The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-19

-TNTOUEIl CUIItfIL
--szfes 10 say that few heroes OF the war
have had more thrilling experiences
than he At Ine age OF Is When ne
would have taken his collegiate course
young Murray entered into the War
Tor tie Union He quickly caugnN Sfle
enthusiasm of loyalty, ana Wheh W. W.
or three of the states had seeded ne
made a stirring loyal speech entlued;
ssWhere WIFI the Rolling Years Land
Us" It was pronounced by the men
fyf his state to have been most mag
nificent appeal for the Union ana
young Murray was Immediately DIS
1inguished in the mind OF the Ken
tl1clzians as one who was about 10
make his mark in the great national
struggle.
As boy Eli H. Murray was a lieu
tenant in an independent mElltary com
pany of which James T. Morehead,
son of Ex-Governor MOreh6ad, was cap
tain. The war coming on, there was
found TO be about an equal number OF
southern SynDathizerS and Union men,
For quite a time by common consent
the feeling was not allowed to intrude
slself into the affairs of the company,
but as the feeling of the natlonal con-
froversy intensified in the state II
broke into the ccmpanyS ranks. More
head organizing q neucleus OF kenfuck-
fans for the service of the south and
Murray for the Union. This DIVISION
of the company one morning as they
were going out to make a drill en-
campTnent for several days The place
of rendezvous was to have been Haf-
denis mill, several miles OUTSIDE the
Town Part Of the company not beng
very prompt at an early hour, More
head, who was naturally irritable and
quick tempered and who by this time
was iTnbued width the spirit of Seces-
sion, remarked that he could get men
who would go further south than Har-
den'S mill Lieutenant Murray replied,
Il will find men who VIII march soTch
in defence of the Union" Thus alb
rupIly terminated the proposed eXcur-
sion and the career of these two young
men as amateur soldiers. They at once
commenced recruiting, Morehead taking
his company to the south. joining Cen
eral Buckner's forces. then threaten
ing Kentucky from Tennessee, and
afterwards Murray. with his company,
Joined the Third Kentucky cavalry, I'M
der General James S. Jackson, VINO
was organizing TO confront the force
Under General Buckner.
Both Morehead and Murray were en-
gagged in the different campaigns in the
respective armies from that time up TO
the battle of Stone River. In the mean
time Murray mad distinguished himself
and been promoted colonel of his regl-
ment. AT this battle Of Stone River
sion of the public square in the town
of MurfreeSbcrO which had been 50
Professionally held by the confederateS
After the battle Colonel Murray with
a feeling of deep solitude inquired after
rg1e wounded of Breckenrldge's divf-
sion. in which the Kentuckians were,
for among them he knew too we'll he
should find some of the companions of
his boyhOOd's days. He was correct in
his presentmenI for he was about to
meet one Of those affecting scenes Of
our civil war which can never be for
gotten. Among the prisoners and
wounded was his old captain and friend
Colonel Morehead, who had been in
command OF the Ninth Kentucky rebel
regiment. Morehead was dying.
Then came the interview between
these two young soldiers who. before
the war divided them, had been as
brothers 1t was most touching in
tervdew, for both knew that death was
soon to complete the parting which the
war had begun. The condition of the
dying rebel commander was low and
nervous, but the warm. generous ma
ture Of Colonel Murray quickly made
Colonel Morehead realize that the
friend of his youth stood by his death
bed and not a victorious enemy. Their
conversation was frank and friendly
and as full as the feeble condition of
Morehead would admit Of At that
Murray at the opening of the war was
applied in his own experience, Where
WIFI the Rolling Years Land Us" and
something Of the burden of this thought
perVaded their closing conversation Of
the mortal life of the young amateur
captain who told his lieutenant that
me could raise men VINO would follow
him farther south than Harden'S
HIM. Yet was there no self reproach
sn the hearts Of these young officers
in that dark hour of death, for each
had but followed the conscientious con-
vfctions which had divided the repre-
sentative men of the nation every
where.
1t was the war between brother
and brother with its conse-
quences that was to be de-
plored and not the individual parts of
the actors in the national strife. Thus
it stood between these two soldier
friends and it was in Colonel Murray's
power TO care for Colonel MOrehead
as well as though he had been with
his own people, contributing 70 his
comfort while life remained and giving
to him sympathetic burial when he vas
no longer one Of earth.
It was early in 1861 MI-ray had his
first fight. The engagement was be-
tween him and General Forrest and
singularly enough, it 1cas Forests
first fight. Murray at that time was a
command Forrest, VINO bore me rank
of general, had his own regiment and
a part of Stroms' regiment numbering
together more than 100 mon. In this
unequal fight Murray was defeated,
and after a loss of over one-third of his
men in killed, wounded and prisoners,
he was driven with his remaining force
off the field He had his horse shnt
under him and he escaped on the horse
of confederate soldier who nad been
killed In his fight he was minus a
cap which an unfriendly bullet had
taken from his head. In this engage
ment his company was very poorly
armed. having French pistols which his
men said would not penetrate the bark
Of a tree, their sabres and % Enfield
rifles Yet Genral Forrest. in speaking
lof this night after the war, said it was
one OF the liveliest and most stubborn
little fights he was ever in.
Lie raetle or stone River in 1868
Murray was specially mentioned in the
commanding generals official report as
having done some unusually good fight
ing with extraordinary results in the
81 ,1ture Of prisoners and the recapture
of artillery. At this time, also, there
WAS presented 10 him beautiful sabre,
set IN Jewels with the following IN
scripiion: Presented 10 Colonel Eli
H Murray, Third Kentucky cavalry, by
the officers and men of his regiment
for gallant and meritorious conduct at