The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-14
Memory's Day IN Raleigh.

Dead than at any other single point IN
the State, and the fact that these Martyrs
to The cause of the Commonwealth rep
resent every county, and almost every
Regiment Of n. c. Troops-ought to,
and no doubt does, impart an interest
to the annual services in their Honor
among many Of our readers in every sec
ton of the State.
Pressed for space, VIC cannot give full
details ofthe proceedings, nor a full report
of Major Hughes address. Suffice that
there was a pretty general closing of
doors, and a very commendable turning
out of the people, Notwithstanding it was
Saturday evening. Capt. Fray marshall
ed his column readily; the Raleigh In
fantry lin neat Grey uniforms), the Fire
men. the citizens, and carriages, making
a respectable array.
At the grounds, the Euterpean String
Bank discoursed excellent music. while
the assemblage settled itself around the
ornamental iron Arbor, FOR the Address.
From the Daily Ne,os- Observer we boz
row the following extract:
maj. Hughes then entered on a bio
graphical sketch Of LAWRENCE O'BRIAN
BRANCH, whose ancestors, he said, had
been prominent for many generations in
the affairs of North Carolina. He was
born at Enfield, Halifax county, Novem-
Der %, 1920, and was early left an or
phan. Gov. John Branch, who was his
guardian and uncle, having been appoln-
ted secretary of the navy by Gen. Jackson
in 1929, took young Lawrence with him
to Washington, where he had superior
educational advantages. Eventually he
graduated at Princeton with the first
honors, before he was Is years of age.
At his graduation he spoke the English
%salutatory, his elder brother, Joseph,
having spoken the Greek salutatory the
year before. In 1899 he went to Tennes-
see and studied law, ably edited a poll
tical paper there and in 1910 removed to
Florida, beginning what proved to be a
very brilliant legal career. In 1S4l he
served as aide de camp to Gen Reid, in
the Seminole war, and 10 1874 married
the accomplished daughter of General
Blount. Ia lS4S he returned to North
Carolina and took up his residence at
Raleigh. In 1852 he was an elector on
the Pierce and King presidential ticket,
and was also president of the Raleigh &
CASTOR railroad company, serving until
1855, when he was nominated for Con
gress. He was thrice elected to Congress,
and in December, 1860, was rendered by
President Buchanan the position of Sec
rotary of the Treasury of the United
States. In April, 1861, he Joined the
Raleigh l.ifes, but was soon called to
organize the quartermaster' department
of the State. In September, 1861, he
was commissioned colonel ofthe SD regi
ment, and January IL, 1862, was COM
missioned brigadier general. He was
assigned to the command of the forces
about Newbern, in March of that year,
and made a gallant stand against the Fed
eral forces under Burnside. Shortly
afterwards he won new honors at Han
over Court House, Va, Gen. Lee writ
ing to him as follows:
II take great pleasure in expressing
my approval of the manner in which you
have discharged the duties of the position
in which you were placed, and of the
gallant manner in which your troops OPP
posed a very superior force ofthe enemy"
Then rapidly followed the brilliant bat
ties in front of Richmond, in each of
which he displayed the utmost GOODNESS,
courage and judgment, handling his
troops in a manner to command the al.
miration and commentator of all be,
holders. His bravery, In fact, was so
conspicuous that he became a hero in
the e, es of his troops, and they in their
enthusiasm and devotion regarded him
as being in his soldierly qualities.
"As constant as the North star,
OF whose true, fixed and lasting gu lity
There is no fellow in the armament"
Mai. Hughes then gave a s~uccinct and
graphic account Of those terrible encoun-
tiers on the peninsula, quoting the words
of Gen. Branch congratulatory address
to his brigade, as follows:
Though rarely able to urn out 5000
men for duty, you have III six pitched
battles and In several skirmishes lost $50
men in killed and wounded. OF FIVE col
onels, two have been killed in battle, two
wounded and one taken prisoner by an
overwhelming force. In making this
bloody but brilliant record for your bril-
gade, you have been, as the soldiers of
freedom should always be, modest, uu-
complaining and regardful OF what is due
to others.
Then followed the battles of Cedar Run,
Second Manassas, Fairfax Court House,
Harper's Ferry and oharpsburg. His
brigade in the brief space of six months
was engaged in more than fifteen pitched
battles, besides skirmishes. The intense
activity of this campaign was almost un-
precedentod, and can be better apprecla-
ted when l say to you that during that
interval Gen. Branch averaged one battle
for every twelve days, while during the
revolutionary war Gen. Washington par.
ticipated in scarcely half so many, al
told averaging about one battle in every
twelve months.
Sharpsburg was a fatal field for him.
He had with his command Just swept the
enemy before him and driven them il
such confusion aud dlsmay that all firing
had ceased in his immediate front, wheI
| Generals Gregg and Archer directed hi,
attention to the N-shaped column of the
enemy that was advancing against tn,
troops on his left. He stepped forward
and formed with those generals a lIttl,
group, which evidently attracted the at
tention of some sharp shooter OIL tn,
other side. For, just as he was ~raisins
hi. tield-glass to his eyes, a single sho
was fired and a bullet was sent to do it
deadly work, which, striking him in thu
right cheek, passed out back of his lief
ear. and he tell dying into the arms o
the faithful and gallant Maj. Engelhard
of his staff, than whom North Carolin
sent no truer men to the front. Gen
Branch's death brought gloom and grie
to his family. his friends, his brigade AM
his native State, and was regarded as
public calamity. His remains were es
corted to Raleigh by Mai. Engelhard an
Capt. james A.. Bryan, OF his staff, an
A. NJ. Noble, Of his brigade. The Cit
zens of Raleigh, in mass meeting, passe