Dentil of Ilrlg. Gen. L. 0*11. Branch.
Wo lied bsroly spaco to announce In our last, tho
confirmation of tho melancholy tidjngs of the fall
of Gon. Branch In the battle at Sharpsburg, Md.
Hint confirmation Imposes on ua a melancholy duty.
Lawuknoii O'Bkikm Bkaxgii woa born In the
County of Halifax, In this 8tato, and emigrated
when a boy to Tennessee. He wan oducatod at
Princeton, N. J., and aottlod In Florida, where he
remained until 1841), when ho returned to hla na-
tlvo Stato, having sevoral yoars provlouely married
tho accomplished daughter of Gen. Wm. A. Blount,
of Beaufort County.
lie practiced law for several year» In Florida.
.Soon after hie return to this State he wna appointed
by Gov. Manly a member of tho Literary Board.
In tho courao of a year or two ho was elected by
tho Directors, Prealdent of tho Baltlgb and Gaston
Railroad Company, whoso affairs ho conductod with
much ability nnd
виссоне.
In I860 ho woe o'.octcd to tho IIouso of Rcprcaon-
uitlvoe from this District — wan ro-clectcd In 1867
and I860, and with tho lamented
Мп.ьиц
was a
oandidato
ш
1801 for re-elocUon. but withdrew
(both of thorn) us soon as Lincoln’s proclamation
appeared, and struck for separation from tho old
government, without rognrd to consoquoncos. Ho
subsequently volunteered as a private in tho Rnl-
olgh Rlflos — was appointed Quartorm/uitor General
of tho State, then Colonel of tho 83d NorthOaro-
Una rcgiinont, tlion Brigadier General, In which ca¬
pacity ho lost his life In tho battle of Sharpsburg,
on Wednesday, the 17th Inst, a ball having pierced
his head, expiring in a short period In tho arms of
n friend.
Our rendors aro awnro that wo objected at tho
time to his appointment os a Brigadier General to
so important ond hazardous a post as Newborn, in¬
experienced as ho was ; which brought down upon
us tho iro of his friends, whoso partiality for tho
man scorned to neutralise tholr devotion to tho tiuo
Interests of tho Stato. Nothing but a sonno of pub¬
lic duty to tho Stato at tho tiino, prompted us to
take a position, which wo know roust bo unpleasant
to many friends. It is, howovor, duo to oursolf to
вау,
wo havo seen no just causo since to change our
opinion. Of Gen. Branch's energy of character,
and his purposo to do his wholo duty as far as ho
was capablo, wo novor doubted.
Soon nftor tho full of Newborn, his brigade was
ro-organizod.
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hotter brigndo, perhaps, docs not
belong to tho Coufodcrato army, if wo may oxcopt
tho "StonowaU" brlgado. With such olUcors to
command Ills roglmonts as tho lamontod Campbell,
nnd Leo, and Lane, and others, and with os true
and gallant a body of men as over charged a bayo¬
net, it could not bo otherwise. Ho assiduously, no
doubt, applied himself to tho details of duty, ns well
as to tho higher branches of military knowledge,
nnd with his noblo brigado, was rapidly achloving
an enviable faino.
At tho battlo of Hanover Co. Ho., Va., his bri¬
gade su fibred sovoroly, yet undaunted nnd unflinch¬
ing, it boro a noblo part in tho subsequent battles of
Richmond and Manassas. At tho battlo of Sharps¬
burg it auatainod its high reputation, Gen. Branch
falling in tlio heat of battle. His death will bo
deeply and widely deplored. The fall of the hum¬
blest privato In tho ranks of our noble soldiers
sends sorrow to the heart of
стогу
truo North-
Carolinian, but when ono occupying tho position of
a leader liko Gon. Branch falls, its bffoots are more
у
wldoly felt. To his Interesting family tho blow is R
stunning; but wo trust they will not only find If
sympathy from a largo circle of friends, but from Bj
Him who has said, “I will be a fathor to tho fothcr-
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less and a husband to the widow." Ho falls In a just g
came, and leaves a reputation of which his family frj
and friends may justly be proud.
At a meeting of tho citizens, suitablo arrange-
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incuts wero inado for tho reception of his rcluains. U
They nrrivod from Woldon about five o'clock, on
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Thursday evoning, in chargo of Mi j. Engelhard. W
The committee and tho largo crowd of citizens and
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tho military received tho body at tho Depot, and
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moved In procession to tho Rotunda of tho Capitol, H
where it woe deposited for the night. A largo con-
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course attended the funeral from tho Capitol on Kri- W
day morning, and tho mortal remains of Brig. Gen.
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L. O'B. Branch wero laid in their last resting place,
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in tho city cemetery, with every demonstration of
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reaped from his fellow-citizens, nnd with military El
honors.
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