Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-28
Stt zftrnIoriai1t.

1t was with extreme sorrow and sadness
that this board received the announcement OF
the sudden and unexpected death OF our ven
cradle and highly esteemed President of the
Savannah Gas Light Company, and TINS an
nouncement cast a gloom over our entire
community, of which he was SO long an hon
ored and valued member.
GEN. JEREMY f. GILMER died suddenly.
at his residence in this city, on the evening of
December l, 1888, aged 65 years.
He was elected President of this company
in 1865 and from the day of his installation to
the date Of his death, he managed the inter-
ests of the company with zeal, intelligence
and success.
General Gilmer was no ordinary man. He
was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, in
1878, and after due preparation he was trans
ferred to the United States Military Acade-
my. at West Point, where he graduated
with distinction in 1899, and commissioned
Second Lieutenant of Engineers. After his
graduation lie was, for short time, retained
as Assistant Professor of Engineers at West
Point. In lS45 he was commissioned First
Lieutenant of Engineers, and in the war with
Mexico he served his country faithfully as
Chief of Engineers, on the stan OF General
Kearney. In 1853 he was commissioned Cap
tain of Engineers, and at the time of the
breaking out of our late civil war he was in
charge of the arduOus duty Of constructing
the defenses of San Francisco. On receiving
information of the "trouble between the
States" General Gilmer resigned his position
in the old army in 1861. and returned East.
At that period there were no railroads across
the continent, and he had to come home by
sea. Landing in New York at a time of great
excitement, he made his way South, through
Ohio and Kentucky, and reported to the Con-
federate authorities at Richmond. He was
there commissioned a Colonel OF Engineers,
and assigned to the army of Gen. Albert sgd
dav johnson. He was Chief of Engineers on
the staff of that gallant officer at the battle
of Shiloh. Soon after that battle General
Gilmer was promoted to Chief of the Engi-
neer Corps of the Confederate states, with
the rank of Major General. In 1868 he was
ordered to the Department OF Georgia and
South Carolina, as second in command to
General Beauregard. with headquarters at
Savannah. The necessities of the Engineer
Bureau requiring his services at Richmond,
he was ordered thither, where he remained
until the evacuation of that city.
At the close of the war General Gilmer re-
turned TO Savannah and made it the place of
his permanent abode until his death.
For many years he was valuable and use
full member of the Board of Directors of the
Central Railroad and Banking Company, for
the duties of which his education and expe-
rience so well qualified him,
General Gilmer acted as Chairman of the
Trustees of the Independent Presbyterian
Church, of which church he was also an hum
Bile blameless and consistent member.
In every enterprise which was for the BEN
eft of the public he manifested the warmest
interest, and was always ready to devote to
it his time, talents and energies.
For a long period General Gilmer was a
great sufferer from q complication of dis
eases 1t was when he was voluntarily IN the
service of the city, on the Drainage Commit
tee, that he was thrown by his horse and re-
ceived serious injuries, which made him
cripple for life. Feeble as he was, his indOmi-
table ill-power resisted suffering and sus-
tanned HIM in every enterprise where his
physical and mental powers were called into
exercise.
In public and private life General Gilmer
discharged every duty devolying upon him
with intelligence, promptness and fidelity. A
gentleman by birth and education. he knew
and observed the amenities of social life. In
conversation he sprightly, entertaining
ard instructive. In a word, an epitome of
the life, character and peaceful death of our
deceased President and friend is given in the
words of Inspiration: after he had served
his own generation by the will of God, he fell
on Sleep"
General Gilmer leaves a devoted wife, a son
and daughter, with numerous relatives and
friends to mourn his untimely end.
Be it ResOEued. That in the death of our
venerable President and associate. General
Jeremy 4. Gilmer, the Savannah Gas Light
Company has met with great and irrepara-
BILE loss.
Resolged, That we will cherish and perpet-
nate the memory of our deceased associate
by defeating a page in our minute book,
upon which this memorial shall be inscribed.
Resolged. That we tender to his immediate
family, and to his kindred and friends. our
sincere sympathy and coincidence in this their
severe bereavement.
ResoEced, That a copy of this memorial be
transmitted to the family OF deceased, and
that copy be sent to each of our daily pa
pers with the request that it be published.
THos. III. HARDEN,
Chairman Committee.