The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-03-29

tlIl tura &ilc Eoot 81 tA1So VI NAptr / EE
he secured appointment MS masters mate,
and served right well for number of
months Not satisfied, however, with his III
active office, he managed to effect trans
fer 70 tho army, and became u high private
in Purcclrs battery of A. T. Hills division.
This was in June, 1SG... In tho battles
around Richmond he was sorely wounded
while standing alone and single handed at
his gun, firing the last shot before he fell.
Thus attracting public notice, it was not
dif1icult for such Il bright, brave young fel-
low to obtain n commission, and the strap of
lieutenant of artillery was awarded him, with
orders to report to the ordnance department
Of the Army Of Virginia Step by step, not
in rank, but in honor, ho rose to position
that brought him close to the person Of Gen.
Longstreet Here he again distinguish ed
himself. One day, in the heat Of battle, he
saw regiment break and start for tho rear
ut critical moment. Without saying
word to those who were around him, he put
spurs to his horse dashed down among tho
dcmorali2cd men, and with his shrill, ringing
voice, and in tho stirring words ho knew 50
well how to command rallied and led them
back, rc-cstablished the broken line, charged
again und captured portion of q battery.
When tho war ended Capt. Dawson re-
turned to Richmond penniless and with only
the clothes i'll which he stood, but he soon
succeeded i'll finding place Us reporter
under John Cowardcn, the veteran editor of
The Richmond Dispatch. After while he
driftcd to Charleston S. c., and became IN
associate editor on The Charleston Mercury,
his chief being Albert Rhett, who was subse-
quently killed in u duel. The two other live
papers of the city at this time were Tho
South Carolinian, the official journal of the
state, owned and edited by F. G. do Fontaine,
and The Charleston News, which had been es-
tablished year or two before by Hon Ben
Wood, Of New York, and was edited by Mr..
George Cathcart, now IL member of the firm
of Ivison, Phinney & Brakeman, the New
York publishers. Tho Charleston Courier,
on which James Gordon Bennett the elder
worked us journeyman printer when he
came to America was for the moment dead
or nearly SO.
Learning that The Charleston News was
also in Il life and death struggle for existence,
Capt. Dawson saw his opportunity to pur-
chase the plant, and taking us a copartner
Mr.. B. R. Riordan, who with William Gil
more Sinms, the southern novelist, was then
an associate editor on The South Caroliniun,
he came to New York, conferred with Mr..
Wood, and though without n dollar in tho
world obtained possession of the paper. Sub
sequently tho young firm purchased ut
auction tho venerable Charleston Courier,
tho names were combined and an enterprise
developed that opened the eyes Of the people
of the state to tho fact that now leader Of
public opinion was among them
Capt Dawson quickly became u power
throughout tho south. He was not merely
abreast but in front of the times Whlo i'm
lint bn IA
amid the passionate thought Of the day, and
It scanned hard to accept the situation,
two or three years later found him Lead
ing public sentiment up to recogni-
ton OF the practical results that had
been achieved and tho importance Of de-
velopillg the vast material resources of the
section, lie was among the first to advocate
tho education of tho negroes and the establish
ment of public schools for them. Ho forcsaw
that the intelligent colored men OF tho SOUTH
having similar opportunities, would stand
shoulder to shoulder with their old masters
and friends. He encouraged the young men
to engage moro energetically i'll political
affairs and get out Of the old sectional ruts.
He saw the south mighty III possibilities, but
moving slowly to results, and therefore
espoused the spirit of progress with all tho
enthusiasm of u mnsterful nature He had
the moral courage, alone and single handed,
to encounter prejudice and obloquy under
conditions that required bravery to be sub
lime in order to withstand the sneers Of his
friends and neighbors Refusing challenge
to mortal combat he detied the traditions Of
century. Yet, in the end, the people stood
by him, and the law upon the statute book
Of South Carolina making dueling a criminal
oifense Is monument to his memory more
enduring than marble. The sturdy men Of
South Carolina learned ut last that he was
pleading for right, for reconciliation. for