The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-03
GORDON AND SHERIDAN.
Interesting "reminiscences Called Out by
the Latter's Recent Article on the
'Last Days of the Rebellion"
8. A. Townsend, in New York Tribune.

years old lawyer a college graduate, and
the greatest fighter in the Confederate army.
Said 1: General, have you read Sheridan's
article about the closing days OF the WARP
eyes" said he, land it is an honest effort of
the memory, though there are some natural
differences in honest mems memories of the
same events. A very slight difference of
standpoint changes the perception, and Of
course the memory. Phil. Sheridan is a gal
liant fellow and have good occasion TO re-
member him in the hottest time of the war.
tell you, as Sheridan's opponent politically
and in a military peiat of view, that he push
ed the poor old Confederacy in its dying mo-
ments with vigor we had never known.
Sleep was denied us. 1t was nothing but
fight, fight, fight until fighting lost it hero
ism and we hardly cared whether we were
alive or dead"
Said I: General Gordon, cannot you re-
mem Der something pertaining to Sheridan's
meeting your" The General then, in his
easy p6rspicuous way, told me number of
things though he is far beyond craving pub
licity, having had the whole measure of sue
cess-political, senatorial military, financial.
/ could not help thinking, while we were
taking, and Judge Lochraine was present.
that once Lochraine had employed this re-
nowned fighter as reporter Oh mis- paper
Courtesy, magnanimity graciousness, obedl-
ence are GsFdon's all the time. While you
talk to him you observe the clefts in his
cheek and in his head where the lead en-
tered. Said he: 'Sheridan's article revives
q number OF memories to me, among Others
the following: had among my scouts a
man named George, one of the bravest fell
lows that ever lived. When we were on that
last retreat two men In Confederate uniform
were captured, and one of them had lieu
tenants insignia. They were brought into
my camp and George said General Gordon,
/ know that man. pointing to one; he de-
coyed me into the Federal lines and gave
me up l said to the Yankee who was as
fine a man as ever | saw in my life,
whole in body and whole in soul; My
friend, this is a serious charge against you.
l hope you can acquit yourself He in
sisted that he was a Confederate lieutenant
and he gave me his place in the Confederate
army with the greatest precision and con-
fdence. But George said again: General
Gordon, that man is spy. l cannot be de-
ceved about him. So l said to the Mort tn
erner: My friend, we will just strip you
and see If my scout is rot mistaken We
did strip him. and in portion Of his gar
Sheridan. Said 1: My friend 1 sympathize
with you, but you know the penalty of your
detection? Yes said he. General Gordon
1 have taken my life in my hands z long
time. You have caught me. l am ready
for the penalty l looked into the mans
eyes, anu saw Jtl6 SOUL VI d Hull ID6Te
Said I; Take him to the guard Now
/ sincerely hoped l would not have to hang
that man. Indeed, l did not mean to hang
him. But his offense was a hanging one
The next day it was suggested to me that [
had that spy. Said l: we are too holly
engaged. Let him go over another day !
kept reprieving him, and the Federals took
him off my hands Inever meant to hang
him at all"
Said 1: "Can you remember anything
about the firing on Sheridan's staff, and even
Sheridan HIMSELF" Yes" said Gordon; II
will give you the best memory l have about
1t. During the retreat l commanded the
rear, and, of course, 1 was fighting all the
time. When General Lee felt that his cause
was gone ne sent me written statement to
that effect, but not the order for me to sur
render. l was too humble a man to in
terpret his order into a surrender. 1 had to
go home to my people, and resolved not to
surrender till | was explicitly told to do so.
OF course saw that our cause was gone.
While we were Sighting fercely, men being
killed all around us. there dashed up to me
an officer with staff so large that l really
thought it was as big as one of my regiments.
l am not rejecting on the officer, but we
were so nearly cleaned out that one of our
regiments was hardly bigger than Federal
staff The man who came to me was a
fighting fellow, decision and pluck be-
ing in his eyes Said he: Are you aware
that your commanding officer has surrend-
cred? i have had no orders to surrender,
said |. Well, said this officer, i tell you
that you have surrendered L shall not sur
render said l. Very we'll, said he, and he
wheeled off with his staff and passed away as
if it gave him no concern whether we had
surrendered or not There we were, abso-
lutely doomed. l knew the timber of that
Federal army well now, indurated, flushed
with success, intelligent, and they knew they
had us in the last trap. Yet l was not going
to take the responsibility of surrender | had
General Gordon" said 1, 'can you re-
member Sheridan's coming to you" Yes.
The fight was still raging and people were
being murdered for nothing. The instinct
of fight was in both armies, AID I wanted to
give up, but was General Lees man, and
had to hear frem him. Suddenly, little
short-set officer, whose feet stuck out from
his horse and who looked like Punch,
dashed up on me with his staff As he
was coming toward me and not more than
MY sharp-shooters, Georgia cracker, DELHI
erately leveling his rifle at Sheridan. He
would have blown him to pieces. 1t was
his very deiiberation which saved Sheridan's
life. l turned to the man and said; Don't
you see that there is white flag there?'
The man, without paying the least attention
to me, began training his gun on Sheridan
personally. With this 1 threw my hand
against his barrel, for he was standing right
by my side, and the gun went off in the air.
Sheridan would have been Wondering in the
grave to-day but for that movement of my
hand He came up and said to me- Are
you aware that your army has been surren-
dered? No, sir. As far as l am concerned
1 shall not surrender. L have an order from
General Lee. but it is not explicit enough for
me to take the responsibility of surrender
ing Very WELL SAID Sheridan, we shall
annihilate you in very little while With
that he started off, but he pulled in his horse
as it was making the first STEP
and said Let me see that dispatch
from Lee; I gave it to him. Said
jumped off his horse And remarked that
there was firing from our side on a portion
Of the Federals We sat while and talked
in pleasant way together, and all at once
the very dauu hrnke lnnsa Tha t,ro sidas