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From (he Standard.C.\Mr FisnrR, nf.ar Meadow Bluff, Va.,250 njiles West of Richmond,November 5th, 1861. )Mr. Holden: Know1 ^ the .great anxiety which is felt by many of the people xif^North-Ca-rolina respecting the 14th regiment, I will endeavor, amid many unavoidable interruptions, to give a true statement of our condition, believing that the truth, though sad indeed, will iali far short ot the reports in circulation.Since the organiz ition of the regiment wc hare lost by demh ^ixty«jeiy instead of 250 as reported.Of these, nine died in North Carolina. Onewas murdered there while absent fiom the regiment. Another wqs killed at Big Sewcl Mountain by mistake while lt;m picket guard, fhen fifty-eight men have died by disease out of 813; which is about ode in fifteenWe have lost alsotwo officers out of thirty-nine, which is one in twenty. This is a large mortality,“but our regiment has not suffered more than others. Indeed I doubt if we have suffered as much as the Geor-ria.ffgians and Missippians, brigaded with us.We naturally inquire are the Southerners animbecile race that they die thus like sheep with the rot, or have the commanders of these regiments managed badly1* By no means, but we have violated a great sanitary principleWehave changed climate and modes of living too suddenly, and this with other accidental causes.has produced these appalling results. In confirmation of the views expressed by l)r Brown, in his letter to the Secretary of War, written after his resignation, I will give you a brief history of our regiment and a narrative of the campaign.The regiment was organized at Garysburg. N. C-, on the lGth of July last. It was composed of three companies from Johnston county, two from Person, one from Franklin, one from Cumberland, one from Robeson, one from Onslow, one from Beaufort. This best company, on account of sickness, was detached before we left North Carolina, and only nine companies marched to \ irginia. \\ ewere delayed until the 18th of August in consequence of the difficulty in obtaining clothing and camp equipage. At that time most of the companies had been eight weeks exposed to the malaria of the Roanoke swamps. About half the men were enfeebled by measles, mumps, and pneumonia. Some fifty-six were left with one of the surgeons of the regiment at Weldon, and about the same number of convalescents were sent home to recruit their strength; the remainder proceeded to Richmond. It commenced raining on us at Petersburg, and we pitched our tents in Richmond in a storm In consequence of this exj osure st vera! men just out o measles sickened and were leit behind when we hit that city after a stay of two days. We proceeded to this .ph.ee. leaving sick in* n at every plt;»int wo stopped at. Our subcouont arduous service has been in an uncongenial dim fe during an unusually rainy season, and it is hardly an exaggeration to 1 sav that we have n«t at any time, until quite re-centlv, parsed wore than three days without awithout exercise, disregard of the laws of health by men .who never were sick in their lives, hard work, exposure while marching and in camp, want of variety in food, want of stimulants and of proper clothing, have largely contributed to this sad result. 1 apprehend that it will be found that the 6th regiment of North Carolina volunteers, though stationed in the same region of country, have not suffered as severely as the 14th regiment, as they went from the Western portion of the State, and were not “saturated with mala-Hereafter regiments should be formed ot men from the same section of country, and then regard should be had to the nativity and residence of troops in posting them. Those from the low country should be sent to the sea-eoast; those liv-ine in the piedmont and mountainous country should be’sent to such sections of country as this, and as far as practicable, tr*Ps should be sent to the region in which they are to operate before the 1st of July in each year Again, every man enrolled should be examined by a surgeon to see that he is able bodied and sound, admire the patriotism and valor of those who are infirm and weakly, but yet are willing to brave the hardships as well as the dangers ot a soldier s life; but it is both unwise and cruel to permit them to throw away their lives and to encumber the army as they do