The farmer and mechanic., 1911-06-13
B 1T Tie OF be TIL FL
Only Man Killed Was From
North Carolina


The News Of This Action Caused the
Widest Enthusiasm Throughout
the South and Made the People
Believe That the South Would
Speedily Win It's Independence.
(Major H. A. London in Chatham
Record, June 7th.)
Saturday is the fftieth anniversary
OF the Battle of Bethel which
caused intense excitement through
out the North and the South. and
especially in this State. II it had
been fought later in the war it would
have hardly been noticed, or only
briefly mentioned as q sKrrnlsh. but
fought on the 10th Of June, 1851,
it was made memorable in the his
tory OF the war. Only one man on
our side was killed and nine wound
ed, and the Federals had eighteen
killed and fifty-three wounded, not
as many were frequently killed and
wounded in Skirmishes that are now
unknown
The reason why this fight has be-
come famous and why it created SO
much excitement at the time of it's
occurrence is that it was the first
collision between the Confederate
and Federal troops, and because it
was such an utter and complete re-
pulse of the latter. North Caro-
linians have taken especial pride in
that fight because most of the troops
engaged in it were from their State,
and the only man killed and six Of
the nine wounded were from this
State.
The only Confederate troops that
suffered any loss (killed or wound
ed were the First North Carolina
terry, the latter having three wounded.
The North Carolina regiment was
composed Of some of the States best
military companies that had been or
ganized before the war began, and
were from the following towns: Ashe-
Vile, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Enfield,
Fayetteville, Lincolnton, Morganton
and Tarboro The colonel was D. H.
Hill, who attained the high rank Of
Lieutenant-General later in the war,
and many of it's subordinate officers
and privates also attained high rank
during the war. Among the lieuten-
ants was Robert F. Hoke, who became
major general and one of the best in
the army
This was the first regiment organ
lied in this State, part of it arriving
in Richmond on the 18th of May and
the remainder on the 22nd Of May
1861. AT that time it was thought
that the Federals would make their
advance on Richm end by way of the
yorktown Peninsula" (betWeen the
ork and James rivers) with Fortress
Monroe as the base Of supplies. A
large Federal force had been sent to
that fort with beast Butler in com
mand. and preparations were being
made for an advance. Accordingly
the North Carolina regiment was sent
to the post of greatest danger Gas it
was thought) and was stationed at
Yorktown. where it remained several
days On the 9Th of June Colonel
Hill was sent with his regiment sew
eral miles below Yorktpown to build
some breastWOrks near country
church, called Bethel about half
way between yorktown and Fortress
Monroe. On the morning Of the
10th Of June the Federal troops made
their appearance near this place,
having marched since midnight from
Fortress Monroe, and the battle OF
Bethel began about o'clock.
The Federals greatly outnumoered
the Confederates. the former being
about 5000 and the latter not quite
1900, but the Confederates had the
advantage of being behind some
breastworks and were thus better
protected than the Federals who
were the attacking party. After an
engagement Of nearly four hours the
Federals were disastrously defeated
and were completely repulsed, and
beat a hasty retreat to Fortress Mon
roe. The most prominent Federal
Officer killed was Major Theodore
Winthrop Con Buffers staff who was
shot while bravely urging his men to
charge the Conefderates. Another
LII a