“Colonel John Douglas Taylor and His Red Infantry at Bentonville”

 

Friends of the Cape Fear Historical Institute:

We are pleased to announce the addition of the biographical essay of Wilmingtonian Col. John Douglas Taylor. 

Please take time to read the short story of this accomplished North Carolina legislator, soldier and public servant.

Col. Taylor’s son Walker Taylor was the founder of Wilmington’s famed Brigade Boys Club, still in existence today.  

See the link below.

Happy New Year!

Bernhard Thuersam, Director

Cape Fear Historical Institute

"Documenting Cape Fear People, Places and History"

www.cfhi.net

“Colonel John Douglas Taylor and His Red Infantry at Bentonville”

“Col. Taylor led his 267 “Red Infantrymen” (because of their traditional artillery uniform red-facings) of cannon-less artillerists against the enemy at Bentonville in mid-March 1865. At the front of his advancing men as they reached the enemy breastworks, Col. Taylor was shot down by a Yankee from no more than twenty paces away, his left arm shattered by the rifle fire. 

An enemy counterattack drove back Col. Taylor’s men and by the time they regrouped only numbered 115 men unscathed or fit for duty. In that sharp engagement every officer of his regiment was either killed, wounded or captured, except Taylor and one other.  Col. Taylor was sent to the rear for hospitalization at Raleigh.  The battle ended in a stalemate more or less, and demonstrated the high casualties the South could expect when their muzzle-loading Enfield rifles opposed the new Henry repeating rifles of the well-equipped invader.” 

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