[
93]
The publication of the picture and story of Barney McDermott, the stalwart veteran in the employ of the charity hospital, had an interesting sequel.
Daniel O'C. Murphy is another Mississippi veteran, who has been living in New Orleans for many years.
During the war he and McDermott were camp cronies, but they had not seen each other for thirty years and did not know that they were so near each other until Mr. Murphy read the interview in the Picayune. He lost no time in calling at the hospital and renewing old friendships.
Mr. Murphy's memory agreed with Mr. McDermott's with reference to the killing of General Lytle, but, knowing memory to be sometimes unreliable, he decided to write to Judge S. S. Calhoon, of Jackson, Miss., in whom Mr. Murphy has the greatest confidence.
Yesterday he received a reply, and, although it is a private letter, Mr. Murphy is willing to have it published:
my dear
Dan:
I have yours of the 27th instant, and cannot express to you the pleasure I felt on hearing directly from an old friend and army comrade.
We are thinning out almost daily, and I feel of kin to the survivors of our old brigade.
When I saw the statement of Barney McDermott, I could not at first recall him, but I now remember him very well as a tall, soldierly-looking Irish sergeant, brave in action and attentive to all his duties in camp and on the march.
I have the greatest horror of entering into controversies in refference to what transpired in the battles of the war in which I was engaged.
There can be no doubt about the fact, however, that Major West is, unintentionally of course, incorrect in saying that General Lytle was killed by a regiment of Deas' Brigade.
I think there is abundant proof that he fell in front of Patton Anderson's Brigade, and I think in front of the Tenth Mississippi Regiment.
I was ‘too busy’ when he was killed to take note of the particular regiments or their location in reference to the body of General Lytle.
You will recall that we supported General Deas' Brigade.
You will recall, also, that upon the exhaustion of the brigade, we passed through it, and took the lead in front.
Just about the time we reached the ground-telegraph wire of the Federal army in the
