Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-05-29
TIE LATE MAJOI GENERAL E4al

|
the signature oil ''John Burley," after giving
some circumstances rf tre murder of Con.
Van Dorm, sumB up lis estimate OF the char
act"r Of the deceased in The following wCrdE
THAT Van Dorm was man ot daring gcllug
there Can bs no doubt Very handsome, w,tr
DARK flashing eyes aud handsome n0ustnGhe,
fuprrh rider, etovy additsa-- quick witss4
AMI gracofnl-he wsB also nAn Of ssgscions
foresight and ksan intellect. But hs pas
aostNy and Thoroughly unreliable He aIacays
riGced his business to has pleasure H6
aros never at has post mAen he Upqht to be-
Vas either tied to aronlon's apron string, 67,
heated pith pine.
Wo mark N itGlics a poIlcn Gf this re-
Dsrh able statement because it mikes up 81
| astounding libel on tho dead. Tho words
| i!s;ici:el Are kncwa be uhtrna by every
rifianr and soldier CT Tho lrny who hsn
Knowledge cf tho Conduct sru character CT
tho unfortunate Van njrn. IIs T. ss, livery
ipeb, RLljlOr. PrGulpt, vigillnt, mindful
Of his own duties, he did nu' c1unten sa6s
I'naglSc Of duty in subcrdinsixs. Tks d..
cisi principle was largo in his alttrs; :;Sf
IL was btld IN strict suhcran,t!on to the
hisbor principle cf duty. Tho Eocla!ist be-
4
thrughtfu enrrgo,lc toldlsr and the sGlGtn
Eess OF tha 'rsps,t:on constituted one ntriking
elemeI! ui re individuality Of The man. ne
who has not marked thls quality can know
nothing Of Van Dorm. Va Knew him wo!l-
were far lcns time, and under tie most
trying circumstances OF hii career as a SOL
dier, members of his military famly-ssw
him by day ard by n!ght-kuew lis hstiis
III the social Ci-1'e and Oh lhe batle fold
and hecspe acquainted with all the tiai;s
which ma, ked him as colder rnd no r!.f.
Ii was self-eacrticing ard msgoanlinoua in
larger measure than se have ever iGuad in
Any other nan. H. fnlt desp.y the 1o.pDnel,
| blIties rf h'a position, and taxed hia m;Ei
anI energies 10 set them crelltsby to hiiu-
sell, and serYceably to his country.
A mole devoted patriot did not live. His
love fer his native Safe, MissIsBiDp!, was
market by g peculiar emphasis, aLd 30 whs
ksenly alive 10 soIus CT tha defsna: ION, which
assAilsd him in thst quarter, after his disaster
at Oorln'h. John hurley has yesur7sctet
| a part 0! the caluInng, whio:: 40 stig metizGd
as false, on full investigation, hy tho Odurt Ct
| Inquiry which s.t at Ahhr.ille, ccrnpos6d Of
Gena. Ser ling Price, Msurg, and Tghman
Wa nllude to tbu chcTgs Of i.,temparnncs A
moro urn'tig;ted s!aadcr never nissi:et
pabiin off GER. Ynt i. teamed Il ON th. Tre $.
! and was echoad hy "a uaanGs, Who rere 80
| ignorant Of tho psn ,G:sl,d as "Jonn Barlrv'
has shown nimasi to ba.
When and whes, lid Tsn Dom ever e.c2i-
flco bis husinfcs {" his Lltafurs, Nstse
time, and pl.ce, end circumstances, "Jahn
| Burley,' and tie army will r@e 10 vindlss,e
| the dead
Wns it on tho ffoHtinr of Texas -9hsro
| his slcepcss vigilance rnd uuwesYiot s:r,yir..
saved the State from savage hsrbs,i;ieG snh
whero his ,ams in now r;rsg tod pofd ID
every faulty op its borJers1 THO mothers
and daughters Ct Texse viii ahod .ta7s of a.
fsctian ard gratitude over tho bloody crays
| Of Van Dom, covered ictugh it be With tic
| defamation of such az cnn II.:cr no word Of
reproach against the r;ilor who emhel-
| listed h:s TREASON with cold:hloo!sa assas-
sination. .-
Was j: at Vickahurg g?-tronofwhich he
ssnt back, b. IL ID gbd jriteT:atIa3, two large
and formidable Fadsral hes;a. sj,cr sixty
| days snd nights of terrific bonbsrdrnont.
