The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1904-09-22
A RACE FOR LIFE
A Tennessee Veteran Relates the Story Of
the Capture Of Private Walsh as He
Saw il IhirIy.Iive Years Ago

IN and child in Raleigh. AS the story
,oes, it was shortly after Raleigh had
to Fitzpatrick, and that
general and his staff were proceeding
Up Fayetteville street toward the capt.
.ol, when the young Confederate fired
upon the advancing army. He walsh
says the historian, sat upon his horse
1t the Fayetteville street entrance TO
the State House, and when be had
emptied his pistol he dashed off out
Morgan street, with the Yankees in hot
pursuit, but, as ill luck would have it,
his horses girth parted and the rider
fell into the hands of his pursuers. He
was brought before General Fitzpatrick
and, acting upon the latter's orders,
the Federal soldiers carried the young
Texan to what was known as Loveioy's
grove "a short distance from where the
Governors mansion now stands and
hung him to tree.
Thirty-fve years after this incident
a man comes to the front who saysthat
a great part of this story is bosh, and
he givee what he aflirms is the true
story of Walsh's capture and the at
tendant circumstances.
While Maj. A. b. Stronach was in
attendance upon the Louis lille reunion
a veteran, giving his name as W. A.
Dickinson, called at the North Carroll
ma headquarters and said that he wish
ed to see some veteran from Raleigh.
Maj. Stronach was pointed out, and to
him Private Dickinson told the story
of Walshs capture.
Mr.. Dickinson was with Walsh and
four other soldiers of detached party
when the young Texan was taken. The
story of Walsh's capture had been re-
lated to him since the war, he said, but
twas erroneous, and he wished to cor
rect it. The Texan cavalryman was
known to him as Watt, instead of
Walsh, and he was young private,
about twenty years of age.
Private Dickinson drew a sketch
picturing the plan of Raleigh as he re-
membered it, and this sketch Mr.,
Stronaeh had no difficulty in identify
ing as his birthplace.
At Mr.. Stronach's request. Mr.. Dick
inson has written q brief account OF
the affair, and it is reproduced here
with:
PRIVATE DICKINSON STORY.
Maj. Stronach, Raleigh, N. c.:
According to my promise at Louis
vile, / will now write you an account
of the capture OF Mr.. Walsh, of the
Eighth Texas, as I was present on that
sad occasion. When my brigade was
coming through Raleigh I was on de.
tached service, and did not come
through the town with them. The mex
morning I came up with them two OF
three miles out from Raleigh. I saw
that the boys had on clean shirts anG
clothes, and asked them, of course
where they got them. They told mt
that they got them in Raleigh at thu
State House, and that there wa'
enough for me. AS every Confederate
well knew that l needed some, so my
self and John Gollihar, of my regi
ment, started for clean clothes. W.
met some of the Texas boys on The
same mission, and fell in together.
think we were ON the road that led to
Morris Station. We rode straight tC
the State House to get the clothes anG
move out in front of the Yanks. But
in this we got badly fooled. When We
got to the State House Mr.. Walsh was
the first man to get off of his horse and
just as he lit on the ground the Yanks
came around the State House on us.
Walsh sprang for his horse and got his
foot in the stirrup, when the leather
broke and he was thrown to the
ground. We, of course, broke down
the street and left him to be captured.
There were six of us and regiment OF
Yanks. We ran down the street to the
first street, and then we got separated,
three of the boys running to the left
and myself and Gollihar turning to the
right. We found that we were sur
rounded. While we were running
down the street we saw Yanks coming
on us. We beat them to the next
steet and turned to the left, as that
was theway we wanted to GO. When
we turned down that street we saw on.
ly four Yanks across the street, and
said to Gollihar: "rhat is our chance.
Run over them" We were running as
hard as our horses could carry us
Yanks behind, Yanks in front - sc
when we got within about fifty yards
of them they divided, two on each side
Of the street, and let us pass between
them very kind in them. AS we pass
ed them they fired at us and we a
them. They did us no damage; dom
know whether we hurt any of them or
not; did not stay to see. We ran OF
some few hundred yards further and
came to grove. We looked across
the grove, and to eur establishment
we saw the other three boys on thu
other street, running for dear life
and the Yanks after them. We saw
that the streets came together there
and myself and Gollihar had to whiT