Who Dun It?-- Who's Been Decorating the Grave of Raleigh's Last Defender?

While visiting family in North Carolina, I came across this article in the April 1st Raleigh News & Observer, or Disturber as my cousin Graham calls it.

"April brings mystery tribute to rebel grave" by Josh Shaffer.

This has been happening for at least 20 years according to Chuck Gooch, Oakwood Cemetery's superintendent. At sometime during the night of April 13th, a stranger creeps into the cemetery, places a black sash over the gravestone and lights a candle to honor Lt. Walsh of Texas, who fired the last shots at the Union occupiers of Raleigh and was hanged for his efforts by order of Union General Judson Kilpatrick (he of Kilpatrick's Skidaddle a month earlier). Evidently, the good general was a lot braver when he had his army with him and the Confederate was handcuffed.

Lt. Walsh's first name is not known.

There is a small, but growing group of folks fascinated with this tribute.

According to the article, on April 13, 1865, Walsh fired six shots at Union Cavalry as they entered the just-surrendered Raleigh.


WHY DID HE DO IT?

Exactly why he did that is not known. Perhaps hr had been drinking in a Fayetteville Street saloon, and the liquor made him do it.

Perhaps he was looting downtown stores as some of the Confederates were doing. Or perhaps the sight of Yankee blue coats entering the city might have spurred one last act of defiance.

There are even those that think he might have been drawing a bead on Union General Kilpatrick.

All stories agree that he was captured while fleeing and order to be immediately hanged. He was led to a grove of trees and hanged.


SCV Lt.-Cmdr NC Division Thomas Smith says, "They strung him up right there. He was only doing what thousands of other troops were doing and that was firing at the enemy. He may not even have heard that there was a truce."

Lt. Walsh became an instant martyr. Raleigh women put down flowers at his grave for six months.

I was not able to find out if the "Decorator" struck again, or if his identity has become known.

Something Else I Didn't Know. --Old B-Runner