294 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

in serving the country of their adoption, with the unwearied
fidelity of true-hearted women of every land.

Her labors ended, Mrs. DeRosset has for years rested peace-
fully under the shade of the Oakdale trees, waiting her joyful
resurrection. The daughters of the South could have no better,
purer model, should their beloved country ever call on them,
as it did on her, in time of need.

Of her own sons, one noble boy of seventeen sleeps in Oakdale

Cemetery, with “Only a Private” inscribed on a stone marking
his resting place.

Her oldest son, Col. William L. DeRosset, of the gallant
Third North Carolina Infantry, was wounded nigh unto death
at Sharpsburg.

Her second son, Dr. M. John DeRosset, assistant surgeon at
Bellevue Hospital, New York, with most flattering offers of
promotion in a New York regiment, resigned his commission,
came South, and was commissioned assistant surgeon, with
orders. to report to Jackson, in whose command he shared the
perils of the famous Valley campaign of 1862. Later, he was
one of the surgeons in charge of the hospital in the Baptist
College, Richmond.

Another son, Capt. A. L. DeRosset, of the Third North Caro-

lina Infantry, was several times disabled by slight wounds, and
at Averasboro was left for dead on the field. He owes his recov-

ery to the skill and care of a Federal surgeon, into whose hands
he fell. 3

Louis H. DeRosset, being physically incapacitated for active
duty, was detailed in the Ordnance and Quartermaster’s Depart-

ments, and was sent to Nassau on business connected with the
latter.

Thomas C. DeRosset, the youngest of the six, a boy at school,
enlisted before the call for the Junior Reserves, and was detailed

for duty under Maj. M. P. Taylor, at the Fayetteville arsenal.

ing Rifles, attending the memorial services at Oakdale Cemetery.

The War Between the States

CONFEDERATE HEROES.

From personal knowledge and from available records I have
added to this narrative the following names of the living and
the dead identified with Wilmington, which are held in grateful
remembrance by those who recall their devotion to the Lost
Cause. Hundreds of others, equally meritorious, are upon the
roll of honor, but because of limited space I can include only the
names of company and regimental leaders of the Lower Cape
Fear, and some others whose record is known to me.

As has been said elsewhere, prior to the formal secession of
the State of North Carolina from the Union, affairs in Charles-
ton had taken such a turn that the citizens of Wilmington antici-
pated the occupation and strengthening of Forts Caswell and
Johnston at the mouth of the Cape Fear by the Federal Govern-
ment. To prevent that, a Committee of Safety was organized
in Wilmington, and a call made for volunteers to enlist for
immediate service. This call was promptly answered, and John
J. Hedrick was chosen commander. ‘These minute men em-
barked on January 10, 1861, for the mouth of the river and,
being joined by a Smithville detachment, speedily took posses-
sion of the two forts.

The Cape Fear Light Artillery was recruited from the local
military companies, and especially from the body of minute
men that took possession of Forts Caswell and Johnston prior
to the formal secession of the State. Under this name the com-

pany served throughout the war.

Gen. W. H. C. Whiting was a distinguished West Point engi-
neer, a man of great ability. His wife was a Miss Walker, of
Wilmington, and at the outbreak of the war he was a Wilming-
tonian by adoption, well-known and highly esteemed. The day
after the fall of Fort Sumter, he came to Wilmington and by
courtesy assumed command, and for some weeks directed the
preparations for defense. He was, however, needed at the front
and was chief engineer with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston at Har-
per’s Ferry and at Manassas. After brilliant service in Vir-
ginia, on November 17, 1862, he again assumed command of the
defenses of the Cape Fear.

Wilmington was the most important port of the Confederacy
for the receipt of supplies and munitions of war, and an officer