Body Servant Responsible For First Yankee Kill Of The War

The Civil War Strange & Fascinating Facts, Burke Davis, Author Of Gray Fox, Wings Books, Random House. Originally Published as Our Incredible Civil War by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Page 36.

The first battle between D.H. Hill and his 1st NC Volunteers against "Beast" (as he was later known) Butler's seven regiments which included the 7th NY. 1,498 Confederate defenders against 4,400 Yankees.

"For twenty minutes the Federals hammered at Hill's left, and were driven off by a heavy fire which killed a Union major, Theodore Winthrop. Claimants for the honor of inflicting this casualty were three of Hill's privates and the Negro body servant of a fourth - the latter a crack shot." (Wait a minute. This can't be. How could a body servant possibly be a crack shot? We all know, just ask the $PLC, they would never have been allowed anywhere near a gun.........)


Addendum:

This was the Battle of Bethel on June 10, 1861.

Major Theodore Winthrop was the first confirmed death caused by Confederate soldiers. On June 8th the Confederates attacked a Federal camp at Hampton and "civilians reported that the Yankees had taken away dead and wounded in two carts and a buggy. There were no Confederate casualties." Also, in the darkness of the night of June 10th "two (Yankee Regiments) of these had collided, firing on each other, leaving nineteen wounded and two dead"

Of course, Private Henry Wyatt of Tarboro was the first and only Confederate casualty of the battle. 200 of the enemy were killed.

For Bushwack jogging my mind. BT
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Body Servant Responsible For First Yankee Kill Of The War