The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-31
GALLANT SAILOR-SOLDIER
DR. Kemp P. Battle Tells of His
Heroic Deeds.
JUDGE CLARK AND DR.. DIXON SPEAKS
A Cultured Audience Meets in House Of Re-
preventative and Aids in Honorins the
Memory Of Heroic North
Carcliaian.


gathered in the hall of the House Of
Representatives last night to take part
in the ceremonies which accompanied
the presentation of the portrait of Cap
tain Otway Burns to the State. There
were gathered representatives of the
best life of North Carolina and with
them was Mr.. Walter Francis Burns, Of
Chicago, grandson of Captain Burns,
Mrs. J. Anthony Wilkes, of Rotterdam,
temporarily of New York, wrand-
daughter, and little Miss Waltona Will
kins, granddaughter of the famous
captain of The Snap Dragon
The meeting was presided over by
Justice Walter Clark, this being most
appropriate. for some time. ago he de-
1ivered the address when over Captain
Burns grave in Craven county there
was placed cannon which once blazed
defiance from the deck of the Snap
Dragon. He was presented to the audi
ence by Mr.. Romulus A. Num-, of New
Bern, who has acted as the represent
tative of Mr.. w. f. Burns, who pre-
sents the portrait of his grandfather to
the State.
The oil painting is a handsome one,
showing the bust and full face of the
fighting Carolinian.H 1t is in a. massive
gold frame and is a valuable addition
to the partraits of the great men who
have made North Carolina famous.
After Judge Clark had spoken in
handsome terms of the life and service
OF Captain Burns he presented Hon.
Kemp p. Battle, who delivered an adj
dress, giving in detail much of the life
of Captain Burns. 1t was eloquent AMI
repelte with vivid instances of the
deeds which made Captain Burns a
notable figure In the absence of Gov
crnor Ayeock, and by his. request. the
portrait waas received by Major 3, F..
Dixon, the State Auditor, in short but
most eloquently Put address.
After being introduced to Il audience
Judge Clark said in part: s. 81
North Carolina has always. doomed 10
grander in war than in reacc. la pipin Z
times of peace we are prone to take our
ease and let the days drifts by. but when
the long roll beats and brave men crowd
to the perilous edge OF battle then her
stalwart sons gather as to a marriage
feast.
I'm the War of 1872 as in all others,
North Carolina contributed her full quota
OF men, but the contest did not come
within our reach The most conspicuous
figure that North Carolina furnished iii
our second war with Great Britain. take
him, all in all, was Capt 0tway Burns
The Constitution fthe United States
provided for privateering, and under the
Of fha
Capt. Otway Burns was commissioner
Captain of a privateer, whose career was
notable. He patrolled our ocean front
and displayed the Union Jack from Cape
farewell, the southernmost point Of
Greenland to Cape San Rogue, the east
ernmost point of Brazil. He captured the
cnemy's vessels under the guns Of Halifax
and pounced upon them like a hawk upon
covey of doves off the mouth of the
Orinoco. For three years he was u ter
ror to the British merchant marine anG
inflicted damage only rivalled since by the
Alabama and by another son of this
State, the gallant Waddell in the Shcn-
andoah.
Capt Burns left only one son, who
became Lieutenant in the United States
Navy, and who sided with the South in
the Civil War. The children of this son,
the only descendants of Capt. OtWay
Burns, are scattered from Australia to
Holland, none of them residing in North
Carolina. But wherever they are, the
hereditary fervor of devotion to the land
of their origin still flows in their veins
AS a great people now dispersed abroad
still turns to Jerusalem as the cradle CT
their nation and thaip hnnpC and "A thc
Roman Legions who marched from East
to West beneath the eagles from Pontus
unto Gaul' ever looked to the imperial
city as their home, so these descendants
of the brave North Carolina soldier and
sailor still fondly recall the land OF his
nativity and the honors he won for the
State of his birth.
''And North Carolina has not forgotten
him. The highest town in the Union east
of the Rocky Mountains, the county seat
Of one of our fairestcounties--B urnsyile
bears his name. When last summer his
descendants unveiled monument to his
memory, in the town of Beaufort, the
counties of Carteret, Jones and Onsiow
which had furnished his brave sailors
turned out to do honor to the memory of
the commander who had led them to
victory.
In closing his address Judge Clark re-
ferred to the honor being paid Captain
Burns memory at this time and intro
duccd Hon. Kemp p Battle, who on tho
part of the descendants of Captain Burns.
presented the portrait.
The address of Dr. Battle was most
eloquent presentation of the life of the
privateer and legislator, whose fortune il
was at important epochs to do good SER
vice to the United States and to North
Carolina He entered into detail in deal
ing with the life of his subject, and pre-
scented to the audience clear and dis
tinct sketch of the man who in the War
OF 1912 carried terror to the enemies of
his country as he sailed the seas in COM
mand of his good vessel, the Snap Dragon