State

The Famous Twenty-sixth One of the most famous organizations of the Civil War. Their losses were terrific anti their deeds of bravery will never be forgotten. UNIQUE among Southern mili¬ tary organizations — aye, even among National military or¬ ganizations, stands the 26th North Carolina regiment, and its roster in¬ cludes the names of men famous in our history. At its head was the immortal Colonel Zebulon Baird Vance, great War Governor, and again Governor following Reconstruction — the only instance in our history where a man has been thus honored — and then for a generation he was a nationally known United States Senator, our state’s first representative in the Na¬ tional Hall of Fame at Washington. Then conies its boy-Colonol, Harry K. Burgwyn, killed at Gettysburg; its Colonel John R. Lane, four times se¬ verely wounded; Lieut. Leonidas L. Polk, legislator, first Commissioner of Agriculture, founder of the Progres¬ sive Farmer. National President of the Farmers’ Allianco; one of the founders of both State and Meredith colleges; Rev. Dr. R .11. Marsh, one of the state’s most distinguished Baptist preachers; Judge James D. Mclver, and other outstanding Carolinians. Organized in Raleigh The regiment was organized at the camp of instruction near Raleigh in the summer of 1861, and the Com¬ mandant was the twenty-yea r-old Ma¬ jor Harry K. Burgwyn. When the election of officers was held. Zebulon B. Vance was chosen as its Colonel, although he was not even a member of the regiment, but a Captain of the “Rough and Ready” guards in the 14th North Carolina. Major Burgwyn was selected as Lieut. Colonel, and A. B. Carmichael as Major. Its first service was at the defense of Now Bern against the Federal army under General Burnside. Here Major Carmichael was killed, and also Captain W. P. Martin. Its losses were five killed and fifteen wounded. On the retreat to Kinston several men were drowned in an effort to cross a swollen stream. At Kinston the regi¬ ment was recruited, and among those who enlisted for service was one who later was found to be a woman ! The regiment was now attached to the brigade of General Robert Ran- Hy R. C. LAWRENCE som, and its next service was when it “Stood with Lee at Malvern Hill And saw the earth drink blood.” Here the regiment lost six killed and forty wounded, including several offi¬ cers; and a number of its men were captured by the enemy. Colonel Vance was elected as Gov¬ ernor in 1S62 and Harry K. Bur¬ gwyn became its Colonel, the - regi¬ ment being now attached to Petti¬ grew’s Brigade, whose gallant com¬ mander w’as to lose his life on the re¬ treat from Gettysburg. In Eastern Carolina In November 1862 the regiment was detached to operate as an independent command in Eastern Carolina, and at nn engagement near Bawl’s Mills six of its companies constituted the only Confederate force to confront an army of five thousand Fcderals. Here heavy losses were sustained and the Federal advance was materially chocked. It is a rather singular fact, that the Federal commander should have been the instructor of Colonel Burgwyn at West Point. The regiment next saw service when the Confederates tried vainly to re¬ capture New Bern. Here it was as¬ signed to cover the retreat and it inarched 127 miles in seven days through mud and rain, succeed¬ ing in delaying the enemy, but losing a number of its men. In May 1863 the regiment was at¬ tached to the Army of Northern Vir¬ ginia and thereafter formed a part of Lee's army. The advance into Penn¬ sylvania was soon undertaken, and the regiment marched via Harper’s Ferry where it saw the gallows on which John Brown was hanged. The famous battle of Gettysburg was brought on by the effort of the Confederates to capture a supply of shoes at that point, in which effort it unexpectedly encountered a force of Federal cavalry which had been sent on a similar mission. Both sides called up reinforcements, and the command¬ ers of both armies resolved to bring, on a general engagement. On the first day, the regiment was directly opposed to the Federal “Iron Brigade,” the organization which sus¬ tained the heaviest loss of any in the Federal army. This Federal Brigade lost 77 per cent of its strength during the three-day battle, a loss exceeded only by that of the twenty-sixth North Carolina! Here the brigade of Petti¬ grew was ordered to charge the enemy across Willoughby Run, in which they encountered an enemy, “Thick as the autumnal leaves Which strew the brooks in Vnlhntn- brosa.” In this famous charge fourteen of the bearers of the regimental color* were killed or severely wounded. The first line of the enemy was pierced without serious losses. A bearer of tin- colors being struck down, Capt. Mo- Creay seized them and was instantly killed. Lieut. Willcox then took them but in a few moments he too was se¬ verely wounded. The regiment was now faltering under the hail of Fed¬ eral bullets ami the enfilading fire from several Federal batteries. To rally bis men, the gallant Col. Harry K. Burgwyn grasped the colors from the nerveless hands of the fallen lieu¬ tenant. He waved them aloft and. call¬ ing upon his men to follow him, gal¬ lantly began the advance when he was shot through both lungs and instantly killed, falling with the folds of the Hag across his dead body. Private Honeycutt then took the col¬ ors from the body of his beloved Colo¬ nel, but bad hardly grasped them when he too was badly wounded and fell shot through the head. Terrific Losses Lieut. Colonel John R. Lam*, who had succeeded to the command on the death of Burgwyn. now took the colors. He shouted "Twenty-sixth, follow me and give them the bayo¬ net!" and led the charge against tin enemy, who sullenly retired through the town and to the heights of Come tery Ridge beyond. In this charge (Continued on page twenty)