The Monroe journal., 1921-05-13


Here
The people of North carolins
whose fathers had helped by theii
wisdom and heroism 10 make the Tn
/ ion. were lOaihe 10 withdraw from IL
/ But when the time of decision came
when her choice was either 10 fighi
against or for her sister states. sht
lunhesitatingly chose the latter. and
no state can boast OF greater loyalty
TO the Confederacy throughout its eX
istence. North Carolina gave hei
money. her talent. her all. TO uphold
the rights Of the people dwelling souii
OF Mason and Dixon line Her sons
bravely and brilliantly fighting aield
her daughters equally true al home
have given us story unparalleled in
history heritage OF which We and
coming generations may justly b.
proud
VITA i population in 1859 of aboui
sNn .O00. with only ll5.0aO OF votine
aee. North Carolina sent 1s7.000 sol
iiers To the Confederate army. o.
about one fourth OF the entire force
raised by the Confederate govern
ment. She stripped herself for th,
seneral good ot the cause. She eN
pended ont Of her own funds S26.
3eS.663 besides suffering the need
of her own troops, Maj. Thomas II
Hogg. chief o; the states stores. re
ported that IN ihe last months OF the
war North Carolina fed onehalf o.
Gen, Lees array
North Carolina lost 81 colonels oi
regiments who were either killed in
action or died of wounds She had
three ma jor- generals in service: Pen
der. Ramseur and Whiting. and all
were killed IN battle. There were p
brigidier generals from our state,
four OF whom were killed and all the
others wounded. North Carolina lost
during the war il.000 killed in bat
tie or died in the service. $4,000 OF
these were killed on the battlefield
against 5000 as the highest number
from any other southern state. Thus
we rightfully claim first honor amone
all OF our sister states.
Henry Wyatt the First Martyr.
We would that North Carolina had
Temple OF Fame. and in this tenn
pie. glorious paintings in which the
gigantic struggles. the heroic deeds,
the crushing hardships OF both prl
Yates and officers during the days OF
1S60-1Se5 could be depicted-wherc
the children OF the immortal men
OF these stirring days could stand and
say. "Of all these glories our fathers
were a great part.
Yes. with all her aversion to seces-
sion. North Carolina was present To
arrest the first invasion OF the men
from the North and at Big Bethel
one of her sons. Henry Wyatt. had the
glory and honor of being the first
martyr of our cause.
The first memorable battle between
the two great armies struggling for
supremacy was at Williamsburg. and
in this conflict the charge OF the 18th
North Carolina regiment under Col.
d. X. McRae excited the admiration
OF friend and foe. Hancock. who
watched the gallant charge OF this
regiment and the cath Virginia reg
iment is said TO have exclaimed:
Those two regiments deserve I'M
mortal inscribed on their banners,
The reckless bravery of North Car
olinas 2lst regiment at Winchester
and the galantry OF the ith at Seven
Pines won the unstinted praise OF all.
Many. many were the losses. but the
4th paid most dearly-for its glory, for
coollly led by Mai. Bryan Grimes IN
TO the thickest of the fight. only two
out of twenty-five officers came out
again. and of the 67S sturdy hearts
that marched under their colors in
the morning. 337 were found dead
and wounded on the field that night.
Every Fifth Killed Around Richmond
Was Tar Heel.
Many thousands of North Carolt-
mas bravest and best dropped their
swords to fight no more during the
seven days struggle around the Con-
federate capitol. Ninety-two regi-
ments constituted the divisions OF
Jackson. Longstreet. d. II. and \. 7.