Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-08-15
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTIONS
General James Lawsom x.u,n

| Aes Lawson kelnper
was born in Madison county, Virginia.
IN 1924. and descended from British
and continental ancestors, who settled
In Virginia in 176O.
He took the degree of Master of
Arts at Washington College fnow
washington and Lee University. and
studied law in the Office of George W.
Summers, Esq, in Charleston. Ka.
nawha county. In 1S47 he was com
mlssioned captain in the volunteer
army by President James X. Polk. e.
and joined General Taylor's army of
occupation In Mexico just after the
battle of Buena Vista-thus seeino no
active service in the Mexican war.
General Kemper was for ten wears n
member of the Legislature, for two
Years Speaker in the House of Dele
gates, and for number of years chair
man of the committee on military af-
fairs. He was also president Of the
Board OF Visitors of the Virginia Mill
tary Institute.
On the I'd of May, 1861, Es was
commissioned by the Convention of
Virginia, on the nomination of Gov.
Letcher, Colonel of Virginia volun-
teers, and assigned to the command of
the Seventh regiment of infantry,
which command he assumed at Ma
nassas. He was first engaged with his
regiment in the battle of Bull Run.
| July 1S, 1861, where his regiment was
temporarily in a brigade commanded
by Colonel Jubal A. Early, and aided
in striking the final blow on the ex
treme left of the Federal line, which
! immediately preceded the retreat and
final rout Of that army. Three DAYS
after the battle of Manassas his reci-
ment was assigned to brigade com
manded by General Lopgstreet. This
| brigade was subsequently given to the
command of General A. 2. Hill, and
under him Col. Ke1nper, with his 7th
regiment, was in the hottest Of the
fight at the battle of williamsburg,
May 5, 1862, and engaged with the
enemy for nine consecutive hours,
capturing several pieces of artillery
and four hundred prisoners. Imme-
diately after the battle he was promo
ted to the command of the old bri-
gade, which had been successfully
commanded by Longstreet, EwelI and
A. p. Hill,' and commanding it, parti-
cipated in the first days fight at Seven
Pines, May 81, 1862, and the seven
days fighting around Richmond in
the same year. In the second battle
of Manassas, Brigadier General Ken
per commanded temporarily division
composed of several of the brigadcs
afterwards composing Pickett's divis-
ion. Here, with these same ''Pickctt's
Men" of after celebrity, he
was opposed to the extreme
left of the enemy but acting
upon his own judgmentof the moment,
Ohio b
my's right flank, and soon after it was
done. received a message from Gen
eral Lee to make precisely the same
movement he had already effected with
such success, inficting terrible loss
on the enemy. He commanded hls
own brigade IN the battles of South.
Mountain and Sharpsbnrg. Soon after
the return of Kemper's brigade from
the first Maryland campaign, it WAS in
corparated in Pickett's division. At
the battle of Fredericksburg, Dccem-
Der, 1862, General Kemper with his
brigade was temporarily detached from
the division, and joined the troops on
Ma1ye's Heights, on the afternoon Of
that day, under hot fire. He was
again detached from the division early
in 1863, and sent with his brigade to
North Carolina, where he commanded
the forces at knston opposed Ia the
Federal force under Gen. Foster, who
then held Newbern. He rcjoined Pick
etts division in front of Suffolk, Va,
participated in the operations at that
place, and marched with the division
into Pennsylvania, his troops taking
their full share in the terrible mass,-
ere at Gettysburg. General Kempcr
was desperately supposed to be NOR
tally wounded, while galIantly lead
ing his brigade. He was brought Cii'
that bloody field and sent To a hospital
for surgical treatment, and upon eX-
animation of his wound it was thought
that it would be impossible for him to
live. This fact was reported to the
officers and men of his brigade. and
they waited in drenching rain near
the hospital for several hours, expect
ing to hear momentarily of his death
In fact, n coffin was obtained for him
and placed in an ambulance, so shat ass
soon as breath had fed they might
take his body and retreat with it.
He was held a prisoner IN the hos
pital for three months, but upon the
written certificates of several United &.
States surgeons that he must soon die,
he was finally exchanged.
After his exchange and return to
Virginia, General Kemper vas fo:' n
long time too much disabled to per
form any duty in the field. He at
tempted to return to the command of
his brigade, but was totally unable 10
do so. To this day he is still a sufferer
from his wound, and carries Il musket
ball about the base of the spinc.-
Although unable to do field duty, he
was assigned to the important service.
of commanding the local forces in and
around Richmond. In June. 1854, he
was commissioned Major Gcnera!-
General Kemper was an excellent Off
Ger in the field, with all the courage
and chivalry of pure volunteer pat
riot, fighting for his .country's honor
and independence, he combiued the
solid qualities and sound Judgment OF
IA practical statesman.
After the close of the war, General
kemper retired to his home IN Madison
county and resumed the practice OF
law Though too loyal and patriotic
Virginian not to be Interested IN every
move involving her political rights, he
has not been a politician, and only left
his business when his services: rs
speaker We're needed and den stndcd.--
He did good work IN the Walker cam
paign, and in the last Presid, ntial con
test, as one of the Greeley ard Brown
electors for the State s;tt large, h.-
stumped all sections of the Stat, an'i
by his powerful speeches did as nnHejt
as any one man to reconcile the people
to the ticket.
Gen. Kemper is man of healthy
and vigorous mind. In thought he IS
bold and Independent. In action
prompt and dec sive. Wherever Le
turns he makes friends and lasting
friends. When he becomes Governor
it will be seen that his ability as 4
statesman are equal to his qualities as
a soldier, and that in nothing is he less
wanting than IN the graces and mali-
ners that go to make mp "a tr:!e Nir-
ginia gentleman. ."-Rich. E"p"ircT.