The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-17

onei Parker and General Ekhodes
Richmond Va-) papers OF December
It'll that the Thirtieth North Carolina
regiment, Colonel F. NJ. Parker. fought
side by side with with the Stonewall
brigade at Charlottesville. Is doubt
less a mistake The Thirtieth North
Colonel Parker's good g~eneralship,
dash. and fighting qualities Of himself
and his brave men, fanked the yankees
and saved the day. General Rodes was
evidently misinformed about the Stone
wall b~rigade's charging with the Thir-
tieth North Carolina regiment. AS ev-
idenee, in his report he says that the
troops in the front line refused to
charge, and later that none Of the
troops in Ramseur's rear would move
up. / enclose extracts from the wal
record reports n a letter from Colo
mel T. NJ. Parker, now brigadier gen.
eral, Third Brigade, L. c. W, North
Carolina division, which corrects the
error. . Respectfully,
JAMES I. NETS,
Enuelu N. u, January 10, 1879.
My Dear CAPTAIN Nets:
Referring to your kind letter of jan
uary 18th, / will say that / have always
thought that Rhodes was misinformed
as to the movements of his division i'm
the Charlottesville fight. AS you
know, Ramseur detached me early in
the morning of the 3rd of May (Sun-
day. to support Major Pegram's bat
terry, with discretionary orders to re-
main with the battery as long as l
thought it necessary, then to rejoin
him or fight upon my own responsible
ty. After leaving the battery / at
tempted to rejoin Ramseur, directed
by what 1 took to be his firing, on my
route, l came upon a considerable body
of troops, lying in al irregular way,
observing no alignment, i asked VIA
troops they were; was told that they
were Jones Virginia brigade. 1 asked
for General Jones, n was told hat
he was not on the field. 1 then asked
why they did not go Harvard, and told
them that every man was needed at
the front. The answer was, they a
no orders to advance. 1 hen invited
them to join me; that / intended to
charge a line of breastworks, which 1
discovered on my right, and occupied
by the enemy. Not a man joined me.
There was more than one brigade of
these troops. My men moved over
them. We attacked the works, drove
the enemy from them. After resting
long enough to get my men in good
trim, l charged a column of yankees,
which was moving to attack our troops
on their flank. 1 drove them back, cap
turing a good many prisoners. l then
moved in the direction of the Chancel-
lorS house. Being so far in advance
Of any Of our troops, Stewart, taking
me for a yankee regiment, opened two
pieces of artillery on me, n / was
saved only by the act of one of his
aids, Captain Randolph, we ran his
horse down the plank road near enough
to me to satisfy himself, and so report
ed to his chief. If the StOnewall bril-
gade joined me any time during that
day, l never knew it. / SO wrote Gen
eral Cox, as soon as his piece on Ram
seur was published. Cox wrote me that
he forwarded my letter to the publish
ers Of the Southern Historical papers.
Referring to recollectiOns of Ramseur's
order to kick the fellows as they pass
ed over them, General Grimes told me
that he himself stamped them on the
back with all his might as he walked
over them. Thanking you for your kind
interest, / am, Captain,
Very truly and fraternally yours,
F. M. PARKER.
WAR RECORD REPORTS.
Major General r. E. Rodes, in his re-
port of the battle of Charlottesville
says: Ramseur, after vainly urging
the troop in possession of the first
line of i~ntrenchments to move forward,
obtained permission to pass them, ana,
daShing over the works, charged the
second intrenched line in the most bril-
liant style. The struggle at his point
( was 1nnor and obstinate h1It the CHARGE
on the left Of the plank road at this
time caused the enemy to give way on
his left, and this, combined with the
unfiinching determination Of his men,
carried the day and gave him posses
sion of the works. Not being support
ed, he was exposed still to a calling
fire from the right, with great danger
Of being hanked. Notwithstanding re-
peated efforts made by him, n by
myself in person, none of the troops in
his rear woul move UP until the old
Stonewall brigade arrived on the
ground and calamity III con-
junction with the Thirtieth North
Carolina regiment, Colonel F. M. Par
ker, of Ramseur's brigade, which had
been detached to support a battery and
was now on it's return. In mentioning
those who distinguished themselves
for gallant and meritOriOuS in
this battle, he names among the Off
GERS Colonel F. M. Parker.
Brigadier General S. D.. Ramseur, in
his report of the Charlottesville cam
paign May %, 1853, Saturday
} night our division occupied the last
line of battle within the intrenchments
from which the routed corps of Siege
had fled in terror. My brigade was
placed perpendicular to the plank road
the left resting on the road, General
Doles on my left. 1 placed Colonel F
NJ. Parker, Thirtieth North Carolina
on the right of my brigade; Colone
R. 7. Bennett, Fourteenth North Caro-
DINA, on the right centre; Colonel w
r. Cox, Second North Carolina, lef,
centre, and Colonel Bryan Grimes
Fourth North Carolina, On the left
Sunday, May 3rd, the division, being in
the third line of battle, advanced about
9 O'Clock to the support of the second
line. After proceeding about one-fourtf
/ IF q milo I was annlied to nv Major