Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-08-28
DEATH OF GEN. PETTEGK REV

We surrender our edItorlai ce0Wing
to-day to make roeRef from an old
very i9athfd comrade. i
We surely did not intimate that
General Pettigrew was in any way re-
snonsibIe for the disaster at Falling
Waters. and we are glad to assure our
friend of this.
This account of the woundiDg of
General Pettigrew differs somewhat
from our recollection, but altogether
in immaterial points
SAVANNAH, Ga, Aug. 18th, 1874.
Major Joseph Il. Eagelharz,
Wilmington, n. c.:
DEAR MAJOR A short time ago
had the pleasure of reading your letter
to the Wilmington JOURNAL, written
to correct certain errors made in an
an account of the manner in which
General Pettigrew was killed. APP
preciating, in common, with his
friends, your wish to make the record
of this sad event accurate, and observ-
your statement, and some material
facts have escaped your memory, 1
would give my recollection of it, add
ing that the details seem as wildly
before me now, as they actually were
when they occurred. Besides being
in a position, as Abide Camp to Cen
eral Pettigrew, and as Acting Assist
ant AdJutant General of his Brigade,
to see and known all that occurred
l was SO bound to him in friendship
and affection that rarely failed to OBJ
serve him in tie midst of scenes of ex-
element and danger.
On the retreat of the army from
Gettysburg, Heth's and Pender's Dl-
wilson's of Infantry under the COM
mand Of General Heth, were, on the
morning of the 14th July, when within
about two miles of the Potomac, post
ed as you describe, on commanding
hill. The order which came to Gen
eraI Pettigrew, was, to align his COM
mand faced to the rear, the right rest
ing on a large garden, fenced In by
palings or thin Stats, the garden ex-
tending to the road by (which we had
come, and which led to our POntOon
Bridge at Falling Waters. The com
mand consisted of the remnants of
Archer's Tennessee Brigade, and Of
his own Brigade of North Carolinians.
We we've formed, Archer's on the
right, resting upon the garden, Petit
| CREWS on the lett. On the other side
of the road, and in prolongation of
the first line of battle. We're the other
brigades of Heth's division, and in our
rear, at the foot OF the hill, Pender's.
The directions Indicating to us our
position, were accompanied with IL
| structions to let the men lie down and
take all the sleep possible, they having
been broken down by the nights
march, which was one of the most try
ing L ever experienced. Heth's COM
mand was not then the rear of the
army, for we had left about half a
mile behind us, body of infantry, in
line, faced to the enemy, and the
wagons aud stragglers wero still pass
ing. For this reason [ suppose, no
pickets were ordered TO be posted by
Gen. Heth. Nevertheless, Gen. Pctti-
| grew made particular Inquiry concern
ing this, and for his own protection,
cause d guard to be placed on his left.
Gen. Pettigaew did not betake him
self to rest Immediately, but as was
his habit, occupied himself for time
III seeking information concerning the
situation, and thus 1t happened that
after l had been absent some time,
placing the guard, and arranging 9TH
er matters, L met him us, AID on foot.
III the rear OF the command, about op-
posite its centre, and after some con-
versation, We ley down to rest.
We had Tot been lying down long,
when Gen. Heth, with one or two OF
I L. 1 d.,
! Pettigrew that he had received orders
to cross the river, instructed him to
remain with his command, as q rear
guard, and cover his retreat. The
General expressed his regret that no
artillery was to be left him, and then
ordered me 10 get the men imme-
diately under arms, which was done
with all dispatch. While we were re-
| ceiving Gen. Heth's Instructions, We
noticed considerable body of caval-
~ on a rising piece of ground little
over Il mile away. We called Gen.
| Heth's attention to them, asking if
they were the enemy's Or ours? He
was uncertain, but thought they
we've ours, as Gen. Eitz Hugh Lees
cavalry had passed to our rear
little after daylight and lie added,
that if they were the enemy we could
easily drive them OFF. In extending
these orders, I had passed on foot,
from right to left; returning, [ saw
mounted andSllst in rear of our right,
Generals Heth and Pettigrew with sew
eral members of their stats, intently
watching the cavalry force Of which /
have made mention. Just then there
emerged from a wood some five hun
! dred yards in our front, d small body
of mounted men, about a squadron,
which approached US in an easy hand
gallop by twos, swords drawn, and
displaying the Federal flag. At this
time, the men OF General Pettigrew's
command were in readiness, awaiting
orders to fire. These, however, were
withheld by General Heth, who in
consequence of the mannerof approach
of the enemy's cavalry, mistook them
for our own. [ should mention here
that General Heth told me, some
time after, that though his attention
was called to the flag, he yet believed
the troop was ours, that the display of
1t was o culpable exhibition of braga-
docio on the part of one of our officers
who had captured it. It was difficult
to believe that sane men would attack
as this small body of cavalry did. But
the fact is as you have stated, they
came up, as they supposed to capture
squad OF stragglers, and they were
MGR. surprised when they discovered
their blunder, than we We're when
they rode into our lines. When they
were quite near, and in easy range,
some one gave the order to ''fre," but
General Heth still thinking them ours,
in an emphatic manner forbade its ex-
ecution. General Pettigrew quietly
instructed the officer in command of
the infantry before us not to fire, but
to have his men at the "ready." When
nearly on line with us a few shots
were fired without orders, at the ap-
preaching horsemen. but no serious
resistance was made to them. until
they had ridden around the garden on
our right, and had come up to our
rear, making their Identification GER
tain by firing their revolvers, and call
ing on us to surrender. To reach
US they had passed by the infantry