when they euter it and shortly thereafter become sick \ olunteers, you will remember, are not examined by a surgeon as cn listed men are. Had my men passed before th surgeon, fully one-fifth ot those who have died would have been rejected, and would now' in allNov.cIt(62. Levi Green, private, Crockett’s company, Oct. j C26th, White Sulphur, Va.63. Henry Ellis, private, Crockett's company, Oct.29th, Blue Sulphur, Va.54. John Townsend, private, Dillehay’s company, Oct.26th, Meadow Bluff, Va.66. Thomas J. Edwards, private, Lane's company,Nov. 1st, Meadow Bluff, Va.56. James H. Neal, private, Harris' company,4th, Meadow Bluff, Va. T • n67. Oliver M. White, private. Love's company. Nov. ( J4th, Meadow Bluff, Va.58. Fenner Perry, private, Spivey’s company,4th, Meadow Bluff, Va.69. Edward Lewis, private, Spivey's company,3d, Meadow Bluff, Va.60. Charles 1). Clarke, Q. M. Serg’t, Nov. 3d,Sulphur, Va.61. William H. Perry. 3d Lieut., Woodall's company,Oct. 15tb, Meadow Bluff, Va.62. James H. Youug, 3d Lieut, Crockett’s company, Oct. 27th, Blue Sulphur, Va.vAc *»Nov.Bluetat(fttrt35th Regiment.—The following companies andofficers compose this regiment, of which Rev. Jus. Sinclair is Colonel, ML D. Craton Lt. Col., aud O.I greatly j C Petway Major:tii1counCompany A, Rough and Ready Roys, Onslow unty, Capt. C. C. Rarry, and S. B. Taylor, C.iG. Cox, and O. F. Costen, Lieutenants R, Marion Men, McDowell county, Capt. W ni.Halyburton, and A. M. Erwin, S. J. Blackwell, and J. Goodwin, Lieutenants.C, Scotch Riflemen, Moore county, Capt. John i- | M Kelly, and YVrn. M. Black, E. M. Blue, and e i Thomas J. Jones, Lieutenants.D, Haw River Boys, Chatham county, Capt.H. J. Lasater, and R. E. Pettv. T. W, Richard-1 ml1(*4probability, have been at home contributing to son, and C. A. Boon, Lieutenants, the sunnort ot their more robust companions in j E, Person Boys, Person county,J ohnsupport ot their more rouusi companions in ; Ij, I CIWII uuys, ICIWII uvuiuj, Capt.the field Every soldier in camp should be com- j G. Jones, and G. V. Jones, Carter Rey, and G.polled to wear a thick flannel shirt next his skin, i then witii a stout pair of shoes and a substantial iD. Torian, Lieutenants.F, Redwine Beauregards, Union county, Capt.overcoat, with a large cape to it to turn the rain, j T. W. Redwine, and John Warwick, Hubertrain, and we have been exposed to many of them.Our first advance from this place to Andersfm's. beyond Bfo Sewell, Sept. lth,) wa- a forced march of about twent\-three miles, a part of the time in the rain, to reinforce Gen. Floyd at Gauley: but we were unfortunately about 36 hours too hire, as he had repulsed the enemy and then fallen back. While we were on Iig Sewell working■ r*he is, with the usual uniform, prepared for the field. Had my regiment been thu* supplied, as I endeavored to have them, tlie amount of sicknesswuuld have been mveh leas.I have applied to the Secretary of War, statingthe condition of the regiment, and requestingthat we be sent into winter quarters somewhere near Petersburg, \ a., that our sick may enjoy the advantages ol the North Carolina Hospital atthat place; and I entertain strong hopes that niv request will be granted without delay I »ur sick, with the exception of four or five, are improving. and we expect early next spring to take the field “renewed and regenerated’ in health and spirits, to roll like a wave of destruction on the foe lt is not our wish to leave \ irginia until we have driven the last invader from her soil, unless it be to march into Kentucky or Maryland, or to carry the war into the enemy's country \Y e are “lew and taint, but fearless still.”I send you an extract from a Federal paper, bywhich you will see that “stormy Sewell” was mo a paradise to the enen y. Another aceounr. which I could not procure, states that they “rotted out., and that when they retreated, they were compelled to leave a large amount of prooerty in Conse- .4 .qncnce of having fn u-e their wagons to carry off their sick. I am sati-fn J that they numbered fully 15,000. They were encamped on tterv level pot from Sewell back to L cU'* Lane, a distance of upwards of eight mil- s. '1 hey erred in estimating our number at } V,|?9 W » had eightt^u regiments, which wou.il ’navemade that number, but we Oil not have a Fv full regiment. We could not at : nv time haveMann, and Sanford Howie, Lieutenant*.