The Greensborough Patriot

July 24, 1862

Page 3

DEATHS

Killed.—In a fight with the enemy, on the 21^st of June, between Richmond and the Chickahominy, Henry C. Gorrell, Capt. Of Company E, in the 2^nd regiment N.C. State Troops, in the 23^rd year of his age. In his school boy days, he was regular in the discharge of his duties, studious in his habits, and exemplary in his conduct, which habits he carried into after-life; and for one of his age, had acquired a large fund of historical and literary information. He was always a dutiful and affectionate son, and a kind and loving brother, upon whom the eyes of his parents and brothers and sisters were always cast with doting fondness, and by whom his noble qualities and many virtues will ever be cherished with the most lively remembrance. As a citizen, he was prompt and active in his business,--social, liberal and generous in all his intercourse with society, and had succeeded in acquiring the esteem and good will of most who knew him; and the better he was known, the more he was beloved. At the age of sixteen, he made a profession of the religion of Christ, and publicly attached himself to the Presbyterian Church in Greensborough; and his after-conduct in a “Godly life and conversation in the world;” in his liberality for the support of the Gospel, (according to his means) in all its schemes of benevolence; and his conscientious discharge of all his Christian duties, gave to his friends a comfortable assurance that his profession was sincere, and that he had given his young heart to God. When he entered the army, he did not leave his religion behind him, but carried it into the camp, on the march, and to the cannon’s mouth. An officer who saw him when he fell, remarked to a friend upon the spot where he was killed, that “no man could have fallen in the regiment whose death would have been more lamented; -- no man could have fallen who was better prepared to go.”

At the breaking out of this cruel war,--waged with savage ferocity against all that he held most sacred and dear,--he was attached to the “Guilford Grays, who so promptly responded to the call of Gov. Ellis, in April, 1861, and with that company went to Fort Macon, where he remained for several months. But supposing that his company would be confined entirely to garrison duty, and panting for more active service in the field, he withdrew from the Grays, and attached himself to a volunteer company of State Troops raised in his county, of which he was elected first Lieutenant, and afterwards was promoted to the rank of Captain, made vacant by the election of Captain Morehead to the position of lieutenant-Colonel of the Forty-fifth Regiment. On the 21^st of June his regiment was ordered out to storm and carry at the point of the bayonet, a strong redoubt of the enemy, flanked by two other strong works on the north and south. Whilst on this perilous duty he fell, pierced entirely through the head with a minnie ball, and intstantly died.

“-- -- -- his soul,

With one pang, one bound, escaped control.”

The following extract of a letter from Lieut. Hobson to a friend in this place, describes the manner of his death, and records the estimation in which he was held in his regiment:--

“But nothing during the war has so much affected me, as Capt. Gorrell’s death. It would not have been so bad if there had been any necessity for the sacrifice. Four companies charged two batteries supported by a brigade of infantry. Our company and Captain Howard’s led the charge. The men acted handsomely. Capt. Gorrell was among the foremost of his men. He fell in the thickest of the fight, only a few feet from me. He was standing perfectly cool, encouraging his men. One of his men rose up beside him; he told him to take good aim, and had scarcely uttered the words when he was pierced through the head with a ball, and fell, groaned and died without a struggle. Soon after he fell, we were ordered to retreat and it was impossible to recover his body. I tell you, Joe, he fell like a brave man, and the death of no man in the regiment would be regretted as much as his is. He was universally popular with officers and men. I was very sorry to hear that his father failed to recover his remains. The day after he left, this grave was found by the Orderly Sergeant of company B. His hat was found at the grave with the hole through it, and is preserved.”

Thus died one so young, so promising in the opening-bud of his manhood. At the earliest call of his country, he girded on his armor, and died like a true patriot and soldier—fighting the enemies of his country and his home, and defending the dear ones that made that home precious in his sight.

“No useless coffin confines his breast,

Nor in sheet nor in shroud they bound him;

But he lies like a soldier taking his rest,

With his martial clothes around him.”