The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-05-06
TRUTH AT LAST
TO LIGHT ABOUT THE BATTLE
OF GETTYSBURG.
ihe Part North Carolina Troops Bore
in That 7enorable Three Days'
Fight-Justice Being Done Them
at Last-Read the Record as Given
by Fair and Unprejudiced Writers.
wilmington Messenger.)

W styoo ooo' was IOuSHL we
wrote communication for newspa-
per IN reply to one-slded and SLAM
derous article in a Richmond VA
paper on the third days charge, and
the conduct of the North Carolina
troops on tine third day. We have
been writing since that time OCCASION
ally concerning that battle. Intelligent
North Carolinians generally know of
the Misrepresentation and lies that
have been told relative 10 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 tcsti-
mony can be found in Moore's '.North
Carolina history" The truth is being
more clearly exhibited both as to Get
ty~burg and other battles and the claim
set up for North Carolina is being
fully established as the facts are more
clearly revealed. Just what is publish
ed now by eye witnesses is just what
Nocth Carolina historical students
have known all along.
We have referred before to the IN
terestlng fact that the gallant Captain
William r. Bond, of Scotland Neck,
had prepared volume on Gettysburg
and some other great battles. 1t is
a loss to the State that 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 gratlied to
know that the book would soon be
published. Some how North Carroll
mans ought to see that this is done.
The Gettysburg Battle eField Mem
orial Association has published an ac-
count OF that tremendous battle that
lasted for three days, and but for
Longstreet would have resulted in a
victory for the Confederates, as We do
not doubt. The book, We learn from
Captain Bond, through an article in
the Scotland Neck Democrat, was the
work OF MIR. John NJ. Vanderslce. Of
him we know nothing-whether of the
North or South. He is not a North
Carolinian, and he had the confidence
of the Assoc alton as he was selected
10 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
=. p.easure by North Carolinians who are
North Carollnians indeed, and will
confirm the published statements of
native witnesses of the battle as we'll
as other sources of information known
to us. OF the assault made upon Gem
etery 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 MIR.
Vandersplice states that the three
North Carolina regiments lost more
than the five Louisiana regiments,
according to the reports. What a
monstrous liar is history, especially
when written by ignorance and false
hood
The third days assault upon the
heights known as Cemetery Ridge is
very graphically presented. Pickett
advanced with 1900 men. OF these
but 1000 returned to the line. But
this, we take it, does not represent the
killed and wounded, but captured and
scattered also. At any rate, Petit
CREWS and Trimble's divisions, (the
latter North Carolinians entirely, the
former with but one North Carolina
brigade in iO lost some 1000 men.
The author says these troops suffered
as severely as Pickett's. Now for an
edllying quotation from Mr.. Wander
slice:
Great injustice has been done these
troops by the prevailing erroneous i'm
preston that they failed to advance
with those of Pickett. Such is not the
fact. (Mr. Vanderslice puts this last
sentence in italics.) AS they were forme ed
behind the Seminary Ridge. they had
over thirteen hundred yards to march
under the terrible fire to which they
were exposed, while Pickett's division
being formed under cover of the imme
diate ridge, had but nine hundred yards
to march under fire. At the tirs, the
assaulting columns advanced en- eche-
Ion, but when they reached the En-
mittsburg road they were on a line,
and together they crossed the road"
Mark, but Mr.. Vanderslce does no
mention it; Pickett was not only {
quarter of a mile nearer and had tha
much less ground TO advance over, bul
he did not move until the enemy:
heavy batteries had been PRACTICAL,
silenced by the Confederate artillery
Mr.. Vanderslice asks:
but why call this Plckett's charge
In Pickett's division there were titteel
Virginia regiments. In Pettigrew' 7
and Trimble's there were fifteen Nortl
Carolina, three Mississippi, three Ten
nessee. two Alabama and four Nlr
ginia. The troops o
Trimble's and Pettigrew's division be
haved as gallantly as those of Pickett.
The amount of lying and misrepre
\ J.,
Gettysburg is positively staggering