(t, Henderson Rifles, Henderson county, 1 apt. J. l\ Jordan, and Brownlow Morris, Joshua Garring, and Allen Case, Lieutenants.II, M eekienburg Farmers, Mecklenburg county, ('apt. II. M. Dixon, ami D G. Maxwilb IVA. Caldwell, and S. (1. Hunter, Lieutenants.L Wayne Uounty Volunteers, Wayne county, ('apt. A. J. Finlayson, and John F. Kennedy, W. R. H. Langston, and W. R. Bass, Lieutenants.* rK, Burke aud Catawba Sampsons, Uapt J. K. Ellis, and P. A. Warlick, J. T. Johnson, and A.tatney, Lieutenants.—Raleigh 'tamiaul.• t*»r*mHfcStHtodiMfrtraitltlw\vmb... ♦ 1 »parties were engaged fortifying a part o? the time Bio re than 10,duo men.t*irlin the rain. Our march from that place back to this (Sept. 17th,) was in the night. It commenced raining soon after we starred, and rained upon us must of the night, and for about three hours of the time very hard. The roads were exceedingly muddy, and we reached camp next morning greatly exhausted. The consequence was a rapid increase of our sick list, and when weRespectfully vmirs,WILLIAM J. CLARKK.Col. OouTg 14th Reg’t N. C. Vultrmarched back to Big Sewell to rescue Gen. Wise Fi. r»t College. N. CL * of Deaths in the \Afh Regiment Ar. C VolunUt r*. !1 Frink Fruzel, private. Daffy's Co., July ls(, ti c ,ry bnrg, N. C.2 Themis r WillitUiS, privite. Blocker's C#., Aug 1 t*h. Weld *n, N. CNeil! II. McNeill, privoe. Love’s Co., Sep*. 7ih,atv(Sept. 24th,) I was compelled to leave behind in camp more than 100 sick men. We were ordered to march without baggage or tents, and while there, from the night of the 24th Sept to Oct4 W i-hiugton Strick!»ud. privaie, Lane’s Co., Sent. ]Oh, JohnstoQ i'o , N lt;\5. Finiou Wilkins, private. Lane's Co . Aug iUth, JoLn*ion c.. N. C.17th, wc were exposed for a part of the time to Weldon. N C.6. Ariel Muriewhite. private. Love'* Co , Aug 2l%t,elthe weather without tent*. It rained upon us while we had no shelter, except such as wc could hastily erect in the wood*, for three days. At ! first we were short of provision*, having carried only a day's supply in our haversacks. We had neither c«»ffce or whiskey to stimulate us, and a 1V J7. William Capps, private, Lane * Co , Aug. 26th, Greenwood. Va.8. Laster Uuffin, Serg’t, Lane's Co , Aug. 2*Mh, Johnston countv. N C.9. M ij. Pilkintou, private, Lane s Co., Aug 29th, Johnston Co., N C.10. John Campbell, privue, Love's Co . S^pt. 15th,hi| S'FPrpart uf the time tlie rain was so violent as to ex- Floral (allege, N. C. tinguiJ. our fires, und this too in a raw cold moun- .?.1D!eor? ^•Pj/nsoa, pri* ? i* . ,«»• . 19th, Lewishurg. \ a.tain climate. When our tents arrived, we could obtain no straw to place in them, and until the men could split chesnut logs and floor their tents, they slept on the bare ground. Durtnsr thisprivate. Weed ill s Co., S*pt12. John I’.eese, private, Duffy s Co., Fept _lst, Lewisburg, Va13. Lewis B Gri«wpll, private, Crockett s Co., Sept. 23d, Meadow Bluff, Va.ooth.time, the uieii were poled 75c* ! ^^Bt^. C, Sep,bre^it-worka, and standing guard aa sentinels OT ! ,5 DilloS Tier,,.*pri,„e. Ulocker'a Co.. Sepas pickets. The latter duty, in addition to its danger, is very unpleasant, as no fire or light is allowed. Having spoken ot brcast-works, it will give you some idea of our labors when I inform you that the works erected by our brigade at different times would encircle the good city of Raleigh entirely with a wall, composed of earthand stone and timber four feet thick and six feet high!Sept. 30th,White Sulphur, Va.16. Al*ey FarnolJ, private, Wood ill’s Co, Sept. 3Uth. Meadow Bluff. Va.1«. Harris T. Durham, Serg’t. Woodall’s Co.. lt;cr. fot. Meadow Bluff, Va.IS. Jacob Daughter^’, private, Lanes Co., Oct 2d. Meadow Bluff, Va.19. Morgan Bus?, private. Love’s Co., Oct. 2d, Meadow Bluff, Va.: 26. David Gr.nus. private. Lane's Co., Oct. 4th, Mt.tilthofA few days after the retreat of the enemy, hav-! Sewell, Va.ing a very larp:e sick list and no chance for a fight, I Mi. I applied to Gen. Lee for leave to fall back to --this place, which was granted. I congratulate lyself that the 14th regiment is spoken of in the21. Samuel B Stallings, private, Spivey’s Co., Oct. 7th,Sewell, Va.Radford Burton, private, Dillehay’s Co., Oct. 7th, Meadow Bluff, Va.23. Bin km*y Henderson, private, Duffy's Co., Oct. 9th. Lewi«ih,“t._t®rn.,!.0f prai.Se. tor. itVol‘J.ierlJ’ orderly, j 24. William Turnlr, privafe, Crockett’s