The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-06
BISHOP POLK'S DEATH.
Gen. Joseph e. Johnston Describes How
He Was Killed.

An article in the indianapolis Jour-
nal recently purported to narrate the
true account of the death of the Con-
federate Lieutenant General Polk,
Bishop of Louisiana. Concerning its
statements, Winfield Peters writes to
the Sun that having in the year 1873
visited the field Of operations along
Kennesaw Mountain, Ga, and having
located, after much effort, the spot
where General Polk fell and informed
myself as to the circumstances of his
death, and having subsequently con-
ferred with General Joseph f. John
ston and Bishop Beckwith, of Georgia,
who were present on the field and near
| General Polk when he fell, he was ell
able not only to correct the inaccura-
| cies Of the Journal, but to set at rest
any future dispute as to remarkaD Dle
occurrence Of the late war, determined
to ask Gen. Joseph E. Johnson to write
his account Of it, and now have the
pleasure Of enclosing his reply" In
his letter to Mr.. Peters, which is dated
Washington, September 25, General
Johnson says: "I have seen lately
what purported to be an account ot
General Polk's death, probably that tc
which you refer, for it is an invention
from beginning to end.
"Bates's division, of Hardee's corps
occupied the summit of Pine Mount as
an outfost. AS it was nearly mile in
front Of our. line, General Hardee
thought it exposed, and I decided tc
ride to it with him and decide the
question on the ground. General Polk
| Joined Us. We reached the hill directly
from the rear and dismounted sixty OF
eighty yards from the summit. Or
reaching it we found that the best view
was from . little parapet some thirty
or forty feet down the slope and occu
pied it. The Federal line was in full
view, and field battery three or foul
hundred yards in our front. In few
minutes it was decided that the risk o,
holding the position was much greater
than any advantage it could give US
and General Hardee desired to with
draw his troops from it soon after night
fall.
GAS we were closing our field-glasses
preparatory to moving, a shot from the
battery in front of US struck tree, {
little above our heads. We moved
around the little summit horizontally
General Polk and to the right, Gene
raj Hardee to the left. In a few min
utes another shot came flying over oul
heads, General Polk still with me
very soon after, when I was trying K
ascertain if any part of our line wa:
visible, another shot came-the third
I Immediately looked around to assure
myself Of General Folks safety, wheE
ayoung officer near called to me tha
be had fallen by the last shot. Look
ing 10 the crown of the summit I saw
him lying at full length upon it-dead
fastening up l found that the boil
from field piece had passed left tt
right through the middle of his. chest
In few minutes rapid discharge O
shells into the woods around was begun
"As General Polk had served in tina
army from its foundation he wa!
greatly loved and admired in it, ant
his death was deeply deplored.
1--WE had no signal stations then
nor ambulances at Marietta. This dis
poses of the fable of the deciphering o
a Confederate signal by federal Off
cer."
To General Johnston's letter Mr.
Peters add: "Bishop Folks remains
were buried outside the chancel rail o
Christ Church, Augusta, Ga. A large
and ornate mural tablet in bis memory
was erected in the church near tht
chancel. The inscription is in Letters
of gold on black marble. After stating
bis services in the church as bishop o
two dioceses, his rank of lieutenan
general in the army and dates of birth
and death, it concludes with this quo
tation from the Book of Job:
Behold, my witness is in Heaven,
Ny record is on high.
"I.eonidas Polk, having graduated a
the United States Military Academy
West Point, subsequently entered tht
holy ministry, aud was Bishop Of Lou
isiana at the outbreak of the war. Hi:
devotion to the cause of the Confed
eracy jmpelled him to apply his mill
tary talents in its service and tempo
rarily to leave bis diocese to some othe
bishop. He won promotion in the field
and at his death he had the next high
est rank in the Confederate army
General Polk was one of the three Con
federate Lieutenant Generals killed o.
mortally wounded in battle; the Others
were Stonewall Jackson and a. =
Hill"
What Smokers Get for Five-Cents'