The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-20

CAPTAIN S. A. ASHE
linans. At Seven Pines. OF the twenty
ilye commissioned officers ,of the Fourth fourth
North Corolinn troops. Major Bryan ryan
killed or wounded only two escaping I,nt;
unhurt. OF his CTS men, n were Killed
and gD were wounded.
In the Seven Days battles. Lees total
Carolina regiments engaged was 4,ol7;
nearly one-fourth OF the total Confcdcr-
ate loss. 1t was the Twentieth North
Carolina regiment that suffered the
heaviest loss Of any regiment in that
series OF battles
All through the war 1t was the same
glorious record.
p A. eedh s Snxsa pos was g4ssen
corps and slept beyond the run; at Second
Manassas the North Carolina brgadcs
played the part of heroes in checking
Pep, till Lonsstreet came to Jackson's
Jackson left A. p. Hill with the North
Carolina brigades to receive the ten
thousand Federals captured at Harper's
rapidly. as "Jaekson's Foot cavalry"
always moved. that reached Sharpsburg
IN the nick of time 10 relieve the fears
and anxieties of their adored General
"A "neu JACKSON
covered Hooker's front with 2e.ooo men,
his force included twenty North Carolina
regiments. Good God! what soldiers they
were!
AT the same time Ransopns and Cookies
.brigadcs were on other duty; and out of
IL. regiments that composed Lees army
only a were from North Carolina. They
were only one-iifth Of his army. Yet
Confederate loss Lees loss was i,5sl
killed, SOD wounded. The North Caro-.
Ina loss was ST. killed and 1894
wounded And so 1t was measurably in all
The great battles.
At Gettysburg.
OF the sixteen brigadcs engaged In the
first day Of Gettysburg. seven were
North Carolina hrigades: and IT. VIII be
remembered how the. enemy was pushed
back and driven persistcntly off the field.
on the second day North Carolina troops
also did their full duty;
On the third day, in the famous charge,
fifteen North Carolina regiments partici--
paied. They had been much weakened
by heavy losses in the riot OF carnage
and glory OH the previous days. But
every veteran of them carried the heart
OF hero within his bosom.
They carried their battle flags across
that field and placed them on the stone
wall from which they had driven he
North Carolina troops and flags Of North
Carolina regiments fell into the hands of
the Federal ,,ictors. Whether that
charge. IL properly supported, would have
But ! do know that the column that
mndc the charge succeeded In doing al
that any man could have expected OF II.
1t drove the enemy from the wall and
possessed itself of the wall. 1t was then
for the supporting columns to do the rest.
They did not appear on the scene. Gen.
Pickett made q report Of the caiamitous
result. General Lee wrote to him 1--WE
.F,,1i Mt
guard against dissensions which the re-
Elections in your report will create. y
General Long. Lees military secretary,
says N his Memoirs, of Lee that
"Pickets report severely criticised the
failure to furnish him with the support
ing force which had been ordered; and
Lee with his usual magnanimity and In
his great desrt for harmony between
the officers OF his army, returned the re-
por; TO Pickett, requesting him TO with
draw it,
Her Heavy Losses.
The total Confederate loss in killed and
wounded on the field OF Gettysburg was
l6,20l of which the North Carolina Bri-
fourth. In that battle the heaviest regi-
mental loss of the entire war occurred. 1t
fell 10 the lot Of a North Caroline regi-
ment to have that remarkable distinction.
nally commanded by Col. James John
sion Pettigrew. lost on that field SIS
killed and wounded On the third day,
in the charge. General PettiGrew COM
manded the left wing. this regiment was
In the charge on that wing. 4
On the list Captain futile. of this reg- \
ment, led into action 81 men; 80 men and
all of the officers were killed or wounded.
lost 81 out of IS men, Company a. of the
Thirty.eghth regiment. lost every man
but two. and they were captured. Such
WAS the stuff that North Carolina sol
az do nf n hajt
duet on the battlefield. In all the great
battles 1t was their fortune TO play a
great part and they won impcrishable
glory and added lu STE to ds Tame
West. they made an equal mark: and in
the defense of Eattery Wagner, and Of
Fort Fisher they exhibited q herolsm
not SsrpasWsfd BY me noDf hrmy
vision. when Lee lay sick at Cold Harbor,
that inflicted the heaviest blows on
Grants assaultng columns, when the
rsaefa army Vas 81 o ,ar ~
advance once more to the deadly en-
counter In the trenches of Petersburg
North Carolina regiments shared the in.
expressab.e hardshps, and they stayed
with their beloved leader to the last. 1t
missionaries the close Of the bloody drama
that the great heart Of Lee cried out
God bless North Caro!ina!'
AZ AppomattoS there were more North
than troops from any other
state, wh.e further east Hoke's North
Carolina division had Just won fruit
less victory at HeItonsYilie. NJ
a study of the war period makes plain
that North Cardinals contributions 10
the war in men, In means and in inAu-
enyes were OF the very highest conse-
quence. and her SONS played n noble
parI and won great fame. Indeed, 1t
fell TO their lot. believe. to carry The
Confederate Tag nearer 10 washington
ana farther into Pennsylvania than any
other troops;. While 1t was a North Caro-
Ina sailor the brave and sll.llfu James
!; edel Waadell, who, in command OF
doah carried the Confederate flag around 4
the world, ana bore y y, under orders, hish
II at his peak as he steamed into the
Mersey on tbs 10Th day OF November.
at Appomattox.
Such in brief. is the record that North
Carolina made in the great war, a record
that any people and any State may well
cherish AZ the dearest heritage Of their
posterity. II. a, AStlE.
Raleigh, May IS, 1901,
rnn 1.lAJrhITN