The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-04-14
DEATH OF GEN. NJ. W. GARY.

tack until Friday morning, when he was
taken violently i'll with an affection of
the brain and kidneys. The ablest ply
sicians within reach were summoned to
8 his relief, but the sands of life were we'll
nigh gone. He had passed the point at
which human aid could avail, and at 2
o'clock on Saturday morning, calmly and
without struggle, his spirit passed from
the stage of time, upon which he had
been so eyentful an actor. After funeral
services in the Episcopal Church, the re-
! mains were carried by an-escort of the
bar and citizens of Edgeield to Cokes.
bury, the place of his nativity and youth,
and there placed to rest in Tabernacle
Cemetery, where the remains of his kin
dred who had gone before him sleep.
The following sketch Of his life up to
the close of the war, taken from the ,Neaos
and Courier, presents succinctly the skel-
eton Of history which would, if fully
written, Ell a volume of great interest to
i all of the people of South Carolina:
Martin Witherspoon Gary, the third
SON of DIR. Thomas Reeder Gary and his
wife, Mary Anne Porter, was born in
Cokesbury. Abbeville County, South
Carolina. He attended the well known
High School at that place, and in De-
cember, 1850, entered the South Carolina
!. College. Two years later, in consequence
of an unsuccessful attempt to induce the
Faculty to do away with the Commons
Hall, he left the College, with a number
of his fellow-students, and entered the
Junior Glass Of Harvard College, whereh he
was graduated with distinction in 1854.
Returning to South Carolina, he removed
to Edge6eld and studied law under Chan
cellor Carroll. In 1856 he was admitted
to the Bar, and quickly achieved success
as criminal lawyer.
Gen. Gary was a member of the South
Carolina Legislature in the years 1860
and 1861, and made strong speech in
support of the proposition to call State
Convention to adopt an ordinance of
Secession. Secession being accomplish
ed, he went at once into service as Cap
tain Of the Watson Guards, Company B,
Hampton Legion. At the First Battle
Of Manassas the command of the Legion
deyolved upon the gallant Gary, when
Col. Wade Hampton and Capt. Conner
had been disabled and Lieut.. Col. John.
son killed. He was with the command
in the subsequent engagements until the
reorganization, in 1862, when he was
elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Infan-
: try Of the Legion, consisting OF eight
{ companies. In the battles around Rich
mond. at Second Manassas, at Boones.
boro' Gap and at Sharpsburg he shared
the glories and sufferings of the Legion.
After the campaign the battalion was in:
creased to full regiment and attached
to Jenkins's Brigade. With the regi-
ment and brigade he served at Fredricks:
burg, Suffolk, Chickalnauga, Beans and
Campbell's Stations and the siege Of
Knoxville. The Legion was then or
dered to be mounted, to serve as cavalry
or mounted infantry. This vas speedily
done, and Col. Gary was placed in COM
mand of all the cavalry on the north side
of the James River. After the fight at
Riddles Shop, in June, 1864, he was
promoted to the rank of Brigadier. Gen
eral. his brigade consisting of the Hamp-
ton Legion, the 7th South Carolina, the
7th Georgia and the Oath Virginia. In
sill the heavy fighting on the North side,
Gen. Gary led the brigade, and shortly
before the evacuation of Richmond he
was promoted TO the rank of Major
General. Gary's brigade was part of the
rear guard on the retreat, and was fight
ing incessantly. When the surrender
had been agreed upon he made his way
through the lines, and joined President
Davis at Greensboro. Taking command
of about 200 men of the brigade whom
he met at that point on their way to Vir.
ginia, he escorted Mr. Davis and the
Confederate Cabinet as far as Cokesbury,
S. c.. where the escort was dismissed by
the President. A member Of his staff,
in memoir published q year or two ago,
gives the following description of his
characteristics and qualities as soldier:
"Gen. Gary could not be called q red
tape disciplinarian. he had no faith in
the spomp of war; and his study was not
to make cheap reputation by the impo.
sition of unnecessary restrictions, but to
alleviate the hard lot of his soldiers,
while in camp, by the allowance of every
liberty and indulgence consistent with
the demands of the service. No man,
however, laid greater stress upon the
essentials of real discipline. Rank and
file were made to feel that whatever was
required of them. must be done, and
thoroughly done, and that for neglect or
disobedience of an order no excuse would
be received. Human life and the pur-
poses of the var the General regarded as
too sacred to be triaed with, and he made
it a rule never to receive apologies or ex-
plantations from his subordinate officers
for neglect, inattention or mistake.
There was no pride Of rank about him.
His promotion failed to lift him above,
but he was in sympathy with the hum
blest private in the ranks. There was
nothing assuming or stuck up about the
man. Perhaps something of dignity was
wanting. but his familiar bearing en-
deared Elm to his men. He rested his
authority, not so much on his rank, as on
his conscious ability and his superior it
ness for command. No general officer
was more familiar with or more accessi-
BILE to his men. lie recognized the high
character of the Confederate private, and
respected his rights md feelings"
After the war Gen. Gary returned to
the practice of law at Edge6eld, and soon
acquired a prom.ucat position and
lucrative practice in his profession. He
also invested largely in real estate, and
by judicious management acquired
large estate. He devoted himself to his
profession and private pursuits until the
opening of the campaign of 1876, Though
he was frequently member of the
various State Conventions of the Demo-
cratic party. among which was the Tax