Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-01
"soRREL-roP" GEORGIAN FIGHTS.
Captain John MilledGe Explains His Toast
at the Virginia banquet.

at the FiFSinih DuhfuCb
To the Editor of The atlanta Journal:
In the Very complimentary notice that
Won made OF the speech made by me at the
close of the banquet on General Lees
birthday a great mistake was made in
stating that had, in the preliminary re-
marks made by me Introductory TO the
toast which | offered to General fltz
Lee, of Virginia, stated that Il had
had fight with General FltZ Lee" On
reading the notice | was uncertain
whether ought TO correct it, and did not
do so at the time, because think these
mistakes that are sometimes made In the
naper had best be unnoticed. inasmuch as
they generally, if not OF much Importance,
PASS soon out Of public notice, but my at
tentiou has been called to this instance IN
such n vay as 20 make il seem proper TO
me that | should correct what was an un-
intentional mistake on the part of your re-
porter. and | will state in brief what did
say:
/ stated that desired to offer q toast to
one who. long years ago, before the war,
had been my friend under peculiar clrcum-
stances; that when | was boy thirteen
wears old, pale-feced, delicate, red headed
bow. nv father, conceiviug that the only
yay to give me thephysical strength neces-
sary for any usefulness in life was to put
me at q military school. and | was sent to
such a school near the city of Baltimore;
that soon after reaching there became
Immediately a subject of torture by big,
double-jointed boy from the, western
shore of Maryland, who amused himself
and the other boys by applying to me such
complimentary eplthets as "red-headedl
woodpecker, and sorreltop from Georgia.
Almost heartbroken with homesickneSs
and being particularly sensitive about the
color of my head at that time, this became
very serious matter to me, aud l chal-
lenged the boy from the western shore OF
Maryland, Bill Knight by name. to a ring
fight on the college-green. After looking
about for some boy to oct as my second,
secured the services of Virginian some
wears older than myself, who was O recog-
nized leader in ell athletic sports, who
kindly consented TO befriend me, At the
appointed hour a ring was formed aud the
fight commenced, and after some minutes
in which both of us had fall or two. the
fight. was broken up by the appearance
of two professors, very much TO my salts
faction, as by breaking up the hight they
probabiy saved me a good beating, where.
upon was Immediately conducted to the
pump by my second, who, washing the
blood from my bruised face, remarked
"Sorreltop, you'll do"
Years passed on.
NV friend went 10 West Point, and | re-
turned to Georgia and entered the Georges
Military Institute. He graduated at Wes'
Point, and distinguished himself just aftel
his graduation and just before the Confed
crate war, in the West by fighting the In
dams as lieutenant of cavalry. Years after
ward, while passing through Culpepel
Courthouse, in command Of my battery. oil
my way to the Second Manassas, l under
stood that my second in the school-bol
| fight was lying wounded, a general OF thu
cavalry. Allowing my battery to procee'
| under lieutenant. made my way TO hi
room. He was lying upon couch, and a.
| l entered | said: General, do you recog
nize me?" He said: "Stop a minutel
Georgia, Red-headed Milledge," and greet
| ed me cordially.
He rose TO be one of the greatest cayalr.
| generals on either side in the war, and ha
| filed with marked ability and patriotism
the Executive chair of his State since tn
war. As knightly a gentleman as eve
! couched the lance in the days Of chiyalry
| and as brave q cavalryman as rode to IN
death at the battle of Balaklava, his nam
| Is Fitz Lee, of Virginia. And the CON
pany, rising, drank 20 his health.
Perhaps this is long way TO explain
| little mistake. but do not care to be pu
| down as having had O fight with Genera
Fitz Lee. Respectfully,
JoHS MnLEDdE.