About Fight at Fayetteville, N. C.
By W. G. Allen, Dayton, Tenn.

Confederate Veteran
Volume, Number 9, Page 433
September 1911

J. W. Du Bose in the July VETERAN requests information from participants in the Fayetteville (N. C.) fight.

On March 9, 1865, about 10 P.M., General Wheeler sent a courier to Col. G. W. McKenzie, who commanded the 5th Tennessee Cavalry, to come to his quarters. Colonel McKenzie directed me to ride over with him. General Wheeler laid the plan of the early morning attack of the 10th on General Kilpatrick's camps. Showing Colonel McKenzie as well as he could the location of Kilpatrick's camps, he gave him orders to go to the rear of Kilpatrick's camps and be in position by daylight. Colonel McKenzie ordered me to go in person and give each company commander orders to saddle up and fall in line quietly. When mounted we started with a guide. When near the point we were to occupy, we bogged, so that but few of the men got through.

General Wheeler brought on the attack. We were in sight of the fleeing Yankees. W. S. Redderick, who was a private in Company D, 5th Tennessee, my old company, has told me time and again that he was one of the first men to get to General Kilpatrick's quarters, that the General left his sword, uniform, and boots, also a woman, presumably his wife. I did not see General Butler, and General Wheeler did not speak of him. As adjutant of the 5th Tennessee I had done special service for General Wheeler repeatedly. W. S. Redderick is an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.