The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-02-08
Death of General R. S. Ewell.

! Death OF General X. >. EWell.
One by one they pass over the river to res
under the shade of the trees. The great lead
ers of the Confederacy are fast passing away
First it was Jackson, then Lee and now anoth
er prominent actor of the late eventful war is
added to the list. Scarce week has passed
since We announced the death of his beloved
spouse, and now we are called upon to perform
the painful task of writing the obituary of thai
great soldier of the "Lost Cause" Richard S
Ewell, the successor of Stonewall Jackson In
command, and after him one of the most cher
isbed and trusted lieutenants and friends O
Lee We were not unprepared for this intelli
gence, for his extreme illness had been fre
quently referred to in our telegraphic column:
during the past few days. His death took place
at his residence in Maury county, Tennessee
near Nashville, on Thursday morning.
We have but slight material at hand-bu'
from the little we have. aided by our memory
we collect the following brief facts of his his,
tory: He was born in Virginia, and entered
West Point as cadet in 1886, and was in the
same class with Lee. In the Mexican war he
held the rank of first lieutenant of dragons,
and was promoted to captaincy for gallant
services at Chapultepec. He afterwards served
in New Mexico, but when the secession of Vir-
ginia occurred he resigned, returned home, and
offered his sword to the Confederate cause
His first service in the cause was i'll little
skirmish with the enemy on the 31st of May,
1861. at Fairfax Court House, in which he was
wounded while reforming small detachment
of volunteers, who had been suddenly attacked
by the cavalry of the enemy and thrown into
momentary confusion. He was wounded here
in the shoulder, and Governor Smith relieved
him from command, and put the enemy to fight.
He was next in the battle of Manassas, but
not actively engaged.
His great services to the Confederacy begun
when he went to the relief of Stonewall jack
son in the Valley, and participated in that
brilliant series of victories which immortalized
his chief and the little army of heroes he so
nobly commanded and skitlfully handled
Jackson gave Ewell full credit for his valuable
services in this campaign, and his own men
recognized the true worth of their commander.
At the battle of Cedar Run he again co-opera-
ted with Jackson, and aided in securing the
victory. Thence he marched towards Manassas,
and engaged with the enemy in battle at
Groveton, which preceded the brilliant series OF
engagements in which Pope was annihilated.
In this fight he was wounded and disabled.
Amputation of one of his legs became necessa-
ry. and he suffered for a long time. 1t was
feared he would not recover, and daily the an
nouncemenJ of his death was looked for. In
fact. the enemy reported him dead several times.
But he was soon in the saddle again, but not
before his great chief had fought his last fight.
Ewell was selected as his successor.
From this time to the close of the war
through Gettysburg to the Wilderness-he was
actively engaged in the field, ably seconding
General Lee. In the retrograde movement OF
that General after the terrible battles of the
Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House,
when Grant undertook his flank movement for
the South side, General Ewel, much enfeebled,
and suffering from his wound, was compelled
to retire, and he was placed in command of the
Department of Henrico, with his headquarters
in Richmond and here he remained until he
mounted his horse and rode across the bridge
on the morning of the evacuation, while the
bright sky was darkened with the smoke of a
conflagration, which, in obedience to superior
orders, and the imperative necessities OF war,
he had sorrowfully lighted. He was taken
prisoner, and long confined in Fort Warren,
without any assigned cause. The hardships he
had previously endured added to the burdens
of long imprisonment had made rapid ln-
roads upon his constitution, and when he was
finally released, and made his way to the home
of his wife in Tennessee, he was but a wreck,
and seemed ready even then for the grave.
How he has managed to lengthen out his life
thus long is mistery difficult for those to solve
who remember his skeleton form and decrepit
appearance as he was wont to drive or ride
through the streets of Richmond in the last
days of the war. :,
He is at rest at last, and his battles are all
over. With Jackson and Lee, and the mighty
host of nameless heroes, who crowd the valhal-
las of the dead, he sleeps in peace.-Richni0nd
Enquirer.