The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-18
GORDON ON WAR SCENES.
TIE GALLANT SOLDIER on THE
LAST DAYS or THE COSFEDERACI.
He Entertains Large Audience at the
Talmage Tabernacle with Amusing
and Pathetic "Reminiscences.

! gentlemen prominent IN various walks Of
life, General j. b. Gordon, United States
senator from Georgia, delivered his new
lecture entitled THE Last Days Of the
Cnfederacy.' in the Brooklyn Taber-
nacle this evening. The building was
filled to overlooking with an audience
comprised of many Of the best-kno,gn
I people Of New York and Brooklyn. Among
the signers Of the invitation were Cen
| er9l +. G. Barlow, General W. Swayne.
| Postmaster General James G.. NJ.
| Depew. ex-Vice President Morton. Col
onel Bob lngersol General Horace Porter.
/ j. II. Inman, M. J. Yerdery, j. II. Choate,
! Henry George and Senator c. s. Brice.
/ General Gordon was interrupted frequent
| ly by most enthusiastic applause but
| at the end OF his peroration the audience
arose and applauded for several minutes.
a pleasing incident Of the occasion was
/ the presence, or the platform, of Colonel
| Fred. Grant, who shared the applause
| elected by General Gordon's eulogies of
| General Grant. A general reception f0l-
| lowed. Following is the invitation upon
which General Gordons lecture was de-
| livered:
New York, June /, 1899.
ator. Atlanta. Ga:
Feeling, as all true citizens Of the
| Republic do that the late ciyn war, with
| its producing causes, are forever dead
issues; that the memorable tragedy viii
! always be Of historical interest and
knowing your broad and true Ameri-
canism, we respectfully invite and urge
you 10 deliver in this city. at your earii-
est convenience, a lecture founded on the
aIn do Of ff.I fars or a
your personal estimates Of the two great
Captains, Grant and Lee"
When General Gordon was introduced
he received an ovation.
General Gordon opened his lecture by
thanking DR.. Talmage for his eloquent
introduction and the audience for It's gem
erous reception lie said that if his
merits did but equal their magnanimity
he would not disappOint the expectations
Of the audience nor bring discredit upon
the sacred association connected with
| this the noblest of the early temples. He
also said that I'm selecting his subject,
"The Last Days of the COnfoteracy.' ne
had no intention of drawing comparisons
between the northern and southern forces,
or comparing the merits Of the respective
leaders on the two sides.
General Gordon's entire lecture was REM
iniscent I'M its character and dealt with
those phases and Incidents Of the war
which illustrate the spirit and character
of the American people. He took Getty5-
burg and App0mattoX as indicating the
boundaries of the Confederacy's descend
ing fortunes. lie described General Lees
crossing into Pennsylvania. the separa-
ton of his own command from General
Lees army, and the march Of mis- Cor
d0u9 command through the valley OK
Pennsylvania, the city of York the con-
sternati0n Of its people the burning or
the town Of WriEhtsville, on the banks
Of the Susquehanna, and gave amusing
and pathetic accounts of the scenes along
the route.
lie then returned 90 Gettysburg He said
that he would not attempt amy description
of that great battle. but would select from
a thousand u, resting events but two
Incidents one of these was the scene De-
tween himself and General Barlow, whom
De picked mp ON the field and had sent
90 the rear. The other was the amusing eA-
planqtion of General EWell. when he was
shot a second time in his wooden lcs.
General Gordon also related a number
Of other interesting anecdotes M reference
10 this quaint character He then said the
failure al Gettysburg did not diminish the
confidence of the Confederates in their
great commander Qee) but the stimuli
taueous misfortunes of Gettysburg and
Nicksburg did shake 10 some extent the
confidence of the southern troops iu their
own invinclbuty. He said they were ready
again. however in the spring OF 'a 90
meet General Grant IN the Wilderness. lie
drew a striking picture of this weird bat
ueheld. Of Grants fulnlment Of Lees
ur0phesy as 90 bis Grants movements 10
Spotsylvania. and depicted the charge OF
Hancock. the capture of the bloody sac
fn hn
90 lead charge IN order 20 restore his
lines. etc.
General Gordon then turned 10 the
scenes az Petersburg and on the lines
around Richmond Tie described craphi-
cally the failure of supplies. the depleted
vitality of the men ON account OF hunger.
and the general gloom which universal
exhaustion had brought upon the South
ern army. lie pictured the scenes az
nighs when the air was fun Of Aying
and bursting shells. described the charges
which finally eliminated in the breaking
OF Lees lines and his retreat 10 Apo
mattON. He introduced. with the serious
portion Of these descriptions references
90 Lees comments upon Grant and the
position OF The Confederate cause. and en-
lvene1 mis- account with anecdotes of
amusing incidents. His description x
the retreat by day and marching by night.
the Idlutlng aDd falling or the men on
the roadside from fatigue and starvation.
and the gradual depletion Of the Confcd-
crate army was fun Of pathetic interest
He described many curious coincdents
connected with the meetings Of scouts
Of the two armies
But the elimination of General Gordon's
lecture was the description Of the last
council of war held around Lees hvouac
fire in the woods on the night Of April
s. 1865. and his account of the surrender
itself There were present at that last
council OF war General Lee Pendleton. |
commanding the artillery FitZhuCh Lee. |
commanding the cavalry and Longstreet |
and Gordon commanding the two wings /.
OF Lees army. General Gordon said that /
the scene was memorable. There was no |
tent. no table no chairs or camp stools /
but that sitting upon saddles at the roots /
OF trees, or reclining HpOn saddle blan- /
kets on the ground these devoted lieuten- /
ants were grouped around their great /
leader whose striking characteristics were
never exhibited IN a more conspicuous de- /
gree than as he stood before them racing 1
them, and discussing the long dreaded /
inevitable General Gordon said that IL /
was determined az this council that he /
should attempt 20 cut his way through /
Sheridan's line al dawn the next morning. |
IN order 10 open an exit from the Gordon /
Of bayonets which Grant had thrown 4
around them. II Is impossible, IN any
brief space. TO give any conception Of this /
closing part OF General G0rdons efforts. /
The meeting between himself and Sheri- /
dan on the field, his (Gordons) use of one \
OF Shendans aides TO carry for him his 1