The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-23
cCharlotte obse-ver.)

N1Hd4AOLNI CbS[-sEAt
Editor Observer.
In Sundays august 13. 1892 issue
OF the Raleigh Post was published a
sketch OF the T~hirty-hfth North CARROLL
ma Regiment in the war between the
States, by Colonel w. H. 5. Burgwyn,
in which there are several incidents OF
the battle OF S~harpsburg in regard to
Colonel Matt. w. Ransom. Adjutant
Walter Clark, First Lieutenant W. n.
s. Burgwyn and Private William :.
Hood. OF Company II. hat Colonel eur
gwyn neglectS to mention. ModASty
prevents hun rom making a personal
allusion and as TO the others doubtless
he had forgotten, but General Matt.
Ransom has not forgotten them, for in
a conversation with the writer a few
years ago he said hat he distinctly re-
membered the incidents, and / am con-
ident that Judge Walter Clark C.Little
Clark" as he was endearingly cal.-d ~
the men of the regiment, a mere boy,
Is years old, and adjutanD has not for
gotten them, for he has a memento en-
graved upon one Of his hands which
will never efface from his mind the
scenes of that bloody day.
When going into the fight that morn
ing the field officers had all ~Gismou~ted
except Little Clark" VINO persIslently
sat in his saddle when a big mountain
private, l think from Company 3, ran
forward and pulled the adjutant from
his horse, e~xclaiming, git off'n this
horse, you darned little fool, you'll git
killed" when a minnie ball struck
Clark on the hand, the mark of which
1 think a be seen today. just prior
TO this, when our regiment had filed
through a gap and in forming line OF
battle by changing front forward on
the first company, in their eagerness to
get into line several companies became
e~ntangled and seemingly confused,
when Colonel Matt w. Ransom called
for the colors. / being in command of
the two color companies &C and h l
ordered Stewart, the c~Olor-bearer Ga
veteran of the Mexican war; to give
the colors to Colonel Ransom. His reply
was I'll be id if I do it," Then
Burgwyn and 1 took the colons from
him and Lieutenant Burgwyn carried
them forward and gave them to Colone.
Ransom, who was still mounted on his
horse in front of the regiment, and called
to Lieutenant Colonel John G. Jones
to tell his wife and children, if killed
that he carried the colors of his regi-
ment in this charge. Fortunately, how
ever, Colonel Ransom was not wounded
in this fight, although exposed and un-
der fire nearly the Whole day. Late in
the afternoon, when We had charged
and driven the inner from the bat
terry on the hill in our front and could
not hold it on account of flank batteries
that seemed to concentrate their fire
upon the abandoned battery, we re-
treated to our original position, about
800 yards, at foot of a hill in the woods.
In a few minutes thereafter a Yanke
officer, Mount on a boo-tail horse,
rod up to the abandoned battery, APP
parently to view our position, when l
SuppOse 100 gun were fired at him. He
sat unconcernedly upon his horse, when
Colonel Ransom cried out: Cease fir
ing; don't shoot that brave mani The
Yankee officer, wheeling, retreated a
deliberately as he had come. A short
time thereafter, the firing having
ceased in our immediate front and be-
fore Private Hood, of my company, had
volunteered Ito climb the tree for e
eral Jackson, Colonel Matt W. Ransom
came to my company 1--WE were all ly-
ing DOWN and ordered me to detail the
best man in my company to go orwar
and ascertain the position and nov
ments Of the enemy. Immediately
young Hood spang to his feet and
asked permission to go, and as he
struck a turkey trot" across the field
with his gun at a trail, I could see a
smile Of admiration upon the face of
the old Roman when heaSked the name
of the boy soldier, and commanded me
to lie down, and to report to him upon
Hoods return. Hood was one for at
least an hour (Which was a long time
under such circumstances,) so long that
Colonel Ransom and I We're both I'M
easy as to his fate. Finally Hood re-
turned and gave such a satisfactory
statement as to all that he had seen,
that Colonel Ransom complimented
him and ordered him to return to his
company. Hood told me that on the
field among the dead and wounded he
found a Federal field officer badly
wounded and crying for water. He gave
the officer his canteen Of water The Of
f1cer offered ito give Hood his gold
watch and chain and all the money ne
had to carry him within out lines for
treatment. Hood told him that it was
an impossibility; but when he encoun-
tered the Yankee pickets he informed
them of this officers condition and pro-
posed to conduct them to the place