Birmingham age-herald., 1894-09-11

but then he was a sworn officer of the government. He at once suggested to Major Wright to give himself up to the authorities, but this, of course, was not consented to. Negotiations went on for ten days. Finally Major Wright sent Q
 note to his friend, saying in substance that
 he was tired of the war and did not wish to take up arms again-that to live in the north would be disagreeabe-that he pre- ferred to remain in Canada until the war ended-and that to do 80 he would need some of the funds in his friends hands. The letter worked like a charm. It entirely satisfied the union official. He congratu- lated Major Wright on his resolution and gave him 5000. With this sum of money, with his complete personal disguise, and with his thorough knowledge of northern sentiment gained during his student life at Princeton, he found little difficulty in
 making his way to Montreal, Canada, where he was indeed free man.
 At Montreal Major Wright met with a southern sympathizer from Baltimore, Capt. P. c. Martin, and together they sailed, April, 1864, in the Marie Victoria, small English schooner, from little place called Bic, on the St. Lawrence river, some distance below Que bee. They reached St. George's, Bermuda, towards the end of May. About the 1st of June they secured passage on the blockade runner Lillian, then under command Of Capt. John New len Maffit, formerly of the Confederate steamer Florida. About midnight on the Sd of June they passed successfully under the frowpirg guns of the federal blockading fleet at the mouth of Cape Fear river. The next day Major Wright was in Whining ton, N. C.. happy indeed to be once more in ''Dixie.'' He reported al once for duty with his command, and was granted leave of absence. After short visit home he re- joined his regiment and fought with Hood and Taylor-around Atlanta, in the Nash vile campaign and around Moble-untll the final surrender. It was in these last days of the war that he received his com mission as msjor of his regiment. Major Wright always regretted the deception which he was forced to practics upon his kind hearted Philadelphia friend, in the letter mentioned above, but it was either that or the horrors of northern prison. While hair splitting casuist might con- demn the deception, he did what other men would ~. have done under the same circumstances. The sequel showed what Majora Wright had escaped. The federal authorities would not consent to an exchange of prisoners, and his com rades who entered the seagirt walls of Fort Delaware were confined there until some weeks after the war closed, except a small number selected to be placed, as a supposed act of retaliation, under the fire of the Confederate batteries in Charleston harbor. It is interesting to know that few years ago Major Wright visited his Philadelphia friend, who had good naturedly forgiven the deception and warmly welcomed the "escaped prisoner" to his home.
 Alter the close of the war Major Wright returned to Greene Springs, where he was associated with Dr. Tutwiler in teaching until 1868, when he went to California with a colony of southern friends. They hoped to esta blish prosperous homes in that vest ern land of promise; but the venture was not successful. They were pioneers for others, who afterwards reaped the fruits of hair lah md ant. r{ca fyiu ing up wheat growing Major Wright helped to organize the State grange of California and was it's first master. He was afterward state lecturer and he was sent to Europe as grange commissioner in tue business in- terests of the order.
 bama and was again associated with Dr. Tutwiler at Greene Springs. After the death of Dr. Tutwiier Major Wright taught for while in Greensboro, and then he be- came CO., principal with Miss Julia s. Tut wileT of the State Normal College for Girls at Livingston. In 1890 he joined the Tus- kaloosa presbytery and was licensed as a minister, but he never undertook regular pastoral work. A year ago he established the Talladega Military academy, an aux Hilary school of the University Of Alabama, where his work was being crowned with great success when death overlook him. The unusual manifestations of sorrow in that community at his death prove how warmly ne was eSLaDIlbDe0 In the 0eaTtS OI the people of his new home.
 Now that the life work of this accom- pished gentleman has ended, we can best place an estimate upon his varied talents. As a scholar, in the broad sense of the term, he had few peers; as platform ora tor hls style was well nigh faultless, and as writer he has left behind him papers of the greatest historical value. He was equally at home in language and literature, ancient and modern, and in the physical sciences. As botanist he made valuable investigations and discoveries-some of his papers on botanical subjects having been reprinted in European journals of high rank-and only few days before his death he delivered a lecture on ''Popular Astron- omy'' at the Alabama Chautauqua, which showed his familiarity with the mosl re- cent discoveries and specuiations In this uoblest of sciences. He was also a diligent student of fhistory-especially of the early. Spanish explorations and settlements in the southwest. He was thorough worker in the much discussed theme Of De Soto's expedition. He had delved deeply into the original Spanish authorities on this subject, and his popular lecture on the expedition won the highest praises from some of the most critical of southern audiences. But Major Wrieht's most valuable literary work was hia contributions to the history of the civil war. His papers-printed in the Overland Monthly, Philadelphia Times and other leading publcatioEs-have attracted the favorable notice of many of the ablest military critics, north and south. It is hoped and believed that, in the near future, some of these valuable contributions to our war history will be collected into volume. During the last weeks of Major Wright's life he was preparing an interesting arti- cle on the military operations around Mo- bile in the closing days of the war--a part of the great struggle which be thought had never received the attention that it's im- portance demanded. The work, alas! was still unfinished when the end came.