North Carolina troops ~ere
there, and when disasters blasting breath rent
his siIken folds, they are ready to say you did
It," Is it not enough that the booes of her
sons lie on every battle field in Virginia? Is it
not enough that her Bsanch, Pender, Fisher,
Pettigrew, and host of noble spirits, perishee
there defending alike Virginia and North Caro-
lima? Is it not enough that the body found
dearest Porter's deadly battery on Malvern Hill,
was a member of Vance's 26th N G., aud that
at Gettysburg, under Pettgrew, this same regi.
ment, in the first days fight, out of eight hun
dred, lost in killed and wounded five huudred
and eighty gallant Colonel Burgwyn dying
there, his Lieutenant Colonel Lane falling
wounded with him? Is it not enough thar
Leaventhrope was wounded there, and the no.
BILE, youthful Ross, breathed bis last thereY
And in the final charge, when Petiigrew bled,
Marshall and Richardson died, and the bleeding
Parks and Crudup were captiyes led to their
desolate cells. when the noble Graves, the Dou
glass of them all was captive made, to pine and
wear his life away on Johnson's cold aud dreary
isle, with Powell, Davis, Wason, Evans, Viii.
ting, NeWsom, Drake, Joyner, and lost Of 9th
er names, unknown to Virginia, out dear to the
'Ioved ones at home," and who suffered all the
horrors of that terrible prison; was not this
enough? Could not this propitiate Mr. McCabe,
Jr of Virginia? No, the cry is still for more
North Carolina has done her best,--her whole
duty. The blood of her sons has enriched yir-
ginias soil from Bull Run to the spot on which
Gen. Lee surrendered, and yet, when censure
comes, it is from Virginia. It is not so with
North Carolinians. Around our camp fires, we
have heard them tell their tales Of battles fought
defeat sustained, and victories won. We have
heard them tell Of Charlottesville, how the
chvalrous Ramseur charged, and of tro 'ps " no
failed to charge In the campaign OF Oh. We
heard them tell of how the lines Of Spottsyl
vauia were broken, and how the noble Ranlseur
cnaTSSU auO uIOt6 Tue" UdCAJ Ou' VIC HdS0
never seen the North Carofinan who would
make these things matter Of history Bad
conduct upon the part Of the troops of any
State would have been forgotten, for the sake
of the gallant and good it had furoished But
we ask not to be spared. for the sake Of the
living or dead; we only ask to be reported fairly
That we failed to carry the heights of Gettys
burg is matter of nist"ry; that we poured out
the best blood OF the State in the effort to do SO
is a matter OF history, too, koow the line
was too weak, and this is the only answer to the
question as to why we failed; our failure affects
not the character of the old B,igsde; its con-
duct 10 the first days fight proves its gsllantry,
its losses in the zeal charge proves its daring.
At Falling Waters, its gallant commander fell,
covering the retreat; his Brigade the last to
cross the Potomac. Since then it has been aa-
der the command of the brave and lion hearted
kirkland; ask him, if at Bristoe, in the Wilder
ness, at Spotsylvapia. aud on the North Anna,
aye down to the bour when he was woIGded, it
did not do its duty. Ask the calm, quiet, gen.
tlemanly MacRae, if second to any Brigadier
second only to our beloved Pettigrew. il, around
Petersburg, in the charge at Reams' ststion,-a
charge that has never been surpassed by any
troops, and in which our 1t. Col Bird fell.-if,
at Ha;chers Run, and to the hour when Gen
Lee was forced to surrender, if he ever saw the
Brigade faher or .qasil. and Il be rays it did,
then Mr. McCabe, of Virgins, may assume that
it faltered at Gettysburg Ii 10 that fnsl strug-
gle for the lie Of the Confederacy, when hope
itself had fed, if MscRse's Brigade (Petii
Crews did not do as much and as good service
ie it did not show as bold front and as many
men for duty, as any Brigade in Pickett's Di
vision, then say it behaved badly q. Gettysburg
II =. !. n = ~ - 4
ginia, not to band them down to posteriiy, viii
Ia aash n L..