Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-10-24

his death, tie regiment was obliged to
abandon the guns, not by the enemy's
fire, but by that OF our own men.
There was Il regiment they thought
from Alabama, On the1i left, bat about
two hundred yards in their rear, which
continue to fire on them. 1t was
this fire that killed young Mangum
and several others. Many think it
probable, that Colonel Fisher himself
was thus killed. As his regiment had
gotten so far iri front, and WAS on
ground SO lately occupied by The enc
my in heavy force, the mistake was
made. The regiment was thus D.
ligcd to abandon the battery, but it
was never used, or ever retaken by the
sey lying dead among the guns at the
close Of the fight, while the Captain,
(kickett.) } wounded, was carried oft u
prisoner by our mon.
can y3,i,.h f,r the accuracy OF the
above atatcmcuts. partly from what
saw, and also chiefly from convers1,-
t:ous, which ] had on That day and the.
ucclcl;hg one, with officers and pri
vates well known to me. The official
reports OF Barry, the Chief Of the Fed
era? Artillcry, and Of Gen. UeintzeI-
nl.n. both confirm the truth of these
statements. 'rhev SAID that this bat
tcry 81 Eitisctt'.a WAS pushed forward
far il adYyrca, and that Il regiment on
our side come I'D within sixty or sew
e,l:y yards OF i, and I,5 IA we'll direct
cd fire disabled It. Capt. Ricketts,
himself while y prisoner. L was told
ab,u. ;I.at time, SAID that as soon as
lie saw this regiment lie directed his
guns 10 be lowered SO that he could
tire into it, bat that before lis order
coui,3 DC executed the regiment fired
and Disabled linn, killed Lieut.. Ram
sey ard most OF his Gunncrs. This
declaration o. las confirms what sew
cral members II Captain Avcry's com
pany ITotll Ianccy told me ri the time.
They said ''that battery would have
ruined as bus they were firing over
our heads Captain Avery told nae
tilat as soon RS lie saw The battery, he
without waiting orders. directed his
men to ige.
IT may be asked why have tils Sc facts
81 honorabIe 10 Col. Fisher and l.is
regiment not been officially or publicly
recognized? Col. Fisher was himself
killed and LIS only field officer then
with The regiment WAS Major Light
foot Bat Major Lightfoot unfortu-
nately was not III the battle. He, with
the two rear companies, was by some
means scpa atcd from the balance of
the regiment as it was marching into
bat le ! saw him and these two COM
p2nie5 III the rear after the battle had
ended. The officers stated that while
under his Immediate command, as the
regiment was marching forward into
the battle, they were separated from
the other eight companies. Major
LiGhtfOOt, IN their presence, for It
was = general conversation, complained
very mucl, Of Col. Fisher because lie
carried the regiment into action by
/ the flank. He gave no other re ason
for not being III the engagement. :
Some days afterwards, when / nrgt
him to make such Il report as wOul2 -
Justice TO Col. Fisher and the TT gi-
Incnt, lie merely reiterated his com
plants about the regiment being car
ried into battle by the flank Not
having been III the battle himself, bis
report was not OF snch a character as
20 afford 4 proper knowledge cf the
affair
Appealed 10 Gen. Jos. L. Johnston
and requested hi1n to have the facts
maGa public, but he replied that in
marking ont lis report lac could only
give auch statements as came up to
him :.,..n :hc reports OF his sulorli-
mates
The Service of Col. Fisher and lis
/ regiment cannot he 0ECr estimated on
this occasion. Let il he admitted that
il was 4 mere accident ti.st lie slould
have thus moved MP by Tie flank, (the