The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-01
Ghe Wlrssengm.


to consider some of the points in Pro-
lessor d. H. Hill's excellent article in
saThe Confederate Military History"
Only the other day this work and Pro-
fessor Hills paper were mentioned in
the Messenger. The paper should be
carefully read by every young man-al
who have come Upon the field of action
since 1866, and even the gray heads n
the ball heads might read the valuable
and lucid article with pleasure and sat
isfaction.
Professor Hill shows why and how
the battle of Gettysburg opened and by
whom. North Carolina was In it.
Pettigrew's magnificent brigade, so
foully slandered by the Yankee hh5to-
rian Swinton, and by the Virgintan
Pollard and some others wa in the
opening engagement as it was in. the
grand charge ON the third day. Pro-
fessor Hill notes that in the battle of
Gettysburg Pettigrew's North Carolina
brigade lost Gin killed and wounded
(not prisoners) 208 more men than any
other brigade in General Lees army"
He refers TO "Dr. Guilds casualty
List, Rebellion Records" After this re-
cord Swinton had the hardihood and
baseness to say that it was made up
Sin considerable part Of North Carolina
comparatively green" Professor Hill
shows how %groundless this statement
is. 1t contained regiments that had
done much excellent fighting.
Professor Hill takes up in order the
First Day and gives a clear, admirable
account of the operations of that part
of Lees army that was engaged. OF
course in this place we can give but a
mere glance at the events. The North
Carolinians were engaged in strong
force and fought with great dash and
intrepidity. He quotes from Captain
Louis G.. Young, of Charleston, now a
lawyer of distinction, writing of the
first day in Our Living and Our Dead"
(which this writer edited,) who says
admiringly:
Opposite to our left wing, composed
of the T~wenty-sixth and Eleventh
North Carolina troops, the federals
fought desperately, infiicting so heavy
a loss that too few were left for a sue
ceesful bayonet charge; but our men
pressed on persistently, until the enemy
was driven pack to his entertainments
CThis refers to the line of rails on
Seminary Ridge mentioned by General
Doubleday just outside of the town, |
and from which he was quickly driven
by Pender's fine division. No troops !
could have fought better than did Pet
tigrew's brigade on this day, and l will
testify on the experience of many hard
fought battles, that I never saw any |
fight so we'll. Its conduct was the ad-
miration of all who witnessed the en- |
gagement; and it was the generally ex-
pressed opinion that no brigade had
done more effective service and won
greater fame for itself than this had.
The prisoners themselves testified that
they. native to the soil ON which they
were fighting, had fought with unusual
determination, but that there was no
Withstanding such an attack
Take all that in we'll before you adj
vance further. See what was done by
the North Carolinians and how splen- ,
didly the statement of Swinton is re- j
futed by the valor and spirit of the
green troops under Pettigrew. Gen
eral A. P. Hill in his official report |
said:
"Pettigrew's brigade, under the lead |
ership of that gallant officer and &C
complished scholar, Brigadier General
J. Johnston Pettigrew, (now lost to his
country fought as we'll, and displayed
as heroic courage as it was ever my
fortune to witness on a battlefield.
The Eleventh North Carolina regiment,
Colonel C. L~eventhorpe commanding,
and the Twenty-sixth North Carolina
regiment, Colonel H. K. Burgwyn, Jr.,
commanding, displayed conspicuous
~gallantry, Of which l was an eye-Wft-
ness. The Twenty-sixth North Caro-
lima regiment lost in this action more
than half it's numbers in killed n
wounded, among whom were Colonel
Burgwyn killed and Lieutenant-Colonel
Lame severely wounded. Colonel Lev
%enthorpe, of the Eleventh regiment was
wounded and Major Ross killed. n
E1ICy-S6cOUu dIlu EOIIy -SCNChIh, OA eA0
right of the center, were subjected to a
heavy artillery fire, but suffered
less than the Eleventh and Twenty
Sixth North Carolina regiments. These
regiments behaved to my entire salts
faction"
Pender's magnificent division fought
with it's accustomed bravery. Scaless
brigade made an heroic and successful
charge upon the enemy. General
Scales although badly wounded In the
leg ordered his men to charge the hill.
VERSIONS and Daniels brigades fought
with great gallantry and persistency,
and lost very heavily. Iverson's men
were almost destroyed. Professor Hill
SAYS "the men comprising VERSIONS
lime of battle did fall almost in their
tracks" General Rodes in command
of the division said, as reported by