Civil War: N.C. regiment evades Union forces in Virginia

Editor’s note: One hundred fifty years ago Sunday, reports of the attack on Fort Sumter appeared in area newspapers. These stories from the Civil War are presented as they might have appeared in a student newspaper. All photos and article data courtesy of Wilson Library.

JUNE 1862 — North Carolina’s own 1st regiment, along with forces of our brothers in Virginia, has secured a great victory for the Confederacy naught but a few days ago in close proximity of Yorktown, Virginia. The victory of Big Bethel offers us a gleam of sunlight through the dark cloud of war.

According to 1st regiment commander Colonel Daniel H. Hill, the battle began with acts of Northern aggression on the 8th of June.

Two Union marauding forces were spotted on the afternoon of the 8th as the men created a defensive position. Confederate Colonel J. Bankhead Magruder had not yet arrived to take command, so Colonel Hill seized the day and ordered that two parties of men be dispatched to beat back the harassers.

The brave men of the regiment found the first group of Union forces fighting over the spoils of a plundered Southern home.

The regiment set upon the scoundrels and gave chase until they returned to the main Northern force. The second group received similar treatment, turned tail and ran.

Colonel Magruder arrived later in the evening, and the next day the men set about creating earthworks.

“On Sunday, the 9th, a fresh supply of tools enabled us to put more men to work, and, when not engaged in religious duties, the men worked vigorously on the intrenchments,” wrote Colonel Hill in his battle report.

The men of the Confederate force, having assured the blessings of our Lord, marched in the very early hours of the morning to meet the Union soldiers and revenge the wrongs committed to the innocent local folks.

Magruder engaged 1,200 of his 1,400 men and soon found the Union party. The regiment was far outnumbered by the 3,500 Union soldiers.

Magruder, a shrewd commander, ordered his force to fall back to the entrenchments created in the days prior.

The Northern troops pursued and soon found themselves under the withering fire of Southern cannons.

In the melee that followed, the ill-prepared northerners were held at bay by the accurate shot of the Major George W. Randolph and the rest of the artillery.

Several attacks were courageously repulsed by the 1st regiment, which included Company — the name given to our county’s very own Orange Light Infantry when they volunteered with the Confederate Army.

When the action had ended, the federal force was scattered, leaving the triumphant Confederate soldiers to revel in their victory and thank the Lord for the blessings bestowed.

In the aftermath, Colonel Hill awarded words of praise to two men from the former Orange Light Infantry: C. L. Watts and W. H. McDade.

“Their patience under trial, perseverance under toil, and courage under fire have seldom been surpassed by veteran troops,” wrote Colonel Hill.