The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-06-06
THE HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
TROOPS DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
BY ISABELLE GARY.


paper read at the closing exercises OF
Henderson Graded School May II, 1e0l-)
In the early sixties when the cry
was '.to arms. to arms for liberty"
there came forth a band whose motto
was TO do or die" When the
South was calling for volunteers the
troops Of the Old North State were
the first to answer to the call.
North Carolina, was the last to secede
but one of the first to volunteer for
her own native Southland. Scarcely
had the meeting adjourned in Ala
bama when a regiment of Tar Heels
were ready to defend their State.
These men inherited the love of
liberty from their forefathers, who
arms against England, the mother
| country, therefore nothing could
daunt them.
The history of North Carolina's
troops is unsurpassed for they were
first at Bethel and last at Appomat-
| tox.
The various historians seem to diff
| fer as to the number of men sent by
| North Carolina to the battle grounds
OF the Southern Confederacy. At the
| lowest estimate it is about 121, 900
while the highest places it above 1885,
| OOO Therefore the exact number is
somewhere between these figures.
| Taking the usual statement that all
the States together sent out 6O0,O 900
men it will be seen that our State
| furnished one-fourth of the soldiers
who for four years maintained the
most heroic struggle in all human
history. The number of our soldiers
during the war was greater than the
number of voters. Why? You will
say, because boys not yet out the
school rooms left their books to 90
forth to battle. Men of every station
were on the battle field. Great law
yers like Pettigrew and Ransom,
statesmen like Branch, Clingman and
Vance, ren in charge Of great mer-
camille establishments like Tucker, of
Raleigh, and Hendrich, of Whining
ton, large planters like Cox and
Grimes, laborers and mechanics, men
who were secure by their positions
like Houston, of the Governors staff,
and Burgwyn, and others, all ten
dered their services to the State in
this hour of trial and fought like
brave men they were to the close or
died on the field of honor
North Carolina's troops were first
on the battle field. Hill and his regi-
ment of Tar Heels were on the battle
| Eo1l al
that young Wyatt laid down his life
for the country he so loved, being the
first killed in the war. The Old
North State was ably supported at
First Manassas by the gallant Cononel
Fisher, who died at his post of duty
that fatal day. Our troops figured in
the battle of Yorktown, and seven
days, battles around Richmond, at
Charlottesville and the Wilderness
| On the night of Stonewall Jackson's
wound, two young North Carolinians
were in one regiment while their
father was in another on a differcn,
part of the field. At night news
reached them that their father wa.
killed on the field of glory. The
younger man asked permission Of the
other, who was the commanding Off
Ger, to 90 and look after his father
NO. said the officer, ''father is be
yond our reach. Tomorrow the coun
try will need every man at his pos
and | cannot let you GO
With this spirit unsurpassed by any
generation before the honor Of the
South was upheld. Do we wonder why
Lee, after seeing them display theil
heroism, exclaimed, s:All honor to my
brave North Carolinians"
Although the North Carolnian
were the best troops provided for
they, too, sometimes suffered many
hardships, marching for days without
any thing to eat or nowhere to res
their wearied head at night. Where
are the men who can endure hard
ships like these men did? Hardl,
can we find them. That generation
is fast passing away. During all thu
sufferings Of the war the troops were
} comforted by the knowledge of having
Governor who would protect thei