The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-19
MARI KILLED BY
ACCIDENTAL SHOT
Chiefjustice Walter Clark
Replies to Mr..
B0uldin
IF PRODUCES THE PROOF

CITES Extract From Letter From Cor
rcspcndcnt of the Raleigh Register
og June. 1861, Dated Fairfax Court
house. Va, in Which al Account Of
Can't. Marr's Accidental Death Was
Giycn-Wyatt Was the First Killed
in Battle
To the Editor of the News and OBJ
sprver:-COntempOraneOuS evidence of
an event is Tar more trustworthy than
tradition in regard to it so years later.
In the Raleigh Register June ;. 1861,
is the following extract from the let
ter Of a correspondent, dated Fairfax
C. H, Va. | June, 1861: "Unexpect-
edly q company OF Regular cavalry,
we'll armed and mounted and headed
by a traitor, dashed thru the principal
streets, yelling like madmen and fir
ing their pistols right inc left as they
sped along. Capt. Mari. OF the War
renton Rifles, whose company was
stationed in rear Of the town, on hear
ing the firing ran out to ascertain the
cause. when he was shot down and
killed. The correspondent added:
"Our only loss was Capt. Mari, than
whom q more brave soldier or gallant
gentleman ever lived or died, and he
was 40 doubt Killed by an accidental
shot 1t is clear from this that Capt.
Mari was not engaged in leading his
troops.
Lieut.-Col. r. S. Ewell, c.. S. A.
Cater Lieut.-Gen.), in his report Of
the affair, War Records, Vol. II, page
So says: Capt, Mari. of the War
renton Rifles, has been found dead
near his conpany's quarters, having
been shot by a detachment of the
enemy" Col. Ewell added that he
himself with the aid Of Ex-Governor
Smith sormed Mars company" There
are three reports from the c. S. side
and One of them mention capt. Mari
as taking any part in the action. The
enemy consisted Of - men. a detach-
met. commanded by Lieut.. G. H.
~Iompkins. whose report is in the War
Records, Vol. II. page 60: Il was in
our army which in the first Maryland
campaign passed through that part OF
Virginia in the latter part of August,
1852, and the account of Capt. Marr's
death as then understood in hat sec
ton was that his company were in
camp at the edge Of town but Capt.
Mari himself was in town at the house
OF q friend. Hearing the firing he
rushed out in citizens or undreSS uni
form. with a walking cane in hand,
and was struck by a stray shot as the
enemy dashed thru the town" This
exactly accOrds with the above state
Inents, which contain no mention OF
MS being in charge Of his troops. Sc
gallant a man would not have needed
Col. Ewell and Governor Smith to
form his company" if he had been
with them. +.
But if it were conceded that Capt
MARI was in command, it was not a
battle. but merely a skirmish, if il
could be called that. A part Of q
company of the enemy's cavalry, com
manded by a lieutenant. dashed
through the town and the troops or
our side on the spot was n com
pany. The claim Of North Caroline
Is not that Wyatt was the first mar
hllled in the war, but hat he was
the first mar killed in battle which
Is literally and exactly true.
North Carolina Goes NOT claim that
her troopf were any drawer thar
'tners beCRuse she lost the first maj
hllled in battle and that her son:
urea the last shot at A~ppomattox. /
merely show hat she was in at the
beginning in the first real battle, an(
mat she was faithful to the close.
WALTER CLARK.
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