State

General Bryan Grimes One of the greatest soldiers and one of the finest citizens North Carolina ever pro¬ duced. Seven horses were shot from under him. The war couldn't kill him. hut an assassin did. WHEN I was a boy the biggest man in Pitt County was Con¬ federate Captain, Governor and Fluted States Senator Thomas I. Jarvis. Later there was the colored legislator and United States District Attorney, the brilliant Col. Harry Skinner, Populist author <»f the Sub-Treasury Plan, and his nephew, my friend Judge Harry W. Whodbee of the superior court lieiirh. There was the gallant Confederate Captain, Legislator and Superintend ent of the Penitentiary, J. J. Laugh inghouse (of whom you’ll hear more later on) and his distinguished son Dr. Charles 11. Lnuglunghouse, President of the State Medical So¬ ciety, Superintendent of the State Hoard of Health. Then there was Major General Bryan Grimes and his two sons — the magnetic Col. .1. Bryan Grimes, for many years Secretary of State, and Junius D. Grimes, prominent lawyer of Washington — NORTH CAROLINA if you please, not Dis¬ trict of Columbia. Born in Pitt County General Bryan Grime- was born November 2, 1828, at Grinicsland, Pitt County, of a father of the same name. He was graduated from the University in 1848, and in 1801 we find him a member of the Convention which adopted the Ordi¬ nance of Secession, lie resigned a seat in that body to accept on ap¬ pointment as Major of the 1th North Carolina regiment, commanded by Colonel (Inter General) George H. Anderson. He was promoted to Colonel on June 111, 1862. At Seven Pines, near Richmond, every officer of the regi¬ ment bul himself was killed or wounded, as well as 462 out of 520 men ! The- head of his horse was blown •.If by a shell. All in all the General had seven horses killed under him but escaped unseat bed! He was ill with typhoid fever, and was then badly injured when a horse kicked him. blit none tin- less tin bloody field of Sharp-burg found him Ki I R. C. LAWRENCE an active participant and there he had another horse shot from under him. General Anderson was mortally wounded here, and Grimes took tem¬ porary command of the brigade as senior Colonel. He commanded the brigade with distinction at Fredericks¬ burg. At Gettysburg His brigade was in the thickest of the light on all three days at Gettysburg, charging the enemy breastworks on the third day with heavy loss. In the Gettysburg cam¬ paign, the men of Grimes' brigade were the first Confederates to enter that village, having driven out the Federal defenders and forced them to take refuge on the heights of Cemetery Ridge In-yond the town. On the retreat from Gettysburg, where General James Johnston Pettigrew was killed, Grimes commanded the rear guard. At the bloody angle of Spotsyl¬ vania, after General Ram sour had been badly wounded, lie led his bri¬ gade in an imperious charge to recover the lost Confederate position, and General Lee publicly declared that Grimes' brigade was entitled to the thanks of the South. In this battle General Junius Daniel was mortally wounded, and Grimes was plar.-d in permanent command of the brigade. When Kamscur was billed at Odor Crock, Grimes took command of bis division, and retained ibis command to the end; bis commission as Major General being dated February 1865. He fought in the Petersburg t rein-li¬ es, and with conspicuous gallantry at Fort Steadman. When the Confederate lines were broken and Lee called for volunteers to try to cut their way through the Federal lines toward Lynchburg, Grimes responded and t<> his division were added those of Bush rod Johnston. Evans and Walker. Now let's g<> down to Pitt County and see what we can find, because really big folks lived in that locality. You do not approve of lynching, do youf Neither do 1, yet I venture I shall now tell you "f one case where a lynching will meet with your cordial and hearty approval. Come with me to Grinicsland on August 14, 1880. As was bis custom, General Grimes bad driven to Wash¬ ington eight miles — in bis carriage and was on bis way back home late that afternoon. At a branch two miles from Olioeowinity lie was way¬ laid, ambushed and killed by an as¬ sassin. One William Parker was arrested, charged with the murder. He was brought to trial in Beaufort County, bill tber.- was a mistrial, as the jury could not agree. The case was then moved to Martin County, where it ‘■nine on for trial before Judge David (Continued on page twcniy-two) s