The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-06-22

the teeth Of which Lanes men had 50
intrspidly advanced
At Charlottesville this brigade lost
nearly one-third of its strength in
killed and wounded, and of its thirteen
field officers carried into action all
were shot down-killed or wounded
except the gallant young Barry. Here
the noble and fearless Purdie, of the
Eighteenth, the gentle but courageous
and dashing Hill, of the old Seventh,
the heroic boy captain Johnnie Young,
of the same regiment, Captain Kerr,
Lieutenants Campbell, Bolick, Emack.
Weave-, Bouchelle, Babb, Cal!a's, Ra-
gin, and other noble spirits lost their
lives in the gallant discharge Of their
duties, as did also General Lanes
boy-brother, J. Rocker Lane, who was
acting aid at the time.
In the first days fight at Gettysburg
Lanes brigade was ordered from the
centre of Hills line, put on the right
and charged with the responsible duty
OF protecting that flank of the army.
,, in the second day S fight, its skirmishes
under that daring young major, Brown,
of the Thirty seventh, elected by their
dauntless bearing written compl
ment from General Ewell, who was in
command Of other troops. Next day
it was on the extreme left Of the So
called Plckett's charge, and though
tlanked by a large force it retired in
order and reformed in rear of the ar
tillery by order of the battle SCARED
and experienced Trimble How many
Of the brigades in that bloody charge
reformed as close and stood ready to
repulse the expected counter charge?
A Northern military writer informs
General Lane that his brigade has
never had justice done it for its valiant
part in that great battle
After boldly confronting the enemy
at Hagerstown while the Potomac was
q on tear" in its rear, it withdrew in
rain, and after weary nights march
was ordered to act as rear guard to
that portion of the army which crossed
the Potomac on the pontoon bridge
at Falling Waters. There it stood
alone with the spirited young Crowell,
of the Twenty eighth, in charge of the
sklrmish line, unerringly picking off
every man that dared show himself too
close until every other command had
crossed safely; then it retired to the
| Virginia shore in perfect order, and
Gen. Heth, in honor of such unusual
fortitude and success, dofed his hat to
those veterans as they proudly marched
by him in column of fours Next day
when Heth greeted Lane in the rain,
while on the march, he told him it
was an unexpected pleasure, as he
feared when he ordered him to cover
his rear that his whole command
would be killed, wounded or captured.
1t was the guns of this brigade as it
went into action III the Wilderness
late in the afternoon of the fifth of
May that caused Colonel Venable to
remark to Colonel Palmer: "Thank
God l will go back and tell Gen.
Lee that Lane has just gone in and
will hold his ground until other troops
arrive tonight The brigade not only
held its ground but drove the enemy
some distance.
1t was this brigade that left the
works, formed new line and piled
the Yankees in front of it at Spootsyl-
vania Court House, early on the morn
ing of the 18th of May, after
they had broken through John
ston's front. Its gallantry on that
occasion caused London correspon
dent to write to his paper that "Lane's
North Carolina veterans stopped the
tide of Federal victory as it came surg
ing to the right" Later, it was this
brigade that Gen. Lee selected to cross
the works and strike Burnside's corps
in flank, in which assault it captured
between 500 and 400 prisoners, three
flags and a battery Of six guns, but
was unable to bring off the latter, as
they were without horses and could
not be dragged through the woods.
Gen. Lee acknowledged the receipt
of the flags in complimentary note,
written on the battle field, which was
read to the command by the DrIgadier
in person, and was received with the
widest Of rebel yells. Still later in
the day it was that splendid body of
tried men--the rp-shooters of Lanes
brigade-under the dashing and &C
complished Nicholson, who were
requested" by Gen. Lee, through
their brigadier, to make an important
reconnaissance for him in front of
Spottsylvana Court House, though
they had been fighting all day, and
there were fresh troops at hand.
At Jericho Ford this brigade adj
vanced as far as if not further than any
other troops, and held its ground until
relieved that night.
At the second Cold Harbor it
behaved as it did at the first. Here
Gen. Lane was severely wounded-lt
| was ledfeu at the time mOrtally-anu
5 had to be borne from the field.
Around Petersburg it was not kept
in the trenches, but as" flying infantry
or foot cavalry under Colonel:
Barry and Speer, it behaved with it:
accustomed bravery in the fights at
Riddel's shop, Petersburg, Gravel
: Hill and Fussell's Mill.
: Under Gen. Conner it was one O
: the three North Carolina brigades tina
handled Hancock SO roughly in hi
t entrenched position at Reams' Station
{ after the failure of the first attack b,
4 other troops. 1t was this fight tha
/ caused Gen. Lee to write that hand
: some letter to Gov. Vance about tn
K gallantry Of Cookies, McRae's ant
5 Lanes brigades. and also caused tha