The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-18
TAR HEEL TROOPS FURTHEST
TOTHE FRONT AT GETTYSBURG
Proof of This as Gathered By Chief Justice Walter ClarE
field Last July

The testimony of these Federal ofncerS
and men standing on the spot, as re-
lated to the writer and others last
July. was that when North CarolinlanS
charged up some so yards farther
than the wall where Picketts men
were engaged, they fired into the
flank of the FederalS who were OPP
posing Pickett's men, causing them
to temporarily Waver and II was De
cause of this that a few other Nlr-
| ginians with the gallant Armistead
passed over the wall and beyond a
short distance, but not as far as the
North CarolinianS on their left.
No one had ever doubted that the
| gallant men under Armistead, Kemper
| and Garnett did their full duty.
The whole truth is that the trouble
was caused by influences at Rich
| mond which, intent on boosting Pick
EFT for promotion to Lieutenant Gen
| eral, endeavored to shift all response
bility for the failure of the assault
upon others so hat no blame might be
attached to him. The simple fact is
that the North CarOlinians and the
Virginians both did their duty equally
we'll, as did the troops from the other
States, in the same historic charge.
The North CarolinianS went a little
farther han the V~irginians, owing to
the fact that the stone wall in front of
| them was farther retired and in doing
so they fired into the flank Of the
| Federals and enabled a few of the Vir-
| ginians to cross the wall in their front,
as just stated.
Mere Matter of History.
Nc one would wish to cast reflec-
tons upon a dead soldier, and espe-
cially no n would wish to call in
question the beautiful devotion Of his
wife to his memory. But something
is due too to the widows of the brave
/ North CNaro1ip nnc Vrho fon on6 i,,C
tice requires the statement Of the con-
duct of Genera Pickett on hat occa-
sion, which is a matter of history and
beyond controversy. Whether he act
ed rightly or not in not going forward
with his troops, need not be a mat
ter Of controversy. The fact is, he
did not do so and he cannot claim
superior credit to the North Caro-
~linians anA others who went over 500
yards farther thar he, many Of whom
died in the discharge of their full
duty. The devotion of Mrs. Pickett
to her husbands memory is very beau
tiful, but courtesy to her cannot
change what happened on that event
full and historic day. 1t is also well
known that General Pickett cannot
fclaim any superiority Of glory over his
comrades on that day or any other
At the Battle of Fiv Forks on 1 April
1865, the army received a fatal blow
by General Pickett's absence from
duty and intoxication. He was there.
n dismissed from service by Genera
5 Lee. This act is stated by Genera.
John S. Mosby, himself a Virginian, il
his "Reminiscences and the writer
heard the same statement made b.
t General w. H. Payne n Genera
l Eppa Hunton, both Virginia Brigadiel
: Generals at the Hot Springs inVirg1nis
4 in IDr O02 md hoe bod ~
! same statement verified by others VIII.
s heard it made by the late Senate.
i John w. Daniel, of Virginia, and 9th
s ers. This is said not to assail Genera
Pickett's memory, but to repel an.
: assumption that his fame car be aide,
y by unjust reflections upon men lik
the gallant North Carolinians at Get
tysburg who did their full duty.
d Testimony From Federals.
i The best proof how far any line 0
h battle went is where it left it's wound
ed and dead, these bloody derelicts O
the tide of battle. The Federals VIII
met us at Gettysburg at the grea
semi-centennial in July, 1913, pointe
-e put where the bodies of the Mort
is Carolinians were found and many c
these were considerably in advance c
L. where General Armistead, the fore
most Virginian, fell while leading h.
d gallant brigade.
3 the official returns show that Plcf
etts Is Virginia regiments had 1876
killed and wounded, or 81 men to tn
5 regiment, whereas the s North Car,
lima regiments under PettigreW 10!
=. 1903 during the great battle, or'2e
D. to the regiment.
ut 1t may be that if General pickle
had gone along with his line OF battl
ne as did P~ettigrew and Trimble, WI
T commanded the other two division
the crowding Of his brigades to the lie
would have been prevented by hiT
or Had his division o straight forWa!
his men would have struck a "a
II fence, instead of the stone wall, ar
d, the result Of the charge might Ia
no been very different, but this is mere
lie a surmise. Ali we know is that
ne stopped 600 yards short Of the stol
wall and in a depression on the grOu1
from which even on horse back
:. could not have seen his men nor dire
ID their movements, nor have been Sc,