The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-08-21
A SOUTHERN EDITOR.
H0N0R 7O WHOM UONOR is DUE

oenty ana GallantryW and
Promotion--The Story as Told By
commodore Pegram, Of the Confed-
crate Navy.
Editors Chronicle uu0 Coustitu-
tionWist.
was last week at tho White Sui
phur Springs, in Virginia, whero I
met Commodore Pcgram, who is SO
we'll known throughout tho country.
In tho course of conversation,
DR.. VIM. Huger, Mr.. Frank Huger
and other Charlestonians were press
ent, tho Commodore gave us tho
following information, which was SO
now to all Of ns, that I. determined
to publish it, which I now do, with
the Commodorc's consent, that tho
gentleman whose heroic conduct is
narrated may receive at the hands of
his fellow citizens that honor which
he has SO richly mcritod. Tn the
year lSG-, Commodore Pcgram
thon in command Of the Nashville,
was, with his wife, in English waters.
One day very bright-eyed, intclli
gent, wcll-manncred young gentle
man, an Englshman, camc to him,
and asked that ho might take pas :.
sage with him to the Southern States,
as he wanted to come and Join the
army of the Southern States. Com
modcro Pegram refused the request,
saying he was under ago, and he
could not think of taking tho youth
out amoug strangers, to run all the
risks of war Tho young man be>
sought the Commodore, but in vain !;
he asked if he could get the consent
of his guardian if he would then let
him nave passage Tho Commo-
dore still declined. The youth then
went to Hon. W. J.. Yancey, then in
London. He SO worked upon Mr..
Ianceys feelings that ho wrote an
earnest request to tho Commodore
to bring tho young man over. Still
the Commodore refused. just then
The Queen Of England. having gone
down to tho coast, and seeing tho
! Inscarora and Nashville in port,
ordered both to sea. This command,
Tor reasons, the Commodore declined
to obey, and he went up to London
TO arrange for his stay. While away
some hands woro shipped on tho
Nashville, and in due course she put
out to sea. Some days after the
Commodore was accostcd by a very
bright youth, who was all begrimed
with coal dust and dirt. He asked
who he was and where he had como
from, and to his surprise found it
was the young man who had tried to
come as u passenger. He told the
Commodore he must overlook it, but
lie mad determined to fight for tho
South. The Commodore, pleased
with his spirit, told tho officer Of tho
ship to put him to some other work.
One day q certain paper passing
through the young mans hands to
the Commodore, he said it was very
bad English and if tho Commodore
would allow him he would correct it.
ihis was done, and SO excellent was
the report as madc out by the youth
that tho Commodore Immediately
mado him the captains clerk On
the arrival Of tho Nashville in the
South ihc Commodore informed tho
Secretary Of the Navy of his ap-
pointment and asked that it be cons
tirmed this was ut once done. Soon
after this Commodore Pegram was
put in command Of tho James river
squadron, and took the English
youth with him, to whom he had be.
come greatly attached. The Com
modore says moro faithful or intel
ligont service he has never seen
rendered than did that young man
give to cause for which he had left
country and friends, and had come
a perforct stranger to help them in
their struggle for constitutional
freedom. The fleet in the James
river WAS for long while inactive.
1t seIms 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 a
man was seen rowing over toward
the enemy. There was q general
discharge Of guns at him, but it was
not known whether he was hit or
who he was. The roll was called,