Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-09-20
wiIcox's Division, A. N. v.

Wilcox's Division A. N. v.
In speaking of Pollard's new work the
Petersburg bade.c says:
Gin Pollards new work, Lee and his
Iieutenants,' in the sketch of Major Gen
eral Cadmus NJ. Wilco1's career, there &C;
curs an error into which the author should
not have fallen, considering his claimed &C
ouaintance with the composition of Gene
raj Lees Army.
son page SOC the following occurs:
ssFrom this summary record we must detach
one incident that glorified the last days of the
Confederacy, and is generally related as having
fity closed, with illuminated scroll, the career OF
the Army of Northern Virginia. 1t is the story OF
the defenders o. Fort Gregg. Whose troops they
were that gave this last example of devotion on
Gen. Lees lines had been subject to some doubt
but it is now certain that they were Of Gen. Will
cox's command"
cit is certain that no such thing is the
case. The infantry garrison at Fort Gregg
was composed entirely of members OF the
Mississippi Brigade of Harris, formerly Pc
sey's, and the Brigade was from the battle
of Manassas to Appomattox part OF Ii.
III Anderson's, latterly Mahone's Division
Neither Pollard nor the Lader are entirely
correct nor altogether wrong in this matter.
The Infantry troops who were in Fort
Gregg, were placed there by the order OF
Major General Wilcox, and the writer Of
this article superintendent the movement.
These troops were composed of portion
of the 10Th Mississippi of HARRIS Brigade,
and parts OF LANES North Carolina and
THOMAS Georgia Brigades of Wilcoxs Dl-
vision in about equal numbers. Beng
present during the earlier attacks upon the
Fort, 1--WE were dispatched to Fort Whit
worth, a few hundred yards to the right to
get reinforcements from the remainder of
General Harris Brigade, who were station
ed there, when Fort Gregg was captured.
General HARRIS was fighting under the
command of General WILcox at the time,
being detached from his Division.
The hadac further states:
"On the same page Gen. Wilcox is accredited
with three performances enormously. He was
not engaged, except slightly, on the first evening
at the wilderness, his troops did not hold their
own on the 18th of May at Spottsylvanla, and In
stead of achieving success at Jericho Ford, May
"a, as Pollard relates, his brigades (Lane's and
McGowan's) behaved most disgrecefully and were
replaced by Davis aud Cookies troops OF Heths
Division"
General Wilcox was Gerry heavily engaged
on the first evening at the Wilderness
his four Brigades doing great service and
suffered much. General LEE expressed
himself very highly gratifed at their &C
ton.
His troops did hold their own on the
10Th of May at Spottsylvania, but one regi-
ment Of the whole Division, the extreme
left, being broken, and this on account OF
the giving way of JoHNsroN's Division and
the capture of almost the entire Brigade of
General STEUART next to it, involving it in
the disaster. Gen. LANE, with portions of
his own command, and the 3Sth North
Carolina, Lit Col. ASHFORD, of SCALES Bri-
gade, Immediately swept down the lines,
gallantly retaking his own lines, with much
of that held by General STEUART.
Holding their own lines SO firmly, Gen.
LEE detached one of the Brigades, MCGow-
ANS, to help retake another portion of the
line lost by JOHNSTON, which they did most
gallantly, the distinguished Brigade Com
mander being severely wounded in the at
tack. It was at this point where red oak
tree, twenty-four inches in diameter, was
cut down by the infantry fire OF the enemy,
falling upon and killing some of the men,
bers of the LIST South Carolina Regiment.
This Brigade, with MAHoNE's Alabama
Brigade, commanded on that day by the
lamented PERRIN, who lost his life in this
attack, occupied their position from 8
O'Clock A. NJ, on the 18th, until near day
light next morning, without the firing once
ceasing, the enemy occupying the opposite
side of the works; indeed, the space between
the traverses upon the Confederate side in
a few instances alternating with Federal
and Confederate soldiers.
WmCox's troops did not achieve sue
cess at. Jericho Ford, but none of them
behaved disgracefully. They charged the
enemy back to the river, and were checked
by heavy batteries posted upon the oppo-
site bank, when they withdrew to their
first line. Neither DAVIS nor COOKIES
Brigades fired a shot, but being the sup
porting line, after the firing was over,
indeed after dark, we believe, they were
advanced to the front to relieve the troops
wearied by long march and a hard and
rather disastrous fight.
We have generally found we could write
of the late war without detracting from or
rejecting upon the conduct of others, and
if all writer's will confine themselves to
what they know, much misrepresentation
will be prevented and kindlier fellowship
will spring from our great misfortune
The history of the world does notparallel
in glorious achievements the deeds Of LEES
Army of Northern Firginia-let us not de-
tract from the record by private jealousies
or State prejudices, but let it stand before
mankind as magnificent monument to
the cause for which we battled.
Railroad Freights
We are glad that the Petersburg Index
has interested itself in our complaints in ref
4 r. 4 l. L IL IL