The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-30

and in my work near Kinston, y. c.. in
| the spring of 'G2, when | brought order
! ont OF chaos, after the fall of Newhern
and in my operations around Richmond
| in "a (the spring., when with only n
handful of men l prevented the fall
of the city against raids and Buffers at-
tackS. | have been trying to get IN
data. but it seems hopeless job and |
hate To write anything which will net
| he complete and convincing. 1t
does appear that | am for all my life
to he at hard employment. We'll, better
wear out too quickly than rust out and
linger too long. | return the paper.
and if You can correct it satisfactorily
and do justice to Brigadier General W
Il. Jones for his part at Rogersville, for
you know he was in immediate com
mand. | will as fully appreciate and
recognize your Kindness and friendship
as grateful man can. BE sure not
to claim anything for me that is not
Justly mine. Faithfully yours"
Much of this letter. my friends, is
repetition in the main. but it is given
las confirmation of what was cleaned
from other sources. for you who knew
him well will affirm that 'he would
not claim anything for himself that was
not justly his.
And now, my friends. with a brief
summary of character, We will close
this too extended sketch.
Old Tom Carlyle hath pungently said
in effect il not in words, that ''npne
but earnest men do deeds worth chron-
cle." True for you, old Erigram, and
here is an Illustration. Bob Ransom
was an earnest man. Convince his
Judgment and every fibre and impulse
of his nature was sure to follow to
make that judgment good.
It's needless to say to those who
knew him, that conscience had first to
be convinced. That done, and work or
fight or pray she did his level best"
/ have told you as you knew before
that he was a follower true and tried
of 1.-THE Southern Cross" Those who
knew him only on the surface, little
thought that there was another Gross"
for which he strove within himself even
more strenuouSly. | know it of ObSer
vation in the dead hour of night, and
have had it confirmed by tongue of one
whose words with me Is almost tanta-
mount to either of the five senses. his
old cOmrade in arms, the late Col. r..
ID. Hall: Judging from his war diary
he seemed never to have missed divine
service when secular duties permitted his
attendance. One entry ishere inserted;
April Sth, "a. last Day. Tried faith
fully and piously to observe it,
full pain,
Not knowing he should die holy man."
Whilst few had higher regard for the
good opinion of the discerning good,
none held in more sovereign scorn the
ephermcfal popularity, for which small
men strive as good supreme of earthly
aspiration. Perhaps in him it was car
ried fraction too far, both in peace and
war. His ideas was that an approving
conscience is essential to happiness.
THE rest is nut tinsel and gewgaw';
so held Socrates, the Philosopher, wisest
of men.
it may DE a faiiacious Greco for
worldly gain, but for eternal give it me
every time before that of the smiling,
smirking time server. now this, ROW
| that, all things teal men. 1t is essen
tally the faith of brave, high strung.
straightforward, self-reliant natures.
for sturdy independence and freedom
from cant, durlicity, hypocrisy, land
policy, the world has rarely seen Bob
| Ransom's match. He had an instructive
repugnance to anything that bore in
slightest the semblance of unseemly
claim. or cringe or fawn or untruth
/ LaGies and old comrades, i have tried
to give you in my feeble way the linn
and outline of a hero, one who reflected
| glory en- his State and her cause as
he did in our frail humanity and as
| he would have done on the Table round
| of Arthur and his chosen twelve lie
was one of the 126,000 according to Off
cia count, that North Carolina sent
to the front i'll those trying and telling
times. Heroes all they were, except the
Exceptional few homesick gentlemen
who could not get along on rather pre-
carious camp fore with only for Saltpetre
| for seasoning. and had to 90 home with
or withut leave fr pies and things.
Scratch the names of such off the roll,
and we have an immortal roster left
lin very truth Her contribution 10 the
cause. North Cardinals | mean, was
so overwhelmingly in excess of the OH
ers. that to spare the feelings Of the
others we'll omit comparative ji&ues.
Suffice for purpose that no o-her state
approxinated her in soldiers, none SUR
passed her in gallant deeds, III he
equalled her in graves. | said that Il"
was a unit of the log, 900 heroes. barring
deserters that are accredited TO Moth
Carolina AS times will not permit to call
the roll and specify their deeds i'll de
tail. we must take a few OF their typl-
cal leaders as illustrative If tie men
they led Without the backing OF these
last. they could never have risen to the
proud grade of historic front 1t takes
heroes to make heroes. Ills ever s..
'Ye brave in masse who fall AID pass
| to the leaden halls of death,
There are plans for the few.
! but alas for you,
Nota leaf from the yictors wreath"
| Let it content us, brothers, duty well
performed must needs be our need and
guerdon. What higher need need men
demand? Here are few Cf You who
inscribed their names high on the his
torc scroll, and most of whom did die
for cause espoused. | take at random
George Anderson and .Junius Daniel,
Fender and Pettigrew, Grimes, Branch
and Bragg, Ramseur, Hoke and the
ID 4h,pn