Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-27

W. present 80 cur readers the following
memoir Of General A. Bnford, written by
q nisnd.
Abraham Buford, the sixth son of
William and Frances Walker Buford,
was born in Wo0dford county, KY, on
the 18th Of January, 1920.
After going to school in the neighbor-
hood of Woodburn, the family residence,
he became a student, in 1855, at Center
College, Danville, Ky, where be was u
clsssmate Of John @. Breckenridge.
In 1887 he ~receivedth appointment of
cadet st West Point, where he reported
for duty in June Of that year, and gradu-
ated in 1871, with a moderate standing, in
q class with Buell., Wright, Bowen, Har-
risOn, Rodman and Others known 10 fame.
At West Point he displayed great skill in
horsemanship, and was distinguished as a
tactieian, especially in cavalry. After
graduating, he was assigned to duty in the
First Regiment Of Dragons, as Lieuten-
ant Of Company +, commanded by Capt.
Nathan Boone, a son Of the renowned
''backwOOdsman of Kentucky"
In 1912 he accompanied Captain Boone
in his memorable march in search Of the
great salt plains on the Big Red fork of
the Arkansaw river. On this expedition
young Buford becamethe favoriteo Of Capt.
Boonei in consequence Of his daring horse
manship and skill in hunting buffalo. He
rode a thoroughbred horse, the gift Of his
father, then the most prominent breeder of
thoroughbred horses in Kentucky, having
in 1895 purchased the celebrated Medoc
for $4,000. From this circumstance he
was familiarity called Medoc by his broth
er cavalry officers.
On the return of DOone's command from
this expedition the hunting exploits Of all
the young officers was summed up and il
was seen that Buford was the most sue
cessful. having bagged 81 baffalo, 4 deer,
, elk, besides small game. Boone, with
his company. remained on duty in the
West until the Mexican war, when being
upward Of seventy years old, he accepted
an indefinite leave Of absence, and Lieut..
Buford, in command Of the company, was
ordered, with the other companies Of the
First Dragons, to report to General Wool
at San Antonio Texas, and marching with
that Generals column into Mexico he
ljoined General Taylor at Saltillo just be-
fore the battle Of Buena Vista, in which
Buford engaged with credit and distinc-
ton. There he wat wounded and brevet-
ted Captain for gallant and meritorious
service on the battle field.
Captain Buford remained with General
| Taylor till the close Of the war, when he
went with his company to New Mexico,
where he continued in the field till 1854,
when he resigned his commission in the
army and purchased in Woodford county,
in the Blue Grass region Of kentucky, q
beautiful home, known as BOsque Bonita
pretty woods.
There he turned his attention to the
breeding and raising Of thoroughbred
horses and Attorney cattle. From imp.
Sovereign, the first stallion that he pur-
chased, were descended many Of the best
r~ace-hOrses of the day-Runic, Prioress
Ann Dunn, and Colossus being among
them. Revenue made several seasons at
Bosque Bonita.
About the time the get of Sovereign was
ready for the turf, and when Captain Blu
ford was absorbed in their success, the
Confederate war broke out and, though he
exerted every influence he possessed TO
%ayert il, vet when il became inevitable he
took the side Of the South.
There was a memorable dinner psrty at
General SCOTS headquarters. in Wash
ington City, just before the battle Of Bull
Run. The party was General Scott; his
Adjutant General, Colonel Dunn; his As
sistant, Schuyler Hamilton, a roommate
and class-mate Of General Buford at West
Point Governor Andrews, Of Massachu-
sets; General Nelson, subsequently killed
in the Gait House; General Jim jackson.
who fell at PerryYille, besides the subject
Of this memoir and Others. The great
question Of the coming wal was discussed
with excitement that increased toward the
close ofthe dinner. At length Governor
Andrews turned to Captain Buford and
said:
Il would like to know, Captain, what
Kentucky would do in case oftrouble."
The Captain replied that if the object
Of the war was the abolition Of slavery,
Kentucky would resist; if the preservation
of the Constitution and Governments as
it stood, she would fight for Il.
The Governor answered that the object
Of war was not the abolition Of slavery,
but that would doubtless be one Of its re-
suits.
The Captain replied ut makes no diff
ference with me whether / lose my rights
By an object or a result. / will resist
This broke up the dinner party. Cap
tain Buford came home and subsequently
entered the Confederate army, accepted q
commission as Brigadier General, and
raising a command Of 5000 cavalry, Joined
General Bragg in his march through Ken
lucky. In that war he rendered illustrlous
service and commanded a division at its
close. The success Of the Confederate
arms at the battle Of Guntowl was in a
great measure the result Of his general
ship. He was the hero Of the battle Of
TishimingO Creek, He signally distin-
guished himself at the disastrous battle Of
Baker Creek, and helped 70 save 5000
men from capture.
He planned the location Of the batteries
on the Tennessee river when the gunboat
and transports we're captured. General
Forrest placed great reliance upon his
military skill and his invariably admir-
, able conduct in the face Of the enemy,
de had all the instincts and sagacity Of q
/, great soldier. He exhibited many splen-
did examples Of personal ~gallantry, par
J ~ticularly In hand TO hand encounters with
! the enemy while covering the retreat o.
Hood from Nashville. On one occasion
he threw his arm around the neck Of q
/ Federal Major and endorsed him. Ir
! this retreat he was wounded, but upor
his recovery rejOined Forrest and fought
i till the last powder Of the war wa
burned.
On the bridge over the ChattahOochee
at Columbus, Ga, while opposing, with
small force, the Federals in OverWhelm
ingly superior numbers. a Federal Ser.
! geant seized General BufOrd's horse bJ
=. the bride and commanded 'the biz
y rebel 70 surrender, striking him at thi
: same time over the head with his saber
D but the General fred a pistol at his head
C when he let 70 the bride and the Genera
Y made his escape across the bridge amid
4 shower Of bullets. After the war thil
Sergeant and the General met and talke,
Of their r~encounter over a glass Of wine.
Z Gen. b. was married on December Is
e 1915 TO Miss Amanda Harris, q very beau
tiful and accomplished lady. A son w
g A. Buford, was the fruit Of this union
q During all the war Mrs. b, with this boy
a their only child, remained on the farm
:, and displayed great skill IN is manage
' ment and the preservation Of the bloodet
stock upon II from the %depredations q
o both armies. There the General returned
q after the surrender, to spend, "a he fondl.
hoped, his days in peace in the bosom 9
n his little family.
His delightful home was the seat ofhos
: pitality. He served in the Legislature
D devoted himself, with signal success, 10 th
raising Of race horses, attended 10 HI
farm, and had every prospect Of comfor
g and repose for the balance OF bis days.
But death came, with %unrelenting hand
to desolate that home and snap the lo,in
/, chords that united these three devote