The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-12
GENERAL ROGER PRYOR.
MAJOR WALKER 0N THE WAR EPl-
SODE.
HE SAYS PRYOR HAS BEEN
.SLANDERED
LATEST NEWS FROM ACROSS THH
RIVER.
Death of Dr. j. L.. Dorsett. Of Chester
field Property Transfers ia Richmond
ana Henrico Yesterdas-Pr0oeed-
ings of the Courts Yesterday

eyes. have known General Roger 4.
Pryor for many years. commencing about
1854 or 1853. when be was chief editor OF
the old Richmond knQHufr. said Major
Il. f. Walker yesterday To- q TIMES rep
reseniaiiye. who sought out the Major i0
yet from him his opinion of q matter
affecting the courage and fidelity of the
distinguished soldier above referred 10.
Sometime afterwards. continued the
Major. General Pryor started "a news.
paper here called 'Iht N0HM, which
was printed on Franklin street, nearly
opposite the present Randolph box fac
tory. hen that enterprise failed, he
moved, believe. 10 Petersburg, and Was
soon after elected tO the United States
Congress He was one OF the most gifted
men, in some respects, that VII
ginia has ever produced. lie was 30
less a brilliant writer and a natural news
paper editor than one of the most clo-
Quent stump-speakefs ] ever listened io.
While differed with him in politics. }
can truly say would go miles 10 hear
him make political speech lie was.
in those days the idol OF the young
Democracy of Virginia. In State con-
yentiOns and other large Democratic
gatherings he carried The people with
him with the greatest ease. lie Was the
most graceful orator ! ever heard
DO YOU know anything in connection
with the alleged deserti0n of General
Pryor in 1861 in front of Petersburg
II know something about his capture,
and | will say here that beiieyenO more
false or unjust charge was ever made
against "A brave, chiyalric, noble gentle
man. no one al that time dared to suggest
even deserii0n upon tine part of General
Pryor This do know think % WAS
i'm the fall of 1861. within one hour after
General Pryor had reached Richmond
after his exchange, met him ON Main
street, few doors below the present
American Hotel. when he minulely de-.
tailed TO me the facts OF his capture
which were substantially the same that
he gave recently i'm an interview with q
correspondent of a Northern newspaper
lie was then greatly worn down and
quite sick, and expressed deep regret AT
MS misfortune. OF course he never
dreamed that when he went ont 10 eN-
change papers he would be captured
THE business of exchanging news
papers was a daily occurrence all along
the line, both on The north and south
side of the James, and this was the only
case ever heard of where either side
/ had behaved. as / consider ID, M dis
/ honorable manner. for ID seemed 10 he q
mutual understanding between the sol
diers OF both sides that neither would
+ take advantage OF The other in any mat
/ ter of this character
81 was manager of the Richmond T.
uninfr. and was in the habit Of making
almost daily exchanges of newspaper
with the Federal soldiers while Grant
army was around Richmond. My old
I friends, Z. II. Gibson and Bernard Chalk
/ lev. both then of the Richmond Depatct
were my companions on many such eA
cursiOns, and we never dreamed, while
ont between the lines of the two armies
in company always with Confederate
officer of being "gobbled up Nothing
was farther from our thoughts than thai
any such thing would ever occur j
seemed 10 me that 10 was transaction
between gentlemen. and that nc adVan
tage would be sought, at such time, by
tlAhNA lAi ~
81 recollect this little incident, which
occurred when Butler was al Ouch Gap
! rode down to Atkins farm one morn
ing for the purpose of exchanging pa
pers. The lines were only "a few hun
bred yards apart secured the service
of Captain Hamilton. of Tennessee
Acknowledgement Ewell, who was in
charge of this portion of our army
having given me written authority in
the matter-tO assist me. We were thei
about 250 yards from the mud fort tina
Butler had erected az the Gap. Captain
Hamilton put a paner ON stick an1
waved 10 for a minute or so. When some
one came ont OF the fort and did like
wise. Captain Hamilton and ! sO0I
started towards the fort, across clover.
field. We soon discovered that there were
four men coming 10 meet only two
Heretofore only two came TO meet an
equal number This circumstance cause,
Captain Hamilton 10 remark, that per
haps they will capture Us, having supe
rior numbers This was his sec0uC
visit out to exchange papers, and he was
a little nervous. But | had been on
many times and did not share in his anx
iety. but felt that we would be honorabl,
treated and so We were. The young
officers were from Boston, and more
centeel set Of fellows never met TheS
we're as kind and polite as they could be
and after exchanging paper for paper, a.
long as mine lasted, gave me an armful
gratuitously, besides producing a silver
flask and gold-lined silver cup. and som,
of the oldest and best whisky Captain
Hamilton and had tasted for many &
day These gentlemen never thought OF
capturing Us, except with kindness and
/ venffamaulV conduct Do