The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-10-21
\ NEGLECTED HERO.
The Pitiable Condition of Gen. Thos.
l.. Clingman, Once Distinguished as
a Soldier, Statesman and Scientist.

.CDIJIST, oldlCSIIdu anu oSfS"t'oe'
The following sketch Of Gen.
Thomas l.. Clingman, the once ia
nous North Carolina statesman who
vas recently admitted to the insane
asylum At Morganton. Is condensed
from longer sketch by Morgan;on,
\. G., correspondent Of the Atlanta
/0urnaL.
General Ciingman was born 81
years ago in Yadkin county, this State.
Few men to-day rca liz. what ppiiu-
cal factor he was during the quarter OF
Z century ending with the surrender OF
Lee. Looking upon him 10 day,
bowed with age, expres|l0ntesa 'r III
mental inhrmity, depressed from pow
erty, few people would recall without
surprise the record he made as
statesman, orator, legislator, warrior,
duelIst and scientist. Few men In The
history Of he Union before the war
made 50 remarkable a record as
public debater, and MS fame became
international because o! his aggressive
attitude toward the Clayton Bulwer
treaty. One speech on the causes Of
Henry Clay's defeat led to duel
with William Yancey, Of Alabama.
The political career Of General
Cllngman began in 1885, when he,
then young lawyer of HIlIsboro, n.
c., was elected as Wing to the State
legislature from Surry county.
In the autumn of 1896 he removed
to Asheville, as there was prospect
that the proposed Charleston and
Cincinnati railroad would pass
through that place. In the conven-
lion held To discuss the subject of
change Of route he took a leading
place and opposed Col. Memminger,
Of South Carolina, an experienced de-
batter, with such ability that his name
became known throughout therountry
| and his fellow townsmen ewarded him
with an election to the State Senate
| He became a leader Of the Wing
party, and in 1913 was elected to the
National House of Representatives
over lanes Graham, and continued if
Office until June II, 1883, with the ex-
ceptlon of the 10th Congress. Ii
1883 he was appointed to fill the va
cancy in the Senate caused by the res
ignation Of Asa Biggs. At the end o
| his term he was reelected.
On January 2Ist, 1861, Mr.. Cling
man withdrew from Congress with the
other Southern members and in Ma,
was sent to the Confederate Congress
to give assurance that North Carolin
would support the cause of the South
He entered the Confederate army a
Colonel of the Twenty-ffth Mort
Carolina regiment and served wit,
such daring and brilliancy that il
eight months time he was made brig
adler general. He was in comman,
Of the defence Of Goldsboro, held Sui
Iivan's Island and Battery Wayne
during the attack on Charleston, le
the attack on Newbern in February
1904, broke Buffers lines at Drury
Bluff May 10th, and forced him t
go back to Bermuda Hundreds, wa
wounded at Cold Harbor, repealed tn
attack on Petersburg June 18TH, a,
tackled the enemy near Petersbur
August 10Th, defeating them with
small force and capturing 200. |
this conflict he was severely wounde
and was only able to rejoin his con
mand a few days before Johnson's SUI
render at Greensboro in April {
1865.
General Cllngman was delegal
to the National Democratic CONVEX
ton held in 1865. Since that tin
. he has studlously avoided politics, an
until few years ago devoted the IT
, malnder of his life to science.