The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-05
CURIOUS CONDOLENCES.

CURIOUS CONDOLENCES.
Thres Classmates Vino Fought ano Fell on
Getvsoura's Fold.
In correcting statement made by
another gentleman with reference to
the career Of the late Col. Lewis L..
Williams, of the famous First Virginia,
DR.. j. G. Hiden tells II most remarka-
| Ole story about three Of his classmates
at the Virginia Military Institute as
! follows:
was intimately acquainted with
| Colonel Williams from his boyhoOd.
| His father. for whom he was named,
was the Commonwealth attorney Of
Orange County, and for moro than an
average generation practiced In tho
court OF which my father was a Justice.
Lewis and myself attended the same
local academies. In 1854 was appoint
ed cadet at the Virginia Military In
stitutc at Lexington. During that scs-
sion roomed in No ia "tower"
west OF tho "arch" My roommates
were Lewis B. Williams, TaZowcll
Patton, q son Of the noted lawyer and
| politician, Hon. John Nj. Patton, of
this city; Peyton Slaughter and II. G.
| Allen.
The condolences were really moro
| extraordinary than those stated IN the
Dispatch. Williams, Allen and Patton
were all OF the samo class, all in the
same room, all graduated July 4, 1855,
| all became lawyers, all volunteered in
the Confederate army, all rose to tho
rank Of colonel, all commanded Nir-
ginia regiments, were all in Pickett's
Division, all Il believe) in Kemper's
Brigade, and all fell at Gettysburg.
| once related Jhis series OF coinci-
dences TO distinguished graduate OF
Brown University, and he said he saw
nothing very remarkable in them.
knew st once that he had never master
cd tho theory Of probabilities in
mathematics. | afterwards related
this to that famous educator john Hart,
y real mathematician, and he express.
ed his wonder thus Tho chances
for such series to occur again are,
should say, about as one to infnity.'
MFR. Fl lrt took his degree at the Uni
versity Of Virginia.
Lewis Williams and myself belonged
to the same literary society and he wa.
one OF the finest speakers in the corpse
OF cadets. AS q student he distinguish
ed himself, and graduated high in q
class which was remarkable for talents
Stapleton Crutchfield, one OF the mos
brilliant students | ever knew, took
the first honor In that class. He was
son OF the old Democratic ST eaker ol
the House Of Delegates, who wcpt in
the chair when the House refused to
elect William y. Rivos to the United
States Senate.
At Gettysburg, Colonel Williams,
who was quite i'll with malarial fever.
was lying in IN ambulance. When the
charge was ordered ho left the ambul-
VI CO and prepared to lead his regiment
the First Virginia. The field officers
! were all afoot, rs it was reckoned al
most certain death to be mounted in
that charge. Kcmper, who practiced
at our Orange bar, and had known
Williams as boy, said: Lewis, you
cannot go; you q % too weak to walk,
and it is certain death to ride" Con
cral, can sit on my horse, and must
go," was the gallant coloncl's reply.
The major OF the old First then remon-
strated Colonel, 20 back to the
ambulance. II you mount that horse,
you will be a dead man before you go
three hundred yards. will take the
regiment in. Do go back" No"
aud he mounted his horse and moved
upon those dreadful, cannon-crowncd
heights. He had ridden but u few rods
| when he fell
Time honorcd Old Dominion,
What heroes hast thou borne
Mother. thine eye is weeping,
Thy lovely bosom torn
But still thy brightest jewel
Thine honor thou titlst save;
Thy sons will wear it proudly
In freedom or the grave"