Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-05-08

States had gathered round the camp
| fres once again
A theme OF prime interest in his
tory interested the men in many a
btyouac. This vas the settlement OF
the question as to which troops went
highest up Cemetery Heights At the
famous charge AZ Gettysburg.
Had We space we would entertain
our readers with a eolloquy between
representatives. from several States.
to which the Dallas Times Herald
gave several columns. The subject is
ot such interest that We quote a few
OF the arguments made at this special
bivouae. regretting our inability to
give all:
What State do you think won most
glory At Gettysburg asked Virginia
Why. North Caro..na. Of course" {"
replied the cool -Tarheel
What. sir said an old man. whose
voice and hand trembled as he spoke.
do you mean to tell these old sol
diers that the "Tarheel State can touch
the glorious record made BY Pickett
and his gallant yirginians at Gettys-
burg. where today stands the monu-
ment to Armistead. showing that be
and they went higher up Cemetery
Heights than the troops Of any other
Command
Well there is no use getting ex-
cited said North Carolina 4 sim
ply appeal to the record All soldiers
know that the true test OF pluck and
staying qualities in a battle is shown
By the number OF dead and wounded
The So-called rebellion records show
that the brigade losses at Gettysburg
were As follows: First. Petfigrexs
North Carolinians. second. Davis Mis-
si=sippians: third. Daniels North
carolinians: fourth. Sarkzdale's Ms
sissippians-
Here the Mississippian broke In
with:
-Acd I want 20 say that I heard
Col John " Stone OF Mississippi say
that he watched the so-called 'Pickstr's
charge from the wheat aeId and that
Pettigrew did as well as anybody else.
and that the Mississippians and North
CaroInians went further up the
Heights and stayed there longer than
the virginiaus. and this impartial his
tory will recite-
Here Alabama broke In with.
Gentlemen. have been 4 quiet lis
tener to your debate till now. but I
can remain quiet no longer. | under
stand Col Oates Of Alabama obtained
from Gen Wilcox OF that State in
duhitahle evidence that the troops of
my State went higher up Cemetery
Heights than those CT any other
State. and when We meet agair. IL
ever. this I viii be prepared TO show
Il was to Wilcox Gen. Lee made his
famous saying. 1t was all nv fault.
General
By this time the virginian was
trembling with rage. and. trying in
vain 70 speak. he got up and left.
All very well. gentlemen. but
stand By the record as to Gettysburg.
and viii 90 further. You know it
was at Fort Gregg when North Caro-
Iinians covered themselves with such
glory"
Now. that won't do" said Missis-
sippi. for while there were North
Carolinians there. the only troops in
organization within the fort were Mis-
sissippians. and for this have the
word Of Gen Nat Harris. who ordered
them there. $50 Of them. while with
the rest Of his brigade he occupied
Fort whitworth- There were only $50
Confederates. all told. in Gregg. and
some Of them were from Louisiana:
and you can't claim all the glory for
North Carolina Lieut-CoL Harris OF
the Nineteenth Mississippi was in COM
mand-"
Can't help that. NY friend Gen
Lane Of North Carolina made his re-
port OF that most brilliant piece Of
records. whereas what Gen Nat Ha--
ris had TO say about II was long sub
sequent~
The troops that went highest up
Cemetery Heights in that famous
charge at Gettysburg. as shown By
their dead. belonged to Davis brigade,
composed Of the Second. Fourth and
Forty-second Mississippi Regiments.
and the Fifty-ffth North Carolina
Regiment Col John NJ Stone could
not lead his regiment In battle tha.
day. because he had been wounded il
the first days fight, but though wourt
ed and on erutches. he followed it
with loving eyes from the wheat FIELD.
and only a few months before his
death said that Pettigrew did as well
as Pickett: that the men under Pet
tigrew went further up the Heights
and stayed there longer than the vir-
xinians. There is also Yankee tssti-
mony to the effect that Mississippfs
dead were found higher up the
AAC1&%-lS AA-1A A@41cE VA 1-- 0NA9A SNA
federate command. and this fact
ought to settle this much vexed Ques-
ton. because they had no particular
interest in the matter
Nor Is there any doubt now that to
Mississippi should go the lions share
Of the credit won at Fort Gregg. when
the little Spartan band Of $50. com
posed Of Mississippians, North Caro-
inians and Louisianians. surrendered
TO a whole corps only after their am
munition was exhausted and the dead
bodies Of 500 OF their enemies lay
piled up around the little fort But
nothing IS better settled now. the evil
dence being induhitable and over
whelming, that Mississippians were
the only organized troops inside Gregg
AS to Gettysburg. II there was one
wish dearer to the hearts Of Coils. Pew
er. Stone and Holder than another. il
was that the State OF Mississippi