Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-08
FIRST MAN KILLED.
Henry L. Wyatt, Of the First North
Carolina Regiment.

honry l.. "yatty OF tHO F"" S"
Carolina Regiment.
The very first life lost in the final
direct struggle over Secession was on
the Federal side at Fort Sumter, In
an accidental explosion, after the fort
had surrendered, April 13, 1851. But
the first Confederate to be killed In
line of battle was Private Henry Law
son Wyatt, a soldier in Company A,
First North Carolina Regiment In
fantry. His life was lost in the battle
known as that of"Big Bethel" fought
June 10, 1851, near yorktown, Va.
The conflict at Big Bethel was the
first land battle of the war. Though
on a minor scale, It was a victory for
tn southern arms. The Confederate
troops engaged belonged to the COM
mand of General John B. Magruder,
the infantry force being chiefly the
First North Carolina Regiment, under
the immediate command OF Coioned
D. H. Hill, who was Afterwards q
lieutenant general In the Confederate
service, and who has been quite uni
versally regarded as the hero OF the
battle. The lieutenant-colonel OF the
regiment was C.. C. Lee. and the ma
for was James II. Lane, both or whom
subsequently rose to the rank OF brf-
gadier-general in { = Confederacy.
The regiment passed into history as
'The Bethel Regiment" OF North
Carolina troops.
The Federal troops engaged in the
action were under the immediate COM
mand Of General B. F. Butler.
Henry Lawson Wyatt was native
Of Virginia, born In Richmond Feb.
ruary IL, 1842, a son Of Isham and
Lucinda Wyatt, the latter Of whom
had but recently died. Henry had
learned the carpenters trade and was
working In Tarboro, n. c., when the
war broke out-his father having
moved from Virginia to Pitt county,
N. c., in 1856.
Young Wyatt was one Of the very
first men to enlist as soldier for the
southern cause when the Governor
of North Carolina called for volun-
teers In April, 1861, after the Lincoln
proclamation declaring war against
the Southern States. He entered the
Edgecomb Guards, under command
Of CAPTAIN John L. Bridgers. Fifty
four days after he was mustered into,
the service Henry Wyatt fell In battle
at the age of 20. He was buried near
the foot of the CORVALLIS monument,
Yorktown, Va
Young Wyatt lost his life under
Of great gallantry and
heroism. In the beginning of the bat
tie in which he fell the sharpshooters
of the enemy occupied a house be-
tween the two opposing lines, blue
and gray. A call was made for volun-
teers to advance across the interven-
ing distance, through an open field
200 yards wide, and fire the building.
Corporal George w. Williams, Pri-
vate Henry Lawson Wyatt, John n:
Thorpe, Thomas Fallon, and Robert
II. Bradley responded to the call and
attempted to perform the duty. They
had proceeded but a short distance
into the field when Henry Wyatt fell
with q bullet in his brain In volley
fired from the building. The other
four soldiers dropped to the earth
and remained until they could with
safety rejoin their command, went
through the entire war and are yet
living.
Very soon after the cannonading Of
the house began, Major Winthrop, a
gallant and noble son Of Connecticut
endeavored to lead his men into the
action; but as he came to the front
waving his sword about his head, the
North Carolinians fired a volley at
him and he fell dead. his body riddled
with bullets-he, I believe, was the
first victim among the Federal officers
In the war. His native state has long
ago we'll perpetuated his memory.
The state of North Carolina has at
last determined to treasure in perpet-
uity the features and name OF the
daring and noble Wyatt. Through
the efforts Of ]. c. Birdsong, State LII
brarian, q photograph Of the dead
hero was secured, and at the session
of the Legislature Of 1891 the Libra
rian secured an appropriation to have
a life-size painting made from the
only existing picture Of the young
man, and a handsome oil portrait
made from 1t now adorns the walls OF
the North Carolina State Library
Persons who had known the living
youth say that the artist has, In a
most striking degree, caught the very
spirit of the daring. generous soul
and fixed its expression brilliantly In
the dark lustrous eyes that gieam
out upon the speaking canvas.-Rich-
mond Dispatch.