The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-01-25
Brave Tar Heels.
NOTABLE INCIDENTS OF THE BAT
TIE OF SHARPSBURG.
The Career of Hood, a Mecklenburg
Private-Adjutant CIark's Narrow
Escape-Col. r1att w. Ransom as
Color Bearer-The Conspicuous Part
Borne by Our Distinguished Towns.
man Col. Burgwyn.
Correspondence Charlotte Observer.

Correspondence CnarIOtte ODSerVer.)
In sundays august 13, 1899 is
sue Of the Raleigh Post was published
sketch of the Thirty-fifth North
Carolina Regiment in the war between
tn states, by Col. w. H. S. Burgwyn,
in which there are several incidents
OF the battle of Sharpsburg in regard
to Col. Matt w. Ransom, Adjutant
Walter Clark, First Lieutenant w.
H. 5. Burgwyn and Private William
:. Hood, of Company H, that Col.
Burgwyn neglects to mention. Mod
c,ty prevents him from making a
personal allusion and as TO the others
doubtless he had forgotten, but Gen.
Matt Ransom has not forgotten them,
for in conversation with the writer a
few years ago he said that he distinct
ly remembered the incidents, and |
am confident that Judge Walter
Clark (''Little Clark" as he was en-
dearingly called by the men of the
regiment, mere boy, l6 years old,
and an adjutant,) has not forgotten
them, for he has a memento engraved
upon one OF his hands which will
never etface from his mind the scenes
of that bloody day.
When going into the fight that
morning the field officers had all dis
mounted except ''Little Clark who
persistently sat in the saddle when
big mountain private, | think from
Company B, ran forward and pulled
the adjutant from his horse, exclaim
ing, ''Git otf'n this horse, you darncd
little fool, you'll git killed." when a
minnie ball struck Clark on the hand,
the mark of which think can be seen
to-day. Just priCr 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 entangled and
seemingly confused, when Col. Matt
w. Ransom called for the colors.
being in command of the two color
companies &C. and HI l ordered
Stewart, the color-bearer "a veteran
of the Mexican war), to give the
colors to Col. Ransom. His reply
was .'I'll be ID if do it, Then
Burgwyn and l took the colors from
him and Lieutenant Burgwyn carried
them forward and gave them to Col.
Ransom, who was still mounted on
his horse in front Of the regiment,
and called to Lieut.-Col. John G.
Jones to tell his wife and children, if
killed, that he carried the colors Of
his regiment in this charge. For
tunately, however, Col. Ransom was
not wounded in this fight, although
exposed and under fire nearly the
whole day. Late in the afternoon,
when we had charged ard driven the
gunncrs from the battery 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 retreated to
our original position, about 800 yards,
at the foot of hill in the woods. In
a few minutes thereafter a Yankee
officer, mounted on bob-tail horse,
rode up to the abandoned battery,
apparently to view our position,
when | suppose 100 guns were fired at
him. He sat unconcernedly upon his
horse, when Col. Ransom cried out:
''Cease firing; don't shoot that brave
man." The Yankee officer, wheeling,
retreated as deliberately as he had
come. A short time thereafter, the
firing having ceased in our immediate
front and before Private Hood, of my
company, had volunteered to climb
the tree for Gen. jackson, Col. Matt
w. Ransom came to my company 1--WE
were all lying DOWN and ordered me
to detail the best man in my company
to 90 forward and ascertain the posi-
ton and movements of the enemy.
Immediately young Hood sprang to
his feet and asked permission to go,
and as he struck a turkey trot"
across the field with his gun at a
trail, l could see smile of admira
ton upon the face of the old Roman
when he asked the name Of the boy
soldier, and commanded me to lie
down, and to report to him upon
Hoods return. Hood was gone for
at least an hour (Which was a long
time under such circumstances, so
long that Col. Ransom and l were
both uneasy as to his fate. Finally
Hood returned and gave such salts
factory statement as to all that he
had seen, that Col. Ransom compli-
mented him and ordered him to re-
turn to his company. Hood told me
that on the field among the dead and
wounded he found Federal field
hol aI onl for
writer. He gave the officer his can
teen of water. The officer offered
Hood his gold watch and chain and
all the money be had to carry him
within our lines for treatment. Hood
told him that it was an impossibility
but when he entered the Yankee
pickets he informed them of this
officers condition and proposed to
conduct them to the place where the
officer was lying, which proposition
was readily accepted. The officer
was laid upon stretcher and carried
within the Federal lines. Hood could
easily have been captured, but his
magnanimitv and kindness toward
this wounded officer gained for him
ILt tliOu VI CtSl
who treated him kindly, gave him
coffee and allowed him to return to
his command. Gould any but Amer
lean soldiers have done this?)
A short time after Hoods return
Gen. Jackson asked Col. Ransom for
a man 10 climb tree. Hood again
volunteered, as Col. Burgwyn states,
except that he did not take his shoes
eff in jiffy," from the fact that he
had no shoes on his feet, they being
so sore he could not wear any. He
was not only barefooted but ragged
dirty and lousy. His condition. how.
ever, was not an exception, as There
were Others"
After our retreat across the Po