Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-08-23
A SOUTHERN EDITOR.

A SOUTHERN EDITOR.
We copy from the Augusta Chronicle aud
Constitutionalist, the following letter from
Rev. A. Toomer Porter, of Charleston. rela'
ting the account recently given him by Com.
modore Pegram, of the gallant service render.
ed the South during the war by Captain F.
w. Dawson, now one of the editors and pro-
prietors of the Charleston Ns,us and Courier
Commodore Pegram was distinguished off,
Ger in the Confederate States Navy, and com.
plments from such source must be crafty
ing to any man. In connection with DR.,
Porter's letter, the Chronicle and Constitution'
alist remarks editorially: "But it is as q jour.
nalist that Captain Dawson il best known,
and bis services in that field have been Of the
greatest value to his adopted State and sec
ton. He has striven long and untiringly to
raise South Carolina to her proper place in
the American Union, and has advocated, with
all the ardor of his nature. every measure
calculated to promote her material or politi.
cal prosperity The splendid work done by
Capt. Dawson and bis colleague Of the Ne.os
and Courier in the great Hampton campaign
of last year-work which never ceased until
crowned with victory-is still fresh in the
minds of Caroinians and Georgians. 1t af:
fords US great pleasure to publish the letter of
the distinguished divine who gives the words
of Commodore Pegram, when speaking to
Carolinians of one who has done 80 much for
Carolina" The following is the narrative
brief, but bordering on the romantic:
Editors Chronicle and Constitutionalist II
was last week at the White Sulphur Springs,
in Virginia, where I met Commodore Pegram,
who is so well known throughout the country.
In the course of conversation, ut which DR..
VIM. Huger, Mr.. Frank Huger and other
Charlestonians were present, the Commodore
gave us the following information, which was
so new to all Of us, that determined to pub
lish it, which I now do, with the Commodores 8
consent, that the gentleman whose heroic con.
duct is narrated, may receive at the hands OF
his fellow.citizens that honor which he has 80
richly merited. In the year 1856, Commo-
dore Pegram, then in command of the Nash
vile, was, with bis wife, in English waters.
One day very bright.eyed, intelligent, we'll
hammered young gentleman, al Eugishman,
came to him, and asked that he might take
passage with him to the Southern States, as
he wanted 10 come and Join the army of the
Southern States. Commodore Pegram refus.
ed the request, saying he was under age and
be could not think Of taking the youth out
among strangers, to run all the risks Of war.
The young man besought the Commodore, but
-, bo col, ,od &c he <,ou1J 1of ho conoopt
of his guardian if he would then let him have
passage? The Commodore still declined.
The youth then went to Hon. w. L. Yancey,
then in London. He 80 worked upon Mr..
Yancey's feelings, that he wrote an earnest re-
quest to the Commodore to bring the young
man over. Still the Commodore refused.
Just then the Queen of England, having gone
down to the coast, and seeing the Tuscarora
and Nashville in port, ordered both to sea.
This command, for reasons, the Commodore
declined to obey, and he went up to London
to arrange for his stay. While away, some
hands were shipped on the Nashville, and in
due course she put out to sea. Some days af-
ter the Commodore was accosted by a very
bright youth, who was all begrimed with coal
dust and dirt. He asked who he was and
where he had come from, and to his surprise
found it was the young man who had tried to
come as passenger. He told the Commodore
he must overlook it, but he had determined to
fight for the South The Commodore, pleased
with his spirit, told the officer of the ship to
put him to some other work. One day GER
tain paper passing through the young mans
hands to the Commodore, he said it was very
bod E,cl;oh ond ;e fbo mould o1
low him he would correct it. This was done,
and so excellent was the report as made out
by the youth, that the Commodore Immediate
ly made him the Captains clerk.
On the arrival of the Nashville in the
South, the Commodore informed the Secretary
of the Navy of his appointment and asked
that it be continued; this was at once done.
Soon after this, Commodore Pegram was put
in command of the James river squadron, and
took the English youth with him, to whom
he had become greatly attached. The Com.
modore says more faithful or intelligent SER
vice he has never seen rendered than did that
young man give to cause for which he had
left country and friends, and had come per-
feet stranger to help them in their struggle
for constitutional freedom. The feet in the
James river was for long while inactive. 1t
seems that this young mans spirit chafed, for
he had come to fight, and so one night
splash was heard alongside of the ship, and
soon man was seen rowing over towards the
enemy. There was a general discharge Of
guus at him, but it was not known whether he
was hit Or who he was. The roll was called,
and none was missing but the young English
man. The Commodore was very much hurt
by this, but he felt sure it would he explain.
ed. A few days afterwards there was Il very
heavy engagement, in which Captain Pc
grams battery was in the thickest. After the
fight, Commodore Pegram received message
from his relative, saying there was young
Englishman with them, badly wounded, who
wished to see him. The Commodore went at
once. Captain Pegram told him that he had
never witnessed such cool bravery in his life
as this young man had displayed; that he
knew he had come from his ship; he had told
all the circumstances. He had swan out to.
wards the Yankees to escape our sentinels,
but had turned as soon as possible and had
swan to Captain Pegram's battery where he
had taken part in the fight and had been SO.
verely wounded in the leg and the shoulder.
The Commodore had him taken to Mrs. Cary's
in Richmond and carefully nursed. While
there, an order was issued for the examina-
ton of men for Office in the ordnance depart
ment. Commodore Pegram furnished his
young friend with books and came two or
three times week to examine him. The
Commodore says he progressed so rapidly
that soon he found himself unable to exam.
inc him, as he knew more about it than he
did. He introduced the young wounded man
to certain gentleman in Richmond who had