Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/274

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266 Southern Historical Society Papers.

[From the Richmond, Va., Dispatch, April 27, 1902.]

REFUSED TO BURN IT.

Colonel William E. Peters Disobeyed Orders at Cham- bersburg, Pa.

BRAVE BUT TENDER OFFICER.

A Confederate Declined to Make War on Helpless Women and Children Was Arrested but Subsequently Released.

Colonel William E. Peters, on the igth of June, will retire from the chair of Latin in the University of Virginia, after forty-six years of continuous service, leaving a record of which his friends and all former students, as well as the admirers of that great school, are very proud.

This official severance results from his resignation tendered three years ago. His successor, Professor Thomas Fitzhugh, will take up the work of the school of Latin with the beginning of the ensuing session.

The career of the retiring Professor is one of distinguished honor. He was born in Bedford county, August 18, 1829, and was educated at Emory and Henry College and at the University of Virginia. In 1852 he was elected Professor of Latin and Greek in Emory and Henry. The work in this institution, from 1856 to 1858, was sus- pended to allow him to spend these years at the University of Berlin.

SPLENDID WAR RECORD.

He resumed his work at Emory and Henry on his return to America, and continued it until the outbreak of the war between the States, when he volunteered for service as a private on the Con- federate side, April 17, 1861. He was successively first leutenant, captain, lieutenant-colonel of infantry, and colonel of the Twenty- first Virginia Cavalry. He was wounded three times.

In 1866 he was elected Professor of Latin in the University of Virginia and entered upon his duties in 1867. His service has been continuous. His admirers and friends propose to signalize the date of his retirement by some tribute of respect to be bestowed on the i8th of next June, during the commencement exercises. Just what