Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-04-27
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.

DEAR L" SPIRIT :" " j. B." the man who so
graphically described the sanguinary battle
fought between " the Great Mogal," and the
spirited forces led by " Uncle Billy Webb
and the old patriarch Jesse IIagan," has on
" given you one Of the incidents of the cam
paign in Ed~gocombe, and is, therefore, hard
ly entitled to be considered a historian.
When the full history of that e|ventful war
shall have been written, and hedaring deeds
and noble leats in arms ofthe renowned Jesse
shall have been chronicled and &" Uncle
Billy Webb" receive, as he should, his full
share of the honors Justly due the hero who
40 y~aliantly met the enemy, postcrity will
behold their names in imperishable brass,
and generations yet to be, will learn of chow
they fought and how they fell" To this
work, none but the genius Of a Wheeler is ad-
equate and, as | do not wish to hinge upon
the proper province of " the true historian of
North Carolina" | will leave to him the task,
and will content myself to relate so much of
the campaign rs anne under my own knowl-
edge from a short ]soiourn upon the immedi-
alto theatre of the war.
1t 50 happened, that on the day of March
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and fifty three, being moved thereto
by n writ of Subpoena issued from the Supe-
rior Court Of Edgecombe, | departed from
home, and, on the day Of the same month.
arrived in Tarboru,' the head quarters of the
Great Unterriiied in command of the army
of occupation. Now, | had not heard prior
to leaving home, that war existedin the land
of EdgGcombe between the followers of Billy
the Nipper and Philip the Ripper nor did
l know that Philip, heretofore denominated
the " Great Mogul') had been so far elated
with success, as to push the war intothe very
heart of the enemy's country, and plant his
standard upon the heightof his battlements
Judge then Of my surprise when, on entering
Tarboro', | was hailed by a sentinel on duty
and commanded to give the countorsign ! !
told him that | was not aware that war exis
ted, and that l was called thither by the civ
ii authorities Of the land. | was ordered tC
divest myself of certain articles of CLOTHING
that | might be searched for papers | die
30 and was Immediately examined Fortu
natoly for me, l had in my pocket q small
flask of =, which having been found wa
aeuficicnt guarantee to the guard that | be
lonScd to the party of Billy the Nipper, an,
] was permitted to pass, ~hayingfrst received
the countcrsign which ran as follows" Up
pie Jack, the glory Of Nash, and the eau dci
ofHe PB Of Edgec0mbc." The sentry ais
said that Billy the Nipper had Philip tn
AHPpNA hANNNlGu Ol dli SilCS, anu lldI Oh Jlld
night the troops under the command of Bill
Webb and " the old Patriarch" intended I
make nm attack upon Philip, and that the,
were busily engaged in supplying themselve
with ammunition. \ fact which my own oh
servation had already shown, judging fror
the number of gallon jugs borne about. i
which, probably to keep it dry, they carrie
their po,rder. After passing the guard.
prudently Invested myself of the flask. lest
might fall into the hands of the men Of phi
IN the Ripper and be treated as a spv.
The close proximity Of the lines of .Job
and the troops of Philip may seem singni,
to one ~uuacquainted with the plan Of tho z;
v~estiture Of the Town. Billy and Jesse Il.
summoned all their forces, both militia n,
regular, and had circumvented the nlaco
kind Of A~ureng-zebe in~tendinrthat WI,
Philip made a sally, as it was reported
would, they would fall upon him on all sid
at once and thus carry every thing bv stor,
In entering the town, then. as soon as
passed the guards of Billy in possession
tho suburbs or outskirts | an told that tn
generally occupyth the outskirts | came amo
those of Philip, by whom / was taken Def,
Philip himself. ! confess | was somewi
frightened at this for, be it known, | h
once held q captains commission in his s