Co.. Oct 8th,manly and uncomplaining bearing, by that brave and accomplished soldier, who adds to other su-1 ^ ell deserved epithet ofChristian gentleman, man’s highest praise. While on riewell, Lieut. Col. \ enable was dispatched by Gen. Hoylt;l to Blue Sulphur Springs to establish a hospital there, in the performance of which dutyhe has displayed great energy and business ca-pacity, and not only our regiment, but also Georgians and Virginians are much indebted to him.Without supplies or applianeevS for such an establishment, and without moimy to buy them, he has prepared an asylum for about 4U0 poor fellows, who are reasonably comfortable, and are, almost without exception, recovering. I)r. Brown resigned on account of ill health, and left us on the31st ult. Drs. Wilson and Duffy have both been quite sick with the prevailing fever, but the latter is now able to attend to his duties at Blue Sulphur Spriugs. I am under many obligations to Drs. Bradsher and Jordan of Person county, for voluntary attendance on the rick, said, that my opinion as to th amount of sickness in this recides with that of Dr Brown It was undoubtedly our long stay on the Roanoke, with the sickness there, and the fati-jue and exposure here and the sudden and great, change from the 1Mt. Sewell, Va 2 ». Daniel A. Conoley, private, Love's Co., Oct. 10th, Meadow Bluff, Va.26. J itHu*h A. ( 'urric, private, Love’s Co., Oct. 10th, Meadow Bluff, Va27. William Conoley, private. Love's Co., Oct. 12th, Meadow Bluff, Va.2H John- Barnes, private, Blocker’s Co.. Oct. 12th,Meadow Bluff, Va.29. Richard P. Freeman, private, Blocker’s Co., Oct. 13th, Meadow Bluff, Va.30. Janies Edge, private, Blocker’s Co., Oct. 14th, Meadow Bluff, Va.betoeaabdc4lsoansvfyathstinspK1cc31 . George W. Massingill, private, Lane's company, Oct. 14ih, White Sulphur iSpring?, Va.32. William B. Royal. Corporal, Woodall’s company, Oct 16th, Meadow Bfoff, Va.«•Ptobert Burton, private, Dillehay’s company, Oct. 16th, Blue Sulphur, Va.o4. Feenv W. Richardson, private, Crockett’ pany, Oct. 17th. Meadow Bluff, Va.s com-35. John Ii. Shaw, 1st Sergt., Blocker’s company, Oct. 17th, Meadow Bluff, Va.i Oct36. Leonard Faircloth, private. Blocker’s company, :t. 17!Ii, White Sulphur, Vaek. I have already ! Sirnon P. Ternple, private, Woodall’s company,e causes of the great 0t'Q V;l*»»««. fully.ioin-lfll® V.Pr“' L°,e'a COn’P“V- °'39. James Collier, private, Blocker's.fcompany, Oct ’-2*1, Blue Sulphur. Va.Y(arbimarbewccBlaofPlt;titWierL*inIIarcrstlt;u\vcountry to the mountains that developed the disease and gave malignity to it. I have observed that persons leaving the low country after July and going to the upper country suffer greatly from bilious diseases; and the most malignant cases of fever I have ever seen were of that type. So well was the danger and impolicy of a change of climate known to our ancestors, who after all, though “old fogyish” in some of their notions, had a large amount of sound practical common sense, that on the old statute books there is a lawprohibiting the driving ot cattle from one section to another in certain seasons, which was intended to avoid disease. ln support of this opinion, I may 8tate that the companies from Johnston andfrCumberland have suffered the most •merely. Bad cooking, over-eating while in camp40 Lewis N. Fruzel, private, Duffy’s company, Oct24fh, Meadow Bluff. Va.41. William If. Horne, private, Crockett’s company, Oct. 25th, Blue Sulphur, Va.42. Daniel Bain, private, Blocker’s company, Oct. ~frH,*Blue Sulphur, Va.L. John E. Thompson, private, Lane’s company, Oct. -* h, Blue Sulphur, Va.I41 .Cv lt;*r Wood ill, private, Woodall's company, Oct.Oh, Blue Sulphur, Va.4 . Lovett Grantham, private. Lane’s company.4b. .Mm R. I1',**-pirate. Woodall s company, 29m, Meadow Bluff, Va.Oct.Hi7. PC vCC’ priVftte’ LaTie’8 company. Oct. 30th,Blue Sulphur. ^ a. rm sinLiLSryr n*u' — w. oc.hiUlJX, pri,a' n‘rri’' —i*w. o«.60. John W, Stovall, private, Harri 30th, Meadow Bluff, Va.company, Qct.ol. James II. Brown, private, Daffy’s company, Oct 26ih, Blue 8ulphurf Va. * F J#firththm;teliifuirlt;poisofonTlfrlt;foian
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Fayetteville Observer
Fayetteville, North Carolina, US
Thu, Nov 21, 1861
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Linda N.
02 Jun 2025
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