Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-05-15
Last DAYS of the confederacY.

Sickness prevented our hearing for
the second time (haying heard him
once in Washington the fine lecture
of Gen. Gordon as delivered here on
Monday evening of last week. We
therefore append the following ex-
celIeut notise from the Free Press:
General Gordon, Monday evening,
told the fascinating story of the last
DAYS of the war, beginning with the
crossing into Pennsylvania, when
the star of tile Southern cause was
in the zenith, and ending with APP
pomattox and the eternal setting of
that star. 1t was not his purpose to
sketch the history of the decline of
the Confederacy or to analyZe the
causes of its downfall, to outline the
military operations or to describe the
battles of that gloomy period. He
chose rather to tell soldiers story
of army life; to relate the incidents
of campfire, march and battle that
reveal the character and illustrate
tue courage and devotion of the men
in the ranks; to wreath the memory
of the leaders of Northern and South
ern armies with sincere praise; TO
offer tribute to the heroism and self
denial of American manhood and
woDanhood in those days of storm !;
to make patriots plea for united
country and common flag. After
music by the Misunderstanding
Dixie" of course, and ringing
cheers for General Gordon, instigated
and led by John L. Colston, cou-
ricr of the General at Appomattox,
the lecturer was introduced most
gracefully by Rev. DIR. A. c. Hop
kins, who had served upon his staff
About him sat n company of Yeter-
ans-COIs. Geo. A. Porterlield and
w. A. Morgan, Maj. r. w. Hunter,
Capts. George Baylor and Cleon
Moore, and Priyates A. S. cambridge,
W. S. Merchant aud j. o. Tutwilcr.
At his left hand stood an old army
tent, with stack of arms before the
door. Around him hung portraits of
Lee aud Grant, the Johnstons, Stone
wall Jackson. On his right was the
conquered banner" and behind
and above him hung the stars and
stripes, the flag OF which he spoke SO
proudly, and in which he told the
young people of his audience they
had, by right of inheritance, more
than an equal interest. Before him
sat, all attention, all sympathy, IN
assemblage of the men and women
who had shared the hopes and born
the defeat of the wartime, and their
sons and daughters TO whom he often
particularly addressed himself.
Withcut apology, without a shadow
of regret for the past, without lower
ing the furIed flag an inch in the af-
lection of the Southern audience,
the old soldier of the Confedcracy
declared his love aud loyalty to the
reunited republic and thrilled his
hearers with glowing prophecy of its
sublime future.
1t is hardly possible even to men-
ton the features of the lecture that
most delighted the audience-the
anecdotes of war, many of them
ludicrOus, some pathetic, some ming
ling irresistibIy laughter and tears
the tribute to the greatness of Lee
which more than that of any great
man the speaker had known, in
creased, not diminished, on closer
knowledge, and to the military ge-
Mus, magnanimitys nd soIdierIy honor
of Grant; the praise of Hancock,
1.-THE knightliest soldier in the Fed
cral army" and of Jackson, "the
thunderboIt of war the wcll-sus-
tanned periods of splendid eIoqucnce,
worthy of the speakers fame and OF
his theme.
At the conclusion, opportunity was
given to all whe wanted to, and to
no others, to speak to the General
and to grasp his hand, They all
wanted TO, and there WAS nothing
formal or cold about the impromptu
reception that ended the evening.
We feel like adding that for the
pleasure Of Gen. Gordon's lecture
our people are especially indebted 10
Dir. s. c. Young end Rev. DR.. A.
C. Hopkins, whose efforts were so
successfully directed in this line
Ed. SrIRIT.]