The Wilmington morning star., 1945-09-30
Capt: Murray Apparently Not First
War Hero In History OF His Family
First Murray Here Was
Scout For Patriots Dur
ing Revolution

Captain Charles P. Murray, Jr.,
only Wilnningtonian to win the Con.
gressional Medal of Honor, is ap-
parently not the only war hero in
the history of his family.
During the past week, the young
Infantry captains official return to
Wilmington reminded Don c.
Saunders, of 209 South Eighth
street, of an old story.
Mr. Saunders, an old-time resi-.
dent of Wilmington, related vivid
tale Of the first Murray, a young
Scotchman, who came to this To-
cality some time before the out.
break of the Revolutionary wal.
Mr.. Saunders described the young
Army captains ancestor, Thomas
Murray, as a hero of the Revolu-
tionary war.
HE was a free Scot" he relat-
ed, never having been forced to
take the oath of allegiance to the
English king, as those Scotchmen
known as Torys had to do before
they we're permitted to come to
America. Therefore, he was an ar
dent patriot. He took boat here
and padded up the Northeast Cape
Fear river to about two miles be-
low Croom's bridge, in what is now
Fender county.
Landing on the west bank of the
stream opposite Mulberry landing,
he built a campfire and prepared
to spend the night.
"a Mr.. Cassidy living on the east
side saw his camp fire, and came
over to invite young Murray to his
home. Murray went with him, and
eventually married either the wild
ow or daughter of Mr.. Cassidy.
Mr.. Saunders pointed out that
historical records are not clear on
this point, nor on how long a time
elapsed before this marriage took
place.
AT any rate" he continued,
"Mr. Cassidy said to Murray, that
is good land over the river. Why
not obtain grant for what you
want Of it?' Which he did, probably
from Lord Edward Evans, Welsh
nobleman who had been granted a
large tract of land which extended
from the river to near the head
waters of Burgaw creek on the
south. and we'll above WASHINGTON
crell on the north. It's western line,
in all probability. took in the land
on which the old W. & W. Railroad
was built. The eastern boundary,
of course, being the river.
"On this grant Welsh and Scotch
families settled, and founded one of
the oldest settlements in Eastern
North Carolina.
The nucleus was old Hopewell
church, one of the oldest Presby-
terian churches in North Carolina"
Retracing his story to the immi-
grant Murray, Mr.. Saunders con-
tinued, He became a scout for the
Patriots, along with John Canair,
a fellow scout around whom many
tales of bravery and daring art
woven. Murray so aroused the ire
of the British by his activities that
a price was placed upon his head.
HE was finally captured a n d
imprisoned here in this city. His
captors did all in their power to
force him to tell what he knew
about the patriots, even to attempt
ing to starve him. His Negro serv-
ant would beg the British to allow
him to see his master, kept him
alive by carrying in under his arm
a pone of corn bread each time
he was allowed to visit him.
"Murray's friends made every
possible attempt to obtain his re-
lease, but failed, until finally
British general was given in ex-
change, and he was again free
man.
There are many other tales that
can be told of this Revolutionary
hero. On one occasion ne was not
ly pursued by a troop of British
cavalry and only escaped by riding
under a fallen tree. He climbe(
upon the tree trunk, letting his
horse 60 on under the tree, and
his pursuers followed the horse,
riding along under him."
The line of descendants from
Thomas Murray to the present-day
family is as follows: Thomas Muir
ray, Jack Murray, Jake Murray,
John Murray, Aulsie Murray,
Charles P. Murray, ST., and Capt.
Charles P. Murray, Jr., the hero
the city of Wilmington and the sur
rounding country SO fittingly hon.
ored the afternoon of September