The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-18
COZ rLErcHER wEBsrER'S DEATH.
lie Was Killed in Battle. Not in Personal
Combat.

Eir-iu YOUR SUNDAY r paper f'A i'f'N
tluce from the Galveston TEX Daily News
"a very graphic account Of the abortiye
attack upon Little Round Top, by Long
streets Corps. on the second day at Get
tysburg The thrilling narrative Is by a
MIR. Val e.. Giles. Of Austin, Texas IN
the course OF the dramatic picture the
striking figure OF our excellent friend,
CAPTAIN John Cussons, for moment
appears, and You say in n note that this
gentleman was shown the clipping from
the Galveston News and pronounced the
account "highly realistic and almos. hor-
ribly true" This qualified verihcaton Of
Captain Cussons is limited solely 10 the
scenes and incident which Mr. Giles re-
counts in connection with tho attack
ON Little Round Top. This portion OF tho
narrative is. as Captain Cussons says.
highly realistic and may he. for aught
I know 10 the contrary not only "al-
most" but altogether. true But there is
an allundo incdcnt-if I may use such
KprcssiOn-rclatcd by Mr.. Giles. which is.
undoubtedly, apocryphal I'm the dcscrip-
ton of the heroic but unavailing attack
upon the fr0wning and fire-vomltng
height ono John Haggorty courier for
Hood. hut al that timc acting for Gen.
Law. dashed mp tho side of the noun
tain with am order from tho latter gone
cral 90 Major Rogers. in command of The
Fifth Texas Regiment. The narrator then
proceeds as follows.
Now that ] have mentioned tho name
Of John llaggorty IL reminds me of
circumstance that happened az $ cond
Manassas.
In those days John was q regular 'Har-
,y-rackct scapccracc sort of fellow.
fun of adventure. fearless and reckless.
and as courier for General Hood went
pretty much whore he pleased except
when ON actual duty
AT Second Manassas ne was rrowling
around inside the cnomys lines. when he
and Colonel Fletcher Webster. of Mas
sachusetts regiment met in the woods
face % face. Each one commanded Tho
other 20 surrender Both were game and
both refused and tho duel began. Fortune
favored IIaggerty. and the gallant Web
ster went down Tie was a SON OF Daniel
Webster, the distinguished Massachusetts,
Statesman"
Now that our Harry capegracc'
may, like Saul. have Killed his thousands.
or. Ike David. his ten thousands. T do
not gainsay. but no most cmphatcally is
innocent OF the blood Of Colonel Fletcher
Webster. unless ali of the published ace
counts OF Second Manassas both Federal
and Confederate. as well as tho Official
reports in the War Office arc at fault.
Indeed. ono need not go tO the authentic
reports of Second Manassas 90 disorcdit
This duel i'm which fortune favored
lIarry-rackct. Hood WAS with Longstroct.
and that General did not dohlo his CORPS
through Thoroughfare Gap until the
morning of the GOTH The final and de-
cisiro engagement occurred the next day.
Long treet doplOyed h's divisions in the
woods 10 the southeast of Groyeiou. and
besides this woods there were no other
woods in which lIarry-rackot could have
been proving around inside the cncmy's
lines" except The woods through which.
on ,he 2sth and 10Th. Popc's division made
successive and incess3nt assaults unon
the thin lines of Jackson that held tho UNI
finished railroad cut between Sudlcv Ford
aud Groveion. Now 80 is very evident
that Colonel Webster could not have been
sauntoring in the woods occupicd bv
Longstreet. and ass TO the idea that
Harry racket Confederate scout. could
leisurely 'prowl' in the woods" through
which the Federal forces made their dee-
lefdte assaults upon the protected posi-
Ton or Jackson's corps. the very sugges-
ton U.s. pr'postorOus. Why. the "old mol
ly-hare' that Ieb Vance apostropbisod at
Malvern Tin. as il jumped from the
bushes ana ran 20 the rear. could not have
!Fed hVe seconds I'm thar woods if it
mad been Confederate old molly
ms Us c.rcJmstauual evidence. but
thcrc is The most conclusive posftive tos-
tmony. To mention only one authority
John g. Roper in his minute and OK
haustlVa volume upon 1.-THE Army under
rope IN describing the bloody contest
Tor the possession of Bald Hill the
stronghold OF The Federals in the crisis
on the battle or tho thirtieth. or Second
Manassas. makes this statement. "rn
tine conflict around this hin General
Tower was severely wounded at the
head Of two Of Pickctts' brigade and
Colonel Fletcher Webster of the Twelfth
Massachusetts. son cf the great states
man. was killed while leading his regi-
ment."
Alexander II. Stevens in his unabridged
or larger history OF tho United states.
in his description OF Second Manassas
makes the following statement.
Among the saddost casualties Of this
battle was the fall OF Colonel Fletcher
Webster. the son OF the great senator
Daniel Webster. who had cNerted so
much OF power and ol0quenco during his
life 10 avert an issue OF arms between
the States. lie fell at the head OF his
regiment IN the last charge OF the Con-
federdtes under the lead OF Cen roombs.
NttB NtAN i'NN~lilL ~ " ElnLeE as Ns
was dashing by. Toombs. hearing his
call, turned his horse. dismounted and
seeing his condition. ordered a detail OF
soldiers 10 wait upon. and give every
attention TO his dying friend. The meet
Ing and parting were deeply affecting 20
b0th.'
What reflections must arise from this
incident in the mind of every dispasson-
ate student OF history and especially I'm
the mind az every intelligent observer OF
the practical working OF the expert
ment' as Mr.. Madison called It. OF our
Confederate Republic" Tho Virginia
fathers and their followers. construed
the more perfect union" to be a COM
pact between sovereign states. A. that
date. the date Of the adoption OF the
constitution. nobody else, 50 far as au-
thentic history reveals ever put a DIFF
ferent ccDstruction upon the instrument.
the Federal constitution. But in the
lapse OF years and in the angry conten-
lions OF sectional interests a new code
OF construction arose. This new con-
structiOn OF the constitution regarded
the Union as a government erected upon
the assent OF the people OF assembled
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