Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-02-18
Gen. Gordon's Scars.

1GIls AlOl dOii . NS0t -
The following incident in the mill
tary career of General John b. Cor
don, will be read with interest:
At Sharpsburg, Md, General Cor
don, then Colonel, furnished the
subIimest spectacle of endurance and
courage that think is furnished by
the annals. of war. Before the battle
General Lee rode down the lines,
and expressed doubt as to General
Gordon being able to hold his posi-
ton, and conveyed to him an idea of
the Importance of doing So. Gem
eral Gordon, turning so that his men
could hear him said: General
Lee, my men are determined that
they will stay here Then the bat
tie opened. Line after line was
thrown upon General Gordon's front.
But from that dauntless front they
were thrown back as often as they
marched against it. The slaughter
was terrible. The ground was liter
ally blue with the corpses of the
enemy, while only six men of the
regiment were left. But the line
never wayered. The men had come
to stay and, dead or alive, they
were determined to stay.
General Gordon was wounded early
in the fight. A minnie ball passed
through the calf of his leg, tearing
the flesh in a most fearful manner.
The flow of blood was incessant, but
he had no time to staunch the wound.
In about half an hour another ball
plunged through the same leg about
u foot above where the other had
gone. The loss of blood from these
two wounds weakened him, but he
still kept his feet and gave his orders
calm and clear to his men, who were
living on their faces. An hour later
he was shot again, the ball tearing
through his left arm, making hide
ous wound and cutting a little ar
tery. This disabled his arm, and
helped to drain his weakened sys-
TEN, but still, haggard and bloody,
lie staggered up and down the line
encouraging his mep, A fourth ball
then entered his shoulder, knocking
him from his feet. His meu who
saw the crimsoned uniform and pale
face go down, thought their heroic
leader was killed. With sublime
courage, however, he struggled to
his feet, and though he had hardly
strength to stand, waved his sword
above his head, and called to his men
to remain firm. Some one ran to
him hastily, and said it was rumored
up the line that he was dangerously
wounded, and the men were waver-
/ ing. Tell them L am not huri
badly" he said. And so through
those dreadful hours of slaughter
with four upstaunched wounds draw
ling blood from his body, he stood
determined TO die-with his men ant
in defense of the part that Genera
Lee had confied to his trust. Wa
knightlier heroism ever displayed
! AhI great heart of goldl All
splendid gentle mani Ahl lustrou
and shining soult On that da,
didst chou win immortal glory. ever
bough all else of thy life were blot
ted outf
At length a fifth ball struck Cor
don full in the face, and, entering
his cheek, Knocked him senseless
He fell. and for some time he pros
trate l,ody was wrapped in the smok
of battle.
We b ear from General Gordon
own lips story that in metaphYs
icaI point is exceedingly Interesting
He saws hat when he fell he was Ut
terly inc apable Of moving. III
gradually began to think of his con
dftion, and this is the half dream an
half soIiloq ny that he carried on;
81 have been struck in the hea
with six pound shot. it has cal
ried away my. head. On the left sid
there is a li$tIe piece of skull lef
But the brain is gone entirely
Therefore, L am dead. And yet
am thinking. How can man thin
with his head shot off? I may haN
consciou sness while dead, but nj
motion. IF / can lift my leg, the
Lam alive. / will try that. Can ]
Yes; there it is-Iifted npi I'm =
The General saws that every stag
of this soiiIoquy is indeIibly stampe
on his mind, and that in his exhaus
ed state the reasoning was carried
as logically as ever man reasoned
| his desk, Doubt succeeded arg
ment and argument displaced doul
| lust as logically as could be- L
1 says he viii mover forgot with VIII
| anxiety he made the test of liftIr
his leG-with what agony he waited
see whether or not it would move
response to his effort. and how he he
itated before trying it. for fear tn
might fail, and his death be theret