Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-29


He fell near the enemy's lines, but when
| consciousness returned he managed to
I get back to his men, and by Them was
terderly carried to the rear.
Col. Gordon was removed to Winches-
ter, and it was several months before ne
was considered out of danger. His noble
and devoted wife nursed him with a ten
/ derness and fidelity that finally won him
/ back, as it We're, from the very mouth Of
! the grave. His heroic conduct had not
escaped the attention Of the superior Off
GERS, and in April, 1868, he was promoted
TO be Brigadler General and placed in
command OF what mad been known as
/ Gen. A. X. Lawton's Georgia brigade.
His first exploit in this new position was
! at Marye's Hill, in front Of Fredericks-
Durg, about month later, when he retOok
the heights by brilliant charge.
In the outset of the Pennsylvania cam
palgn, Gen. Gordon was with Ewel at
! the capture of MilrOy's forces in Win
| chester. He crossed into Maryland and
moved in front OF the Confederate army
on the gettysburg, Yorkyiile and Wrlghts-
/ vile pike. Entering York with his troops,
| he found the population in great alarm,
| dreadlng all manner Of Outrages, and the
women and children making prepara-
! tions for flight. But he ouieted their
/ fears by touching little speech. He
soon returned to York and thence 10
! Gettysburg to take part III the great bat
! ties fought there. On the arrival OF Early's
division, he was sent TO support Rhodes,
whose left was being turned. He
saw his opportunity, and by a
| bold and rapid charge broke the
line guarding the right flank of
the Federal army, after an almost hand
to-hand conflict, and then struck the flank,
pressed heavily forward, broke everything
IN his front and turned the tide of battle.
at was a most brilliant charge" as
! officially reported, and the results showed
an amount OF execution greater, perhaps,
| than was ever accomplished in similar
circumstances Of the war by the same
number of men. Gordon left on the ield,
counted by the inspectors, more than 400
dead Of the enemy.
! twas on the stormy lines OF the Rapi-
| dan that he performed his chief part in
! history and achieved his great renOwn.
! In the fret days fight he was III position
! that drew all eyes upon him. On May
! his command was on the pike leading
| from Orange Court House to Fredericks-
| burg. The Confederate troops in his front
had been engaged some time, when they
were overpowered and forced to retreat
| rapidly. Gen. Ewell rode up to Gordon,
VINO was quietly moving down the pike
at the head OF his column, and said:
"Gen. Gordon, they are driving us; the
fate Of the day depends on you" Gordon
replied: ave will save it General" and
Immediately wheeling into line, he told
| his men what was expected of them aud
| ordered them forward, riding in their
| front. The charge was successful.
At Spottsy Court House, Gordon
! was conspicuous actor in one of the
most memorable and dramatic passages
OF the war. 1t was here that. put in COM
mand OF Early's division Early taking
command Of A. p. HIPS corps J, he gave
the first check TO the enemy advancing
after taking the salient held by Gen.
johnson; and it was here occurred the
affecting and noble scene when he seized
the Bride OF Gen. Lees horse and re-
fused to let him lead the GeOrQians and
Nrginians, placed in line for desperate
counter charge uDon the enemy. In the
dark and misty morning, Gordon had
/ been guided TO the point of danger by the
volume Of fire. Checking the enemy and
/ throwing his little command against the
| heavy tide of mis- numbers, he afterwards
recaptured all the Confederate line to the
! right of the salient, some of the artillery
lost in the morning, and held during the
day the salient, and all to the right of ii
to A. p. HIPS line.
After this battle, marked by its mOuu-
ment of carnage, and illuminated with 50
much glory to the Southern arms, Gordon
tween the two armies until June 10, when
he was sent with Early to Lynchburg to
meet Hunter, and afterwards to the valley
OF Virginia and into Maryland.
Returning TO the Army of Northern Nir-
ginia, IN irOntof Petersburg, Gen. Gordon
found but little opportunity to gather
additional laurels in the declining fortunes
OF the COniederacy; and ii only remained
for MIN to share the fate which, from over
ypllp M no nf ha
become inevitable to that army which his
courage, chivary and good generalshIp had
! so greatly adorned. His part was heroic TO
the last. 1t was GOrdOn's command
! chiefly engaged in the battle of Hares
Hill March %, 1861, where the troops
fought with vigOr and brillancy that
reminded one OF Lees old campaigns;" it
was GordOn's command that held the last
lines in front OF Petersburg, and it was
Gordon's command that in Lees final and
fatal retreat was at the front, and gilded
| the last scene of surrender with the spec
| tacle OF 1000 men prepared 10 cut through
| Sheridan's lines at AppomattoX Court
House. and were only stayed in the des-
! perate enterprise by the flag of truce that
concluded the hostilitles OF that day and
signaled the close of the war.
After the cessation of hOstilIties, Gen.
Gordon retired TO the pursuits of private
! life. In 1858 he was nominated for the
! position of Governor of Georgia and ran
against the Republican candidate, Il. b.
| Bullock. The campaign was a warm one,
! and it was generally thought, and in
many quarters positively asserted. that
he was elected by some 5000 or 1000 ma
| jority, but was "counted out"
| In 1913, when the Legislature came to
elect United States Senator, he was pu
] in nomination. Hon. Alexander II.
| stephens, Benjamin IL. Hill and others
We're also candidates. After a number OF
| ballotings Gordon was chosen.
Al the end of his term Senator Gordon
was reelected. but served only one year,
| when, in 1880, he resigned to engage in
! railroad business. His career in the ma
/ tional councils had been cOnsplcuously
| able and influential.
! After period of nearly six years de-
/ voted TO railroad enterprises, Gen. Cor
| don has been nominated Tor Governor
| after campaign unprecedented perhaps
in Georgia politics for personalities and
ISLANDERS.
| WILLIAM AMBROSE WRIGHT,
! for Comptroller General, was born in
/ Louisville, Jefferson county, Ga.. Jan. 10,
/ 1874. He lett school at the outbreak of
the war TO join the army. He enlisted as
a private IN Company &, Third Georgia
/ regiment, and lost a leg at the second
battle of Manassas. lie returned to duty
April. 1868, and was appointed on the
| stan of Gen. A. X. Wright. He was can