The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-16
Spirit of the Press.
A Remarkable Career.


The Confederate Veteran published
at Nashville, Tennessee). for March,
contains an admirable editorial under
the caption Judge Walter Clark" 1t
rs summary of the military history of
Walter Clark, now Chief Justice of
North Carolina, to which is added a
brief mention of the leading incidents
in his career as eminent jurist and
historian. In the last named role it
speaks of him as having done more
historical work. perhaps. than any
other who served the Confederacy."
Without doubt that is simply the
truth; but it's statement in the national
organ of the Confederate Veterans is
important 1t is also a tribute and
concession to North Carolina's leading
citizen which must crafty her pa
triotic people.
Following is the editorial alluded to-:
(From the Confederate Veteran.)
JUDGE WALTER CLARK.
Walter Clark Cnow Chief Justice of
North Carolina), son of Gen. David
was born in Halifax count N. c.,
AUGUST 10, 1916. He was at the Hills
boro Military Academy. North Caro-
lima, at the breaking out of the war,
and in June, 1851. then fourteen years
of age. was appointed second lieuten-
ant and drill master of the Twenty
Second North Carolina Regiment (Pet-
tigrew's), and accompanied it to Vir-
ginia. In July. 1852, he was appointed
first lieutenant and adjutant of the
Thirty-Fifth North Carolina Regiment,
commanded by Col. M. w. Ransom,
later United States Senator.
Adjutant Clark was then not yet
sixteen. He was in the Maryland cam
paign, being slightly wounded at
Sharpsburg in one of the. bloodiest
battles of the war, and was with his
command on Mary's Heights at the
first battle of Fredericksburg. when
his brigade (Ransom's) aided in roll
ing back successive charges of the
Federal line. among them Meagher' S
famous Irish brigade. In the summer
of 1863, his brigade having been Or
dered to North Carolina to recruit, he
resigned; and, having kept up his
studies in camp, he joined the senior
class at the North Carolina University,
where he graduated with the first hon
or in his class June 2, 1854. The next
day he was elected major of the Sixth
North Carolina Battalion, and on July
3, 1854 he was promoted to lieutenant
colonel of the SEVENTEEN North Caro-
lima Regiment (First Junior Reserves),
being at that time seventeen years OF
age and the youngest officer of his
rank in either army
In October, 1864. he was comman-
dant of the post at williamson. the
command embracing four companies
of infantry, two of cavalry and one OF
artillery, at the head of which he fol-
lowed the enemy to GAINESVILLE Novem-
Der 1. He was at the repulse of the
enemys gunboats at Poplar Point, on
the Roanoke river, Christmas day.
1854 His brigade having been as
signed to Hoke's Division, he, with his
regiment, shared in the repulse OF
Schofield at Southwest Creek March 8,
1865. At the three days battle OF
Bentonville. n. c March 1921. 1855.
he commanded the skirmish line of his
brigade, and held his ground when the
skirmiSh lines of the other brigades OF
his division were driven in on March
81. He surrendered with the army OF
Joseph Z. Johnston at High Point, N.
c.. and was paroled May 2. 1865.
He became Superior Court judge in
bench in 1889. In 1894 he was renom-
mated by all three political parties
and elected unanimously. In 1902 he
was nominated by the Democratic
party for chief justice. and was elected
for term of eight years, BEGINNING
January /. 1908. In 1874 he married
the only daughter of w. A. Graham
Governor of North Carolina, Secretary
of United States Navy. United States
then Confederate States Senator.
Judge Clark. now Chief Justice OF
his State, has done more historical
work. perhaps. than any other who
served the Confederacy He edited the
five large, handsome volumes OF ovel
three thousand pages. containing com
prehensive histories of the many regi-
ments and battalions of North Caro-
lima Confederate troops. This work