The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-16
First Man Killed.


an accidental explosion after the fort
had surrendered, April 13, 1861. But
the first Confederate to be killed in
line OF battle was Private Henry Law.
son Wyatt, soldier in Company A,
First North Carolina Regiment, in
fantry. His life was lost in the bat
tie known as that Of "Big Bethel"
fought June 10, 1861, near Yorktown,
Va.
The conflict at Big Bethel was the
first land battle of the war. Though
on minor scale, it was victory for
the 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 Col. D.
II. Hill, who was afterwards lieu.
tenant general ia the Confederate
service, and who has been quite uni
versally regarded as the hero of the
battle. The lieutenant. colonel of the
regiment was G. G. Lee, and the ma
jor was James Ii. Lane, both of whom
subsequently rose to the rank of bri-
gadier general in the Confederacy.
The regiment passed into history as
The Bethel Regiment of North
Carolina troops.
The Federal troopsengaged in the
action were under the immediate
command Of General B. f Butler.
Henry Lawson Wyatt was native
of Virginia, born in Richmond Feb
ruary IL, 1912, son of Isham and
Lucinda Wyatt, ..he 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,
\. c., in 1856.
Young Wyatt was ope of the yerv
first men to enlist as q soldier for the
southern cause when the Governor of
North Carolina called for volunteers
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 bat
tie at the age Of 20. He was buried
near the foot of the CORVALLIS monu-
ment, Yorktown, Va.
Young Wyatt last his life under cir
cumstances Of great gallantry and
heroism. In the beginning of the
battle In which he fell the sharp.
shooters of the enemy occupied house
between the two opposing lines, blue
and gray. A call was made for volun-
teers to advance across the iuterven-
ing distance, through an open field
2Oo yards wide, and fire the building.
Corporal George W. Williams, Pri.
vate Henry Lawson Wyatt, John H..
Thorpe, Thomas Fallou, and Robert
II. Bradley responded to the call and
attempted to perform the duty. They
had proceeded but short distance
into the field when Henry Wyatt fell
with bullet in his brain in q 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 Con eotiout
endeavored to lead his men into the
action; but as he came to The front
waving has sword about his head, the
North Carolinians fred a volley at
him and he fell dead, his body riddled
with builets-he, I believe, was the
hrst victim among the Federal officers
in the war. His native State has
long ago we'll perpetuated his mem.
ory.
/ 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 j. @. Birdsong, State
Librarian, photograph of the dead
hero was secured, and at the session
of the Legislature of 1891 the Libra
riau secured an appropriation to have
life-size painting made from the
only existing picture Of the young
man, and handsome oil portrait made
from it now adorns the walls OF the
North Carolina State Library. Per.
sons who had known the living youth
say that the artist has, in q most
striking degree, caught the very
spirit Of the daring, generous soul