Was it a. Oorinth ?--whero his v.lcr, Lis
skill, his cool intSani;ii!y, hia fI!iliv of &C.
| sou'o- under difficulty, w1s youchcd 5T the
testimony, r,nd"r o@ib, Of such G"rcr,.!. ~
Price and Msury ard Others, bofuro tie
COURT Of Inquiry called To invrat,gsto hs con.
duet.
Was It St Holly Springs ,-:iie ec4no Of
! his cs+al,y raid, whlca. tested by its mill
| ta'y cnns' qI2nce, wsl tie greatest Gf The
war.
Was it CT Thou,ss' S;stion :-rrheve his
energy and sGirace gave lus.r6 10 Gu. n!.,,.
| ~ rnn's.
Was il shown" "nt Duck River in tto
m,Rtsrly rutreas b. which ho eludad t.-o
surrounding corps Of ,Le sub.la and cy.fty
| Rosocrarz
Or did the voiUptusry and sen;u:st bo-
come manifest at franklin, where he fought
bis last battle.
/ The special correspondent Of the RichIpnnd
"EEquitsr" was never on q march with Van
| Dorm. IT he hs1 been, he conid rot h.ve
cGnfonnGed him vita one VI "ssorifi :es nis
| business to pleasure" Il IL Amazing that
SANDER even should s.raggls NO far from tra.h
| ss TO paint him 10 such c3lors. No cficer in
cur army has evr been more oaIar to ss.ika
the fee or strivon harder to find, III make an
Opportunity to do it. His rienda have soii.s-
times feared that his ruling passion r,ip,..
seek its qualification ut tho e.osnso of tho
military vir:uee-c.utIon snd prudence.
It may be true, as stated by "Joba Rdr-
| ley" that his murderer Vas recei-ud hg tho
enemy at Nashville with marks Of o;sn..
guished welcomes" but if ~, i. vas uGt he
cause the trst'or came with his hands wet
with tho blood of sensual de5suchse, wno
"was never st bis poet when be ought to DO"
who, emssculated BY licsntiousness, ceased
s,s to ts :o,di,r.ShS; under .as sasl! sil.
= :s:aatioD, always sacrificed ,;s
! business 1 to his pleasure"-snd vhn w na'
therefore, wholly and thoroughly nnrs,i. %
! ola" Tbo assassination of one thus 80
su' 'S an incubus upon tho army, couli -
nave Inspired F.fr.l ioy. Tho ,'s,
hucn niaa would at,s5gtbec nnt ~
our force. s''en' h'e i'n
II tie We como Of the rpu rdEs,s- s..,o oi -
any srnrsciatinn Of h,s acod, i. SsSso SSsI
gallant bold, on'orpsisinr ,sH' =.
Ias'ieT, ielt End fssrod by thdIu, yasS. = U.s.
away leader whose nctive "bus;n
cnd heen to rnar nr destroy their ",loasyl
- 'esdsT who, to thsir gren, dia ,nrn,o
ohrn fCond tuo often 81 M.ir 49,
iesder upon whose vigilance and
NIGH wholly and thoroughly RI -
near them and upon them ut egaf +
point within his resch-a L. A. 3 #
scarccs, rising with the exif =. II
formidable enemy even sqa
Saall this Especial corr - T.
ee@ks to mangle the reputs + l. IL
as tho trniior assassin ma - - i|5
WHO our history, and su j. = - :
oar n.tonhl archives? -
Thoss archives st Was
mond, sstest the merit c, = & Il -
d,ar. Under the old Gt k!3 - -
with Mexico, ho won pr : :
t;r gnis he'd md meiito = r =
rho Southwestern from ~ - - - -
'erios OF osnD iEni sgai -
It the "sscrrfcs Of sli g. = -
'ost Of all ease, bo rsps - - 49, = :
l"ered rhs most forn
nst cver Invaded II - J.
'istanf, focdles5 Da 80