The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-08-29
AFTER MANY YEARS.
TRAGIC DEATH OF A BRAVE YOUNG
NORTH CAROIINIAN.
The Fate Of Lieut.. John Caldwell,
Who Fell at Gettysburg In the Fore
front of Battle-After 4 Lapse of
Twenty-four Years the Story Is
Told In Detail.
(GastOnia Gazettf.

Told In Detail.
(Gastonia GazettI
The following article clipped from
the Richmond Di5pateA was enclosed
in private letter to the editor from
Gen. James A. Lane, Of Auburn, Ala,
and will, We know, be OF great inter
est to all our readers:
AUBURN, Oct. and, 1887.
EDITORS DIspATCH.-Not long since
l stated publicly that many of the
newspaper articles about "Pickett's
famous charge" at Gettysburg on the
3rd Of July, which l have read, in
speaking ofthe North Carolina troops do
not even mention my brigade and
others from that state.
was then very politely requested
by you to write for publication my
recollections Of that bloody but un-
successful, charge, and have since re-
ceived similar requests from others
strangers as we'll as personal friends.
have nothing to add in the way of
historical facts to my official report Of
that battle and two letters written
by request, the Southern Historical
Society papers. In the same papers
will be found communication on the
same subject from Gen. Trimble, who
commanded part of Pender's division
Lane's and Scales brigades) in that
third days charge. Gen. Trimble
ought certainly to be an impartial
Judge, as he commanded US then for
the first and last time. A perfect
stranger to us all, he took charge of US
| on the battlefield, made US short
address, and with his staff and
part of Pender's he rode in the rank
of file closers as we advanced, lost one
ofhis legs and fell into the hands of the
enemy when Gen. Lee withdrew from
Gettysburg.
The accompanying very interesting
article from the Richmond Dispatch
tells of the gallant bearing and sad
fate of one of the numerous lieutenants
of my brigade in that deadly charge
which hope you will republish for
the special benefit of our Southern
youth. For, as Col. Clinton, of your
city, has just publicly stated, "The
want Of knowledge among the ris-
ing generation-our Southern youth,
grown up since the war-of the trusted
and faithful sons of the South, who 50
grandly fulfilled their pledges with
their lives, their fortunes and their
sacred honor in the defence, is abso-
lutely appalling"
| Yours respectfully,
| JAMES II. LANE.
| A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
A Raleigh On. Co. letter says: One
of the romances of the war has just de-
veloped here, in which the only son Of
one of North Cardinals governors
figures. Governor Tod r. Caldwell
during the war resided in handsome
style in the quiet little town of Nor
canton. OF an old honored family,
he was proud and had but one object
of intense affection-his son John, a
handsome lad not twenty years of
age. In the winter Of 1862 this only
son begged to be allowed to 60 to the
army. Entreaties were of no avail,
and his father and mother at last con-
sented with tears, that he might join
the army of northern Virginia. He
enlisted in the Thirty-third regiment
of North Carolina infantry, in Lanes
brigade, Pender's division, A. P.
Hills corps, Co. E.
When the campaign opened in 1856 )
no soldier was more daring than young
Caldwell; he was soon promoted from
the ranks. In May he was made a
second lieutenant for his gallant and
meritorious conduct. His regimen,
went into the Pennsylvania cam.
paign. -
At Gettysburg he was present and
in the hottest of the fight. On the
, afternoon of July 3rd, 1862, his regi.
ment swept up in slope within fifty
yards of the federal lines, went closer
yet, and bayonets were crossed. Sud
denly the line moved back a little
Young Caldwell was never seen alive
after that. He was at the from,
when the backward movement began
. His father used all the influences o
. money and position to find the los
=, soldier, but unavailingly. The au
thorities refused to allow the graves tt
be opened. 1t could not be ascer
I tanned whether he was dead or alive
e and the matter became one of th'
e most terrible uncertainties. Unde
the strain the minds of the father ant
mother were nearly overcome. Th'
father, srimly nursing his great sor
row, forbade any one to mention tn,
sons name, and the terrible story wa
never alluded to, even by the mother
In 1871 General Caldwell becam
governor of the state. Two year
/ later in 1873. an ex-confederate sol
: dier named Lucas, from Hyde county
!. was elected to the legislature, ant
; came to Raleigh. Some one told hin
. one night the sad story Of the death
: or supposed death, and mystery G
John Caldwell. The next day Luca
= called on the governor and told hin
! the truth at last. Lucas was in an