The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-03-12
SON OF J. c. DOBB|N IN WAR
His Reckless Darine. His Home.
sickness and His Death

In Career OF Son OF n North Caroline
Secretary of the Nayy-The Most
Picturesque Man He Ever Saw.
When we were coming through
Gesrgia," said General E. NJ. Hayes,
while he was dressing for dinner at
the Selwyn yesterday, we captured a
fellow-now what was his name?
The general laced up d shoe and
left it united, thinking.
HE was the son OF a secretary Of
the navy. a North Carolinlan.".
EsWas his name Dobbin? J. c. Dob
bin was the secretary Of the navy"
All that's it-Dobbini" exclaimed
the general. That was the fellows
name
He was a confederate captain, and
he exposed himself so much that [
admired but could not understand
him. He was the most picturesque
man I ever saw. He did not wear the
uniform, but a sort OF hunting shirt,
with q belt, and, when his men fired
and retreated, he aiWtayS waited be-
hfhd until they were well away; then
he would bow, laugh at us, wave his
aand and fire at us with his revolver,
n trust TO the speed of his horse to
overtake his men. His mount was a
thoroughbred. jet black, and a like
a deer. From day to day that thing
happened"
The general started to lace the
other shoe.
A last two of my boys got him.
They had ridden through the woods
and came up on opposite sides Of a
lane along which they judged he would
retreat. He did the usual thing; wait
ed till his men were out Of danger,
bowed. saluted, laughed, fired his re-
yotver. and put spurs. One Of my
men shot his horse down, and, at the
same time, the other shot Dobbin, Civ
ing him a very painful but not q dan
geaous wound under the arm. His
dead horse pinned him TO the ground.
"When | got there, my two men
were trying to get him loose from the
horse. He was suffering intensely.
He looked up at me, laughing hysteri-
cally.
"WelI, you've got me- said he,
And I've got what | most desired and
most dreaded. [ have sought this
wound a long time, but | did not seek
capture"
I'VE got him free of the horse,
mounted him on a live one and he
and I rode on together.
"Why did you seek the wound? [
asked.
fsNhen the war broke out l enlisted
said he, with the Eighth Texos
Cavalry. Ever since then [ have been
in the fighting, with no excuse to go
home-to Fayetteville-and l had to
have an excuse for a furlOugh. Now
( have the excuse, this wound, but
not the furlough. You will send me
north to prison, wont you"
Yes, said l."
Il liked the fellow so that [ would
not let him go under guard that night,
but took him into my tent and had
the medical officer to dress his wound.
Efom day to day we rode together.
He would see his old men fire and re-
treat, under a captain who retreated
with them.
you say you enlisted in the Eighth
Texas?" I asked him.
"I told him. when he had replied,
that I had been bred in Texas. We
uaked up some mutual acquaintances
in that state, and had lots to talk
about. He told me he had graduated
al Chapel Hill and had gone to the
-mm&Nv@1E tn nT-oati0o hiS nTNfpCCI0D
He was a lawyer, | never saw anoth-
e man who was sc homesick. He at
sracted me immensely. Indeed I went
to my general to ask that Dobbin be
let go on parole.
mo, STREE was the reply. He
must do better than that: he must
take the oath of allegiance
"I brought this news to Dobbin,
who did not hesitate.
mot l.. No, sir said he. Turn
me loose until this wound gets healed,
with the understanding that I am to
go among the boys again; otherwise,
SEND me north to prison
Il kept teasing the general until he
told me that if I would take the re-
sponsibility I might do as [ pleased.
OF course. 1 agreed to that. And l
told Dobbin we would set him free
on his own terms. We gave him sew
en- days r~ations, a middling good
horse, and we Clipped in all the
money we had-S11 in silver. / rode
with him four or five miles on his
way home. to tell him good-by.'
General Hayes had finished with his
shoes now, and seemed forgetful of
the rest of the dressing. He looked
through the western window, where
the crimson was dying to gray.
did o ever see him again."
"No," said the general. But
heard of him.