The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-07-26

4 udl boh 1nA CAAOAtt
characterized the conduct of a gallant
Southern soldier, aud reirained from the
slightest hint Of condemnation of the
hendish a~trocity of the cowardly kIlpat-
rick, would seem Incredible, did we not
know that Swain was speaking IN 1861,
while many of the Yankees were still
here. and while he was on intimate terms
with them one or two of whom became
his sons-in law.
Now, VIC know nothing OF the facts,
farther than is outlined IN the above
statements. But upon the face OF those
statements, Lieut. Walsh was justiiable,
aud Fitzpatrick was a cold blooded muir
dererof an unarmed prisoner OF war
Wheeler's cavalry was the Rear-Guard
of Johnston's army, and as such it, chief
duty was TO keep a continual fire upon
Kirkpatrick's Van guard. to hold 1t in
check as much as possible. We recollect
that when Fitzpatrick raidcd on Rich-
mond, our regiment (the Sth Virginia..
with a few of Stuart's cavalry, and about
800 citizens, including Congressman,
Legislators, and high officials of the Con
federate government. sklrmIShed with
him until driven fairly into the streets of
the suburbs, where we had rows OF wag-
ons put across the streets as barbados.
Lieut.. Walsh, 1t appears, was IN com
mand of the rearmost detachment, such
as is always left half "a mile behind the
main column of cavalry, to prevent a sud-
den surprise. His men were probably
half starved, and half clad as there had
been continuous marching and fighting
for the previous two weeks, and regular
~rations could not be issued. II they
helped themselves from the public stores,
it is scarcely surprising for these same
cavalry had skirmished in front Of Xii
patrick all the way through Georgia and
South Carolina, and knew there was lii
tie use leaving anything to the tigerish
mercies Of the Blue Bummers. They had
seen Columbia laid 10 ashes Cheraw
pillaged; Fayetteville robbed ana burned;
aud, as Raleigh was the capital of the
State, what reason to hope for any better
fate? In truth, we now know from
scores of witnesses, both in newspaper
accounts and printed journals Of the war,
that it was the long-laid intention 80
burn Raleigh What prevented it ?
First, the hubub over the burning Of
Columbia and Fayetteville. 2nd. The
brutal hanging If Lieut.. Walsh! The
reaction among the better classes Of the
Federal army (for of course there were
thousands and ten of Thousands of noble,
generous. high minded, and humane SOL
diers IN the Blue-clad ranks, the reoctfon.
we say, was so great when these brutal
events became known that the old Chief
hummer refused the Official wink which
had proved fatal all along the route from
Atlanta to Savannah, and from Savannah
to Columbia, Cheraw, and Fayetteville.
As for the surrender of the city,
Lieut. Walsh had nothing to do with that.
He was a confederate officer, aud his bus
mess was to harrass and delay the ad-
%vancing Yankees, killing as many as he
could. And though he was in the
streets of the town, that made no differ
ence. The citizens were safe behind brick
walls, and he knew that no honorable SOL
diers would take revenge for an open fight
between soldiers by retaliating on the citi-
zens. There is scarcely a town in upper
Virginia that had not had half a dozen
street sk Finishes betwecnKilpatrick cav
airy and Wheelers cavalry. AT Culpeper.
G~ordonsville, Charlottesville, Winchester,
Fredericksburg, Hanover. Martinsburg,
Leesburg, Fairfax, ETC., these street
fights occurred once a year: at the least,
the whole war.
Nobody thought of ~surrendering the
town, and kilpatricks narrative tells with
great sarcasm the absurdity Of Kenneth
Raynor' pompous speech ''surrende~mg'
a town which was untortified, undefcl-
ded, and
IL "Oulu nave DtcH very dLluSlHg. ii
Robert E. Lee, or Jeb Stuart, or Gen.
Wheeler, or Gen. n. B. Forest, after
the Yankee cavalry into, and out
of, the cities OF Hagarstown, Chambers
burg, Gettysburg, Carlisle, or any ofan
hundred other Northern cities, had been
met by a delegation Of citizens, to surren
der the place, and promise protection!
Gen. Lee would have answered (as he
It'd on all occasions)-'.All right, gentle
go back to you families. We do
not war upon non-c Ombatants. Don't
about the town-we know how to
lake possession Of places we want"
1t must not be supposed we blame the
gentlemen who went to meet Fitzpatrick.
They did right to leave no stone unturn-
to secure the safety.of the city. and
he helpless ones therein.
But we wish to point out that the hang
ing Of Walsh was a piece of base cruelty,
to kilpatricks cowarGly ange at be
.ng exposed to the Texans fire. He knew
hat the Confederate officer was the rear
guard of Johnston army, and ought to
shoot at the advancing enemy whenever
he had a chance. And when Walsh was
he was as much a prisoner Of
as Gen. Lee himself when captured
day later. But the coward is always