The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-09
FRIDAY, APRIL o, 1907.
TRUTH COMING TO LIGHT.

wrote a communication for a neWSpa-
per in reply to a one-sided and slam
derous article in a Richmond Na.)
paper on the third days charge, and
the conduct of the North Carolina
troops on the third day. We have been
writing since hat time occasionally
concerning that battle. Intelligent
North Carolinians generally know of
the Misrepresentation and lies that
have been told relative to the North
Carolina brigades that participated in
the famous charge. Men of character
and influence who were in the fight
have given accounts Of what actually
occurred. Many pages of such testi-
mony can be found in Moore's North
Carolina history" The truth is being
more clearly exhibited both as to Get
tysburg and other battles and the claim
set up for North Carolina is being fully
established as the facts are more clear
ly revealed. Just what is published
now by eye-witnesses is just
North Carolina historical students have
known all along.
We have referred before to the in
teresting fact that the gallant Captain
William II. Bond. of Scotland Neck,
had prepared a volume On Gettysburg
and some other great battles. 1t is
a loss to the state hat the volume
has not been published before this. He
is capable, has made a close study Of
the battles treated of and is not afraid
to tell the truth-''to hew to the line
let the chips fall where they may"
We would be indeed very gratified to
know that the book would soon be
published. Some how North Carroll
mans ought to see that this is done.
The Gettysburg Battlefield Mem
orial Association has published an &C
cOuns Of that tremendous battle that
lasted for three days, and but for Long
street would have resulted in a victory
for the cOnfederates, as we do not
~~A1bt. The book, we learn from Cap
cain Bond, through an article in The
Scotland Neck Democrat. was the
work of Mr.John NJ. Vanderslice. OF hin
we know neutrality-suspicious. of the north
or south. He is not a North Carroll
nian, and he had the confidence of the
Association as he was selected to write
it. The interesting part to us is the
fairness of the author, and the justice
he does the troops of our state. We
shall make some quotations from the
book as they appear in the article
aforesaid. They will be read with pleas
ure by North Carolinians who are
North CarOlinianS indeed, and will con-
firm the published statements of native
witnesses of the battle as we'll as 9TH
er sources of information known to us.
OF the assault made upon Cemetery
Hill by the old Fisher North Carolina,
the Sixth. and the Louisiana Ninth,
and miscalled by the lying writer's who
have reported the charge as that of
"the Louisiana Tigers" Mr.. Wander
splice states that the three North Car
DINA regiments lost more than the five
Louisiana regiments, according to the
reports. What a monstrous liar is his
tory, especially when written by igno-
rance and falsehood!
The third days assault upon the
heights known as Cemetery Ridge is
very graphically presented. Pickett
advanced with 1900 men. OF these but
1900 returned to the line. But this,
we take it, does not represent the kill
ed and wounded, but captured and
scattered also. At any rate, Petit
crews and Trimble's divisions, (the
Halter North Carolinans entirely, the
brigade in i) lost some 1000 men. The
author says these troops suffered as
severely as Pickett's. Now for an edi-
flying quotation from Mr.. Vanderslice:
"Great injustice has been done these
troops by the prevailing erroneous i'm
preston tina they failed to advance
with those of Pickett. Such is not the
(Mr. Vanderslice outs this last
in i~talics.) AS they were
formed behind Seminary Ridge, they
over thirteen hundred yards to
under the terrible fire to which
they were exposed. while Pickett's di-
vision. being formed under cover of the
Immediate ridge, had but nine hundred
yards to march under fire. AT the first
the assaulting columns advanced en-
echelon, but when they reached the
Emmittsburg road they were on a
line, and together they crossed the
Mark, but Mr.. Vanderslice does not
it; Pickett was not only a
quarter of a mile nearer and had that
much less ground to advance over, but
he did not move until the enemy's
heavy batteries had been practically
siIenced by the confederate artillery.
Mr.. Vanderslice asks:
"But why call this Pickett's charge?
I'm Pickett's division there were fifteen
Virginia regiments. In Pettigrew's
and Trimble's there were fifteen North
Carolina, three Mississippi, three Ten
nessee, two Alabama and four Vir-
ginia. = The troops of Trim
bIe's and Pettigrew's division behaved
as CALAMITY as those Of Pickett"
The amount of lying and m%isrepre-
sentation done by writer's concerning