The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-02-14
GENERAL GORDON, OF GEORGIA.
Col. L. W. Avery in Detroit Free Press.

Col. l. ". Avery in Detroit Free Press.
A friendly critic, speaking Of General
Gordon's career as soldier, claimed that
it was no exaggeration to term it
MILITARY MIRACLE.
In the latter part of the war his fame
reached the old world, and the enthused
representative of one of the great Eng
lish journals, describing some important
action, in burst of admiration over
Gordon's movements. designated him as
the "rising young military genius of the
Southern army" This was high praise,
but not undeserved. The place of Stone.
wall Jackson remained untitled. until
Gordon undoubtedly succeeded that
marvellous warrior in the estimation OF
armies and people, as the right arm OF
Lee. Il must indeed have been q bril-.
liant spirit chat could have awakened
the popular hope of matching Jackson.
!. But Gordon did inspire this splendid e1.
pectation, and the last twelve months OF
the war shed resplendent lnstre upon
his name, and made him the second hg-
ure to Lee in the dismal glory that mark
ed the tragic failure of the revolution.
In the terrible last days of the struggle
it was the ringing name of Gordon that
most frequently thrilled the public ear.
In the mighty throes of an expiring and
gigantic war, it was the knightly figure
Of Gordon chat led the desperate hopes
of falling cause. Wherever the brunt
of battle fell there was placed Gordon.
He was the thunderbolt of Lees army,
sleaping into dazzling renoun that will
LAST with the history of the il!-fated
movement.
{. GoRpoN's EARLY SERVICE.
s. The splendor Of Gordon's career du-
ring the last dramatic year of the war,
gains coloring from the obscurity OF his
early service, and his long and humble,
but valuable duty as an unknown subor-
dinate. .s... a.,
= It was long and large step from
Captain Gordon of the Raccoon Roughs
at the beginning to the famed Lieutenant
General, who was resplendent in the last
movements of Lees grand army. 1t
was nearly year before he became a
Colonel. It was April, 1868, another
year, before he became a Brigadier. IT
was not until May, 1854, that be began
TO be famous. But when he did have an
opportunity he showed what was in
him, and his rise was as swift as it was
solid and meritorious. He became one
of the brilliant figures of the army,
growing constantly in fame, his heroism
and generalship shining with increased
lustre in the accumulating adyersities OF
the cause; and when the end was coming
and finally, came, it waS Gordon with bis
unconquered bayonets that last left the
futile fcrti6cations of Petersburg. II
was Gordon, uudaunted and undismayed,
that in the calamitous retreat led and
fought in front of the enemy with his
shattered band of heroes and it was
this same Gordon that was chosen 70
cut his way through the encompassing
legions with his fragment of two thou
sand intrepid men in the forlornest hope
that Nas ever contemplated by soldierly
desperation. And when the historic
scene of Appomattox Court House came,
with its memorable surrender of the
Army of Virginia and its consequent
collapse of the Southern cause, it was
the gallant Gordon who divided with his
great chieftain, Lee, the sad celebrity Of
chat heroic, irreparable conclusion of q
grand drama. And when we consider
that Gordon was but thirty-three years Of
age when he had thus fought his way to
dazzling distinction, and thus conspicu.
ously and brilliantly connected himself
with historic events so grand and mo-
mentous, it constitutes proud heritage
of fame for his children.