Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-01-03
From the Charlotte Observer.
&,,,a md North Carroll M Troops.

l
to interfere between Generals Early and
Hood in their controversy as to whether
Virginia or North Carolina had the larger
number of troops fighting on the soil OF the
former, during the late civil war. But
find General Early has fallen into several
palpable errors touching the North Carroll
ma cavalry, which think it due to all con-
cerned, should be promptly corrected a'ter
waiting thus long for some one else 10 40
90 now undertake the task myself.
1st. In his letter of the 9Th inst, speak
;no of the battles around Richmond in 1867,
and indie ating the troops engaged, General
Early puts the North Carolina Cavalry
present at these battles at Give companies"
{ know of my own knowledge, that the
whole of the LIST North Carolina Cavalry
Misunderstanding of 10 companies and
Numbering nearly 900 men-was present |
| and actively engaged. 1t was this regiment |
| that penetrated to the rear Of McClellan's |
! line on the 3O:h June and, under the lead
! Of Col. 7. S. Baker in person, made the
| dashing charge at Willis Church. 1t was
| here that Captain Crumpler fell and nearly
| 20 others were killed or wounded. l also
| think that there was other North Carolina
Cavalry engag ID in these battles.
| ID. In alll,ung to the movement subse-
nuent to the battle of Fredericksburg, he
sneaks of the North Carolina Cavalry in
Virginia as having been Increased Ger
t.iuly to enc, and, perhaps, to two regi-
ments.' At the time referred to, the Isl
AID I'd North Carolina Cavalry had both
been for some time in that State, and hao
always been full regiments. The "a was
At first in a Virginia Brigade CIV. ID. +;
LDe's) and this may have mlsled 1enefa'
Early. :o
al As we were moving into
, PENNSYLVANIA, two regiments Of North Car
.,iina cavalry arrived, out rere MOI ~
I Gettysbug.'
TINS statement Ono doubt unintention-
q | ally) does gross injustice to North Carroll
, ma. H. leaves the impression that TINS state
= h I'd little or 10 Cavalry in Pennsylvania
n Now consider the facts:
= That campaipn BEGAN on the 9th of June
o ! 1868. when Fitzpatrick made his reconnols-
h ance in force to uncover the movement OF
: General r. E. Lee. Then was fought the
battle of Brandy Station, the largest
Cavalry engagement of the war
Y In this action N orth Carolina had tour full
d r4piments-lst, Cd, 4th and 9Th also sew
II eral odd companies and fractions OF resi-
70 ments All of these four regiments were
:, in the Gettysburg campaign, and were all
< either at the battle or in the vicinity on
IS other duty. They all suffered dreadfully.
b The lst lost nearly 200 killed and wounded
IS The I'd and 9Th each lost 4 commander
(Colonels Williams and Evans.) And the
r. Alb, which started 600 strong, returned
!, " it'll less than 200 for duty.
~ 1t probably escaped Gen. Early that two
= Of these regiments (4th and atb) were un
# der Virginia officer tHen. hobcftson,
= and hence his mistake.
: t.N Of the Campaign Of 1861 he says
% There were then four Virginia Brigadc'
~ ! Of Cavalry, and one Nortl, Carolina Bri
gale of the same arm with the army
At first North Carolina had only one
:. regularly organized Cavalry Brigade in The
Ct army of Northern Virginia. But duriui
le the entire war there We're cdd regiments
p or parts Of reg ments serving with troop
to from other States. At one time half o
!e bearings Cavalry Brigade of Virginia
20 was composed OF North tarOinianS. on'
Id battalion of North Carolin!ans served in {
lie Georgia regiment, (Col- 9rinin.) Nea
re tins close OF The war q "a North Carolin'
Ill Brigade was formed under Gen. Roberts
But after every effort, We failed to get th'
;, North Carolina Cavalry all into State or
~ CARNATIONS. | remember a company from
- DAyie county under Capt Cle,nents Gate,
=. wards Lieutenant ColcneD that served L
- the las. N the 10th Virginia.
- Il was thus that orr Cavalry lost its dis
~ tiactirc State characteristics and served t
~, swell tbs rolls Of ether States.
:, 9Th. Gen. Early disposes ct tie cayair.
N thus: :: he preponderance of the \lrGlni
- measure, from the fact that the men hat
~ to keen themselves mounted, at their Owl
-. | est, aud that was 4 very difficult thin
w f,r men from the States south Of Virginia
u do.
as NoN [ assert as fact, Well recognizc'
~ in the cavalry commands i'll Virginia, tina
IN this difficult thing" is just what the Nortl
- CaroliIliaus dnj DO, more successfully til Al
les the VirgiDiaDs AID g all others Virgins
IL h,1 ,,1,a nd h. io{,pS lint fli0S
,io from North Carolina were always-espe
d ciallv towards the close OF the war
r., nearly double IS full, and ever bette
ne mounted. And the reason in grea
va part is the one given by Gen. Earl.
:" but 1 d"aw from it a very differen
a conclusion tho Eirginians We're too nea
yes their homes either to keep their ranks full
W or the men well mounted. Various rea
Ell sons existed for this, without the least re
Election on the courage or patriotism of tn
IT. troops. With the North Carolinians IL,
I'd circumstances operated just the reverse
d. 1t was too far and toe expense too heav,
ID, to go home to remount, unless there Wa
Ie- an absolute necessity for it. Hence the.
took the best possible care Of their ami
III mails. If their horses once got down il
&c, flesh or condition, they were apt TO loos
it, them. The Vlrginians managed most al
i ways to take or send theirs home. The
.rt could not bring back thoroughly seryicea
to bic ones, and If they did there was 10
=. that great stimulus to care for them, tia
FL existed on the palt Of the North Caro-
lnians.
IL l now dismiss the subject with this re
~ mark: see no OCCASION for criticism o
IL complaint on the part OF either State
LIS They both did their whole duty, and it's orl
III important that the truth should be known
in order that the impartial pen of Histnr,
e may do exact justice in the premises Fo
nc myself | may say, that hiie cherish
De s:Toig conviction that tie North Carolil
II Troops did moe than their W hole share {
ly t 10 ard, steady fighting in Virginia, al
II never cease to admire the hcrOlc coura9
e a nd fortitilde with which the people of TIA
Z 5 ate continued to maintain the uEtqua
OF con est, Or the noble generosity, with wic
I'd th ever opened their beats and thei
+ homes to all Confederate soldiers,
Respectfully youls, &c,
t RUFUS BARkINGER,
I'd Brig. Gen. c.. S. A.
u u Having put upon record the North Caro-
- lima side Of the question, we feel very mucl
al inclined to yield to the suggestion of til
III Petersburg appeal, and SO far as IT,
~ JOURNAL. is concerned, put an end to tn
20 controversy. Indeed we scarcely know how
to refuse anything to one who recalls 81
i pleasantly and gracefully the memory of 81
= proud day in the annals Of the comman,
Is to which We had the honor to belong.
is The appeal says:
+ We remember no scene III all the wa
l. more thrilling than that which we wit
- ! messed on the road to this city from tn,
~ . brilliant field Of Reams' Station, when Gen
- Heth saluted and thanked the North Caro-
D. lima regiments Of Cooks and McRae'
brieades, and the cavalry command O