The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-01-27

al lHCIOcut tHdI w as OI Llttlc lIH=
portance Outside the Fact That
Young Wyatt Was the First Man
Who Fell in Cause That Was Not
Lost"
Correspondence News and Observer.l
hope you will grant me space in
your valuable paper to correct some er-
rors in Mr.. 0. w. Blacknall's commu-
nication published in your issue of the
9th inst. BY way of preface, however,
| wish to say that have never before
written 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 81
lence might be construed as significant
of my acquiescence 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 we'll as
to the memory of the dead, but also to
historic accuracy, to depart from my
determination far enough to make the
following correction:
In the first place, am not the only
survivor of the squad mentioned in
our comrades communication. Cap
tain John H. 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. That
duty was assigned to our late comrade,
Sergeant George H. Williams, who
performed his duty gallantly. Twas
in the rear, not in the lead.
In fact, this entire incident was Of
50 small importance as compared with
the vast aggregate of deeds of noble
daring enacted thereafter that but tor
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 the many North
Carolinians to fall in cause that was
not "lost.'
Some have said that the enemy was
in force behind the house which we
volunteered 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 very short time before,
but the only Federal there at that time
was one who had been shot through
the stomach and who was afterwards
brought into our lines. The sho,
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 a
short time afterwards.
The last shot fired by the enemy
was the one which killed Wyatt. He
was shot through the head and fell
forward, then turned on his back and
never moved again, though he did no,
cease to breathe until he was put in
the ambulance 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 be-
ginning Of the first up to the time oI
the fall Of Wyatt were as follow: 1t
was stationed across a little stream
about one hundred and fifty yards in
advance of our works Cleft fronD as
skirmishers. Wyatt and were
sent out by Capt. Bridgers to our left
to observe the movements ofthe enemy
in that direction. They returned and
reported that we were about to be Gu,
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 te
return to our position and hold it al
all hazards, which we did, until we
were ordered to the right of our line.
to support Captain Avery Burke Ri
fles) who was supporting a Howitzer
under command of Capt. Brown
placed in some earthworks at the heaC
of an old mill dam on the other sid.
of the river from the church and ou
main works. AS We crossed owe
from left to right we were subjected t
a cross fire, one from a regimen
which had advanced in the field TO tn,
house which was afterwards burned
and the other from the advance of Col
onel WintnrOD'S cOl,,mn which ma n.
the moss determined attack tha, wa
made upon our works during the en-
gagement. Winthrop was killed With,
sixty or eighty yards of the lef, angle
of our lines. While making this ma
neuver, two Of our company wer
wounded in front of the church. Tn
, first one | saw was private Charlie
Williams, wounded in the arm nea
the shoulder. The other was private
Council Rogers, sho, in the breast,
serious wound, the effects of whic
caused his death some years late,
When the enemy advanced on ou
right in the house field the Howi,ze
above mentioned was accidental
spiked by one Of the cannoneers, an
the works were abandon by order c
Col. Hill. Captain Avery, toge,he
with the battalion Of Virginia unie
command of 1t. Col Stewart re,urne
to the main works When our com
] pany had advanced to the breastwork
recently abandoned by Capt Avery