The Charlotte Democrat., 1891-03-27
A Matter Of History.
Iverson's North Carolina Brigade at the Battl,
of Gettysburg.


The February number of the North
American Review contains the first install.
ment OF series of papers from Federal
corps commanders who led in the battle
at Gettysburg. In announcing the pub
lication the editor says: "Thus does the
Review make history" and claims "pe-
culiar and unrivalled authoritativeness."
The articles in the number are from Gems.
doubleday, Howard and Slocum. Gen.
Doubleday, in describing the battle of the
first day says: GA combined attack was
now made by Hills and EwelPs forces
against the Union lines, but as regards
the First Corps, it was handsomely re-
pulsed, and almost an entire brigade
that of Iverson-was captured by Gen.
Jno. G. Robinson's division on the right"
This statement is incorrect. Iverson's
brigade-the Fifth, Twelfth, Twentieth
and Twenty third North Carolina regi
ments-suffered severely in killed and
wounded on that day, but its loss in pris-
oners was not more than 10 per cent of
the whole. The mistake may have
arisen from the fact that Iverson's con-
nection with the brigade ceased with the
battle of Gettysburg. He was removed,
and Col. Robt. d. Johnston, of the Twen.
ty third North Carolina, was then ap-
pointed to the command and the brigade
was thenceforth known as r. d. John
ston's brigade. Iverson, through whose
blunder the brigade suffered 80 severely,
was permitted to retire TO private life.
He was Georgian, had been an old army
officer and succeeded Gen. Garland (who
was killed at the battle of South Noun.
tain in 1862 in command of the brigade,
which was then in ID. H. Hills division
of Jackson's corps. gIverson, when in the
U. S. army had been stationed at Carlisle,
Pa, and for this reason when Rhodes
reached that place, Iverson was placed in
command of the town. The Fifth N. G.
regiment was sent to picket the Harris
burg turnpike, about three miles beyond
Carlisle, and probably advanced farther
North than any other infantry command
in the Southern army.
Rhodes division reached Gettysburg
from Carlisle about mid day on the 1st Of
July, 1863, halting and forming line of
battle some two or three miles from the
town. Artillery came to the front and
after a round or two of shells fired at the
Federal troops and batteries, the division
moved forward few hundreds yards and
halted-all the brigades except Iverson's,
which having received no command to
halt, pressed steadily forward across an
open field, and was soon hotly engaged
with large body of Federal infantry
posted behind stone wall, and at the
same time was subjected to q severe en-
filade fire from a battery of artillery and
swarm of cavalry on its flank. The
brigade held its ground undinchingly and
returned the fire of the enemy with
vigor, although its men fell under the
withering fire like " leaves of the forest
that winter had strewn." Capt. Ben
Robinson of the Fifth regiment, com.
manding skirmishers, assembled his men
on the left flank to f ght the cavalry, and
seeing how sorely the brigade was pressed,
went back to O'Nears Alabama brigade
for assistance; but O'Neal said that he
could not move without orders. Robin
son then met Gen. Ramseur, and explain
ing the situation to him, Ramseur at
once put his brigade in motion, and at the
same time Daniels North Carolina bri
gade was sent in on Iverson's right. By
this time pail of battle smoke, like "the
shadow of DEATH" had settled over the
brigade. So many of the men had fallen
that its fire slackened, and emboldened
by this the Federal troops facing portion
of the line sprang over the stone wall and
came down upon them with the bayonet,
took few prisoners and bayonetted some
of the wounded. Private Goodman ot
Co. A, Fifth regiment, had five bayonet
wounds on his body, all of which he
| received-as he told the writer of this in
his dying moments-after he had been
shot down and was lying helpless on the
ground. But Ramseur and Daniels
North Carolinians coming to the aid Of
the sorely beset brigade, tho Federal
troops were routed from their position
and driven through the town with great
loss. ...s...
That night and the next day Iverson's
brigade was in line of battle in the streets
of Gettysburg.
As stated, the brigade suffered terrible
particularly the Fifth regiment, which
had fully three-fourths Of its number
killed and wounded in the first day.
fght-but it took its part in the secont
and third days battle with the othe
brigades of the division. After the en-
gage.nent the Fifth regiment, numbering
less than hundred men, was detailed t.
assist the cavalry in guarding the wagol
| GTdlu DdCh W buo I OtOmaCJ ouu uCoA1 SOA3
staggering blows to Kilpatrick's men a
Hagerstown and Williamsport.
In thirty to sixty days after Gettysburg
most of the wounded had recovered an
returned to their places in ranks, and th
brigade was up to its average strengtl
when in October, 1863, Gen. Lee made hi
flank movement on Meade's army.
strong was it in numbers that it was lei
to cover the movement and hold and picke
all the fords along the Rapidan from Gel
mana up. After the movement wa
fully developed, the brigade crossed tn
Rapidan with Fitz Lees cavalry, drov
Stoneman's cavalry across the RAJ
pahannock, and the next day Joined i
division on the march.
When the campaign of 1864 opene'
: and the Northern and Southern armit
met in death-grapple in the WILDERNESS
3 this brigade Or. d. Johnston's) was Q
the extreme felt of Lees line, and late
the afternoon of the 9Th of May, wit
Gordon's Georgia brigade, made an Al
t sault on Grants right flank, capture
0 over mile of the enemy's breastwork
! many prisoners and about 200 stand
! arms-gathered from the field the me-
t day. The Federal Generals Shaler al
Seymour were captured in this assau
\ 4