The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-07-12

inc TO emanate from Randolph county,
nnder date of the 18th inst, making in.
ouiries with regard to Brigadier General
+. M. Harris, over the signature of
anxious" Now, Mr.. Editor, if this
man Anxious" was as anxious as he pur.
ports to be for the real character and
conduct of this brave officer, think ne
need not appeal to you for the ldentlty
of the man, but could obtain a Tar more
ready and satisfactory answer from most
anv loyal man in Randolph county.
1Anxions" accompanies his inquiry ABOUT
+be identify of General Harris with nu-
merons insinuations against that ofncer'
,rb;eb be attempts to saddle on Madam
Pnmor and thus avoid personal chas-
t;semept for his audacity by leaving
hole through which he might escape
Now. Mr.. Editor, I was always taugntt 10
~ render INTO Caesar that which was
Casar,s and to rescue the innocent and
condemn the gnilty is the sole object OF
this communication. Inc burning VI
Huttonsville was the lDsuoordlnate act
of Lieutenant Moarton, OF Battery ", ISL
West Virginia Artillery. who, General
Harris always said, he had sent up TO
Huttonsville with directions that in case
he found the enemy intreDched IN hut,
louisville he should shell the town, ana
without finding this Lieutenant Moarton
went on to execute the order whlcn ne
and General Kelly afterwards tried TO
blame upon General Harris But
after all this fuss, what was the
burning of Huttensville, and what did 1t
amount to? There were only three OF
four houses there, and they were very
likely owned by rebels-the very ones
that are responsible for this war, and
they can't blame General Harris! when
thea brought 1T on themselves. Now, sir,
as to the Fl Delaware prisoners, IL
would be criminal in any loyal man con-
versant with the facts of the case to
suffer the gallant General Harris to rest
under such an imputatiOn, and when
see a disposition manifested by those
rebels to tarnish the fair fame OF that
gallant officer, by charging him with
murder, or worse than murder, 1T makes
me think the war has ended too soop.-
The facts were these. A large numuer
of the people Of this county were always
disloyal since can remember; and when
Mudwall Jackson surrounded General
Harris's little band at Beverly, there was
not man among all who were sent OH
possessed with loyalty enough to prevent
Jackson's advance, or ever apprise Gen.
eral Harris that he might have put his
house in order for the reception of the
Johnies; but Jackson found his match
Colonel Harris finding his retreat cut OFT
by Duun's battalion, and bemmed in ON
all sides, unable to contrive what dispo
sition to make of Captain Ewing and
his battery, so as to effect his own
escape through the woods, at the quest
of that officer, made bold aud deter
mined standardized Jackson dsas.
trously and compelled him to speedy
flight in order to prevent the capture OF
his entire army. Then, sir, after the
terrible conflict aud the narrow escape
made by Col. Harris from vastly snpe'
rior force. is il wonderful that Col Hair
ris should with the consent OF General
Averall seud aud arrest not more than
fifty or a hundred of the most dlsloyal OF
orr citizeus? men W ho had done nothing
! whatever tor this government, and Sc.
lect IA few of them to be mel ely traus-
+, feTred for two or three months Jo Fort
Delaware II is true as stated by "Anx.
ious, that five or Guy four that Iemem-
Der, returued, and two or three survived
ONLY two or three weeks after they re-
, turned to the county from prison But
sir, who is to blame bur themselves? II
is TO be remembered that a change at
diet will produce SICKNESS often, aud the
probability is that it was high living
at Fort Delaware that eugendsred the
disease Of which those prisoners died. /
can inform Anxious" that it is only
those of disappointed ambition who as
sail the military reputation OF General
Harris / remember another occasion
where superior officers endeavored To
hinder the advance of Col. Harris to the
high position destiny had assigned him,
by thwartihg his well devised plan for
the capture Of Imboden and jenkins Il
the summer Of 1862; which would have
beyond peradventure prevented the great
destruction Of government stores at
BuckhanpOn by General jenkins.
remember well the calumny heaped
upon General Harris by the untiring in.
struments of "Old Granny" for merely
writing a communication 10 the IntelH.
gepCsr setting himself before the country
IN his proper light, and denouncing those
who were only seeking to hinder bis
promotion above them. The loyal cit
liens of Randolph and Upshur counties
know too well the real value of General
Harris to snifer its depreciation ny such
a communication as that of "ARriOus"
And l hope this will be quietus TO all
such in future. If it had not been for
his indomitable perseverance and relent-
less energy the rebels of this county
would have grown intolerant. Iremem-
Der when that officer first began to
diffuse knowledge among the people of
this section by public speaking, "he was
hardly able to obtain an audience" until
he had three or four of the worst female
rebels in Beverly imprisoned for. failing
to come out and hear his speech on the
Fourth Of July. This soon inspired them
with some degree of loyalty and respect
for the Generals authority, land no had
10 more trouble with them afterwards"
lis Thus the people of Randolph have
ben lid OF that spirit of oppression
which would have swept broadcast over
orr county, but for the timely arrest by
the General And ! can dignity the
article of "4RriOuS" with no more appro-
pirate calling than the legitimate offspring
Of black jRgrdtitude lis not military
service alone that entities General Har-
ris 10 the highest position in the gift Of