The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-10-15
COL. BIRDSONG TALKS
He Tells About the Boys Who Wore
the Gray.
Some Interesting Facts and Figures
About Company |.
RECORDS FOUND IN STATE LIBRARY
The Courts Weary Grind Drags Slowly
AlOng-Criminal Docket Fin
ished To-day.

ished To-day.
State Librarian J. S. Brdsong, at the
recent reunion of Co. /, 9th North Caro-
lima regiment, at Cedar Fork, gave some
facts and figures about the company
which will prove interesting to every
true North Carolinian, and especially to
the people of this section.
Accordingly, THE GLOBE, which de-
lights to honor the old state and the gal
liant boys who fought to protect her
homes, prints to-day Mr.. Brdsong's
speech-or such par: of it as goes to
make history.
Mr.. Chairman, Survivors of Company ::
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-It was a
surprise to me when an invitation to be
present at this reunion and address the
survivors of Co. |, 9th regiment of North
Carolina state troops in the war for
southern independence, was received. 1t
was my purpose to attend this reunion,
but simply to meet the old veterans of
the Lost Cause"
am at loss what TO say 10 you, un-
less it be a brief sketch of your company
and regiment. In looking over the rec
Ords in our state library, l find this regi-
ment has received much praise in a
sketch prepared by Major Richard Watt
York, and incorporated in "Foote's Roll
of Honor"
Co. | was organized on the 2Sth of May,
1861, with 1870 men, rank and file After
remaining in camp Of instruction for a
regiment, Col. Charles +. Fisher, COM
manding.
The first public service performed by
your regiment was acting as the funeral
escort to the lamented Governor John w.
Ellis, who died at the White Sulphur
Springs, in Virginia, where he had gone
with the hope Of restoring his failing
health; Companies B and G. being sent to
Petersburg 10 escort the remains to Raj
eigh.
On Jn,y 10, 1861, the regiment entered
The Confederate service and left for Vir-
ginia, arriving six days later at Win
chester, reported for duty to Gen. Jos. +.
Johnston and at once took its place in
the graudest army this world has ever
known, the Army Of Northern Virginia,
and was assigned to the Sd brigade, under
the gallant Bee. Its first engagement
was at First Manassas, where, by its gal
lantry and bravery, it gained the first
foothold on that memorable field. 1t was
here that the gallant Fisher was shot
down after the capture of Ricketts, Fed
eral battery.
On the 18th of August, following, Will
liam D. Pender was unanimously chosen
to succeed Colonel Fisher. Shortly
Alabama, I'd and 11th Mississippi and
the 9th North Carolina, was attached to
the second corps, under General Gus:ave
Smith, where its record for courage and
bravery soon made itself felt and known
second to no other regiment in that
grand army. and called forth from Gen
eral Lee. " God bless the North Carolina
soldiers"
1t would be useless for me 10 enter
into detailed history of this regiment
in the many engagements in which it
participated-,but such as first and sec
ond Manassas, Fredericksburg, Gaines
Mill, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, Chancel-
lorsville, Wilderness, Cedar Greek, and
the long list of other fields on which you
met the enemY-always maintaining the
good name won by this regiment against
the heavy odds with which you had TO
contend. Suffice it to say, its brave
deeds and heroic actions are known to
our people; and when the future histo-
rian comes 10 make up the record OF the
soldiers of this state, the old 9th will be
put down as true TO every interest for the
protection of our beloved state.
In looking over the Southern Historical
society papers, | find that only twenty
[ContInued on Fourth Page