The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-23
FIRST At Be HEL
More Light on the Heroism
of the Five.
CAPT. THORPE WRITES
HIS RECOLLECTION or TIE
DEEDS COMMEMORATIVE IN
MARBLE.
MR.. BLaCKNALrS ESTIMATE CORRECT
The Pictures Of the Five Brave Young MeI
Should be Placed in the State Lib
raries--Wyatt the Pro-Martyr
of The South.
of The South.

raries-Wyalt the Pro-Martyr
of The South.
TO thc Editor: In your issue of January
18th | find an article from o. w. Black
nall, aren't the killing of Wyatt at
Bethel on 10th of June, 1861, and from
THAT article | clip the following:
"As lis usual for perious service,
volunteers were called for. Then
Bradley, Wyatt and Williams re-
sponded, left shelter of the breast
works and sprang forward under
point blank fire to burn it. Wyatt
fell and the two survivors were
ordered back"
This shows how incorrectly and I'M
consciously the truth of history may be
perverted and an inaccuracy, oft re-
peated. is taken for fact.
Having heard the relatal Of the Incl
dent-one of the most notable in the
heroic annals of the civil war-frpm
both Capt. John II. Thorpe and Geo.
Il. Williams, lately deceased, and hav-
ing published the same i'll the Tarb)rO
Southerner while | was it's editor, | was
ton in the article alluded to.
In order that the true account might
be placed on record before the last sur
vivor had gene to answer the final roll
call, | wrote to Capt. Thorpe requesting
him to write his recollections for me.
This he did in the sub0ined letter Capt.
j. III. Thorpe was ais gallant ii soldier
as he is modest as a gentleman. He
4 i,
with distinction of our State University,
and for the last three years of the war
was captain of Co. "a" 47th y. c.
Regiment.
AT Home, Near Rocky Mount.
january II. 1898.
Dear Sir: Your very kind letter was
received hast night and = am deeply
grateful to you for ct. 1t also recalls
a similar kindness and honor you did
me several years ago by pubic speech or
newspaper article in Tarb0ro.
1.-The fact is this: Bethel incident-in
the light of rapidly succeeding events
has always seemed TO me Il trivial affair
and were no other than myself counted
with it, | would say it has received far
more praise than it deserved. How
ever, for the sake of North Carolina,
and especially EdCecombe county, every
citizen of which has uniformly been kind
to me, | take great pleasure in telling
you what came under my eye ON 10th
June, 1861
First, let me say, that Bush Geo.
IT, Williams did not remember that r.
III. Bradley was one of the heroes,
but l do remember it. ! viii 20 to town
Tomorrow and show you a good map
of the battlefield OF Bethel and
explain so as to show what hon0rs ac-
crued to North Carolina. ! can show
You how the Elgecombe Guards did
most Of the infantry fighting on the
Confederate side in that battle.
II am going to have the check to tell
you that before the battle opened the
Edgecomhe Guartbs-Co. A, LIST Rpgi-
ment, as | Will hereafter call them--were
sent a long way in front, on the left OF
the New Market road. as skirnishers,
with orders from Col. Hill to watch the
Back River road to Hampton. and if
any of the enemy crossed the road for
us TO retire to the entertainments.
well. as soon as Company A formed
a skirnrish Fine. Capt. Br;dgers sent
Wyatt and myself to do picket work far
to his left and front to watch the road
and report if any one crossed. We went
about 800 yards. when Wyatt stopped
and | went still further to his left.
Soon after this the cannon opened fire
and / saw u body of the enemy cross
the road still to Om left. My heels took
me rapidly TO report of course to where
Wyatt WINS POSTED. and he, too. had seen
them. We hurried and reported the mat
ter to Capt. Bridgers. Up to- this time
gun had not been fired by Company A..
Capt. Bridgers ordered u retreat OF
course this was done in confusion, as
Company \ had not been caIle1 to
order. We waded Back river as we
came to It, and al we ran over the
little bl'elst-wOrks into another COM
pany, AIagrnder, commanding the Con-
fedcrates said some ugly things to us.
not knowing Capt. Bridgers was obey
ing orders. Captain Bridgers tried to
explain, but was not allowed to do so.
"AlagrRlCr ordered ms back to our
former position and we promptly obey
cd, though this WAS II most difficult
thing att that stage of the war. The
body Of the enemy We saw crossing the
road was doubtless commanded by the
gallant Major Winthrop, who struck our
left frank am hour later, and, but for
whose fall-shot dead in advance OF his
troorS the history OF Bethel might have
been different.
Company A became engaged with
the Federal skirmishers at once and We're
firing and being fired at when Capt.
Rfidgers wgiS ordered in for the pur-
pose of recapturing an advanced post on
our right, abandoned Try our side and
the cannon spiked. ] am not certain
but think ii was understood thGlt those
of Company A who were wounded Tex
cept Wyattl Charles Williams and others