The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-03-25

THURSDAY, MARCH 25. 1897.
CAROLINIANSA AT GETTYSBURG
Capt. w. r. Bond recently showed
Us History of Gettysburg Battlefield
Memorial Association, with an account
of the famous battle. giving move
ments, positions and losses of the vari-
Gus commands engaged on both sides.
The book was prepared and publish
ed at the instance of the Memorial As
ISOLATION. The committee appointed
to prepare and publish the work select
ed John NJ. Vanderslice, Esq, to write
the history of the Association, and his
work is we'll done both in giving the
history of the Association and in mi
nutely detailing the famous battle.
OF all the fearful days of carnage in
that four years. awful fratricldal strife,
the three days battle at Gettysburg will
ever live in history as the most men,
CRADLE.
The author says that it was the only
battle fought on Northern soil, North
of Mason and Dixon's line, the then
line of demarcation between the North
and the South. He further says that
it was the bloodlest single battle of the
whole war.
It is interesting to remember that
this famous battle occurred about the
middle of the war, being on the LIST,
End, and 3rd of July, 1868.
But the most interesting part of the
book before us to the readers of THE
COMMONWEALTH is the fairness shown
towards the North Carolina troops.
All other accounts have more or less
passed North Cardinals troops with no
special mention but Mr.. Vanderslice
has given them fair and frequent men
ton and has given them credit for the
part they played in that awful conflict.
In the second days battle when the
Confederates attempted to take Gene
terry Hill, the 9th North Carolina, with
the 9th Louisiana, is credited with
leading the assault.
cit will be noted" says the author,
"that, while the assault is called that
OF the Louisiana Tigers the three
North Carolina regiments lost more
than the five Louisiana regiments, ac-
cordlng to the reports"
The third days battle, the final as
sault uron Cemetery Ridge, the author
graphically describes. He says: cit
opened so suddenly that men were torn
to pieces before they could rise from
the ground from which they had been
lolling; some were stricken down with
cigars in their mouths. :. -.
The earth was thrown In clouds; splin-
ters flew from fences and rocks; min
g,ed with the roar of artillery were the
groans of dying men and the fierce
neighing OF mangled horses. For two
- hours the air was filled with projectiles
OF every kind hurled from two hundred
guns"
Honorable mention Is made of the
North Carolina troops in this bloody
conflict. "When the smoke lifted, y
says the author, :three brigades Of
Pickett's DIVISION we're annlhilated.'
Only about 1900 out of 1890 men
returned to their line. Then the au.
thor states that Pettigrew's and Trim
ble's divisions had lost about 2,OOC
men and that their columns suffered
as severely as Pickett's. e.
The author says: "Great injustice
has been done these troops by the pre-
yailing erroneous impression that they
failed to advance with those of Pickett.
Sach is not the fact. Che italics are
Mr.. Vanderslice's) As they were form
ed behind Seminary Ridge, they had
over thirteen hundred yards to march
under the terrible fire to which they
were exposed, while Plckett's division
being formed under cover of the i'm
mediate ridge, had but nine hundred
yards to march under fire. At the frs
the assaulting columns advanced en-
echelon, but when they reached the
Emmittsburg road they were on a line
and together they crossed the road"