Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-11
AGsLLsNT NORTH CAROLINA REGIMENT
How II Carried Its NeY Flag al
Gettysburg.
VERY RAGGED COMMAND.
Richmond Ladies Come MODIFY 10 '"'
Relief-A Very Amusing Adventure
Well observation-disclosures OF
pany ID, sixteN,th Virginf" AZ"
MoNAsKON. August s. 1925.


In your issue Of the 9TH ultimo appe%e -
an article taken from the Greeh'liie
Is c. Mountaineer in regard 10 uie
battle Of stanton River Bridge IN JUNE
1854 which more than verihes "h@'
remarked In a letter. recently PiD"a"'D
In YOUR valuable paper-viS' ths' VIZ
have 70 be extremely cautious no" as
70 what we accept as history espe'''iS
he history Of recent events. Inc "ii'ei
If the description Of this S'aunlo" i''''
ha.tie has fallen into several grave e'-
rorr. which. If left without corteO'ioi'
v,ouH d, very serious inkm'lce 70 ''ie
r,sve men from the adjacent counties anu
a,gsyhere who took part In that ilgh' anu
vcho helped as much as our sai''"'
Md from South Carolina, TO MAKE d
p,ccess sscopd 10 none. CONSIDERING 'ne
numbers engaged and it's consequence
n, that time 20 our armies around hich-
nond and Petersburg. which were ue-
-,.na.,, on the Danv1lle railroad lot INC
.o,,t snd outlines Indifferent commls-
sary stores with WHICH ell had 10 u
couteuted.
was this condition of affairs which
,nsae both General Lee and Generai
Pee,fregarp anxious about these Iohs
hr,daes ON the Danvilie line. Inc writer
had been. without seeking the losiOiOIl,
assigned 10 the charge OF tle ueIeHCNo
of al the important points aIoHs tIv
1oan,.iue railroad, and later also OF an
- G.fences from Burkville u lynch
iurs, Including the High Bridge, where
W. constructed very important ana heaFy
works for It's defence. =
Nv immediate superior officer In me
xrarl; Of erecting ara Strengthening these
oefeucss at MGttOax, stanton luFer' anu
OF much qualification TO have MN Visit
I5igh Brpdgts was General Beauregaru'
then at Petersburg. aud II was source
,ne and 60 receive his approval after IN
spect.on, Of tine 1Ortihcations erected.
Tfnon being assigned 10 this duty | re-
Iieve1 Colonel j. Lucius Davis, who was
1hen in charge Of the work in its lneipi-
ency AT Buri,Ville.
soon after nay assignment several COM
NAMES ~ Virginia reserves were ordered
nv General Kemper. then commanding
the reserve corps OF Virginia. TO rem
devious at Staunton river and report
10 me. They were at once put 10 work
erecting Notifications near and command
ing the bridge After my earnest and
repeated application TO the Ordnance De-
usrtmepf we were furnished with sax
smooth bore six- FOUNDERS and after twice
visiting Richmond for this purpose !
sucAeeded in having sent TO stanton
Bridge two 2O-pOund Tide-cannon.
DISPOSITION OF THE DEFENCES.
In the mean time we had been busy
erecting fortincsuons and basttons and
completing our magazine within the tort,
near the bridge. aud on the I1ght as APP
rtoached from Danvilie- 1t would have
been folly 10 have placed any artillery on
tbs east VI the river, as the rising ground
on the west terminated abruptly WITHIN
a few yards OF the river, while on the
east. on both sides Of the railroad, there
was a low plateau extending for several
hundred yards. 1t was this plateau which
We arranged TO cover with our small guns
and as IL subsequently proved, they were
well located for this purpose Their ef1ec-
tive service on the enemyS columns on
cbe left OF the railroad prevented us from
having TO simultaneously contend with tre
whole force OF the enemy, SO much iarg II
and better equipped than our own.
Soon after the Federal force was de-
tachpd under command OF Generals hantz
Shears. and Wilson from the army neal
Petersburg Tor the purpose OF destroying
The railroads and telegraph wires IN the
[-onfederates' rear and cutting of our
connection with the lines further south
General Beauregard Informed me by spe-
cial courier of their movements, and 'tna'
4 might expect an attack from them
that they had struck the south side. and
algo the Danville road, and were destroy
ing these and moving in the direction ol
oar position"
at once sent courlers off, urging the
citizens at home to como with what guns
end ammunition they could to aid In de-
fence Of the bridge and railroad. y spe'
rial messenger and letter 10 Colonel stan
hope FlournOy aroused him at night, and
ais immediate response HELPED greatly &c
,nthuse the people. who. young and old
volunteered and were ready 10 meet the
rnemy.
Your Greenvills correspondent r. en-
tiely mistaken in saying that Coione
Coleman aud myself differed IS 10 placing
"a force OF infantry on the east side Of
the river end on both sides of the rail
road at the east end OF the BRIDGE nor die
Coleman have any portion Of his com
nand," or any command, other than wha
] assigned him. which were the forces SEN
ne by Colonel Withers from Danyill'
and two of the companies previously al
the bridge.
We had already commenced TO form
rife trenches. and as there was ranf
growth OF weeds over the plateau, i Ill
rected the men not 10 allow any advance
firing on the east side Of the river oul
men beng wei concealed. as the GROUND
declined slightly towards the river. They
were ordered not 20 deliver their fire un
I'll the enemy Was at close range.
With the remainder OF our force we de-
iiverCd an effective fire on tho enemy
from squads stationed In the willows
along the bank below the fort on the right
OF the bridge and from within the fort
This Ere was with what range rifles We
had there. and We could plainly see tho
connection raised among the enemy
cavalry from our two heavy pieces Of ar
tillery. az the troopers dismounted pre-
paratofy 10 forming for a charge. To tho
constant firing Of our long-r range rifles
on the south side. and TO the work OF our
artillery. no less than 10 the ihraptry in
the trenches on the east side, vas due
the success OF the day.
We had a number of good men in this
nght-l2Ss total-and the enemy was rep
resented 10 have at least three times AZ
many: anS this seems more than proba
bic. Judging from the fact thst three gene.
,ngy were with the command
Capta.o Paul Edmunds, now a member
" COn2.es. from the Sixth Virginia Dir
r5c1 yoiunttolod his services as did Colo
aeI Coi0nan. and bs and Colonel Flour
poy, waom I had stationed with what
cavalry wo could mount, including num-
Der OF gentlemen from the surrounding
,ounty, AZ the ferries on the river mile
D. two above sad below the bridge. did
most effective ssryice The enemy recon-
noitred these places with view 10 cross.
fpg and attacking us In the rear. or fol-
lowing up such advantages az they would
t..,a Qafped ny crossing 20 burn and de-