The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-02-05

ii'S III ~ OIlOWIbS u VIII I
walls between them, viz: Fishers 9th North
Carolina; Kershaw's Ind South Carolina ;
Cashs Sth South Carolina f. KIRBY
Smith with Elzy's brigade. and Early with
kempers eth Virginia, Hayes eth Louis
lana, and Barksdale's 18th Miss. lWithefs
lS.h Virginia, and the 2Sth Virginia, also
arrived about / D.. IN. but were placed on
the right Of the Henry House, joining
Evans and Bee.
NORTH CAROLIN TO Fl RESCUE.
The arrival of the Sixth n. G. regimen,
was SO oppOrtune, Its action SO IMPORTANT,
as we'll as creditable TO North Carolina, thar
| may be excused for dropping into particu
lars. There were two other North Carolina
regiments engaged in the battle, viz The
5th, undes Lieut. Col. Jones, Longstreet' ;
brigade, and the 18th under Kirkland. In
Bonham s brigade; but they lay in rear of
the central fords, and though severely bonn
barded, did not suffer SO heavily as the 9th,
or Fishers regiment.
DR.. Chas. +. Fisher was a native Of Sails
bury, a man of strong and energetic, yet
gracious, character, OF whom a large public
meeting of his fellow citizens declared-''his
whole life from infancy to manhood, up to
the hour Of his gallant death, has been a
model of private virtues and public WORTH
He had studied the profession of law, but
after the manner of ambitious young lawyers
drifted into the editorial chair; was elected
State Senator; took a lively interest in the
North Carolina Railroad project, and be-
came the President of the road from which
position he resigned July lst. to take com
mand of the Sixth Regiment of State
Troops" which had been assembling at
Charlotte, and other points, since early in
May. The regimental expenses, during that
period, both as to Qu~artermaster and COM
missariat supplies, he betrayed in large meas
ure from his private purse. The Sixth
North Carolina Was perhaps the first regi-
ment enlisted for the war; and the
colonel lost no occasion to impress upoE
the men, (nearly one thousand in number
that there must be no thought Of home
coming until the last armed foe had aban
doned Southern soil. The bulk of the
command were from Burke, Orange,
Alan.ance, and Wake counties, and mum
bered among their officers such we'll
known names as Robt. +. Webb, JAS. w.
Wilson, Isaac +. and A. e. Avery, S.
w. j. Freeland, Jas. A Lea, Jas. A.
Craige, u. &. Pearson, M. w. Page, NJ. b.
Barbee. Evans Turner, Willie p. Mangum,
%(slainl w. A. Allen, j. A. Mcpherson, Jer-
ry a. Lea, and others | may not recall.
In the ranks were scores of gallant spirits
who soon arose to various commands. Hon.
w Z. Dorth was Lieut-Col.; but being Speak
er Of the House, resigned, whereupOn Chas.
f. Lightfoot, of Virginia, became t .-Colo-
mel. and r. F. Webb, Major. Col. Fisher
assumed command July 18th, at Raleigh,
and after participating in the funeral cere-
monies of the lamen ed Governor Ellis, took
the cars for Gen. Jos. f. Johnston's army,
via Petersburg, Redmond, and Staunton,
r,lor ,,o.,, ,,.1 =, &I,
bearing Of the men. Arriving at Winches-
ter, July 10th, they were formed in line of
battle, as Patterson had that day advanced
to Bunker Hill, 9 miles distant. Col Fish
er's care for the men, even to the extent of
helping to cook their meals, after purchasing
them material from his own purse, while the
troops were under arms, won all hearts.
But the battle was destined to occur on
another field, sixty miles to the eastward.
Beauregard was already beating back the
Federal advance Gully l7th) and there
seemed small hope that Johnston could
reach him in time still the effort was to be
made,
Before dawn on the 10Th the march was
begun whereupon instead OF leaving his
men in ignorance OF their destination as
many colonies would have done, Fisher
told them they were fastening to the rescue
of their comrades at Manassas to which
the men responded with hearty cheers, and
prompt closing up of the ranks.
After an arduous march Of &c miles, the
bulk of the army reached Piedmont sta
ton, but owing to lack of transporta-
ton, OILY about 5000 succeeded in reaching
Bull Run in time for the battle. A large
portion of these would have failed, it is said,
but for Col. Fishers energy, and railroad
experience, in clearing the track of a wreck
ed train, which threatened "a hours delay
Reaching Manassas, the regiment march
ed eight miles across the country, and
after several changes Of locations, oppor-
tunely arrived just as Gen. Beauregard was
arranging his shattered brigades for a last
desperate attempt to thrust the enemy from
off his foothoid on the Henry plateau. AS
heretofore stated, the Federals had brought
up Grifins regular artillery, and Ricketts,
six-gun rifed battery, to the brow OF the
ridge, within a short distance from the
Southern lines, and were hurting their shells