The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-04

First Battle Gained Commission for
Him on the Weaker Side.
From the Washington Post.
The city Of Washington is a sort of Val
halla, to which old heroes. military and
naval come to enjoy rest and ease after
long service, hard knocks. often hard
luck, and few thanks; and here. when
they have hung up their swords or hauled
down their flags the fine old fellows con-
Fregate to pass the placid evening of their
lives in wen earned comfort and quiet
People who are fortunate enough to be on
intimate terms with these ripe and jolly
generals and admiraIs Of the generation
that is passing away, hear many a stirring
tale of camp, campaign or prison, many
a thrilling narrative of sea fight, cyclone,
or wreck upon desert shores; for the dear
Old boys love to fight their battles over
again, and live over their adventures
amid the gentle roar of the chatting dish,
the sansuinary discharge Of grape" and
the smoke and fire of right Havana
Among such royal companions and
charming raconteurs few are better known
in the veteran set than stout and hearty
old Gen B.. whose modesty would re-
sent a closer identification. His career
as a soldier has been long, varied and
brilliant 1t commenced with Scott, when
that commander was sent to watch the
frontier during the Canadian rebellion Of
1897. and continued through Indian out
breaks, the Mexican war and the civil
war. in which last the subject Of this
sketch was prominently identified with
the losing side.
One evening a short time ago, after an
enjoyable small but not early bachelor
dinner, the general happened to be in
storytelling humor when somebody made
reference to the late Gen. Gordon in
connection with current and historical
events in China. The reference at once
ELECTED the following incident in Cor
don's adventurous life, which I do not
think has ever been published before l
give the aneCdOte in the language of Gen.
B. as nearly as I can recollect it:
Early in the autumn of 1862 I was sta
toned in Richmond, having been wounded
and invalided Our people did not have
more than enough sound men to 20 around
even that early in the war, and fellows
circumstanced as l was took the lighter
duties away from the front, until we
could recover sufficiently to pitch in again.
So, at the time mentioned, 1 was acting
as provost marshal of the confederate
capital. l remember that we were not feel
ing particularly happy one day, because
LOngstreet, who was operating against
and advancing toward Harpers Ferry
could not be communicated with. On the
day before and the day before that, the
secretary of war had despatched couriers
to the column, but in both cases the mes
sengers had been killed; and one morn
ing very early I was on my way to the
secretary's office with the news concern
ing the last one.
Walking up the street l noticed a man
approaching me, who, when within short
distance, halted and removed his hat with
a gesture and salute that have been more
OF less familiar to men of certain affilia-
lions ever since Solomon had a supervis-
ing architect. Well, the stranger advanced
and announced himself as an officer OF
her Britannia Majestys artillery service.
who had slipped in the night before to see
something of the great struggle under
our auspices. ! asked him how he managed
TO get across the lines and he informed
me that he had cut away from the union
forces and swan the James river under
the guidance of q colored boy, whom he
praised very highly for his ingenuity and
faithfulness. Then 1 told him that he
came to me very appropriately, as I hap
pened to be provost marshal of the dis
trct, and was even then on my way to the
secretary of war, to whom l should pre-
sent him. 1 added that until he had an op-
portunity TO identify himself I should be
compelled to consider him as under arrest,
since we had been much troubled with peo-
pie who came in pretending to be military
observers from Great Britain, but who
had turned out TO be something quite IN
pleasantly different. He agreed to this
quite cheerfully, and we went to the war
oH1ce together. My companion looked
every inch a soldier Notwithstanding his
by no means gorgeous outdt, which con-
sisted of an old battered straw hat, a suit
of blue jeans, and a pair of coarse bro
gans. However, we We're not critical on the
subject of clothes in those days
Arrived at the secretaries office, we
found the place crowded, although it was
not yet 8 o'clock. Sending my name in, /
was able to see the war minister at once
and to him / detailed my meeting with
the strange guest who had manged so
cleverly to break through and out of the
enemy's lines, and through and within our
own, both beng very strictly and carefully
guarded al tho time Judge R was
much interested, and had the young Eng
lishman brought before him. The peculiar
Solomonic salutauon was repeated and
returned by the secretary, who himself
was high up in the cult. We then cues
toned the intruder closely, asking him
how he proposed to satisfy us that he was
what he represented himself to be. He re-
piled that he only required a sman screw
driver to dispose Of any doubt we might
entertain as 10 his identity or bona fides
The screwdriver being Forthcoming, he
scraped away patch of black cement
from the heel of one of his shoes dispos-
ing the head of a screw, which he removed
with few turns Of the screwdriver The
screw out the heel dropped being hinged
to the shank of the shoe and disclosed a.
cavity from which our Britsher drew a
small packet covered with thin India rub
Der and oiled SILK We examined the
contents, which was found TO consist Of
very fun credentials certifying the bearer
10 be Capt. Gordon of the Royal artillery
on leave with privilege to go beyond the
seas. The evidence was complete. and
that matter being satisfactorily arranged
] took Capt. Gordon to the Spottswood
house for breakfast Of which he stood
badly in need Such a modest repast as
the famous hosiery could produce in war
times was easily disposed Of and we wer,
soon back with the secretary, who heard
the account of Gordons successful raid
into our stronghold with great interest
but fastened 20 put him at ease by saving:
'Of course, as a soldier and a gentleman,