Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-11-15
roLp ny CRY. eonpoN.
"Reminiscences Of the Confederacy
as Narrated by One of Its Leaders.

"Reminiscences OF the Confedcracy
as Narrated by One of Its Leaders.
Gen. Gordon, who leetured at the
Wheeling opera house Thursday even
Ing ls not only eloquent and interest
Ing on the platform. but even more so.
perhaps, in conversation. At Major
Mltchelrs dinner table that day he en-
tertalned the guests present with u
number of "reminiscences that were not
SO much as touched upon IN his lee
ture. In response to request from
Judge Melvin he told OF an experience
he Went through In the Shenandoah
Valley at a time that Gen. Early or.
dered him to storm a Federal fort In
their front. Il never was moro indig-
nant In my life" said Gen, Gordon.
than when ] heard that order
knew It was perfectly unnecessary
thing to do, and explained TO Gen.
Early that we could accomplish our
plan of campaign without Strengthening
my command By this attempt 10 storm
strong position. n position that would
fall OF itself when we should make our
proper movement. Early took no other
notice OF my explanation than to send
inc word that II / did not care to
execute the order he would delegate
It's execution to someone else. You
may guess this reply made me boil
with fresh Indignation. l felt IL TO be
an insult, but lnasmuch as II was my
place to obey his orders, regardless Of
consequences, / Issued the necessary
instruction for movement at day
light next morning. ] began. on my
own account, making every prepare
tlon for death, for 1 had a PRESENT.
ment that l would this time meet my
end. SO wrote farewell letter 10 my
wife, told her what to do about my
affairs, handed over my watch and
other personal effects TO n friend, and
then walked up and down my quarters
waiting for day TO break and my COM
mand TO move. That was n solemn
night to me, for l had this firm pre-
sentiment that II was my last night
on earth. ! felt almost as certain Of
this as man condemned to death,
and can now pretty well understand
how man feels when he ls TO be cN-
ecuted in a few hours. l always had.
In every battle in my life. a sense OF
the danger to which ! was exposed.
never knew what II was to forget IL;
but this time l felt az ! never had
before that my time had come and no
mistake.
80 at daylight took up my line OF
march to my death, as fully cN-
pected. on we went. closer and closer
10 the fort, until at last we were With
in close range OF Its guns. / wondered
that they did not open on US. and
every second / expected to see them
belch forth shot and shell and play
havoc in our ranks. on we went; my
eyes were fixed on the guns ana my
mind excited to its highest tension
with wonderment why they did not
omen fire. ON we went until our ad-
vance struck the fort and rushed upon
It's defenses. when, to our amazement,
we discovered that II had been evnc-
uated and not Federal was anywhere
in sight. inside or out. You can imag-
inc my sense Of relief as ] saw my
boys I'm possession Of the fort without
so much as scratch, So you see what
a presentlment is worth. l have never
much believed In them since that
Col. Robert McEldowney, who was
present. referred to the attack on Fort
stedman at Petersburg, Just before the
close OF the war (where. by the way,
he was wounded), which attack was
made by Gen. Gordon's command.
'srel us about that, general" said
genial Col. Bob and 50 the general
nrneeeded 10 answer another demand
an MIN for experiences. (All the an
inp marty agreed that they could lis
,en 10 him sor a Neek) THAT at
tack" said the general was made
In February. 1866, when we were In
n,,r last gasp and very desperate Gen.
Lee had sent for me In the night
after ruldnlght--to come 10 his quar-
tsrs Ii was bitter cold night and
! set out on a gallop to get out OF the
Intense cold as soon as possible. Lee
ocotpled little brick house Ia the en-
,,irons OF Petersburg, and as opened
No door Of his room. after he had an
swered my knock. ] found him stand
inr by an open fireplace. resting ms
ia on his arm on a high-up maniel,
ana apparently In a deep and sad
~tndy over the situation,
~ have sent for YOU said he. TO
,onls over these reports from our va
tons commands. l have spent the night
an them and on these maps, pointing
~ n long table covered with papers, on
which a light was burning. You WI
COS, said he that they are very dis
couraglng. The men have scarcely any
ching 10 cat. A single ration u made
20 ssipply six men, and the camps are
fili OF sick and starved soldiers. Our
horses arr also dying for food. and
when we lose q horse we practically
inse his rider for we can make no other
dlsuositlon OF him. or course. ] was
more or less familiar with the situatM
IN my own command but did not kifW
II was so bad in all the rest.
$50 said 20 General Lee that Of
course the situation was very desperate
and that supposed we would have 70
40 something very soon. Well said
he fixing his eyes very intenuy on me.
what do you think we ought 20 dor
renlIed 'One OF three things, General.
,1eht away Either TO make the best
,srtns we can get from Grant. or 10 re-
srcaf and try to unite with General
Ionnaton. or to Tight And which
-s-.sa .-s-s. -a.-s-~s' --i1 - q 1919 $50.