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scattered around the world and all parts of the United States. In Fayetteville, the name Broadfoot would soon become in- tertwined with other Scottish families, the Huskes, MacRaes and Hinsdales. Charles Broadfoot set sail from Wig- town, Scotland, to Virginia. He made the journey with two dear friends, a Mr. Gillies and a Mr. Freeland. The friends settled in Petersburg, Va., but Charles settled in Amelia County. After the death of his wife, Charles decided to join his cousin Andrew in Fayetteville. He brought with him three of his chil- dren, his daughter, May Catherine, and sons James Freeland and William Gil- lies, named for those friends who sailed with him from Scotland. It was William Gillies and Frances Wetmore who would become parents to that firecracker of a Broadfoot, the colonel. It’s difficult to imagine the life of Frances Wetmore Broadfoot. As the Civil War began to rage, she was a wife and mother with a husband and two sons caught up in the war’s bloody bat- tles. Though William was a banker, not a soldier, his bank was a depository for the Confederate states – and therefore a target. William was on a bank mission when Frances wrote him in 1865, just as Fayetteville experienced Sherman’s wrath: “My Dear Husband: Your letter dated the 23rd and received tonight is the greatest comfort, and I hope before this that you have received Mr. Lilly’s letter and some of mine. I have written three times, also sent you a small bundle before you left Egypt (N.C.) containing a shirt and some cravats, which I trust you have received. You have suffered so much as much from anxiety as we have. Who but the Lord could sustain us through such troubles. If you have re- ceived any letters you have learned that our loss was comparatively small. Many of our friends have lost everything.” And then there were the letters from her son, Charles: “Just after the moon went down (about half an hour before day) I received a volley from the rear. Colonel H. being absent, I was thrown suddenly in command. I ordered my men to cut their way through our front and to retreat on the Tarboro Road, which was done in good order. The en- emy became alarmed at what they sup- posed was a charge made on them and fell back, firing only a few shots at us … It was very fortunate for us that we es- caped capture … I have marched about 100 miles in eight days and feel quite tired but am ready to meet the enemy at any time.” Charles Wetmore Broadfoot had in- terrupted his studies at the University of North Carolina to enroll as a private in the Confederate Army. He was pro- moted to lieutenant colonel in 1862 and commanded a junior reserve regiment at Bentonville. Less than two months af- ter the fight at Bentonville, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Sherman – the war was over. Bentonville would be- come the subject of many an argument between historians. Some say it was the climax of the overlooked but critical Carolinas campaign, the last hurrah. Others say it was a desperate attempt, a ragtag bunch of 14,000 or so men who faced Sherman’s army of 60,000 strong. Either way, Charles Wetmore Broadfoot would remember it well and with good reason – it ranked among the bloodiest of Civil War encounters. “It looked like a picture and at our distance was truly beautiful,” he re- called later. “Several officers led the charge of horseback across an open field in full view, with colors flying and line of battle in such perfect order as to be able to distinguish the several field of- ficers in proper place and followed by a battery which dashed at full gallop, wheeled, unlimbered and opened fire. It was gallantly done but it was painful to see how close their battle flags were to- gether, regiments being scarcely larger than companies and divisions not much larger than a regiment should be.” He came home to teach and read law. He was elected to the state legislature in 1870, served as dean of the Cumberland County Bar and was elected a trustee of UNC, the school that finally awarded him the degree he was not able to com- plete, in 1911. He brought his bride, Kate Huske Broadfoot, to the home Above | Kate Broadfoot Holmes Slater, far right Above | Kate Huske Broadfoot Above | Kate Huske Broadfoot CityViewNC.com | 63

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