The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-05-16
RINGWOOD LETTER.
Interesting "reminiscences of the War
Local News, &c.
RINGwooD. n. c., May 18th, 1895.

RINGwooD, n. C., May 18th, 1898.
EDITOR GOLD LEAF:-We are having
an abundance of rain though many are
transplanting tobacco with every indl-
cation of a fine crop. Cotton has been
cut off half. There are fine prospects for
fruit in this section.
Miss Sallie Lewis, aged about SOyears,
died last Thursday. A kind, hospitable
and generous soul has gone to rest.
The outside of your last issue was
composed of very interesting selections,
rs they usually are, and could not TAIL to
attract attention and please your
readers.
The "reminiscences Of the war recently
published in your columns has elected
inquiry from many. My company (B,
Nichols old company from Franklin and
Nash, had been guarding the bridges on
the r. & G. R. R. Its Captain was Pas
Nichols, a very clever gentleman who
was captured at Rocky Mount on return
ing 20 his command when the Federals
made raid on that place. He was
taken to prison and was never heard
from afterwards. George Pitts, of Nash
county, was a Lieutenant. He soon died
of fever in the Wilmington Hospital. w:
S. Mitchell, from Franklin county, (still
living) was First Lieutenant and became
Captain. Lieutenant D. n. Stills was a
good soldier in war, and still lives, hon
Ored and respected by his surviving com.
rades and hosts of friends at Cedar Rock.
James Bunting was also Lieutenant
and has died since the war at his home
near Hilliardston, Nash county. Lieu
tenant John Pitts, now living at
Stanhope, Nash county, was in some
very close places with the boys and
stood up like man.
Our company, with several Others that
had been on local duty, was taken to
Kinston in the spring OF '63 and formed
into Battalion and commanded by
Major C. &. Wright, of Fayetteville. He
tramped us all over the swamps of
Eastern North Carolina. The Major on
his big gray horse Jim with his colored
man Archie, took us sometimes 20 to
80 miles a day through the mud, and
often times water knee deep, looking for
Yankees but very rarely finding any.
We tramped from Tarboro to GAINESVILLE,
to Winton. to Colerain, to Murfrcesboro,
and Franklin, Va, at which place we
remained some time, taking daily tramps
up and down the Black Water.
Soon after this the Goth Regiment was
formed by combining Wright's and
Nethercutt's Battalions. The officers
were: Colonel - Moore, q forget his
initials, A. D. l believe) a young, smooth
face, boyish looking man, though every
inch soldier and strict disciplinarian,
who was killed by his rashness while
standing on the breastworks looking at
the enemy through field-glass, against
the remonstrance of the soldiers Meth
ercutt then became Colonel and Major
| Wright Lieutenant Colonel.
While the Regiment was not among
the first formed, it participated in some
| of the severest and most fatal battles of
| which we participated, was at Bermuda
| war ships, landed troops and came out
in the direction of Petersburg My
| recollection is that we were then under
Major-General Whiting, and he was
severely criticised afterwards for not
| capturing Buffers army before they
| could return to the cover of their gun
boats. Anyway, | received my baptism
| of fire. on that occasion. At sunrise one
| beautiful morning in June, l think, we
| were ordered to charge and we drove in
| the pickets of the enemy. Not, however,
| before Lieutenant Colonel Lamb, of 7th,
who was in front of the line cheering his
men onward, was MORALLY wounded and
| several killed. General Martin was along
| with his command, cheering them on in
| the charge. 1t being my first battle, |
| was excited, but moved on with the rest
and drove in the pickets and coming to
the main line we had warm reception,
their batteries pouring a terrific fire into
our lines, killing and wounding many
But have not the time to give detailed
account of any battle.
Afterwards we were engaged in the
| following battles Cold Harbor, Drewry's
Bluff, in the trenches around Petersburg,
and had a terrible experience at the
battle of the Crater. From thence we
came to Wilmington on Christmas Eve,
1864. General Butler had landed some
| troops to attack Fort Fisher in the rear
while his fleet bombarded in the front.
1t was dark, rainy, cold night and we
camped near enough to the gun boats to
hear their bands playing, and if light
| was seen bomb from their guns imme-
diately came screeching in that direction
We worked all night throwing up breast
| works in the sand and water.
After the fleet had retired we went to
kinstOn, where we were engaged in one
| of the bloodiest battles of the war. Our
company lost four men killed outright
| and many wounded, among them Orderly
Sergeant T. jeff Wigs, brave and
gallant boy, who died under an opera
| ton at the Hospital in Raleigh. In this
| battle Colonel Nethercutt had his horse
shot from under him and many brave
men were killed. From kinston we went
into camp near Smithfield until the
advance of Sherman's army We retired
towards Raleigh, making O stand at
Bentonsville, engaged the enemy and in
one OF the hardest fought battles of the
war held them in cheek for some time
But we were worn out, half fed and hall
clothed, and after gallant resistance
were forced to retire before superior
numbers and passed on through Raleigh
on the evening that Sherman's army
took possession of the city. Our Regi.
ment moved on towards Greensboro and
surrendered with Johnston's army.
| These are some OF the recollections of
a then mere boy II years old who fol.
lowed the fortunes of this Regiment
through its various vicissitudes and one
cognlzant OF the fact that they did Their
duty as did all the blood-baptized sons
OF the old "Tar Heel' State and helped
in the honor OF her soldiers whose grand
| achievements contributed to make the
name OF North Carolina immortal. From
the Cape Fear to the Susquehanna Their
bones are scattered upon every field and
their names and deeds should be recorded
upon the pages of history And l an
proud to see that Judge Clark, a brave
young soldier in war and in peace one o.
North Cardinals most able and gifted
and honored sons, has periodically
determined to preserve the record Of
their valiant deeds.
G. Z. MATTHEW'S,