The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-08-21
THE OLD FLAG DID It,
A BIT 0F UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF
THE WAR.
How General Fitzpatrick and His Men
We're Saved By Woman's Ready Wit
Order Out of Chaos.
From the Boston Globe

lTIOHt me L1OSton OtOOe j
Shiloh and other great battles of the
civil war have furnished material for
much heated discus ion on the part of
the general officers who participated in
them, involving questions of general
ship, obedience of orders, surprise,
and responsibility for defeat.
Many minor engagements, about
which no controversy can arise, and
which do not form part of the writ
ten history of the great conflict, are
quite as interesting. Perhaps one of
the most complete surprises of the war
to any considerable body of troops
overlook kilpatrick's cavalry during
Sherman's march into North Carolina
in 1865. Fitzpatrick had encamped
for the night some miles from Fayette-
vile, and had selected large planta
ton house as his headquarters. The
usual pickets had been distributed, and
the men had thrown themselves upon
their rubber blankets with every
promise of a nights rest, but before
the earliest dawn the confederate cav
airy, under Gen. Wade Hampton,
succeeded in deceiving and capturing
the pickets on one of the highways
leading into the camp, and then
charged into the very midst of the
unionists without the discharge of a
single gun of warning. The sleep OF
Kilpatrick's mea was broken by an
indiscriminate fire upon them as they
scattered over the ground. Their
own artillery was being taken and
turned upon them at short range
Theiprisoners held by them were liber-
| ated, and they joined in the attack
The union men were demoralized,
panic stricken, without Organization
and without leader. For a time it
| was every fellow for himself
Pretty soon, however, "Kil," as the
boys called this general, appeared Oh
the scene. having narrowly escaped in
undress uniform. His presence al
ways inspired his men and the rally
ing process began. 1t was doubtful
uphill work for time, the men being
intent only on individual escape. Al
| a critical moment in the encounter the
division colors were seen to move
about in the disorganized mass of de
moraIized men and the question wa:
then settled. Order came out O.
chaos. A formidable line quickly
formed and it was seen to advance
cautiously at first, but soon with s
sweep and hearty yell that treasured
every union heart.
Hampton was forced to withdraw
leaving the captured artillery behinG
him. The story Of how the division
colors escaped did not reach the mel
for some days, when this fact Leaked
out, that a woman attached to tn,
headquarters had torn them from
their staff and concealing them unde
her skirts had escaped almost stimuli
taneously with the general, ant
through her they had found their wa,
back among the bewildered soldiers
and just in time to play most i'm
portant part in the then doubtful con
fict.
Months later, when Gems. Sherman
and Johnston were negotiating fo
peace or surrender, Fitzpatrick an,
Hampton met, and Hampton cried
"Hello, Kill l believe the las
time | had the pleasure of seeing yo'
was at FAyettevill ;. Shall 1 apollo
gize for arousing you so early?"
"Oh. no" Fitzpatrick answered, I"
guess taught you better than t
knock again before entering a gentle
mans sleeping apartments"