The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-03-05

7.
eestion and paragraph from a recent re-
port of Congressional proceedings: -
The Joint Library Committee OF
Congress has directed their chairman, IN
| accordance with the act of-JHne lOths
1872, and March Sd, 1873, 10 contract
with Horatio Stone, sculptor, for statue
of heroic size of the late Senator Edwnrd
ID. Baker, who was killed at Balls Bluu.
The statue will probably be cut IN Rome
and viii be a copy of the statuette now
in possession of the family. IA
ga statue of heroic size of the late
Senator, Gen. Edward ID. Baker. And
vet, l doubt, if an humble stone marks
the grave of the man who slew him in a
hand to band fight at the battle of Lees
burg. That man was Col. Erasmus Il.
Burt of the 18th Mississippi regiment.
Since Congress is about to erect statue
of heroic size to the memory Of Gen.
Baker, think it time justice should be
done, in at least very small part, TO
the memory of the heroic Col. Burt.
am, perhaps, the only living man who
know the facts attending the killing OF
Gen. Baker; and / beg a little space
in your paper to state them. As the
battle waxed hot, Col. Burt became
detached with a part of his Regiment
from the main body, and in very few
moments became engaged in what may be
termed hanI to hand fight with the
enemy. He was instantly shot down
and was borne to the rear by his men.
As is well shown, the Confederate forces
were victors and captured many prison
ers. The company which l commanded
was detached to guard the prisoners
back to Leesburg, distance of three or
four miles from the battle ground. On
our way very intelligent soldier belong
ing, as he said, to a Pennsylvania Regi-
ment, after good deal Of conversation,
suddenly asked "who was that brave
officer of yours who galloped IN on
WHITE horse" Knowing that Col. Burt
was the only officer in that part OF the
field who rode aChite horse | replied
that it was Col. Burt of my Regiment"
The man rejoined. He killed Gen.
Baker"
Chow do you know it, | asked"
Il saw him draw his pistol and fire,
and Immediately Gen. Baker fell and was
caught in the arms of some of his men.
Then the officer who fired the pistol was
hid from sight by the struggle and saw
nothing more of him.
"What became Of him."
"He was wounded and carried 10 the
rear"
81 hope he will not die" said the
soldier. 81 love brave man, If he Is on
the other side"
That night visited Col. Burt at the
house of Col. Harrison in Leesburg, and
found him laboring under good deal
of mental excitement growing out OF the
events of the day and suffering, at inter
walls, intense pain from a wound in the
groin.
| When for minute or two he was com
paratively free from pain, he gave me
this version of the affair, and the part he
| took in it.
CAS- we came up, it was apparent
that the enemy had taken position in the
woods Immediately in our front. The
only way to reach them was to charge
across the open field. We did 50 under
fire, the descending ground, as you no
doubt observed it to be, caused them To
fire over our heads AS we were form
ing our line hastily in front of the enemy,
| suddenly discovered that they too had
advanced, and found myself almost with
in arms length of an officer of high rank, as
[ suppose from his uniform. He and the |
men surrounding him were evidently a |
little surprised, as they did not fire until |
had time to disengage my pistol and fire at
the officer, but with what effect | do not
| know as / was almost Immediately shot
down myself and blinded by the smoke.
was about to relate what the sol
der had said to me, when the Colonel was
seized with paroxysm and the surgeon,
who was present, forbade any further con
versation. The next day our forces fell
back about six miles to Caters Mills.
In few days after--two or three-Col.
Burt suddenly grew worse and died, so
that l never saw him again. He died
therefore without knowing thatit was Gen.
Baker at whom he had fired with his
pistol.
These are the facts as / saw and heard
them. | may as well mention that Col.
Burts WHITE horse galloped wounded
through our lines, ana the Col. in a mo
ment after was borne back bleeding by
his men. When, as l supposed, fearing
a panic, he called out, Never mind my
boys, press on, you can whip them"
did not myself see the party with whom
Col Burt was engaged, as from my po-
sition they were covered from sight by
the underground. The soldier to whom
have already alluded told me that i'm
mediately after the fall Of Gen. Baker,
the men retreated in disorder This, |
had reason to believe was true, as In
less than one minute, we, the left wing
of Burts Regiment, re-occupied the
precise ground on which both Baker and
Burt had fallen, and there was no enemy
to be seen except such as were retreating ,
precipitately through the woods.
While fully admitting the gallantry
of other officers engaged on our side in
the battle of Leesburg, BALLS Bluff as the
Yankees called it, | have always re- Z
garded Col. Burt for the reasons above
stated and others not strictly germane
to this narrati =, as the real HERO Of
that occasion.
While the Government Of the United {
States is rearing up heroic statues to the a
memory of their fallen generals, it may :
be allowed one Of his subordinates to say
this much in justice to the memory Of
the equally heroic Col Erasmus r.
Burt. A O. b.
TERRY, MISS, Feb 18th 1874
The New York Times. p