The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-23
PENDER,. GALLANT CAVALIER
OF THE OLD NORTH STATE
One of the Knghtlest Soldiers That Drew Sword for
the South. He Never Held His
Proper Rank.


at Weldon, whence l walked across the
railroad bridge over the Roanoke river,
wide, imposing stream at that point,
growing wider and grander as it rushed on
to its outlet to the Albemarle Sound.
was bound for Garysburg, in Northamp-
ton county, some mile OF so beyond the
river, where there was Confederate
camp. an object of profound interest to
North Carolinians in the eastern and mid
die part of the State. There were COM
panies there from Granville, Warren,
Halifax and other counties. Captain Will
liam Dorsey Fender was in charge, and
capital officer he was. l saw for the
first time $500 men on dress parade, and
there beheld for the only time the al
ready distinguished, gallant, and efficient
soldier, for he had participated in battles
in the west in which his command IN the
United States Army had been engaged.
1 never knew him personally, was not
near enough to him to study his face, OF
which might here attempt description.
Having been two years at Lovejoys Mil
itary Academy at Raleigh in 1856, where
| was captain, / felt an interest in mill
tary discipline and manoeuvres, and had
some technical knowledge necessarily of the
drill l was impressed with the ease with
which Captain Fender controlled his
freshly extemporized army, and how
when in line he could glance at it and
detect readily any unmilitary attitude or
movement His frontier service though
rough had brought to him excellent eX-
perience and the art of command. He
served In the United States Cavalry for
four year in New Mexico and on the Pa
cific slope, if / remember correctly. He
was an active participant in two engage
ments known respectively as Four Lakes
and Spokane Plains He attracted the
attention of his superior by his GOODNESS,
efficiency and bravery. He was born in
Edgecombe county on 3rd February, 1884.
His boy-life was on farm. AT fifteen he
became a store clerk of his brother in
Tarboro He entered West Point through
the favor of Representative Thomas Ruff
fin, and his relative, Colonel r. l..
Bridgers, and was graduated with honors.
In his class were Lieutenant General
Stephen d. Lee, of Mississippi. and Major
Generals Curtis Lee and j. l.. B. Stewart,
of Virginia. He married in 1859 a daugh-
ter of Representative A. H. Shepperd, OF
Salem. In 1860 he was stationed at San
Francisco and was Adjutant of his regi-
ment. Upon Lincolns proclamation he
resigned from the United States Army,
and was appointed Captain of Artillery.
He was elected Colonel of that splendid
fighting regiment, the North Carolina
Third. Later he was transferred to the
Sixth Regiment. He was promoted to
Brigadier General upon the field of bat
tie known as Seven Pines. He was wound
ed at Malvern Hill, but not disabled, and
at Chantilly, where wool hat saved him
from mortal wound in the head. He
was at Harpers Ferry under Jackson, and
his plan of attack was adopted. At
Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellors-
vile, and Gettysburg our able, faithful,
prompt, resourceful, brave soldier was
conspicuous, most useful and successful.
In the war magazine l edited for four
teen months for Col. S. d. Pool, 'Our Liv-
ing and Our Dead there is an account OF
the battle of Fredericksburg, Va, that
was fought on 18th December, 1862, from
which l make an interesting extract. Mr..
j. r. Cole writes the paper:
Lane and Archer first meet fiercely
the massive onset, but reel stagger waver,
retreat. The triumphant enemy pursue
over the railroad, over the plain, into the
woods-they rush to their death. Early
comes sweeping down on the right; Hoke
dashes into the advancing columns; Gregg
and Thomas rush upon them in front;
Lane and Archer reform and madly fall
upon them again; Fender closes in on the
left, charging in person at the head of his
staff.
Death rides upon every shrieking shell.
Bloody bayonets and flashing
sabres clash and ring amid the carnival
of death and terror. The chivalric Gregg
of South Carolina, has fallen to rise no
more. Our own Fender, bloody and ex
hausted, has been carried from the field
General Pender made fine impression
upon General Lee and other leaders. He
was the youngest officer of his rank In
that battle. General Ambrose P. Hill,
Virginian, in his official report of the
battle, says;
From the nature of the ground occu-
pied by Pender's brigade, and the entire
absence of all protection against artillery,
his brigade received the greater part of
the terrible fire directed at Davidson and
Latimer, and suffered severely. General
Fender was himself wounded and his aid,
Lieut.. Shepperd, killed whilst gallant
" ralying portion of the 18th regi-
ment of Lanes brigade.
During the temporary absence of Gen
eral Fender, the command of the brigade
devolved upon Colonel Scales of the 18th.
The two batteries suffered much by the
fire of heavy line of skrimishers. Colonel
Scales directed Major Cole, of the 22nd
n. c. to dislodge them, which was hand
somely done. General Fender, though
wounded. resumed the command of his
brigade as soon as his wound was dress
ed
Lieutenant General 7. j. Jackson, the
glorious "Stenewall in his report writes:
THE brigade of General Fender was
Immediately In rear of the batteries of
Captains Davidson and Latimer and was
without any protection from the enemy's
artillery; and thus, notwithstanding the
accuracy of the batteries acting in con
junction with Major Cole, of the 22nd