The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-04-13
Death of Cen. M. w Cary.

! Death of Gen. M. w Gary.
The news of Gen. Gary's death was
received in NewberrY Saturday with
feelings of profound sorrow and regret.
He was we'll known personally and by
reputation to most Of the people of this
! county, and many Of them had followed
him through the hardships and dangers
of the civil war.
He died at his home at Edge6eld
Saturday, the 9th, at 2 A. NJ, Of brain
fever, after very short illness, aged
about fifty years. His body was taken
Saturday night by special train to Cokes-
bury and there buried in the family
burying-ground.
Gen. Gary was son Of DR.. Thos.
Gary, and was born at Cokesbury, Abb
beville County. He entered the South
Carolina College in the fall OF 1880,
and remained there till some time
in 1852. 1t was in the latter year that
what is known as the Students Rebel
lion took place, when he, with many
others, left the college; be went to
Harvard and completed his education.
He was admitted to the bar in 1865,
and begun the practice of the law at
Edgefeld. He was elected to the Leg
islature in 1858, and was member of
that body when the war began. He
was among the first to respond to the
call to arms; he went out as Captain
of Infantry in Hampton's Legion. He
rose to the position of Colonel of a
cavalry regiment; and in 1868 became
Brigadier- General Of Cavalry. At the
close of the war he was Major-Gen-
eral. Gen. Gary was brave and dash
ing officer, and made proud record in
the army. When Lee surrendered at
Appomattox, Gen. Gary refused to sur
render, and cutting his way out was
proceeding to join Kirby Smith in the
West, when the final collapse of the
Confederacy came. His death occurred
on the sixteenth anniversary of Lees
surrender.
After the war Gen. Gary resumed the
practice of law at Edgefeld, and met
with much success. He started out in
1865 as a poor man, with nothing but
his profession and his name; when be
died he was worth probably $4,000 or
$4,000.
Gen. Gary took prominent and
leading part in the great campaign of
1876; he impaired to that campaign
much of the fire, dash and enthusiasm
that made it memorable and successful'
To him more than to any other man is
due the redemption of South Carolina
from radical rule. In 1876 he was elect
ed Senator from Edgefeld; during his
four years. term he was one Of the
ablest and most influential members Of
the Senate. In 1880 he declined a re-
nomination.
Gen. Gary was no ordinary man.
With a clear, vigorous intellect, with
strong convictions and the boldness to
assert them, he often encountered ep-
position. What he thought he spoke,
no matter who thought otherwise, and
never stopping 10 consult as to its pop
ularity. In politics he was straightfor-
ward and thoroughly consistent.
Gen. Gary leaves a mother, four
brothers, DR.. F. F. Gary, Of Cokes-
bury, Maj. W. T. Gary, of Augusta,
and DR.. Thos. Gary and S. S. G. Gary,
Esq, of Florida, and three sisters, Ms.
Evans, the widow of Gen. Evans, Mrs.
E. Toland Hodges and Miss Louella
Gary. One of the noble traits of Gen.
Gary was his extreme kindness and de-
yotion to bis mother and sisters.
For his gallantry and bravery in war,
bis answering patriotism and devotion
to his State in peace, and for his many
noble traits of character, Gen. Gary
will long be held in grateful remem-
brance by South Carolinians.