The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-21
GORDON At ATLANTA.
The Rest Loved OF All the Surviving
Confederate Generals.

FT0n the Globe. DcWOerdf
Gordon was the central figure Of thc Conven-
tiCn and OF the reunion. on MI the living cx-
ConfederRtes to-day he Is easily tho iirst gen
ssral officer In the affections Of the ragk end
the great volunteer General 10 the, service o!
tue Conlederacy. The southern StGtos were
Military education was esteemed more highly
anrere1uisiIc for PROMOTION IN the Con CIDER,
Davis had Graduated at Wost Point and
served in the regular army and had boon Soc
rotary OF War, lie had the usual West Point
Pre- IudCe against the volunteer oiliceG But
Gordon going mt he head OF compnny, rose
by hard lighting and merit as a commander 10
tho rank OF Lieutenant-Gcneral
There was a pathetic scene in tho Convcn-
tion Just ns adjournment was declared a'ter
the evening session. 4 body, of mon came
way TO he edge o. the platform They had
wild look about them, from their sioucI nats
wore on his coat white badge with X. r. in
big black letters. ..
UP to the platform. holding out thor hands.
Gordon camo forward nnd began to shake
hands p with IeHIG Erdps they syo
pat4eticRIly. Little was said By her Gordon
or the mnuntaineers,
Il know you. Jim" Gordon aS'd md then
the hands would me- in u wrenching clasp.
were ere pattiUs s GorGons Knees rubbing their
hands up and down his pnntaloon legs and
looking, ,up in his face with, most expressive
grips. For ten minutes the Raccoon Roughs
which few words wore exchanged some tears
snS was ana sSSH the
wilds.t 10 tne lot looking AROUND. said = Come
& s0y5 dS% to And away
,Horhon was the son oil Baptist minister.
when the wa- broke ont he was a Young mnnn
and was trying t. develop coal mne in tho
northwest corner Of Georgia. in tho hoart of
the region which has since become amous by
the Sudden Development OF its mineral ro-
sources. Up ,hcre In the mountains Gordon
recruited u company OF natives. When. the
command wore cap ma Ie OF, racc3son skin.
and the tail hung down behind. The Raccoon
and his II" man. i" RoSshs reached Hrsaa
war, -Four. Years later. when Zee made his
final offensive demonstration south Of app
waits and hcm hSn cams the ss
truce and surrender. The young Cnptan with
the 'coonsk'n cap won the right to wear the
three starr TN his coat collar ~
scar Just below. the ieit eye add. to the
strength o; his face, rather than distgnrcs.
lie could have acquired AT West Point, anu he
io !,!s every imch asolI err" TIC scar il one
carries. In that battle he was on the T. ont line
encouraging his men when, mimic. ball
Without stopping even to bandage, he kent on.
ball went through IA little higher, and two
Teil bITeuUS lTlrhl''U uOW0 i non De WAS buOJ
through The left arm. and n few moments az
terTard furrOw was turned in HIS shou der.
Fire on and ire last. boys m not going TO
leave you" he said, IA he saw his men looking
anXiously ut his dripping wounds: Then tho
fifth bali struck him snnareiy In the face.
crashing through the cheek bone, Gordon was
carried oil the Held for dead He was so far
gone that he lid not know what was occurring
for days atterward. He came TO consciousness
In Winchester, aud got bnck u the army alter
his OF nursing
The United Confederate Veterans chose Cor
don 10 be the General OF the organization Tor
the ensuing year. AMI thon the Raccoon
Roughs presented him with u coon-skin for
luck. His reply to mem was:
Il had rather live AMI die with place in
your hearts than be commander OF all the
world. Ny only hone Is that when die 1t may
he written OH my tomb: Here lies the b. dy VI
q Confederate soldier who did his duty"
The presence OF the Raccocn RouEhS Mt the
reunion was a surprise to everybody but The
man who planned il. Major J. l.. McColum.
ona OF the substantial ami prosperous citizens
Of Chattanooga. wore the 'coon-skin cap in his
early lighting days. He conceived the iieR OF
putting up soma tents on his lawn bringing
the noun aineGrs TO Chattanooga for the re-
union and making ttem ms guests. The pnn
was carried out. The !. H.. took til" city.
Whenever the strains on their minds became
too severe some Of thom would say: Come
on. boys lets 20 back to Mack s." and away the
Roughs would tran to their camp aud rest
awhile. The eliminating event of the reunion
for the RouRhs WAS when they had a group
photograph taken with Gordon in their miIss
upon tue McCollum lawn.