Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-17

other Bradley was behlnd, Dut lio "ouN
running at his best. voiley was hteu
at US as il by company. not from VIle
house. but from the road toward our leit'
As we were well drilled in skrmishing'
all of us instantly dropped TO the grou'u'
Wyatt mortally wounded.
'.He never uttered a word, or groah'
but Law limp on his back, his arms eA-
tended. one knee up, and ciot 3i Diood
on his forehead as large as man hst
He was lying within four feet OF me anu
this is the way / saw him when l t"lsteu
my nose out Of the ground ana lookeu
around AS soon as we laid down VII
liams and Fallon returned the IRE.
aid not shoot becaushe | did not see the
enemy. While lying there-it seemed
very long time perhaps, five minutes-We
heard Captain Bridgers order US 10 Ie-
turn, which we did in run.
eve did not bring Wyatt out but re-
ported that he was killed, and shortly
thereafter some of the boys brought him
in. | remember Harrison Lyon was one
of those who went for him.
"Our regiment returned TO yorktown
that night. where we brought Wyatt ana
where he died. He must have been uh-
conscious and insensible from the time
the bullet struck his forehead.
'DTo look at Wyatt one would take MN
IN he tenacious of life: low, but robust, in
build; guileless, open, frank, aggressive
Those of US who were with him when
he was killed were detailed To bear MS
body to the Richmond boat and he was
taken to that city and Inferred.
Il will show you the map and ! trust
my recollection will restore to history
what it has lost by the lapse OF time.
your friend, ,
JOHN II. THORPE"
This statement, in a private letter TO
me corroborates the statement of George
r. Williams. except that Williams ala
not remember to have seen Mr.. Bradley
among the volunteers. Captain Thorpe
Is certain that Mr.. Bradley started Dut
aid not see him afterward. Any one &C
ouainted with that clever gentleman
knows that Mr.. Bradley is gallant enough
To have been one of the heroes. nave
never heard his account. but what ne says
would Ego" anywhere
But how M Blacknall could ignore
CAPTAIN John II. Thorpe is mystery
though of course it was done unlnleh-
tionally.
You will note. Mr.. Editor that Captain
Thorpe gives the glory OF the hrsI Dalue
TO our own beloved "Tarheels, term
which all Of us Confederate soldiers pear
with pride as it means adhesion 10 uuty'
DOSSEY BATTLE.
Tarboro', ~ c., January ZOtn.
PRESERVE THEIR PICTURES.
To the Editor.-I read Mr.. Bradley's ac-
count of the death of Wyatt with mucn
interest. There had been several versions
Of the affair. which was the reason that
I made the request for him to give 1t as
II was. Some years ago there was pup
lisbed i'm a State paper-the News ana
Observer If my memory seryes-an artl-
ole which gave the number Of volunteers
and stated that Bradley was a rev steps
i'm advance Of Wyatt when the latter Iell'
Mr.. Bradley modestly disclaims any
merit for the act In that such deeds
formed the common staple of Conf derate
soldierhood. But a seasoned soiuler ana
an unseasoned one is rarely the same
man. Men learn to face death with Ioru-
tude. as they learn to face other trying
things in life, by slow degrees. IL must
have required courage of a high order Tor
those Young men who had never faced
death in any semblance TO look INTO ms
suddenly unmasked Nsage that bright
June morning. a..
II was then that not only the hrst
North Carolinian. as hlr. Bradley states,
hui the first Confederate fell IN line OF
battle. Indeed, l believe that wyatt
was the first to fall on either side, Tor
Major winthrop was xiv I'D later rms
and the fact that the deed will look down
i'm letters of stone from the Confederate
monument in Raleigh upon all future
of North Carohnlahs-Ior
when force or time rs suffered 10 over
throw il we will be no longer North Caro- I
linians-give it unique interest. mere
fore. everything connected with IL should
be preserved. / should much like TO see
pictures of these men as they then looked
placed I'm the State Library. The /
could be kept I'LL oppor-
tunity offers to enlarge them. All risk
ed what Wyatt lost Only chance I'M
mortalized him instead Of one OF them as |
the pro-martyr OF the South.
At last | come to what / started Out
10 say. Mr.. r. NJ. Arlington, OF Wash |
ington. ID. C.. had called my attention |
70 the presence with Wyatt OF Mr.. !
4 fterwards Captain. Thorp. who still |
lives near Rocky Mount. Mr.. j. NJ. |
Cutchin. Of Whitakers. n. c., who was
a member of Wyatt's Company, the /
ICdgecombe Guards, writes me that there !
were five young men that volunteered /
to burn the house at Bethel. giving the |
tenth ones name as Phallou. as ] read I
IN. | have written 10 Mr.. Cutchin and |
to Captain Thorp for their recollection |
Of the incident. as during these many |
years some interesting particulars may |
have escaped Mr.. Bradleys memory.
o. w. BLACKNALL.
KittrelI. ~ c., January 10Th