The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-29
A TRUE CONFEDERATE HERO
Deed OF a Pitt Countfan at For
Fisher.

Ihere is living in his county a man
almost unknown who deserves a high
pace In the annals Of individual hero
ism and an offctionate remembrance
Dy every lover of the Lost Cause
That man is Taylor Harris, of Chicod
township, and the incident 1 am abou;
70 relate occurred during the seige OF
Fort Fisher in 1864.
L a often heard the incident re-
ferred to spoken of by my friend, Mr..
j. j. Laughinghouse, himself a soldier
IN the Confederate army. but a few
lays since as ! walked into the ware
mouse n morning 1 heard one of the
truck hands cry u Taylor Harris
six lots" j Immediately went 70
Where Mr.: Harris was unloading his to-
bacco and asked him to scome in the
office as soon as he was through VII.
his tobacco. as 1 wanted him to tell me
iV his own way the story of how 1T
saved the confederate blockade steamer
during the bombardment of Fort Fish
er. OH said he lit has been so lon
that / have about forgotten it." I in
sisted and the following is an outline
of how this plain peaceable farmer and
good citizen acted the hero under cir
cumstances that should keep his mem
DRY fresh in the minds of Southern
men as long as daring and valor on
stitute the chief opponents of bravery.
For the purpose of supplying as far
us possible the North Carolina soldiers
with medicines and such other much
needed necessities. Governor Vance
had fitted up a steamer that run the
blockade between Wilmington, Nassau
and other points, and it was during the
seige Of Fort Fisher that this vesse
was attempting to come in Wilmington
She was sighted by the federals anc
fired upon. Realizing that she would
either be sunk or captured by the
Yankees. her commander ran her on the
beach and the crew swan ashore,
whereupon the federals boarded the
deserted ship for the OF cap
turing and confiscating her cargo.
Colonel Lamb. who commanded Fort
Fisher. a several pieces Of ar.ilIer;
pulled down the beach and turned them
On the federals who were attempting
to blow UP the ship. After several
shots had been fired the Yankees end
ing it getting too hot. emptied severa
kegs of powder on her deck, and at
tached a slow match by saturating a
string in kerosene oil and placing one
end into the powder n firing the other
end n then left her to blow to pieces
Volunteers were called for to ave the
doomed ship. Quite a number at once
responded but Taylor Harris was the
first to reach the vessel.
Clamoring over her gunwales he
saw at a glance that the sputtering
flame was within a few inches Of the
explosive, and realizing hat an awk-
ward sep might throw some Of the
powder into the flame he carefully
stepped over the OUTER rim of the pow
| der circle and clasped the burnin.
| string with both hands, walked to tn,
edge of the o a and threw st over
| board.
An instant more and the daring little
sea rover hal had run SO many peril
Gus voyages to brng the balm OF re
lief to the wounded suffering soldier,
Of North Carolina would have beer
blown to atoms. And Taylor Harri
at the risk of his life saved the ship
| A soldiers duty it is true. and yet tn
discharge of that duty SO nobly -ant
faithfully performed is that which
draws in us admiration for such deeds
| For to him the success of the South
ern arms promised no alluring reward
nor defeat its singing terrors.
Taylor Harris is now 20 ears ok
|, and has lived a quiet peaceable. goo
| citizen of our county all his life
and like thousands Of others he VII
go to his reward practically unknown
yet a greater hero than Hobson.0.
J Joyner in Greenville Reflector.