The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-16
THE MAR TYR, WYATT
The Truths Of III, tory Plainly
Stated.
BY Mr.. R. H. BRADLEY
HE WAS ONE OF WAITS COM
RADEs AND CO-YOLUNTEERS.
NORTH CAROLINA "fIRST AT BETHEL
Because Of the Death of Young Wyatt Who
Fell in Disc age of PeriIcus
Duty.
To the Editor:

Duty.
To the Editor:
/ hope you will grant me space N
your valuable paper to correct some err
rors in Mr.. .. w. Blacknaus communi-
cation, published in your issue of the
9th inst. BY way of preface, however,
/ wish to say that l have never be
fore written a line for publication on the
subject mentioned in this communica-
ton. and it was my intention never to
have done so, but for fear that my
silence might be construed as Significant
of my acquiescene in the statements
which he made and as evidence of the
truthfulness thereof, / feel it to be my
duty, not only to the living as well as
to the memory of the dead, but also to
historic accuracy, to depart from my
determination far enough to make the
following corrections:
In the first place, l ana not the only
survivor of the squad mentioned IN our
comrades communication. Captain John
II. Thorpe, of Rocky Mount, is still
living.
In the second place, | was not the
leader Of the squad that volunteered to
burn the house between the lines. Ihat
duty was assigned to our late comrade,
Sergeant George II. Williams, who per-
formed his duty gailantly. l was IN the
rear, not in the lead.
In fact, this entire incident of which
write was of so small Importance as
compared with the vast aggregate OF
deeds of noble daring enacted thereafter
that but for one simple fact it would
never have gained the notoriety which
has fallen to its lot. The fact was the
fall of Wyatt the first of tho many
North Carolinians to fall in a cause that
was not lost.
Some have said that the enemy was
in force behind the house which we vol
unteered to burn, and that we charged
in the face of them, and that Wyatt was
shot by them from the house. Such,
however. is not the fact. 1t is true that
the enemy had been there in force a
very short time before, but the only
Federal who was there at that time was
one who had been shot through the
stomach and who was afterwards
brought into our lines. The shot which
killed Wyatt was fired by the rear
guard of the enemy, stationed in the
/ corner Of the woods to our left front.
The main body Of the enemy was then
in full retreat, but that was not known
/ by Colonel Hill until short time after
wards.
The last shot fired by the enemy was
! the one which killed Wyatt He was
shot through the head and fell for
ward, then turned on his back and never
moved again, though he did not cease
in 10
| bulance to return to Yorktown that
/ night, some four or five hours after he
was shot
The movements of our company, the
Edgecombe Guards, from the beginning
of the first up to the time of the fall
of Wyatt were as follows: 1t was sta
toned across a little stream about one
hundred and fifty yards in advance of
our works Cleft 'front.' as skirmishers.
Wyatt and were sent out by Capt.
Bridgers to our left to observe the move
ment of the enemy in that direction,
who returned and reported that we
were about to be cut off by an advance
of the enemy from that direction. Capt.
Bridgers ordered the company to retire
to our works, but was ordered by Col.
Magruder to return to our position and
hold it at all hazards, which we did,
unit we were ordered to the right Of our
lines to support Captain Avery Burke
Rifles who was supporting a HowitZer
under command of Capt. Brown placed in
some earthworks at the head of an old
mill dam on the other side of the river
from the church and our main works.
As we crossed over from left to right we
were subjected to a cross fire, one from a
regiment which had advanced in the
field to the house which was afterwards
burned. and the other from the advance
of Colonel Winthrop's column, which
made the most determined attack that
was made upon our works during the
enga cement. Winthrop was killed with
in sixty or eighty yards of the left angle
of our lines. While making this ma
neuovre, two of our company were
wounded in front of the church,. The
first one | saw was private Charles Will
liams, wounded in the arm near the
shoulder. The other was private Council
Rogers, shot in the breast, a serious
wound, the effects Of which caused his
death some years later. When the enc
my advanced on sur right in the house
field the Howitzer above mentioned was
accidentally spiked by one Of the can
noneers, and the works were abandoned
by order of Col. Hill. Captain Avery
together with the battalion Of Virgin
ians under command of 1t. Col. Sewart
returned to the main works. When our
company had advanced to the breast
works recently abandoned by Capt
Avery. the enemy had retired. At this
time Colonel Hill came to our company,
called for volunteers to burn the house.
for fear the enemy might advance I'M
der its cover and use it as a defense
Those who volunteered crossed over the
the breastworks and advanced at a dou-
ble-quick in the following order. to-wit:
George III. Williams, with hatehet and