The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-06-07
Errors I'm North Carolina History
Red Springs. n. c.. May 30.

LsI4 SRE t88S. y. 49, may ~
Editor Messenger:
That there are many errors In our
history no n can doubt. who viii pro-
perly investigate.
Wheelers history says the battle of
Elizabetatown, N. c.. was fought in
July 11S1 without mentioning the date
OF n month; further, that the wings
were commanded by Colonel Thomas
Brown Local traditions / found do not
SUSTAIN these statements In 1866 the
writer saw a statement written in 1916.
by James Cain. who was a participant
in the engagement in -Elizabethtown
and who stated positively that the bat
tie occurred on the morning OF Septem-
Der %, 11S1. F~anning's Narrative, Sc
cured by Colonel Wheeler from Nova
Scotia In 1860, and published by him
during the war between the states,
while the date Of the battle is not
given. proves the fact that the battle
did not occur in July, but during the
month Of September. Subsequently, /
obtained n published Gains account
Of the battle written in 1916 and in
n for publication in The Fayette-
vile Observer. In this accoun given
by James Cain it is positively asserted
that the battle occurred on the morning
Of september %, 1881. reiterating his
written statement made in 1916. 1t is
further asserted by Cain that Colonel
Thomas Robson commanded the wings
in the engagement. Incidentally, he
mentioned the fact that the wings
waited till the moo went down about
an hour before day" before making the
attack.
AT the request of this writer a calcu-
lation was made at the Office of The
Nautical Almanac in the city of Wash
ington which proved the fact that the
moon ven down at the time mentioned
on the mnrninO nf SQnfapahor Doth The
officer who made the laborious investi-
cation remarked that it was strong
c~orroborative proof of the truth of the
soldiers statement.
In further confederation of Gains
statement in regard to the command
ing officer in the battle l saw and care
fully noted the papers left by Colonel
Robson and among them were various
receipts given by the si%xty-nine men of
his command to Colonel Thomas Robe
son for money paid them for services up
to disarmament.
l ave In my possession a letter from
Colonel Sampson, dated Sampson Hall,
September 18th. evidently Die style)
1871. written at high to a friend, stat
ing that a messenger had just arrived
announcing a great victory by Colonel
Robson at Elizabethtown on the morn
ing of the 18th. Adding ten days to the
18th as the difference between Did and
e styles then, we have the date of
the battle on September 18th. Colonel
Brown who was the ranking officer in
Bladen was incapacitated for service on
account of wounds received at Hoods
Creek previous to the affair at Eliza
BEETHOVEN. He arrested Cononel Sings
by at Browns Landing September Both
and sent him back to his residence
above Elizabethtown. where he died on
the night of September 31st, n was
buried near the Cape Fear river on
land now belonging to the estate of the
late Hon. j. w. Russ.
We should have state pride enough to
fix the date of this important engage
ment.
Up to a recent date no one disputed
the authenticity Of the resolves of May
81, 1775 at Charlotte town but for nearly
so years the authenticity of the declara-
ton Of May goth was disputed and there
may be doubling Thomases yet. The
Investigation made by DR.. George Ora
ham and Professor Alexander Graham
Of Charlotte resulted in some a~stonish-
ing facts. Not a single particle Of evil
dence could be produced to show that
any resolves were ever passed at Char
lotte on May Goth or 31st.
DIR. Hawks made a lengthy address
at Charlotte before the late war and he
speaks of the resolves as if passed on
May Goth! Any one who can read the
proofs of authenticity made by the
Messrs. Graham and longer have any
doubt hat the Scotch-Irish held a
meeting on the 18th and goth Of May
1775 and adopted the famous declara-
ton, would doubt any fact recorded in
history.
1t is amazing how ignorant some of
our leading men are in regard to i'm
portant historical events One of he
orators at the centennial at Charlotte in
1879 smoke %eloouently of our gallant
f~orefathers who threw the tea over
board at Wilmington in 1875! YET no
one seemed to know hat the orators
history was at fault.
Histories differ as to the date of the
battle Of Guilford Court House. Two
southern histories give different dates.
I have seen it stated that Robert
Rowan was the author of what is called
the Liberty Point Declaration publish
ed at Cross Creek, June 20, 1775. That
declaration was prepared by h Will
mington committee Of safety and sent
to several committees and passed by
them simultaneously on June Goth. (See
proceedings of Wilmington Committee
of Safety
Great injustice has been o n to the
memoir of Colonel Alexander Lilling-
ton by giving to Colonel CaSwen the
| honor of having commanded the whig
forces at Moore's Creek Bridge in '76.
| Our people make history but do not
record it. II we write history let us
write it correctly. H. Mem.