The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-23

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1 Judge w. a. Montgomery Captain w,
\ y. Jenkins and Majo, a. NJ. Powell. vet.
1 Grams of that field. and they were ac-
1 companied by w. j. P.ee1e. Esq. Chair
man or the State Historical Commission
| to whose patriotism and Intelligent aid
| yo,ir committee and the Confederate Vet
!, Grams are greatly indebted. The localities
| were Identified ard measurements taken
| from which the excellent map of Appomat-
tox accompanying their report was pre-
pared for which thanks arc due to Prof
I w. G. Riddick OF the A. and NJ. College.
The article of Hon y. J. Holt, who
commanded the 18th N. G. Regiment eta
Cavalry at Appomattox, Is conclusive
| that the cavalry made their last charge
very nearly about the time CoX'a Infantry
| fired the last volley and that shortly
before battery Of four guns and 50
prisoners were captured by Roberts
North Carolina Cavalry brigade Ito which
| that regiment belonged) being the very
| last capture made by that immortal army,
which had made SO many.
| NUMBER OF TROOPS AND LOSSES. !
Captain s. A. Asho sustains, from
careful examinations and collection OF
! the records, that North Carolina furn-
| ished by much the largest number OF
! troops OF an state to tho Confederacy.
Lieutenant General Stephen D. Lee,
| Commandments. Chief Of the United Con-
fedcratc veterans) In very recent nd. 4
dress ut Asllcvillc. stated that North
Carolina furnished e2.sls more troops
than any other State.' II this were
not so, 1t rebounds even more to tho
fame OF tho State. for North Carolina
lost. according to the official returns-as
compiled in Colonel Fox's 'Reglmental
over 900 killed and wounded
and died of disease, according to ~. s..
Official Records, while the Confederate
Handbook gives: Virginia. 5,S28 Killed.
2,519 died Of wounds, C,0i7 died Of disease !;
total H.7o4. North Carolina, H,452 killed,
5,151 died of wounds, 2O,J02 died OF disease:
total, 4o,305-n number considerably in
excess Of that sustained by any other
Southern State.
Owing to her mate modesty North Caro-
lima, Notwithstanding she furnished near
ly one-flfth OF the troops Of the Con-
federacy, fell far short OF nne-f'ftt Of the
sos generals appointed during those four
memorable years Instead Of 100, our
proportion according to troops furnished.
we had lleutenant-generals, major
generals and 20 brlgadiers a total Of
35 generals, OF whom nine were killed In
battle and several others we're invaded
by reason OF wounds. Yet we were
not lacking in material Upon the death
OF Major General Fender. a superb sold
Ter, General Lee publicly deplored that
General Fender had never received his
proper rank and In the opinion Of the
whole army, the hero OF Plymouth, that
splendid soldier. Robert F. Hoke, who
was NIajor-General at 2S. merited the
command OF an Army Corps; and there
were many others who deserved the rank
Of Major General and Brigadier- General
which was given to men, certainly not
their superiors, from States with a smaller
proportion Of troops to general officers.
But It is not to her generals and lesser
officers. capable and faithful as they were.
that North Carolina should turn with
her greatest pride. With tncit recosni-
4 ton OF this truth the state has appropri-l
ately crowned the monument raised to
her gallant dead with the statue of a
PRIVATE SOLDIER.
with belted cartridge box, and his faith
5ful musket In hand, on guard, scanning
the horizon. as in life, with ceaseess
watching for the foe. General a. y hill,
OF Virginia, when asked what troops he |
preferred to command. replied: I'm
questionaby North Carolans--not that
they are drawer where all are brave, but
brave as the bravest. they are the most
obedient to command. 1t was, this
marked trait which gave the troops from
this State their pre-emtnence. 1t was
the same quality which gave to the Roman
soldier his fame and to Rome the empire
OF the world. History shows no soldier
since who more nearly resemble the
leglonaries OF Caesar than the North
Carolina Confederate private. He dis 4
played. together with the same jnterpidlty.
the same accomplishing endurance OF
hardship and hunger. the same unques-
tioning obedience to orders, and where
ever the bravest officer dared to lead,
there the private soldier from the plains,
the valleys and the mountains OF North
Carolina swept on In his long unbroken !
lines They but did as they were told
to, ana blushed to find 1t fame Thus
1t was that at Gettysburg and at Chicka-
manga, on the utmost verge OF the storm
swept sea OF battlcit was the bodies Of |
North Cardinals slain that marked where
highest up the bloody wave had reached
and grappled with the hostile shore. Thus
it was that at Bethel. Wyatt fell In the
momen Of our first victory, and at APP
pomattox the North Carolina line. sullen-
.ly retiring. fired the last yolleyl over the I
grave OF the Confederacy.
5 But 1t Is not forshs services during
those four memorable and eventful years
that the Confederate soldier should be
rcmem bered His services to his State
did not end with the surrender Other
soldIery. denoralized by a long war have
too often returned to their homes to be-
come a standing menace to lawful au-
thority The disbanded Confederate
soldier at once resumed their places as
citizens. Unseduced by the offers and
Establishments OF those who would have
3plundered tho public. with nerves un.
shaken BY defeat they took their stand
for law and ORDER, and for good govern
ment and self government TO them for
the past forty years North Carplina, more
than. TO any other source, Il Indebted
for the peace and order which has en-
abled the State to rebuild It's waste places
and emerge from the disasters of q long
war. In war and In peace they have
stood by their State. faithful alike In good
and evil times. and North Carolina owes
no greater debt than to the mistaken
fidelity OF him whose highest honor Is
that he was a North Carolina Confederate
private soldier.