The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-12
THE BRIGHTEST STAR
in THAT BRIGHT GALAXY"
In Language Leaping From Soul Deeply Stirred
"H' Speaks of His Gallant Commander,
Pettigrew.

News ana observer or conversations L.
had in the past relative to North
Carolina troops. Senator Vance told
me quite thirty years ago, 1 suppose,
that he met General Wade Hampton
at Charlotte. and during a converse
ton the able and gallant South Caro-
linian said to him: Vance. l do not
know how it was, but the bravest
troops I saw in the war were North
Carolinians." Mr.. Wallace, the old
est lawyer i'm Petersburg. Va. in
1867, said to the late Rev. DR.. Thomas
H. Pritchard and myself. as we were
dining with him at his hospitable
home, that he asked General A. p.
Hill, who was cousin of Mrs. Wal
lace, what troops he would rather
command. He answered promptly:
North Carolinains." Mr. Wallace said
to us that the answer surprised him
as General Hill and himself were
both Virginians. He asked why was
this preference? The reply came:
1.-THE North Carolinians are as brave
as any troops. and they are more sub
missive to authority-they will do
what you order them to do" General
D. H. Hill. a South Carolinian. COM
manded them all the war, knew of
their merit, and held them in high
admiration. They had way of
sticking" when he ordered them.
Major Joseph Englehard. who was
on General A. P. Hills staff, told me
in 1876, at Raleigh, that sitting one
night in the Generals tent. he asked
him which brigade he considered the
best in his command? General Hill
said-"Cook's North Carolina"
(Which is next 2" he asked. The an
swer was-"McRae's North Carolina
Again he queried-"Which is next?"
General Hill seemed to reflect few
moments and said-"It lies between
Lanes North Carolina and Mahone's
Virginia. General Hood, of Texas,
said in a short speech at Raleigh,
which / reported Immediately after for
the Daily Sentinel. which 1 edited with
Hon. Josiah Turner, that if he had to
present a bouquet to the most deserv-
ing State in the war because of its
merits and deeds, he would have to
give it to North Carolina.
I'll" the author of the four column
communication in the Raleigh Senti-
mel in 1861 from which l copied in
preceding articles recently, has this
addressed to McCabe the slanderer of
our noble troops:
st go further: ask General Heth,
who commanded the division, if he
had more gallant troops that Mac
Raes (Pettigrew's) and Cookies
brigades of North Carolinians, and if
he says he did, then may Mr.. McCabe.
Jr., of Virginia, charge them with
bad conduct at Gettysburg. 1t is no
source of pleasure for me to write
these lines. 1 regret the necessity, I
regret that Virginians should speak
thus of us. The author of the Lost
Cause is no better than Mr.. McCabe,
but it would be we'll for both if they
would read General Lees report of
the Gettysburg campaign, and from
it learn a lesson of manliness and
magnanimity.''
1 must copy here again from "H.,
and 1 have not the slightest idea as
to his identity. He incidentally pays
a brief tribute to General William
MacRae, of Wilmington. He tells Me-
Cabe: ASK the calm. quiet, gentle
manly MacRae, if second to any
Brigadier second only to our beloved
PettigreW."
1t was the gallant MacRae who sent
word to General Malone that if the
three flags captured by his own
brigade and held by Mahones brigade
were not returned at once, he
would take his brigade and seize
them. The flags came. General Lane.
1 think, had a similar complaint of
flags held that his own command had
captured. Once more "H." must be
heard. He writes in glowing Ian
guage of his splendid commander,
and I am glad to copy here his
words:
"But there is a name that will ever
live-a name that Will ever be dear
to North CarOlinians-the brightest
star in that bright galaxy that North
Carolina sent to Virginia-its light
went QUIT set to rise no more on
earth. on the banks Of the Potomac
but it Shone like the star of promise
till the last of Lees noble army had
crossed that fatal stream that star
that noble spirit was j. Johnston
Pettigrew. 'Tis his memory | would
have Carolinians cherish. / want no
higher honor than to have been Il
member of his command. And when
the cares and tolls of life are ended,
when called upon to surrender wife,
little ones. all on earth most dear,
we only ask
" TO join in Heaven the old Brigade
With Johnston PettigreW at its head"
There will be difference of views as
TO VINO was North Cardinals greatest
soldier Commodore Matthew f.
Maury, the greatest man of science
of his native Virginia. held that Gen. |
eral Pettigrew of all Confederate SOL |
dierS was the best man to succeed |
General Lee in case of his death or
retirement. / have excellent authority |
for saying that General Lee said that
General w. u. Fender had never held |
his proper rank and should have been |
one of his Corps Commanders. / have
not the slightest doubt that he would
have been Lees greatest Corps Com
mander after the immortal and incom- |
parable General T. j. Jackson
"Stonewall." Major James H. Foote,
now living, told me of this remark of
General Lee to him. and soon after
the war.
L come now to a Virginia witness
who was in the fight. who knew of
the quality of North Carolina soldiers
in his State. 1 refer to Colonel Will |
liam f. Cameron, at one time the able
editor of the Petersburg Index" and
afterwards Governor of Virginia. In
my editorial in the Warrenton 'Indi- |
Gator" April 10th, 1867, extending |
over three columns. and headed, 1.-THE |
Character of Our Soldiers I wrote as
follows:
1.-THE Petersburg Index" with a
magnanimity and appreciation high |
ly commendable, was the first paper
in Virginia. as far as we are inform