Hillsborough Recorder (NC)
August 7, 1861
Page 2
SHERMAN’S BATTERY
What
strange powers of resuscitation Major Sherman and his men must have since they
were completely “annihilated” by the 11th Virginia Regiment, and yet
revived in time to be “cut to pieces” by Hampton’s
Legion, put to flight, and their guns turned upon themselves. After two such “complete annihilations,” one
would think these fellows had had enough of dying; but no, we see by “an eye
witness’s account” that this same Sherman’s Battery was dealing death and
destruction, when “a single company of South Carolinians” charged upon and
captured the entire battery! Not content
with this these immortals were manning their guns again, when attacked and
destroyed by the 68th Virginia, again by the 49th, and we
are not sure but the accounts mention an “annihilation” by a Georgia Regiment
before these queer fellows [unreadable phrase].
Whether the “annihilations” occurred in this order or not the accounts
do not state. Certain it is, however,
that reliable persons, eye-witnesses, participators, etc., mention every one of
the above.
Ellsworth’s
Zouaves seem, also, to have been made of the same indestructible material. For “their terrible loss was owing to their
encountering a Texas Regiment, who cut them up terribly.” Again we find that it was an Arkansas
Regiment who, throwing away their muskets, seized their bowie-knives and cut
off the heads and cleft the skulls of the paralyzed Zouaves; and, yet, we have
hardly read this thrilling description when we find that it was the 2d South
Carolina Regiment that destroyed the famous “Fire Zouaves.”
It
is supposed that the 6th North Carolina Regiment was somewhere in
the fight, as it is mentioned that the body of Col. Fisher, who commanded it,
passed through Richmond
the day after the battle.
Col.
Kirkland, too, with the 11th Volunteers, was extremely fortunate in
being placed in the same Brigade with two S. C. Regiments, thereby obtaining
passing mention in a letter writer’s account.
To
be serious: We presume it will turn out, as it did at Bethel, that the North
Carolinians prefer that the full extent and value of their gallant deeds should
be made known by some other trumpeter than their own. The only letter we have seen from any of our
gallant volunteers, who participated in the fight was the very modest one from
Lieut. McPherson to his father who lives in the country, and it was by the
merest chance that we saw it.
-Fayetteville Observer-
[Transcribed by Sharon Strout]
