The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-01

IL,
two commissioners spoke freely to me in relation
to the matters discussed. The commissioners
both of whom had been warm Union men, spoke to
General Sherman freely of Governor Vances po-
sition. While the Governor had originally been
opposed to the war he was tenacious in mis- adj
herence to the Confederacy and refused to act
separately for the State, fact which they
deprecated. Both of them thought that a great
deal might have been accomplished for North
Carolina by this conference had not Governor
Vance limited their powers to pleading for the
safety of Raleigh and been so determined to do
nothing whatever that would seem like desert
ing the general cause For he considered 1t his
duty to stand by it to the last extremity. AL
though about minor matters President Davis
and Mr.. Vance often differed seriously. there
was never any question as to Governor Vance's
fidelity to the Confederacy after the war began.
The suggestion that he stood in awe of Mr.. Da-
Wis cannot be true, for one ever doubted Gov
ernor Vance's courage in any emergency for an
instant.
"While the commissioners were in General
Sherman's company and engaged in discussing
the attitude OF the State and endeavoring to Sc
cure protection to public and private property at
Raleigh, General Sherman was in the best of
temper and in his nappiest mood. He treated us
with great consideration and kindness, and
cannot leave this phase Of the subject without
giving an instance of my own experience at that
time We had hardly arrived when one of the
Generals staff officers stepped up to me and said:
Are you not the brother of DR. L. p. Warren,
Ol EueutoH! Il an, SIT, replied. Tie Lncn
introduced himself to me as Colonel Baylor say
ing he was an intimate friend of my brother and
that he was pleased to make my acquaintance.
He took me to his tent and divided it and every
thing he had with me. ! never met him again
after we parted at Raleigh until he came to
Paris last year, when tried my best to return
the kindness OF twenty years ago. We
remained all night at General Shermans
headquarters, and the next morning at an early
hour. he sent US back to Raleigh, the bearers of
eff Of
the army to protect public and private property
in our city unless some overt act OF hostility
was committed against the United States forces.
Thus was the primary object OF our visit sue
cessful.
'On our arrival at Raleigh we ascertaned that
Governor Vance had. at the approach of the
Union forces. retired within the Confederate
lines, and that the mayor of the town was about
to surrender the city to General Fitzpatrick,
who arrived about the same time we did. We
at once went to him, but he was not disposed at
first to be friendly, but when we presented
General Sherman's order he Immediately ac
copied It and gave orders to post guards so as to
protect the town. He then marched in great
state surrounded by his staff and body
guard, up the main street Of the
city The mayor, members of the
Governors staff and other prominent citizens
marched abreast of him on the sidewalk AS we
approached the Capitol two confederate maraud
ers, who had been engaged in pillaging a store
suddenly rushed OUT sprang upon their horses
and turned and fred deliberately at Fitzpatrick.
The greatest excitement immediately prevailed.
His staff surrounded him at once, and his body
guard deployed as skirmishers l rushed up to
him at the moment and asked him very earnest
ly not to hold the city responsible for an act Of
individual misconduct; | urged that these men
were violating their orders in remaining behind
and were acting without the knowledge or con-
sent of any confederate officer. General kilpat
rick Immediately gave orders to have them pur-
sued and hung within ten minutes after they
were captured, ard said if this were not done he
would hold somebody responsible for the act
They were pursued. captured and brought to the
Capital grounds and there hung just after Gen
eral Fitzpatrick had taken possession of the pub
lie buildings in the name of the United States.
"a young confederate officer, who had been
accidentally left down in the town as the federal
officer was fired at, was on the road and when
the two confederates who guilty of the
crime passed him with their horses at full speed,
his became unmanagable, Joined them and he
with the rest was captured and was about to oe
hung when the facts were called to General Kill
patricks attention. He acted instantly and the
mans life was saved and he was released
''This is a plain statement of the facts in rela-
ton to the much-talked-of commission, and |
have given some details of the events as they
occurred and the plans, purposes and doings Of
Governor Vance and his advisers as under
stood and saw them. To treat with General
Sherman for the protection of Raleigh
was the power delegated to the commits
sioners by the Governor of the State.
If they went any further / have no knowl-
edge Of it. and from the character of the
men l cannot believe them guilty of exceeding
their authority in proposing to surrender the
State. Being there only in the capacity of
military officer, have only official knowledge of
the things have here stated of my own knowl-
edge, and of the order which Sherman issued,
and such a view of the commissioners private
conversation with him as they related to me- l
think the rumor5 Of the camp and the gossip
about Raleigh have been COMPOUNDED with the
statements Of the commissioners. Mr.. Dayis's
order from Charlotte recalling them was DO
doubt based upon serious misunderstanding in
their purpose on visiting the federal commander.
1t may have been reported to him by wire that
They had gone there for IA broader mission than
seeking simply the protection of the city of
Raleigh. have written all these statements in
detail in a book, which is now in the hands of
the Appletons, and which hope will be given to
the public shortly as view Of my career, not
only IN this country, but in Europe
There is another exceedingly important Incl
dent bearing upon this war matter which,
although it is not directly connected with this
controversy with which my name has been men
toned, shows in a marked degree the good feel
ing of General Sherman towards the South at
that critical time. A day after the return of the
commission and the occupancy of Raleigh by
General Fitzpatrick, General Sherman arrived
with the main body of his army and established
his headquarters in the city. General Frank p
Blair, who commanding of the wings Of
the army, with my consent took my house as
his headquarters. He treated me with great
kindness. The close of the war and the restora-
ton of the Union was the subject Of frequent
conversation between US do not exactly re-
member the date but one night he came in very
late. had retired. He came and aroused me-
asking me to get ND. saying he had a most inn
portant work to do. He said that Gen, Schofield
and himself had been in consultation with Gen.
Sherman in relation to the status of the States
lately in rebellion after their surrender: that the
commanding general had decided to request
Governor Vance to return to the State capital
resume his functions Governor. and set the
machinery of the State at work again as though
there had been no General Blair said he
could not write himself, and he wished me to sit
down with him and help to make up an order in
conformity with General Sherman's views, as he
had expressed them to me, so that he could sub
nit it to him the next day for his approval In
the small hours of the morn;ng General Blair