The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-05
Fol the Farmer and Mechanic
From an Old Soldier.
MEBANESyILLE. Y. c.. Aug. Both

MEBANEsvILLE, n. c., Aug. 3Oth.
Every true soldier of the late war.
either from the North or South, would
be culpable, if he did not take a deep
interest in the truth of its history.
Truth is an essence. 1t is one. No two
statements that conflict in important
facts or points, can both be true. Eth
er one or the other must be true the
other of necessity false. Every one who
took an active part in any of the great
paigns Of the late war is much surprised
in reading its history not only at the
vivid description of deeds that were
never performed, but at the varied and
conflicting accounts of things about
which there should be no dispute.
In the las. number of the +. & M. is
another account of the death of Gen.
Pettigrew, which believe to be n arer
the truth than any | have yet seen In
print.
1t was my lot to suffer nineteen mooths
imprisonment-after the battle of Get
tysburg-On Johnston's Island, Ohio,
with quite a number of prisoners who
were captured on the morning ten. Pet
tigrew was wounded. With one of these,
Capt. A. f. HAYNES, 22nd Bait, King
William G. H.. Va, | was intimately
acquainted. Capt. Haynes, | nave every
reason to believe, was a true Christian, -
hence a truthful and reliable man. Capt.
Haynes stated that he was placed with
his company on a certain road on picquet
duty, on the night previous to his cap
ture, and while on duty was visited by
Gen. Pettigrew himself THE hour | now
forget of whom he inquired if our cav
airy was not between him and the Yam
KEGS. Gen. Pettigrew told him that
there was no force between them aud the
enemy that Capt. Haynes and his men
constituted the extreme outpost aud
rear guard that early on the next morn
ing he was startled by the noise of iring
IN his real near the river that soon at
forwards the C~onfederates were running
in different directions, interspersed and
| mingled with the Yankees that his own
little force was beset on all sides, and
that they surrendered, not as stragglerS,
but as an organized force. He stated
that Gen. Heuh's official report was false
both as to the number of prisoners and
pieces of artillery lost. Gen. Heth stat
ing-if | mistake not that he lost no
~prisononers except a few stragglers, and
no artillery except two pieces, which
we're abandoned in the mud. Captain
Haynes often avowed his intention, if re-
leased, to have the whole affair investi-
gated by a court martial.
A short time before my release from
prison, which occurred June 18th, 1865,
| [ had a conversation with a Federal SOL
| der, who belonged to the Invalid Corps.
He stated that he himself saw Gen. Pet
tigrew killed, and it was thus: On the
morning of the day that it occurred, his
| command Of Yankee cavalry to which he
belonged, advanced through a wood or
timber until they came to an open field,
which he supposedlto be between one
fourth and one half mile wide. The
Rebels were lying down many of them
asleep, with guns stacked and unloaded
apparently behind an entrenchment but
it turned out 70 be only a ditch where a
! post fence ace stood.
His command was Immediately formed
into souadrons-at the head of one OF
these he rode-either the first or second,
[ forget which. The Rebels di | not take
to their guns until the Yankees were
we'll nigh half Way across the field. Yet
they took their guns, loaded them, and
we're many of them ready to shoot by
/ the time Tue duhctS SOI W JHc ultCu.
Of his own squadron, he stated he him
self was the only one who was not hurt.
Out of 80 in his squadron, one-half were
killed outright. He stated that he saw
Gen. Pettigrew shot through by a pistoI
shot, and saw the Yankee who did it.
| asked him what became of the mar
who did it. He said he was shot through
and through by a half-dozen balls.
These facts were related to me Is
wears ago by a decent, clever looking
Yankee soldier, aud | write from memory
only and if there is any errors it is not
ia the essence.
would have written this sooner. bur
some one who protested to have seen it
and to know all about it, wrote for the
f. & NJ, and positively asserted thaJ
Gen. Pettigrew was shot from a barn
Had | known, while in prison, that 81
MANY conflicting stories should have been
published, | would have taken pains Oh
the spot to have written it out thea anc
there, and have gotten the name of the
man who killed Gen. Pettigrew, the nam
of the man who told me, and all abou
:, R,t I helieye the above il the tru,