Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-04-14
CHE a1urkpille Guqnirer.
YORKVILLE. S. c.:
THURSDAY MORNING. APRIL IA. 1881
Death OF GEN. NJ. w. GARY.

The announcement of the death Of the
above distinguished citizen Of South Carolina,
was flashed over the wires last Saturday even
ing, and so suddenly and Unexpectedly was
the sad news received, that it fell upon the
people like thunder clap, causing unusual
astonishment and profound regret His Ill:
ness, which in serious form was quite recent,
was known to but few. For two weeks past
he had been threatened with iaundice, but
his death resulted from a severe affection of
the brain and kidneys, which bafied the ex.
ertions of the best medical skill of Augusta
and Columbia, which was promptly summon
ed to his sick bedside in Edge6eld, where he
breathed his last at o'clock A. NJ, last
Saturday.
Martin With srspoon Gary was born in
Cokesbury, Abbeville county, in 1881. At
ter attending the high school at that place,
he entered the junior class Of the South Caro-
lima College in the year 1850. From this in
stitution he did not graduate, however, but
left it two years after his matriculation, in
consequence of an unsuccessful attempt to
induce the Faculty to do away with the Com:
mons Hall. With number of his fellow
students, who for the same reason as himself
left the South Carolina College, he entered
the Junior class of Harvard College, where
he was graduated with distinction in 1904.
He then returned to South Carolina, and
studied law in Edge6eld under Chancellor
Carroll. He was admitted to the South Car
oliua bar in 1856; but, necessarily, up to the
breaking out of the war, he had not reached
the emnence in his profession which in subse'
quent years he attained, though from his first
admission to practice he ever acquitted him.
self as brilliant advocate before jury.
He was member of the South Carolina
Legislature in 1S6O-61, and warmly and ar
IDENTIFY supported the proposition to call a
State Convention to adopt an Ordinance of
Secession. In support Of this measure, he
made one of the strongest speeches that mark
ed the memorable deliberations Of that body.
Secession was accomplished, and with it came
war. But true to his principles. Gen. Gary did
not avoid the consequences. At the first call
for troops he promptly went into the service as
Captain of Company B, Hampton Legion.
At the battle of Manassas, he succeeded to
the command of the regiment, his seniors
being either killed or wounded. He was
with the command in subsequent engagements
until the Reorganization in 1862, when he was
elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Infantry of
the Legion, consisting of eight companies.
This battalion was subsequently increased to
full regiment and attached to jenkins
Brigade He fought gallantly at Fredericks
burg, Suffolk, Chickamauga, Beans and
Campbell's Stations, and in the siege of Knox.
Vile. The Legion was then mounted, and
Col. Gary was placed in command of all the
cavalry on the north side of James river. In
June, 1864, he was promoted to the rank Of
Brigader. General, his brigade consisting Of
the Hampton Legion, the 7th South Carolina,
the 9TH Georgia, and the 24th Virginia regi
ments. In all the heavy fighting on the
north side, Gen. Gary led his brigade, and
shortly before the evacuation of Richmond, he
was promoted to The rank of Major. General.
His brigade was part of the rear guard on
the retreat, and was fighting constantly. At
ter the surrender of Lee, he made his way
through the lines and joined President Davis
at Greensboro. With about 200 men of his
command, he escorted Mr.. Davis and the
Confederate Cabinet as far as Cokesbury,
where the escort was dismissed by the Presi
dent.
On the conclusion of the war, Gen. Gary
returned to his home in Edge6eld, and re
sumed the practice of law, readily command
ing a lucrative practice. Such, however
was the active nature of his temperament,
that he could not abstain from public life and
the excitement incident to the political dis
cussion. His political record since reconstruc.
ton is too fresh in the minds of the people to
require recapitulation here. AS legislator,
it may be truthfuHy said that he honestly
had the welfare Of his people at heart, and
to the persistency with which be advocated
certain measures in the Legislature, are the
people of the State indebted for some of the
wisest legislation on our statute books since
the accession of the white people to the gov
of their State As political leader,
it might be said Gen. Gary was rash, incon-
siderate of consequences, and therefore danger
Gus. This, to certain extent may be true.
Virtually, he was never before the people of
the State as a political leader until the ex
citing times of 1876-a time which required
methods and policy out of the usual order,
but upon which, as the event has proved, the
salvation of our State depended Of the
Straightout movement he was the originator,
in this, as in other measures which have dis
tinguished his political career, placing him.
self far in advance of the people.
We cannot we'll close this brief notice of
South Carolna's distinguished son without
spending the following just and eloquent
r;huta from the nen of the oet.editor |