The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-03
SKETCH OF The LIFE Of JOSIAH TURNER.
Capitol
Atoms Destroy theEDebt0tha Civilization
GoodGo in Estate Owe Him

| nation cannot exist half slave and half
| free which meant the Constitution
must be overturned if it cannot be
amended; no regard paid to the condi-
| lions on which the compact was made.
You had as well swear man on an
Almanac as Bible to obey Constitu
tion which he had as a candidate for
seat in the United States Senate said
could not be allowed to continue as
agreed upon when the Union was
| formed.
| Congress passed fugitive slave
/ law The United States marshals
were required to arrest and return
] to owners fugitive slaves found in their
/ jurisdiction Many States forbade their
| sheriffs and iailers to allow the marshalS
| the use of the jails and prisons Of the
| State and attempted to defeat the execu-
| ton of the law in every way they could.
| The Wings of North Carolina did not sup
| port or approve of notification of United
! States laws by Mr. Calhoun and his fol-
| lowers in South Carolina. They certainly
| were not going to fight their brethren to
| uphold it with Thad Stevens, Chas sumner
and Others, whom they deemed but little
| removed in infamy from John Brown and
his cohorts Many of the leaders Of the
AsSFupilCdu party, III TACT mOSC OF UNOSe
| who acquired influence were of this type.
| AS 1T was necessary to- advocate secession
| to have standing in the Democratic party
| so it was necessary to advocate nulif-
cation to have position with the Republi-
cans. The old quarrel engrafted in our
| Constitution lad "come to head" There
was no longer any question of what could
be done to save the Union. Shaking fists
| and making grimaces had passed-the
/ time for action had come. On which side
/ will you fight, was all that was left to
| be determined. This had been settled in
the minds of every one for at least six
| months.
The Whig and the Democrat, the Union
/ man and the Secessionist rallied to the
flag of the State and prepared for the
/ conflict which has made North Carolina
/ glorious in the eyes of the world.
The Union man, while still adhering to
/ his opinion as to what might have
been" was willing to let "bye cones" be
'bye cones" Not so with many of the
! Secessionists-the old feelings still ran
cored in their breasts-the belief that the
! war would be small affair. and he who
/ had not advocated 1t should have none
Of the expected honors of it's results. The
/ powers that were did not desire to see
/ 10 Turner in the army. 1t was with re-
| luctance his company of cavalry was re-
| ceived, and with the desire that the Sec
| onG in command would take charge of the
/ company. ! do not care to awaken old
sores, or to resume unplea SAINT incidents,
! but deem it just to his memory to state
/ them.
Many who had advocated war with
eloquent words, seemed unwilling to pro-
secute it with valiant deeds, and perhaps
| it lowered them in their own estimation
| as ii certainly did in that of their fellow
citizens to see their patriotic efforts and
as the occasion for their real exercise ar
rived. Many discovered heart disease or
rheumatism in their corporosity. 1t seem
| ed that the heart and legs were most gen.
orally affected and the sale of clutches
was perhaps never as great in the State
| as in 1S61-'62.
10. Turner as captain raised" the
! Orange cavalry, which was received as
X. company, Second N. c. Cav. Q9 N. c..
4 He was kind to and considerable of the
! welfare of his men. He left the drilling
/ to the leutenants. The writer was first
/ lieutenant of the company and after
wards captain. In drilling l some times
! became impatient with awkward men and
/ reproved them i'm strong and uncompli-
mentary tones. Those whose lot it was
to organize and drill companies remem-
| Der into what unaccountable position
man could get his body or his arms on
such occasions. Sometimes before you
saw it done you could hardly believe that
| it could be done.
Captain Turner would not say anything
| while we were drilling, but when we
were in private would refer to it and
say, "The man would learn much faster
| If kindly shown what to do and not
| spoken to SO roughly but you boys 1.-THE
/ lieutenants) generally treat the most
awkward and ignorant fellows in that
way" | hope I profted by his admoni
/ ton. He was as brave a man as | ever
saw. We would scout the Dover Swamp
road when the Yankees would conceal
/ themselves in the bushes and fire on us
when within a few steps. This was al
| ways trying time to me. and while
/ did not expect to run, | was ready at the
crack of broken stick to draw my pistol
which ! carried in my hand He was as
4 cool as if at home and generally relating
| some pleasant incident or rallying some
officer about something that had happen
ed in camp.
The only engagement in which he par
| t1clpated was at Gillets, in Onslow coun-
| ty, April Is. 1862, where an attack on
| horseback was made on the enemy in a
two-story house in yard surrounded by
| a stake and ridered rail fence. with a
i ditch on one side of the fence. We were
worsted and he was shot in the head. a
portion Of the bones of the Skull being
carried away He resigned November
1862
When we were experiencing the rains
4 and the mosquitoes of the swamps around
| Kinston, it seemed to give him pleasure
| that some Of the ardent advocates of SCI
| cession were undergoing the same pleas
ures. When "reveille" would sound, the
rain pouring down. darkness upon the
face of the earth, he would in emphatic
language express his opinion as to get
ting up in such weather and at such an
hour and breaking into laugh would say,
Well one Gods blessing is old Cling
mans got to get up too" Col. Cling
mans regiment was camped near the Sec
ond Cavalry
The officers did not Draw rations but
IDI q