The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-04-21
GEN. JOHN D. KENNEDY IS DEAD.

utN. JUf1N u. ktNNtUI lS UtAU.
A GALLANT SOLDIER AND GEN
TLEsIAN PASSES AWAY.
He Was Distinguished as Patriot
Lawyer, Statesman and Dipio
mat.
The Camden correspondent of the
News and Courier says that the an
nouncement Of the death of Gen. Johr
ID. Kennedy, which occurred at his
home in Kirkwood, suburb OF Cam
den, on the morning of the l4th inst.
has cast a gloom OF profound sorrow
over that entire community, and will
be received with sincere regret
throughout South Carolina.
Gen. Kennedy was at his law office
the day before looking after his law
business until about 5 o'clock in the
afternoon, when he went home, appar-
emily well. A few minutes before his
death he called Mrs. Kennedy and 20 d
her that he was feeling badly He then
got up To take something to try to r,,-
l1eve himself, wheh he was sc'z d with
appopleXy and died In about ten IN.
| utes.
| Thus noble life is ended. A great
| big heart is stilied. The bosom ui
| Mother Earth must be opened IT, receive
the remains of loving FRIEND, dcvot.
ed husband, kind father, IL useful and
patriotic citizen. His death will oe
| sadly mourned by scores Of friends
tnrnughodt South Carolina.
Gen. Kennedy WAS the foremost man
IN kershaw County. He enjoyed a
good law practice aud was ready to
serve the best interests Of his home
aud country. After his return to
Comden from Shanghai China, in the
fall of 1889. he devoted his time TO the
practice Of law, and ncve. aspireu To
any public Office.
He WAS a gallant soldier and took
special interest in organizing Camp
Richard Kirkland, United Confederate
Veterans. The old veterans in Ker-
shaw County loved Gen. Kennedy with
an unwavering devotion, and his heart
always beat in profound love for them.
The News and Courier ADDS the fol-
towing sketch of the life and services
OF Gen. Kennedy, which in the main is
correct as to dates and incidents:
On wings that are swifter Than the
wind were flashed yesterday the sad
tidings of the sudden death of this dis
tinguished citizen, patriot and soldier,
at his home in Camden. Only last
Sunday this paper gave to the world
his warm and generous tribute to his
lifelong friend and former commander,
Gen. Joseph B. kershaw, reviewing
his war record and commencing his
example, not in terms of extravagant
eulogy, but in those of Just and dis
criminating appreciation. Hardly had
their author read the printed record
of events in which he himself bore no
mean part before the summons came
fn l i'm oil i,,t .l.ls
an eye," to "cross over the river and
rest under the shade of the trees along'
with his friend and fellow townsman
and all the great host OF those who
with him followed the starry cross of
the Southern Confederacy on many a
hard fought field until it was folded,
nevermOre to be unfurled as nations
standard, at Appomattox and Benton
vile.
1t is melancholy duty we owe to
the memory of such an one to place on
record some brief recital of a career
that has been remarkable in many re-
spects for it's vicissitudes and the man
hood with which they were met. At
tanning to the years of manhood when
the war drums were throbbing and
mems hearts responding to Their stern
alarums, a very large part of General
Kennedy's life was passed in fighting
the battles of his country or in assist
ing to guide his State through the
years of reconstruction that were, if
possible, more trying than the four
years of actual war, demanding
greater wisdom in counsel, more sus-
tanned self-restraint and larger powers
of endurance on the part of an out
ragged and indignant people. That in
both these prOtracted emergencies
he should have carried n mSrli brave
ly, unsclishly and with distinction is
Lhe sufficient proof that f,c d. scrv =
the CncumIums Of those In whO,r in-
terests he iabored. That IN the rIp
urime of his maturity he shou Il hale
oecn snatched away by deaths resist
less hand /, the sni1ic!ent reason why
the State Shou!u uunrn over whai
anroars To be his uncimciy takinI
off,"
Jouu ID. Kennedy was born in C,ar-
den, South Carolina, January > 1870
Trained at the iJcu acauomy, laugni
for many years ny Nj. Leslie Nc
Candles. he entered the South Caro-
ilua College, at the early age 81 Iii.
remaining there until the fall II 1857.
when he married Miss EiiZapetu
Cunningham and proGccuud u tnp
study OF the law, Intending to make
that his profession. Admitted TO the
bar immediately on rcaChlng MS list
year, he was at once called to jun ms
Uniform and come to Morris Island as
captain of the Camd n Light IalnnJry,
itself a company of the I'd regiment,
commanded by Col. j. b. Kcrshlw.
This was one of the four companies Of
that famous regiment that stepped
forward on the beach OF Morris Island
when their commander called for
volunteers to go to Virginia. From
Richmond the regiment went to Man
assas Junction and participated in the
first great fight Of the war assisting
largely in retrieving the fortunes OF
the day and in converting defeaG into
an almost unparalled rout. AT the
reorganization, in 1862, when the com.
mand volunteered for the war;"
Kennedy was elected colonel of the
regiment, its former colonel being
made brigadier general at the same
time. From that time uutil 1864
Kennedy shared in the fortunes of that
noble body of soldiery composing the
Army of the Northern Virginia, and
added numerous laurels to his crown
of fame. In the summer of that year,
| when Kershaw succeeded McLaws as
the command of the first division Of
Longstrcet's corps, Kennedy was 10; do
brigadier general by promotion, aud
served in that capacity to the close of