The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-07

| liant Major j. T. Jones. pursues the enemy.
F.! dring with effect 70 the seminary. where
the few survivors are relieved by Pen
| der's division. The red fleld was won,
but at what a cost TO victor ar Well a. TO
Vanqulshed.
Terrible. terrible, was our los We
! entered battle with 500 officers and men.
| Company F ON the left OF the flag, lost
every one OF its 81 men, 81 beng killed
and 60 wounded; Company +, 70 the right
Of the flag, suffered nearly as badly. II
carried So men into the fight, had i XIII
ed and % wounded. and brought out only
two untouched. our total loss on that
day was JS4-greater III number and
greater in per cent than that suffered by
any other regiment on either SIDE during
the war.
We came out WIN only 2l6 men. The
officers OF the regiment We're killed or
wounded. but it, spirit and discipline
were not broken. on the third day the
remnant with coIors flying stepped out.
with hearts OF oak, to take part in that
memorable third days charge. l call the
world to witness that they never ~faItered.
| call the woGlu to witness that these
brave fellows marched with heroic step
up those heights Of death. l call the
. ~ - III I ~ bll1 NbAt ~ 80 o6AAt~
NJ. Brooks and Dan Thomas. OF Company
+, planted the colorq OF the regiment on
the enemy's works and there they We're
defended until captured. out OF our PIC
men. 100 were lost on that TIM. day. Our
total loss in battle. then, was 5SS Killed
and wounded. and 12G missing out of a
total OF 500 engaged OF the missing
there were but few who were not killed or
wounded. The total was near 80 per cent.
Search the records of the world and you
will never find heroism greater or loss
more terrible. Let 10 man think that
these losses crushed the spirit of the re-
giment. 1t was made OF sterner stuff.
Colonel Lane was soon sufficiently recoV-
cred from his severe wound to take charge
of the regiment. 1t suffered the brunt OF
battle at Bristow'S Station, was pronounc
ed the best drilled regiment at the Battle
Of the Wilderness, and brought into that
fight $50 men. and fought there IN
splendid form. many OF those wounded at
Gettysburg having returned, and the num-
bers being increased by recruits. 1t was
in every important engagement in which
Kirkland's or McRae's Brigade was engag-
ed from the Wilderness to A~ppomattoX.
Its Colonel was wounded five times and
twice saved from death by the quick
workmanship of his men. 1t suffered
! terrible privations in the trenches around
! Richmond; it was in the line broken at
Five Forks, and yet it was at Appomat-
tox where it surrendered 100 more muskets
than any other of the North Carolina re-
giments except one, the 18th, which sur
! rendered only two more. Such was the
regiment that crushed the hne OF the
best troops in the Federal army on the
first Of July. 1863.
/ cannot close without in my humble
way paying tribute to my fellows who
lost their lives in those bloody conflicts
and whose bones lie buried on the field
of battle. O. nv noble comrades. you
poured your life blood for a cause you
loved. But YOU are not reckoned among
the dead. In the affectiOnate remem-
brance Of your comrades you still live.
They were baptized in the same baptism
as you. The kinship thus engendered is
stronger than death. They love to re
count the history OF your heroism and
their eyes grow dim as they do it. Then
of the generation that has arisen since
the dread conflict, who now move in your
old haunts, your deeds are the pride and
Inspiration. All our State rings from end
to end with e~ulogies of you. The youth
of our schools and colleges recount your
praises year by year: your fame is safe
with them. And more than all, dearest of
all to Southern souls, your memory is
cherished by the tenderest hearts and
faireSt hands of our SOuthland-the
Daughters of the Confederacy. At all
our State capitals they are raising lofty
monuments III your honor. they are mark
ing every grave with the white slab of
remembrance that your names may never
die. Year by year they deck your last
resting place with flowers Wreathed by
their own far hands. Year by year they
water your graves with tears that rise
from hearts full of grateful and loving re
membrane of you who suffered death as
champions of Southern homes. Then, my
comrades, count it not idle that your re
mains lie on foreign soil. 1t is foreign soil
no more. We lost our cause, but we have
won back our place in the American
Union. Pennsylvania and North Carolina
are sisters now, and like d sister. Penn
sylvania is caring for you. Her nOblest
sons and daughters are pleading for a
statue of Lee to overlook the scenes which
last you saw, and are coming to regard
you as brothers. They address your old
Colonel as "Comrade." Year by year the
relentless temper of war is giving way
to the gentle tones Of brotherhood and
peace. Your yalor is coming to be re-
garded as the common heritage OF the
American nation. 1t no longer belongs to
your State alone; it no longer belongs to
the South. 1t Is the high water mark OF
what Americans nave Zone and can do.
The day Is soon coming and is already
here, when your heroism will be as much
admired IN Maine as in Texas: in Cali
fornia az in Carolina. Your deeds chal-
lenge the wonder of mankind. You have
brought everlasting renOwn on your ma
tive State and the dear old 26th North
Carolina. I give you the highest tribute
"a comrades tears.