The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-20
A : neville Ci'izrn.

The fourth volume Of the reg imentaI
histories OF North Carolina troops is
about ready for the press. AS the
North Carolina troops al Chicamauga
we're from the Western part Of the
state the following from the advance
-heets Of the fourth volume is par
ilcularly interesting. The editor,
Judge Walter Clark, says in ex-
planation Of this portion Of the his
tory being wiitten by Clinton A.
Cllley, A. A. e., II Federal officer:
1t may >eemer singular that tins az
count Of North Carolina troops should
be written by Federal officer. but
ne was in the battle on the other side
and as it happened just opposll.
North Carolina regiments. Being
we'll informed as to the location he wa :
appointed by Governor Carr, Chair
man OF the Commission, to visit The
field and locate the position of the
troops from this State. This sketch
Is an extract from his report. After
the war he located in this State and
Was one Of its best citizens"
This account is as follows:
Governor Carr, in order that the
valor and devotion Of the five repi-
ments from this State which fought
at Chicamauga, hitherto unnoticed
and uncslebrated, should not be for
gotten, took advantage of the Act of
Congress and during the past summer
US93) appointed commissioners tc
proceed to the field, locate the posi-.
ZION of the SixtyFlfth North Carolina
(>ixlh Cavalry, Twcnty-ninth, Thir.
,y-ninth, Fiity-eighth and Sixtieth
North Carolina Infantry, and secur.
the permanent designation of the
anne upon the maps and upon tho
ground
Five Of the seven gentlemen ap
pointed by him on the evening OF the
25th Of October, 1898. met upon the
battle field, and duly organized the
commission by electing Capt. Isaac
Il. Bailey, the senior Confederate
pilicer, chairman; aud Clinton A.
Gilley, secretary and historian. The
'ther mem bers present were Lieuten-
,nts d. +. Baird, and VIM. S. Davis
Il Watauga county, and j. q. He'll, o.
Hickory.
Before going to tho field, the re-
ports OF every Confederate officer wh(
nad commanded North Carolina
roops there, from Captain to Genera
we're read. compared and carefully
rollated. Maps, furnished by the
Var Department., were laboriously
Examined, compared with the report.
md the results thus obtained agair
gone over in the light of the report,
II the Federal commanders. Letter:
received from survivors were ais,
iiled with the reports, and history
As accurate rs the times aud matcria
At our command would allow, wa.
written out, Of each regiment in &C
ton, giving it's halting places, line 0
march, places where engaged, ant
where finally located at the end Of th'
battle.
This preparation showed fou
phases OF the battle of Chicamaug;
especially worth our attention, no
| only as attended with the most i'm
portant results to both armies, but a
showing most conspiculousIy the gal
liant conduct OF the soldiery of Mort
Carolina. We may perhaps be par
loned for saying that. since this grea
struggle has of late been given it
true place in the history of the war
as the most critical of any in tn
West, and will surely take its position
in the history OF the world as one O
| the few decisive battles OF the centur
1t becomes more and more necessar
to put in enduring form the record Q
| North Carolina's achievements there
thus grown to be OF even more tha
national Importance. We noted dow
and each OF these subjects was full
| and patiently discussed between tn
| National Com mission and ourselve
the night before We went over th
ground.
l. The attempt of General Bragg t
turn the Federal left and thus secur
control Of the contested State road
| leading from Lafayette to Chatta
nooga. The attack was opened b
| FORESTS horsemen. Davidson
brigade. in which was the Sixty-fift
North Carolina, Sixth Cavalry too
part in the movement. and we had a
ready secured evidence of the Sixth
honorable position on the right of tn
line. Some eX-Confederate who ha
served under Forrest here. and wh
visited the field few days before ou
arrival, had so located the position
as to corroborate in every way ou
views.
Forrest was soon reinforced by Et
tors Infantry Brigade, containin
the Twenty-ninth North Carolins
who formed. advanced and Tough
over substantially the same grouu
As the cavalry.
AS neither the reports OF the brigad
or regimental commanders of eithe
the cavalry or infantry detachment
have been found or printed, we ha
only to rely upon other evidence q
to the locations. Gen. H. V. Boynto
Of the United States Commission ha
been q staff officer in the brisad
which successfully met the assault
Of Forrest and Ector. so that the
recollection, aided by informatio
collected before leaving home, enable
us to fix the position OF the Sixt
and Twenty-ninth. accurately, an
to the satisfaction Of all who wer
present.
2. The famous break through th
Federal centre about noon on Sunda
Here it was, according to the repo
of Colonel David Coleman, Thirt,
ninth North Carolina. who TOWARD
the close of the day took command
his brigade in consequence of Gener
McNair having been disabled. th'