The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
THE sTzUSTOy RIVER FIGHT.
General Rufus Barringer Claims Credit
for North Carolina Troops.
r. ~ D..t-.-.I rr.~.n

LOT NDftn tafetH8 tfooP"
For the Richmond Times.l
see that the Virginia papers are Just now
full Of tho Raiders Fight at Stanton
river. juno 24-25. 1864. And the high honor
Of saving the bridge and thus preserving
Lees communications and his army Is gwen
exclusively and entirely TO some five hundred
Junior and senior reserves there hastily assem-
bled. Not another command Is so much as
mentioned or referred TO-. q,
Now. | was myself in that action. and had
with me three Il my regiments. flrst. second
aud Fifth North Carolina cavalry. all actively
engaged. and it was the attack we made on
| the raiders rear. Just in the nick Of time. that
gave final success 10 the splendid ire on Tue
1850 old men aud boys in the concealed
breastworks on the north side OF the river,
| may also add that my brigade WAS the
| only command that followed and fought the
raiders. day and night. through me aud
fame. all the way from Petersburg 20 Staun-
ton river. and yet each and all OF the W.
glnia accounts | have read-Maury' } arm
holt. McPhail and others-coolly and utiery!y
ignore even our presence. And General
Maury Ga trained soldier. in his zeal tor the
glorious Old Dominion. goes so far as to at,
tribute to General Rooney Lee the marked
praise or '~interceptiug' tao retreat. ana
the capture of the trains and 1000 prls-
0ARs0s Win ~ 49, NAe@N $3.50
almost entirely TO the rare strategy and tao
tics of Hampton and his far South troops"
ut Stoney Creek.
The truth of history" in TIE main, finally
prevails. and our Virginia friends should
realize that VIXEN they thus SO utterly over
shoot the mark they weaken the cause they,
seek 10 lextol and shroud il with doubt and
distrust. No military critic can lie made 70
believe that ESQ raw militia" could. alone
and single-handed. successfully repulse. and
finally defeat and overcome 500 trained
soldiers. In this instance. the splendid
courage and the admirable tactics with wnlch
these $50 old men and beardless boys TOOK
their position on the enelny's side OF the
river. and held their fire until q line OF Z.0OJ
trained veterans had made their way over the
open low land TO within sixty yards OF the
Confederate earthwOrks. and then dellOer-
ately rose and leyeled yOlley after y0lley
with sucn fata. effect IS 10 break the Federal
ranks and drive them back IS sure To- win
them lasting fame. And IN the light OF his
tory the SouIhside Home Reserves" VIII
rank with the Fighting Farmers OF New
Hampshire at Bennington in l777, and The
Hunter Heroes" Of Kings mountain IN lio1.
But no amount of courage, no sort OF STRAIT
egy snd no known tactics could have saved
this devoted little band from ultimate rOut
and ruin had not the Federals heard the
enemy IN their rear, and had not the Bar
ringer BflEdit ctfhth tNtii lhob rs IL AtA-
General Wilson. the very able Federal COM
mander. was just ordering the hnal assault.
from the nigh ridge a mile of. when he heard
the attack IN his rear, responding with q
thousand yells 20 the cannon aud rafting
trains of the noisy C0nfederates on tie Oppo-
site side Of the river. His men now both
marched and fought with faint heart. and
they soon gave way. The victory was con-
plete. Night was already falling. ana under
It's shadows the 4 ederals escaped.
Now. what happened here Il exactly what
happened in hundreds of instances during the
war. The North Carolina troops were well
trained, well handled. veil equipped, well fed,
and well clothed. They were always on hand,
always ready for duty. ever faithful and
rather liked the "frolic Of a fight" The re-
suit was the "Tar-heels' did an immense
amount Of the hard lighting. usually at the
nick Of time. and simply said nothing
about it.
But the time has now come for Justice 20
the 125.00j soldiers put into the field by the
good old State. most of whom fought for four
long years in defense of the people and soil OK
Virginia. as we all struggled together for the
principles of regulated liberty established by
the Fathers. X. BARRINGER,
Brig. Genl Of Cavalry, G. S. A.