Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-13
GENERAL oLEBURNE.


|
To the Editor of the Ledger r'
The following interesting facts con
corning General Pat R. Clebnrne have
never that am aware, been published
And as his remains have SO recently
been honored by almost the entire popu-
lation of our city and conveyed to Ar
kansas where they were consigned 70 the
heros final resting place, where his dust
VIII mingle with that Of his adopted
State, it is proper time to make puplic
more of his private life than is generally
known.
When General Cleburne was killed at
Franklin, Tennessee, in 1864, he was IN
his thirty-ffth year. By education he
was druggist, and in early lie was
as thoroughly accomplished as one could
be at his age in that profession when
about twenty-one years of age he aban-
doned the monotony Of bottles and labels
and the filling of prescriptions, and
Joined the British army as private
The extent and character of his services
| have not been able to ascertain, but
il is not probable that he remained IN
the army many months. This much is
known: He landed at New York poor
and friendless, and some years before the
war. was found at Cincinnati by gentle
man of Helena, Arkansas, who induced
him to go to that place and accept under
him situation in his drugstore. The
Young Irishman soon made friends who
recognized his merits and talents, ana
persuaded him to study law. He was
soon admitted to the bar and became the
partner of Colonel Nangum, an eminent
lawyer of Arkansas, who was afterward
one of Cleburnes staff officers, and who
is still practicing law at Helena. When
the war broke out, Cleburne went out
from Phillips county as Captain
of a company. His subsequent Ca
reer is part of the known history of
the war and his fame belongs alike to
the South and to his native Ireland. I
Strange and unnatural as it may seem,
he had a brother in the Federal army.
OF this fact he never spoke even to his
most intimate friends, and few of them
ever ventured to breach the subject.
Passing over this circumstance, which |
has many painful parallels, we come TO |
the saddest romance of his great life,
which involves another, who was as
gentle and pure, and patriotic in her
sphere, as he was brave and knightly and
fierce in war. She, too, has gone TO the
spirit land. and we violate no sacred
condolences now in writing thus briefly a.
tender episode in the warriors life. 1t
will be remembered by hundreds and
thousands of the surviving members OF
the grand old Army of Tennessee that
while the army was in winter quar-
tiers al Dalton, General Cleburne had
leave of absence and went to Mobile, as
it was impossible for him to get through
the lines to his home When he re-
turned to the army it was observed by
all who knew General Cleburne that he
was dressed up as he never before had
been. He wore a new uniform, with
the buff trimmings and insignia of
Confederate Major General; also new
felt hat, adorned with sweeping black
plume The soldiers grew facetious over
the change in old Pats appearance,
for previously he had generally worn the
oarb of a common soldier, and they ex-
planned the transformation in many
witty remarks. 1t subsequently tran
spired that during the General absence
he had addressed an accomplished and
lovely young lady of Mobile, was ac-
cepted, and they became formally be-
trothed. A time was appointed for the
celebration of their nuptials, but fate de-
creed that they should never meet again
on earth.
Gen. Cleburne carried with him into
Tennessee his wedding suit, and expected
at the first opportunity to return to Mo-
bile to be married. The rest is quickly
told. He fell at Franklin, and was
buried in his bridal suit, as one of his
staff who inferred him but recently in
formed me. The young lady, some time
after the war, was married, but last year
she, too, passed away from earth, and
the betrothed spirits have doubtless
met before the great white Throne in
Heaven, where all believers in Divine
revelation must admit there is no mar
rage or giving in marriage.
Gen. Cleburne joined the Episcopal
Church before the war, and was buried
at Franklin with the fall rites of that
Church, which were performed on the
occasion by Bishop Quintard,
HARVEY.
LEeIsLATIvE.-A bill regulating the