The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-02
Leads Carolina DaiiesmN Jews and Circulation

| owing to the peculiar nature of his
| duties. The account of the battle was
| necessarily written with much OF
haste, for it was sent off before day
by courier to catch a vessel. and was
the very first account Of the. battle
that appeared in any newspaper. Ii
was written with the scholarly ele-
gance and brilliancy OF literary touch
which distinguished that able, accom-
plished soldiers many productions. He
published il with some light, emenda-
tions and additions two or three years
later in the American Whig Review.
The most splendid short speech less
than an hours length--we ever heard
was from Hon. John Kerr, three
weeks after his defeat for governor
by David S. Reid. of Rockingham
county. The Wings were confident Of
the eloquent Kerr's election. He spoke
i'm the large court room of Oxford at
September Superior court in 1852. held
at the beginning of the month. 1t
was at night, and he spoke with mag
niiicent impresSiveness, and with
dash of a cavalryman in n charge
against an enemy. II was intense in
emotion, rich in it's rhetoric, and flash
ed with n most fervid, exciting elo-
quence. The next most magnetic, ami
mated short speech we recan was by
the late Gov. Fowle in the front of the
National Hotel at Raleigh the night OF
the nomination of Iebulon B. Vance
for governor. IT was very remarkably
clever and impressive.
Let us say here lest we forget, that
il was a study to see Mr.. Badger
handle a witness. Some times it was
as good MS n comedy. and now and
then it was quite farcical. as when
he examined 81. Bunyan Duncan,
schoolmaster by trade and a shoe
maker by profession" as he described
himself to Mr.. Badger when he was
asked what was his name and what
was his occupation. That was in the
forties. and to this hour we remember
some of the fun which was iIrespres-
sibly rich and eXuberant.
In 1S45, there were two military
schools at Raleigh, both good and eff
cient. The head Of each was New
Englander. j. NJ. Lovejoy had his fam
Gus school with 80 or more students.
his cadets wearing the West Point
gray. The military teacher was the
room mate Of General u. >. Grant at
West Point. William r. Dsbrow, New
York State. The Gray boys wore blue,
and the military teacher was Captain
O. A. Buck. competent man but not
n West Pointer. Commandant Dis
brow was a capital teacher of tac-
tics and mathematics and very sue
cessful drill-master. There was much
rivalry between the two schools. The
Loveioy boys drilled daily where
Hec<'s residence and the new Govern
or's house now stand. This writer
was captain of Company a, and the
late Edward Graham Haywood was
captain Of Company B. 1t fell TO these
companies TO be sole escorts of Daniel
Webster when he visited the City OF
Oaks" in 1S46 OF all the school
masters we ever had we were most
attached TO old Jeff as the boys
fondly called the New Highlander, who
had brave loving heart. He would
have fought instantly on behalf OF one
of his boys All of his boys loved
the man. and when he passed into the
eternal silence" all who lived sorrow
eel as those bereaved Of a dear father
and friend He had some real practl-
cal gifts, and left poem on the CON
federacy that showed how deep ms
sympathies were with the Southern
cause. His elest son, young Ldeuten-
ant was killed in one OF the battles
around Richmond. 1t was great
blow to the father. movement was
made some fifteen years ago TO publish
the poem but il failed for want OF
funds. Peace to the soul OF the dear
old master! Hail and farewelll