The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-09-27
A WRONG SET RIGHT.
rHE HONOR OF BRAVE NORTH
CAROLINA SOLDIERS

a
CAROLINA SOLDIERS
Vindicated. Mrs. Spencer Writes the
ssSentiner' Some Interesting Facts
About the N. C. Troops at Guilford
Rattle Ground.
CHAPEL HILL, N. c., SEP. "a
The Winston SENTINEL did me the
honor some time since to ask me fol
some notes or sketches of distinguished
men of my acquaintance who Hour
ished from fifty to one hundred years
ago. And / declined to commit myself
as to any personal recollections OF
distinguished gentlemen of that date,
though more than willing to oblige
THE SENTINEL. It is all very well to
have distinguished friends of a hun
dred years back, but when you come
before the puUlic it is much the safest
way to give your readers distinctly to
understand that you did not know
them personally,-that you write from
hearsay-current report-historlcai
evidence, and the like.
There is body of about fifteen
hundred North Carolinians to whom l
wish to call the attention of The SEN
TINEL's readers with the promise
that the Editor shall not represent
me as having had personal acquaint-
ance with any of them.
Most of these men have been in
their graves nearly one hundred years
lying there quietly enough under
severe censure and a heavy load of
obloquy.
Three generations of North Carroll
mans have believed that the North
Carolina militia at Guilford Court
House in March, 1871, behaved like
towards, and that Gen. Greene lost the
battle in consequence Of their bastard
ly conduct. A gallant Virginia officer
wrote the only account of that battle
current among Americans for two
generations, and we accepted his re-
port of our militia without scrutiny or
question, because, of course, Col.
Harry Lee must be right. He was
present and knew the facts, and his
word cannot be called into question.
Col. Lee says expressly that the North
Carolina militia not only fed, but fled
So persistently and in such confusion
that they threw away their arms, and
even their canteens
"THEsE UNHAPPY MEN," HE SAYS.
Thirty-fve or forty years ago DIR.
Caruthers, of Greensboro, who had
known and conversed with survivors
OF the Guifford battle wrote his books,
"Life of CALDWELL and "Old North
State in TO-" and in them endeavored
to reverse Col. Lees verdict, and
show that the militia did not disgrace
themselves or us. But nobody paid
much attention to DIR. Caruthers. We
were all comfortably settled in the be-
lief that our militia ran away panic
stricken, and we did not care to be
disturbed. North Carolina does not
like change. We are strictly con
servative.
Now in these later days the militis
of the Guilford Battle Ground have
found another friend and defender
Judge Schenck, of Greensboro, stand;
forth and tells plain, unvarnisbec
tale as the advocate of a clientage long
since passed to higher court and I
juster Judge than thev found here
The unfair earthly verdict of a c.ntu
ry must be reversed, and Judg'
Schenck is the man to do it.
just what has inspired the Judge t.
this labor of love l am unable to say
It seems, fowever, that the moyemen
to purchase the battle ground and en-
close it for public park, to be pre-
served as such by the people of Gull
ford county orig ginated with him.
and that he voluntarily incurred al
the labor, expen-e and trouble of ma
king original researches and investi
cations into the evidence accumulate'
as to the conduct of that battle AM
the part in it borne by North Caro-
lipiaps.
This was the beginning of his goo,
work. ALI honor to him tor thi
alone. Next he undertakes the ia
harder task of setting an old estab
lished wrong right. His address ds
livered ON the battle ground last Ma
and published by the 'Guilford Bal
tie Ground Company" is an exhaust
i've account of the days work of Marc
10Th, 1871, and such a cross examins
ton of the witnesses as, | venture
cav, they have never had before.
OfGen, Greene's FIVE or six thous
and men in that battle, one thoHsan
were N. C. militia, commanded by th
old Regulator, Gen. Butler of Ais
nance, by Gen. Eaton of Halifa,
Besides these, Judge Schenck show
that there were at least 1--WE hundre
North Carolina men who went ini
the fight as Volunteers, or, as ol
John Bunyan would call them, r,
fornadass, whose names were not
1he muster-rolls of the army bgt wi
fought under their own leaders ,
bbssveiy as the best, just for the III
of it.
The militia were placed in the for
front of the battle. This was Ge
Morgap's advice. Washington di
pot approve the policy Of making ra
troops receive the outset OF bayon
charge. But Greene took Morgan
counsel, for Morgan had been victt
at Cowpens through such dispositie
of his forces. The militia were il
structed to FIRE t,eo rounds apd then
retreat,
Green gave this order himself, ''t
the rough edge Of battle ere it joined
He had posted the men adyantageou
" behind rail fence. be called the
attention to the strength of their po
ton and gave his order aclear aI
firm Two rounds, my boys, al
then you may fall back.