The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-22
A TRIBUTE TO SENATOR RANSOM.
Lieut.. Hampton Writes of the Great
Solder and Statesman.

To the Editor:-I feel impelled to
say a few words concerning the great
Eind-hearted hanson. i was dllC,den-
ant of Co. b, First n. G. State Troops.
ne was our Northumberland and
soon won the confidence and love OF
not only the officers, but of all the
prlvates of that gallant Old regiment
Our colonel was the brave ana WELL
disciplined NJ. S. Stokes, who wei
killed at Mechanicviile in the frs:
days fight around Richmond in 1862
The winter before While we were i'll
camp at Akkokeek between Freder-
Icksburg and the Potomac river | an
piled for a furlougn to visit my home.
Colonel Stokes wrote out one for 20
days, only. The day after Ransom was
lett in command, the Colonel having
some to Fredericksburg for the cay, /
carried my furlough to the consider
ate and noble-hearted Ransom and
explained to him that twenty days
would give me so short a stay with
my people that l would not make the
start He kindly asked me how long
[ wanted. L told him twenty-five
days at least. He said: Hand me
your furlough these West Pointers
must not be so hard on you boys
when there is no fighting on hand"
He cropped the twenty and inserted
TWENTY-FIVE, and signed his name as
Northumberland commanding. This
act was quite q favor ar tL1t time.
have the furlough now i'll my possess
sion. l had the pleasure while a
member of the State Senate in 1883 OF
voting for him for reelection to the
L. S. Senate [ laughed and said to
HIM | was kinder" paying him back
for extending my furlough. He recol-
Iected the circumstances well.
General Ransom having been elect
ed colonel of the 35th regiment left
us in May, 1862. | had the honor
TO be one of committee of three
of the officers of the regiment, to pre-
sent to him a sword as token OF our
love and esteem for him. L herewith
give the correspondence as puplSneu
i'm the State papers at the time, copy
of which [ have pasted in my scrap
book. as some of the brave boys OF
that gallant old regiment might like
to see it.
Camp Mcintosh, May 10, 1852.
"Col. M. w. Ransom.
Dear Sir:-The officers of the FIRST
n. G. Troops, remembering with great
Measure your former association with
them as lieutenant-colonel nave m
struCted us to convey to you their hlSl
regards for the official courtesy when
always characterized your intercourse
with them.
and we have been further instruct
ed by these to present to you a sword
as a token of the hiGh respect III
which you are held by them. Let us
beg, dear sir, that you accept OF 1t
through our hands-neVer douptlng
that upon every occasion, When IL Is IN
your power, it will be welded III the
defence of our common country
For ourselves and those Whon we
represent allow us to express our re-
grets at our separation from you, out
| in our parting. it is pleasure to Know
that you have been called TO nlsh-
| er and more responsible poSlIlo!l'
| Believe u.s. dear sir,
your friends etc,
LIEUT.. JOHN A BENBUR4,
LIEUT.. O. FENNELL, JR..
"LIEITT. JOHN A. HAMPTON.'
"Camp 35th Regi., n. c. Troops.
MAY II. 1852
"Gentlemen:-I accept with emo
tons of pleasure and gratiluae, Wilt Wilt,
[ cannot express, the beauIilui sWoiu
which the officers of the flrsl Noltn
Carolina Regiment have peeh pledSeu
| through YOU to present to me.
Certainly the bestoWal OF no loilol
could have brought with IL putei
qualification The esteem OF lhe oi tN
| alrous gentlemen with whom IL mas
been my happiness to have oeeh asso-
ciated in the service OIL our couhtl y
so generally evinced, is TO me price
! less attainment, and wiz NC nag