The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-21
PORTRAIT OF
THREE COLONIES
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80 strongly tempted to embrace. He had
none of those vices so common to young
men of that or this day.
He was as pure in mind as young
virgin. His filial affections were beau
tifnl to contemplate His high respect
and reverence for his father, and deep
love and veneraton for his mother were
conspicuous traits in his noble charac-
ter. Their slightest wish was law unto
himself which he obeyed with alacrity
and pleasure. No one who partook of the
hospitality of that delightful home on
the lower Roanoke, can ever forget how
attractive and charming he was in the
social circle.
In religious matters he was a member
of the Protestant Episcopal church, and
showed forth his religion in his daily
life. His was in all respects beautiful
~ rounded character, a perfect exempli-
6cation of the old Horation line: Get in
sc ipso totus; terres atque rotundus."
And when the history of the civil war
is written by some impartial hand, as it
will be, no finer theme for the historian
will be presented than that of the youth
full commander Of the Twenty-sixth
North Carolina. who nobly persisted on
the blood-stained hills of Gettysburg in
behalf Of his country liberty.
TWENTY SIXTH REGIMENT.
And who are the men who composed
the gallant Twenty-sixth?
They came from the counties
of Alamance, Arson, Ashe, Cald-
Randnnh
Wake, Wilkes and Union. Carrying
themselves nobly in the battles of New
bern, Malvern Hill, Rawle's Mill, it was
at Gettysburg that they won for them
selves a crown of glory that is immortal.
The annals of modern warfare fail to
show, in any one command of equal size,
so large loss as that sustained by the
Twenty-sixth regiment in that fearful
battle. The official figures tell us that
out of 500 men, rank and file, taken into
action so were left to report for duty
after the thre days fight. Company b
carried in SO officers and men and
brought out only three untouched. Com
pany f, consisting of 80 muskets and
3 commissioned officers, lost every man
killed or wounded. Every man was hit
and the orderly sergeant who made out
the list did it with a bullet in both legs.
Take the most dreadful encounters OF
modern times, the British infantry at
Salamanca, the Old Guard at Water
loo. the Light Brigade at Balaklava.
/ use no exaggeration when l say that
they pale into significance compared with
the loss sustained by the Twenty sixth
North Carolina charging those fearful
heights at Gettysburg.
Against those heights crowned with
artillery supported by three lines of in
fantry blazing forth volcanoes of fire
fraught with leaden hail deadly as
streams Of running lava, the Twenty
sixth pre-, 4 nobly on. Their heroic
young CT ael and lieutenant colonel
with ten ,thers already had been shot
down colors in hand, when at last they
he'd been triumphantly placed on the
works of the enemy.
All honor to those gallant men who
thus immortalized themselves on the
pages of their country's history!
Let us hope the Gay is not far dis
tant when North Carolina will be per-
mitted to erect a monument out Of her
native granite over the graves OF those
heroes on the spot they so nobly per-
ished. And when that tall shaft is erect
ed, cleaving the sky, ON it should be in
scribed in letters of living gold, these
men fell here fighting for the honor of
North Carolina and in defense of their
native land.
Time alone prevents me from giving
you more extended account of this gal
liant regiment. Did it permit, l would
tell you of the heroic part they played
in the battle Of the Wilderness and in
the incessant fighting that occurred after
that bloody contest, eliminating at APP
pomattox On some other occasions
tongue more loquent than mine can do
justice to this noble theme.
But on some future day, when those
who fought for Southern independence
shall have passed away, and only the
history of thei Industrious deeds re-
main "a heritage, which God forbid our
children shall never be robbed, the
bright and glorifed record Of the Twen-
ty-sixth North Carolina will thrill the
unborn generations and incite them unto
high and noble planes of action.
Truth is eternal; and when the history
OF the war between the States is writ
ten Alright, and full justice melted out to
North Carolina and her brave soldiery,
no page will be read with brighter eye
or prouder heart that that on which is
written the record of the gallant regi-
menu OF WHICH nave udue prieI meH-
tion on this occasion. That record will
forever shine bright and clear as the
stars of heaven and be vermore kept
green in the hearts Of an admiring and
grateful posterity.
have now the honor OF presenting to
Your Excellency what is now the proper
ty fthe State of North Carolina.
JUSTICE MONTGOHERY'S SPEECH
OF ACCEPTANCE.
| have been honored in being request
ed by Gov. Russell, in his place, to re-
ceiye this painting, a gift from the kins-
people of the respective subjects to the
people of the State Of North Carolina.
Compliance with the request, it is need
less to add, gives me pleasure.
IL is q heaufiful niece OF work. both