Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-05

where. may say without impropriets
chat General Lee Is a modeit, high-toneu'
Christian gentleman, whom we hohof our
800 !. WILLIAM JONES.
The Miller School, croEet Va. March
q. 1896.
LAST VISIT TO RICHMOND.
General Lee was in Richmond at the
relnterment OF the hmains Of President
Davis In 1893. The Dispatch OF June
lst. that year, contained the following
which will be rsad with interest just here:
The members OF Parker's Battery,
headed by q band OF music, called upon
their former battalion COMMANDER. Lieu
tenant-General Stephen ID. Lee. at Muir
phys Hotel, last night. In the absence
OF Major w. w. Parker. who was unex-
pectedJy called TO attend one Of bis pa
tlents at that hour, Captain J. Thompson
Brown presented the General TO the bat
terry. Amid the glare of red lights and a
large crowd OF old vets In front of the
Hotel, General Lee made an eloquent and
feeling speech. He alluded TO the gallant
service OF the Parker Battery. He said
that when he first saw the battery In
the field their youthful appearance made
him doubt their ability for hard service.
but that In the first engagement-at the
Second Manassas-al such doubts van
ished. Their gallantry on the battlefield
OF Saarpsburg, while he was their bat
talon commander. had caused him then
to use the now historical expression that
though they we're boys, they had gone
where men only dared TO CO. Among the
incidents in connection with the famous
battery, General Lee related one that has
always chung to his memory. Both armies
OF Sharpsburg had exhausted themselves
i'm the bloody struggle. The battery was
shattered. and almost wrecked by one
third OF fits members being dead and
wounded on the field. He directed a
section of artillery to volunteer for g
forlorn hope, and, on calling for the vol
unteer section TO enter the battery step
ped to the front, and, under his i'm
mediate command, performed the hazard
Gus task. He with most touching pathos
referred TO his change of life 10 that
Of a Christian, and closed by saying that
he had said that the Parker Battery and
his battalion, by their gallantry, wove the
wreath around the stars that marks him
as a major-general, and that he had in
formed his successor, Colonel r. p. Alex
ander. that they would do the same for
him. He asserted that II Richmond ever
sent forth another boy company. II might
Parker Battery.
Gen. Gordon the Chief Marshal.
General John B. Gordon, who will be
the chief marshal Of the parade incident
to the cornerstone laying, is the COM
handing general OF the United Confede-
rate Veterans, and win preside over the
reunion here. General Gordon was born
in Epson county. Ca, February G, 1892.
L 10 tod Of En ITT,fx puft ~
Georgia, and soon after his graduation
was admitted to the bar. He practiced
law until the war broke out, when he
entered the army OF the South as cap
tain. He rose steadily by successive.
well-merited promotions, until he COM
manded one wing Of General Lees army
at Appomattox He was a most gallant
fighter, and bears the sears Of eight
wounds received In battle His service
In the southern army was most brilliant,
and he came into especial prominence
toward the end of the memorable civil
strife, when he figured in some OF the
most noted of the engagements between
the contending armies. His division, re-
duced to barely $500 men, was all that
remained when the final surrender was
MADE by General Lee at Appomattox
Courthouse.
When General Gordon returned to his
native State after the close OF the war
he resumed the practice Of law. and I'm
1868 became the Democratic candidate for
Governor of Georgia, and was elected
but was ousted by his Republican oppo-
nent, Bullock. He was first elected to
the United State Senate I'm 1872. and
again in 1878, but in 1880 he resigned
his seat in order TO engage In railroad
enterprises. Tempting business offers
were made to him. and he quilted poll
tics for a time in order 10 repair his
shattered fortunes. In 1890 he re-en-
tered public life. and, after brilliant
and spirited campaign, was reelected
United States senator and is now serv-
ing his third term. which will expire or
March 8. 1897. General Gordon was a
presidential elector from his State at
large In 1868, and again in 1872 In 1886
he was chosen by his people as Governor,
and was reelected in 1883.