The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-07-18
North Cardinals S Cla ms.
Objections Made to the Braggado-
clio Spirit of the Tar Heel State Of
First, 'Farthest" and Last"
at Certain Times and Places.

at NCi tain iHIcS anu I IdCeS.
Writing OF the recent Confederate
reunion in Richmond John W. G..
Davis in the Richmond Times Dis
patch ofSunday objects to the claims
made 10y North Carolina OF bein"
| First at Bethel, " ''Farthest to the
front at Gettysburg, " Last at Ap-
pomattox,' etc He says:
cannot mention One-thOusandth
Of the pleasant memories Of the Occa-
sion, nor can fail to mention the
one ''fy in the ointment" the one
| fatal drawback to the pleasure OF the
occasion. have lived in North Car
Olina and much with her people.
! had North Carolina classmates at
coIlege-a North Carolina roommate,
who was cOnstantly Y taken for my
| brother. | honor the "Ol1 North
| State Tor her many virtues, for her
glorious record III the war, and her
many martyrs to the cause of liber-
ty. But why will she persist in
| fiaunting i'll the faces OF other veter-
ans such invidious ciaims-even were
they warranted by fact-of first"
and ''farthest' and ''laSt''? Wher-
ever you came across Il North Caro-
| lima headquarters or in sight OF any
Of her banners in the parade. YOU
SAW First at Bethel" Last at APP
pQmattox." would most respect
fully suggest to Judge Clark and all
self-respecting North Carolinians
that the motto be changed to
"Among the First at Bethel, at the
Front at Gettysburg, with the Last
at AppOmattoX. | would further
suggest that another monument be
placed at AppOmattOx, near to and
| facing the braggadOciO one, and to
remain lis long as it does, on which
shall be inscribed: "The invidious
inscription on the monument facing
this is unwarranted by the facts.
North Carolina did her full duty. us
did all other States OF the COnfeder-
acy. Erected for the sake of truth
by officers and men Of the Army OF
Northern Virginia..
Why, save for their purpose, do
they dignity Bethel as Il "battle
and ignore the preceding engage
ment at Fairfax Courthouse where
Captain Mari was killed? Why do
they ignore the fact that other troops
fought at Bethel as bravely as they
did, and that the one man killed
there, a member OF Il North Caralina
command, was native OF Virginia!
When they speak of first" why do
they forget that South Carolina Sc
ceded first and fought the battle OF
Sumter, and that North Carolin
| onl Y seeded after Virginia had brave
ly placed herself in the breach, alone
and disconnected from the other Sc
| ceded States? Why forget that Jack
son, OF Alexandria. in defense OF bis
home and flag, killed the first Yam
kee, and fell himself, the first COnfed
crate martyr?.
Why last at Appomattox, when
AppOmattOX was not the last? Joe
JOhnson's surrender was later, and
there was fighting in the South anC
trans Mississippi still later. Why
''farthest at Gettysburg, " when they
admit that Pickett S command went
farthest into the enemy's lines? The
same spirit OF bravado went still fur
ther, when in the late meeting OF the
United Confederate Veterans, while
considering the next place Ofmeetine
man from North Carolina mounted
the plantfOrm to second the nOmina
tiOn OF Birmingham, and took that
occasion to make the. extraordinary
claim that Branch Brigade, OF whicl
he was IL member, had cleared til
way at Mechanicsville for Lees army
to cross the ChickahOminy. Brancl
did cross the Chickahominy some
miles above Meadow Bridge, but afte
long delay failed to clear the way TO
the remainder of \. 2. Hills Division
to cross lower down, and Fields Bri
gade, led by the FOrtieth Virginia
drove the enemy from the front Q
Meadow Bridges, when Branch wa
not in sight or hearing. Fields Brl
,gade continued in front down TIL
road on the hills north of the Chicka
hominy, and, with the FOrtieth AM
Forty seventh Virginia Regiments il
front, drove the enemy from and OF
icupied Mechanicsville, and opene
= the way for the crossing OF Long
street and ID. H. Hill.
know these facts because | wa
myself, being in the skirmish line {
the Fortieth Virginia, the first ma
in the Mechanicsville Road, an
Branch was still nowhere in sight c
hearing. He may have struck til
Mechanicsville road some distanC
north of us Il little later, but he di
not clear Mechanicsville of the el
envy.
Let us hope that before the next T
union all these first and otht
d. brag claims will be buried forever.
JOHN W. c. DAVIS.
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occasionally and YOU will be afford
prompt relief. kodol is Il compound
vegetable acids and contains the juc
found in healthy stomach. kodol diges
what you eat. makes your food do Y,
good. Sold at Parkers Two DRUG Stores.
= "A. Language All Mules Understand
1 Joe Mitchell Chappe in National Magazine