Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-23
R1cHMoxp, April 81, 1866.

hlChMOND1 ApIA AA3 4oOO'
To the Editor of the Wing:
A paragraph, copied into your paper of this
morning, from the Louisville Courier OF the
l4th, headed 90 A Sham EJpoSed-The Sharp
Trick of an EuDoStor !" is such a gross SLAM
der on a highly honorable gentleman whom l
have the honor and pleasure to class among my
friends, that feel bound to call your attention
to it, in order that the "Yirginia papers" at
least that are called upon to "do favor by
noticing" the paragraph, may stamp 1t at once
as a gross fabrication Of a Yankee journal.
The kROlcinq writer shows what an ass-or
knave-Or bOth-he is, BY blending tloo gentle
man as one, viz: Colonel George W. Brent
and Colonel G. B. Brent.
The Colonel Brent spoken Of as having
wife and children in Alexandria is George W.
Brent, who is personally known to me as
gentleman above reprOach, and utterly in
capable of such an intention as is set forth IN
the infamous paragraph. He was a distinguished
member of the Virginia Convention, entered
the Confederate States service as Major Of the
glorious old Z" Seventeenth Virginia" and was
afterwards Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-
General and Chief Of Staff to Generals Beau
regard and Bragg, respectively. He is now,
and has been since the overthrow of our cause,
residing at his home in Alexandria, engaged in
the practice of his legal profession.
Colonel G. B. Brent was colonel of artille
nv in the Trans Mississippi department of the
late Confederate States army, and although l
had not the pleasure of CHASING him as Of my
friends, yet my official position gave me many
opportunities of knowing him as a courteous
gentleman and a chivalrOus officer, and though
l do not kTolo anything as to has connection
with the circumstances mentioned by the COU-
rier, yet do not hesitate to express my dis
belief of its assertions, and as there was one
falsehOOd, why not tloO ?
Colonel C. B. Brent held many, and high
testimonials from Generals Kirby Smith, Ma
gruder and others, as to his character for being
a brave and gallant officer and perfect gen.
tleman, and the very manner in which he lost
his life stamps him at once as natures noble
man. He was, I believe, unmarried.
If you will allow mes would suggest that
our papers should be more careful as to their
clippings from the foul journals of Yankeedom,
especially in regard to the late officers of our
" lost cause" though in this instance the well
known gentlemanly qualities of the editors and
proprietors of the Wing forbid the idea that
the paragraph alluded to was knowingly in
serted.
Justice to two honorable gentlemen and
meritOriOus soldiers demands that you should
insert this note. Respectfully,
r. II. P. r.
We publish the foregoing with much plea
sure, and regret that the Wing should have
been made the medium of injustice to the gen.
tleman named. Our correspondent, however,
is at fault in characterizing the Louisville
Courier as a g Yankee journal" 1t is, on the
contrary, the organ of Southern sentiment in
the city where it is published, and is the only
journal that left Louisville and followed the
fortunes of the Confederacy.