The herald., 1893-12-10
ELEVEN YEARSLATEK
AN INCIDENT OF GETTYSBURG HAS A
PLEASANT SEQUEL.


In 1863, but They Met Again In WASH
ington In 1s 1s7z--saved by Devoted wife.
The advance of the Confederate line
Of battle commenced early on the morn
ing of July /, 1868, at Gettysburg. The
infantry division commanded by Major
General John B. Gordon of Georgia
was among the first to attack. Its OBJ
jective point was the left of the Second
corps of the Union army. The daring
commander Of that corps occupied a
position so far advanced beyond the
main line of the Federal army that,
while it invited attack, it placed him
beyond the reach of ready support when
the crisis of battle came to him in the
rush of charging lines more extended
than his own. The Confederate advance
was steady, and it was bravely met by
the Union troops, who for the first time
found themselves engaged in battle on
the soil of the north, which until then
had been virgin to the war. 1t was
"a far cry" from Richmond to Gettys-
burg, yet Lee was in their front, and
they seemed resolved to welcome their
southern visitors with bloody hands
to hospitable graves" But the Federal
fanks rested in air, and being turned
its line was badly broken, and despite
its bravely resolute defense against the
we'll ordered attack of the Confederate
veterans it was forced to fall back.
Gordon's division was in motion at a
double quick to seize and hold the van
tage ground in his front, from which
the opposing line had retreated, when
he saw directly in his path the appar-
emily dead body of a Union officer.
checked his horse and then observed
from the motion of the eyes and lips
that the officer was still living. He at
once dismounted, and seeing that the
head of his wounded foeman was lying
in depression in the ground placed
under it nearby knapsack. While
raising him at the shoulders for that
purpose he saw that the blood was
trickling from bullethole in the back,
and then he knew that the officer had
been shot through the breast. He then
gave him drink from flask of brandy
and water, and as he revived said, bend
ing over him: II am very sorry to see
you in this condition. l am General
Gordon. Please tell me who you are.
wish to aid you all can"
The answer came in feeble tones:
THANK you, general. | am Brigadier
General Barlow of New York. You
can do nothing more for me. lam dy-
~ - Then oftar a hn cai6.
'"Yes, you can. My wife is at the head
quarters of General Meade. If you sur
vive the battle, please let her know that
died doing my duty
General Gordon replied: Your mes
sage, if live, shall surely be given to
your wife. Can l do nothing more for
you"
After brief pause General Barlow
responded: May God bless you'll Only
one thing more. Feel in the breast
pocket of my coat--the left breast-and
take out packet of letters" AS Cen
eral Gordon unbuttoned the blood soak
ed coat and took out the packet the
seemingfy dying soldier said: - Nov,
please take out one and read it to me.
They are from my wife. l wish that
her words shall be the last hear in this
world"
Restingon one knee at his side, Cen
eral Gordon, in clear tones, but with
fearful eyes, read the letter. AS the
reading of the letter ended, General
Barlow said: THANK you. Now,
please tear them all up. would not
have them read by others.
General Gordon tore them into frag-
ments and scattered them on the field,
"shot sown and bladed thick with
steel" Then, pressing General Bar
lows hand, General Gordon bade him
goodby, and mounting his horse quick
ly joined his command.
He hastily penned a note on the. POM
mel of his saddle, giving General Bar
lows message to his wife, but stated
that he was still living, though seri-
ously wounded. and informing her
where he lay. Addressing the note to
Mrs. General Barlow, at General
Meade's headquarters, he handed it
to one of his staff and told him to place
a white handkerchief upon his sword
and ride at gallop toward the ene-
my's line and deliver the note to Mrs.
Barlow. The officer promptly obeyed
the order. He was not fired upon, and
on being met by Union officer, who
advanced for that purpose, the note
was received and read, with the assur-
ance that it should be delivered in
stantly.
Let us turn froM Gettysburg to the
capitol at Washington, where, Il years
later, General Gordon held, as now, a
seat as senator of the Cnibed States and
was present at dinner party given by
Orlando B. Potter, representative in
congress from the state of New York.
Upon Mr.. Potter's introducing to him
a gentleman with the title of General
Barlow, General Gordon remarked:
Are you relative of the General
Barlow, gallant soldier, who was
killed at Gettysburg?"
The answer was, II am the General
Barlow who was killed at Gettysburg,
and you are the General Gordon who
succored mel'
The meeting was worthy of two such
brave men--every inch American SOL
diers.
/ should add that on receiving her
husbands note, which had been speed
lily delivered, Mrs. Barlow fastened to
the field, though not without danger to
her person, for the battle was still in