The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-07-16
From The Petersburg Exprssa
GEN. d JOHNSTON PETTIGREw.

Leasburg, June n, 1862.
Dsor Erprsss Ill is the good or evil for
tune of very few persons to have written
concerning them while living precisely that
which could be written IL they were dead.
This tremendous war has secured such fa-
yor 20 a few Of our noble and gallant SOL
diers. Among them is General j. Johnston
Pettigrew, over whose supposed early but
glorious death 50 many tears have been shed,
and upon whose many great virtues and in-
telIectual gifts SO many eulogiuhs have been
pronounced. Thousands in this State re-
leice that he is still alive. although badly
wounded and thousands will pray to Al
mighty God that his life may be spared and
his health restored. But my object now
is not to pay ! tribute to his splendid men
tai endowmenis or to his accomplishments
and abilities as soldier, but to correct an
error that the Richmond papers, as well as
the Yankees, have fallen into. Gen. Petit
grew Is I native OF, and was educated in
North Carolina. His father formerly re-
presented this State in the U. s. Congress,
aud he was born in Tyrreli county. After
he had graduated at our University, he re-
moved to Charleston, where he resided until
returned 10 the State Of his nativity and aft
fections, to tender his services, and if need
be, his life, in her defence. When he was
appointed Brigadier General, he was COM
handing as Colonel North Carolina regi-
ment. The writer Of this has not seen him
since he left Chapel Hill. He was born
probably in 1928, and not in 1880 as stated
by the Charleston Courier. He was conse,
quently 10 when he was graduated in 1S47.
At that time he was of . spare, active and
blithe figure, about feet inches in height,
and weighing $50 pounds. His features
we're delicately and finely chiseled, and the
expression of his face was extremely intel
lectual and progressing. The conformation
as bright and besutiful an eye as man ever
looked into. To show you something of his
antecedents--to give you some idea Of the
high name he won while yet boy in years,
I quote the following from an account Of the
last Commencement at the University OF
North Carolina, furnished the Raleigh Stan
dard. Says the Correspondent
Especially touching was the timely re-
ference that President Swain made at the
close Of the exercises to the student life of
the brave, the accomplished, the gallant, the
admired, the beloved Pettigrew, ths best
scholar that has srer gone forth from The
halls Of The University. Long may the Uni
versity live to send forth such lawyers,
statesmen and Generals"
To this wish the true manhood of North
Carolina will give hearty response. The
Old North State, though somewhat modest
aud unpretending, is nevertheless proud of
her children, and unwilling that any other
maternity than her own should be bestowed
upon her offspring.
BY the way. the Wing. in right cordial,
clever compliment paid the old State the
other day, and which you copied. omitted
Bethel in enumerating the battles in which
The sons Of North Carolina had borne them
selves as men. Over this side Of the line,
we think that Gen. ID. ii. HIPS old Regi-
ment, the LIST N. c. Volunteers, won the
fight. We think, however. also, that the
omission was not intentional. All praise 70
the Wing for its kindness and candor. In
some haste, Yours,
EBEN ETTERBIDE.