New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-10
Ellsworth, but Another Hero
scrap Of History.

nhs"vstus uut AuOtueE nero
scrap OF History.
1t was repeated in the telegraphic columns
OF the DrspGtch, what has often been said be-
fore, that Ellsworth's was the first blood shed
in the late civil war or rebellion. This state
nent has passed for true so long that il will
be rather hard to correct il so as 10 prevent
its repetition. But we will do so.
Ellsworth was killed at Alexandra on the
oath of May, ls6l. the day after the vote was
taken upon the ratification OF the ordinance
of secession. Two DAYS before-to wit: on
the night of the 22d of May, lSGl-a Union
man was killed at Fetterman. Taylor county,
/ West Virginia. Chen Virginia. by a Con.
| federate, or rather Virginia soldier. belong
ing to the volunteer conn any which had been
marched thither the previous week from Fall
mouth, in Marion county. This company
was part of the Thirty-frst Virginia rcgi-
ment OF infantry throughout the war. The
man who was killed was a violent Union
man, and resided in Grafton, a town three
miles from Fetterman, both towns being on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. He went
armed to Fetterman, marched up TO the sem
tinel who killed him, and when challenged,
replied by shot which went through the
Virginia soldiers ear. Whereupon the sol.
der shot him dead upon the spot. The wri-
ter of this article saw the soldier at Philppi
few days aftefward, and was one Of the
number of persons who was curious to see,
and did see, the hole in his ear. There are
hundreds of persons in Taylor county who
can substantiate these statements, and it
would not be amiss for some ono to under
take the task. 1t is well to be right even in
small matters. 1t may be replied that Els
worth was the first soldier shot. But this
does not give his case any advantage over
the other, seeing that he was shot by pri-
vate individual. According to the Northern
history of the war, Ellsworth was murdered.
He certainly was not killed according to the
rules of war; whereas there is no doubt the
other man was killed by soldier, who sim
ply performed his duty as such in doing so.
So that, looking at the matter as we will, it
must be conceded that the Union man who
fell at Fetteman--we have forgotten both
his name and that Of the soldier who killed
hm-was the first man who was killed in
Virginia by q soldier, and consequently his
was I" the first blood of the war; in the sense
in which that averment is usually made as to
Ellsworth.-Richmond (Va.) Dispatch.
A CORRESPONDENT Of the BROOKLYN Eagle
writes in lively manner on the great ques-
ton as to which are ths ceverer, men or wo-
men, and, of course, reaches no conclusion:
In all ages set has been made against
clever women. Take all of Shakspeare's
heroines. They all seem to be pretty much
the same, affectionate, motherly, tender
that sort of thing. Take SCOTS ladies', and
other writer's. Each man seems to draw
from one model. An exquisite slave Ia what
we want for the most part; humble, fiat
tering, smiling child-a loving, tea-makng,
piano fOrte-playing being, who laughs at our
jokes, however old they may be, coaxes and
wheedes us in our humors, and fondly lies to
us through life. There are many more clever
women in the world than men think for. Our
habit is to despise them; we believe they do
not think because they do not contradict us,
and are weak because they do not struggle
and rise up against us. A man only begins
to know women as he grows old and for my
part my opinion Of their cleverness rises every
day. When say know women, l mean |
know don't know them. Every woman l
ever knew is puzzle to me, as l have no
doubt she is to herself. Say they are not
cever9 Their hypocrisy is perpetual mar
vel to me, and constant exercise of clever
ness Of the finest sort. Every woman man
ages her husband Every person who man
ages another is a hypocrite. Her smiles, her
submission, her good-humor, for all of which
W. NdiuC Wudt dIc luty DuL duillEdDlc
duplicity? We expect falseness from her
and order and educate her to be dishonest
"Should he upbraid, I'll own that he pre-
vail; say that he frown, I'll answer with a
SMILE" What are these but lies that we ex-
pect from our slaves? lies, the dexterous
performance of which we announce to be the
female virtues-brutal Turks that we are. l
doubt if we get the most of women by en-
| shaving them, as VIC do by law and custom.
There are some folks who would limit the
| range of woman's duties to little more than
| kitchen range. Others like them to admin
| lister to their dcectation in ball room, and
| permit them to display dmpled shoulders and
| flowing ringlets. But in whatever way we
| like them, it is for our own use somehow we
| have women brought up; to work for us, to
| shine for us, to dance for us, or what not. 1t
would not have been thought shameful of our
| fathers, fifty years ago, that they could not
make custard or a pie, but our mothers
would have been rebuked had they been ig-
norant on these matters. Why should not
you or be ashamed now because we cannot
make our own shoes or cut our own trousers
We know better, we can get tailors and cob.
| blers to do that. And it was we who made
the laws for women, who, we are in the habit
of saying, are not so clever as we are. AS |
grow older and consider these things know
which are the stronger, men or women
which are the cleverer, doubt.