Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-05-16
GALLANT HERos Won BoRcKE

The announcement OF the death In
Berlin of Major Heros Won Borcke has
been received with regret by large
number of ex-Confederates in Balti
more, who knew him during the civil
war, when he served on the staff Of
Gen. ]. e. B. Stuart. Gen. Bradley
T. Johnson sal in speaking OF him:
Il knew Major Won Borcke well but
not until after the battles of second
Manassas and Sbarpsburg. l heard
that when he Joined Stuart he was
wearing superb suit of riding clothes,
white leather breeches, glazed-top
boots, scarlet coat, or some such CO.'S
tune. He was six feet two inches tall,
and as perfectly proportioned man as
ever rode horse Alert vigorous,
stalwart, as well horSed as he was
equipped, he made profound impres.
sion on the country gentlemen who
were with Stuart on his staff. When
Won Borcke went out to Stuart with
letter Of introduction from Secretary
Randolph his case was settled He
was the handsomest man on the staff,
the best equipped, the best mounted,
and altogether the best-got-up man we
had.
"He followed Stuart's feather during
the Seven Days battles and in the
campaign against Pope in August, of
1862, and was badly wounded in the
cavalry fight at Aldie, in August, 1862,
but recovered soon enough to return to
duty when Stuart was at "The Bower" "
the home of Stephen cambridge, near
Leetown, in Jefferson county. Va. He
rode with Stuart in the celebrated iraid
from Williamsport via Chambersburg,
Emmitsburg, Poolesville and back to
Virginia.
Won Borcke was the life and vim OF
the staff One day Stuart, in one of
his hairbreath expeditions, was at
Verdiersville, il Culpeper county:
The enemy pushed them rapidly and
Won Borcke got off by jumping on his
barebacked horse and clearing five
foot fence, without bride or saddle.
Stuart die as well, but lost his papers,
and thus Pope cot the first inimation
of Lees movements toward Pope's
rear.
"When cavalry met cavalrya BRANDY
Station. Won Borcke had an immense
cuirassier cavalry sabre five fe It long,
straight and double.edged, and he
waded in. He said to me: The
last time they saw me 1 was riding
barebacked horse, the next time | saw
them had my sabre in my hands and
they'll remember me-"
CATER the war Won Borcke went
home. His rank was Count, in Pom
erania. The saying there is that fam
lily is 'as old as Won Borcke or the
devil He WAS aide to Prince Fred
erick Charles, the Red Prince, in the
100 days war at Sadowa and was badly
wounded. The Red Prince was very
fond of him. He was not engaged il
the Franco .Prussian war in 1871.
'Soon after the civil war, Col. Charles
s. Venable, of General Lees staff, went
to Prussia, and Won Borcke called to
see him in Berlin. Colonel Venable
visited him at his castle in Pomerania,
and Won Borcke had the Confederate
flag flying. We invited him to Ameri-
can at the time of the Yorktown Cen
tennial. He came and the Society OF
the Army and Navy of the Confederate
States met him at the depot. While in
Baltimore he was the guest of Major
w. Stuart Symington. My grandson,
Bradley T. Johnson, jr., was baptised
at the time and Won Borcke stood as his
godfather. We sent Won Borcke to
Virginia and he had a triumphial pro-
cession through the State. No man
has ever had such reception in Vir-
ginia since Lafayette.
lyon Borcke was a gallant gentle
man, brave soldier and loyal friend.
Honor to his memory, laurels to his
grave. ."-BaltimOre Sun.