The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-03

q the Secretary Of State prior 10 the in
augurafion Of President Harrison. al
though ng request De delayed his return
home until the arrival u hts successor
Gen Lawt0n's connection with the Cen
trial Railroad Of Georgia covered period
OF nearly O. quarter ~ "a century. He was
elected chief counsel ln January. lsta. and
nllel The Office uuinterruptedlv until his
departure for Vienna When he became
chief counsel the property o. the company
consisted % the line OF track connecting
Savannah and Macon, the inte gritty Of the
company's interests had been sadly inn
paired by the des0latinE march u Sher-
mans army When he Retired from
the once the Central railroad sys-
TEN had developed into the practical con-
troll % 1.5l1 miles o. railway. and the
snip Company. operating three
lines OF c0astwise steamers between
Savannah and northern ports During
this period Of expansion the most impor-
ruUfi1ns ~ the great cOrporartOu were
challenged. discussed and adiudlcated in
the courts Of Georgia, South Carolina and
hama, ana ia the supreme court Of the
Gen. Lawton's professional reputation
was far-reachiug. He was one OF the
Ten founders Of the American Bar Ass0-
cation Hls address before the associa-
ton in August. 1ss2. ouIoeizlng the lives
OF James T. Fettigru and Hugh : Lee
gaFe, was one OF the efforts OF his life lie
was elected president or the association
al that session. lie was largely insfFu-
mental in The organization OF the Georgia
Bar Association, and delivered the first
annual address before that body On 1854
Ills eulogy upon Gen. Lee. delivered On
savannah IN lkl. az the request Of the
city council and citizens. was a memoir
able address. He also delivered the ora
ton al the laying Of the corner stone q
the new capitol in Atlanta In 1855.
Gen. Lawton was a contemporary in
practice with Gen. Henry y. Jackson.
who was his partner for many years la
ter on, Maj. W S. Basingcr was admitted
10 the firm. which was known as Jack
son, LaWion & Basinger. In later years
Gen Lawton practiced as member Of
the irm OF Lawton & Cunningham.
Gen. LaWton was a prominent figure in
lle coh,I.eaer9ey lie was the hrst colonel
OF sie FIRST volunteer Regiment OF Ge0r-
gia, OF which his son s. now colonel. ~
l63z IN that capacity, and In obedience
10 orders or the governor. he took pos
session Of Fort Pulaski al the outbreak OF
the war, jan 3, 1851 He remained IN
command OF that post and az Savannah
until April. when he was commissioned as
brigadier general in the confederate ser-
vice He expended every effort in fortfy-
ing the Georgia coast and IN concentra.-
ing troops for the support of the confe l.
crate cause. In June, 1862, with a brigade
OF 1000 men, selected from a force OF thir-
teen thousand tren garrisoning the GeOr-
GA coast, he went to Virginia. under or
ders from Gen. Lee. reporting to Gen.
Thomas J. Thomas with this brigade.
then unattached and the largest in the
army OF Northern Virginia. he participated
IN the celebrated flank movement" and
in the battles constituting the seven
days fight around Richmond. In these
bloody engagements his command did
brilliant service and sustained severe
losses. subsequently he led his brigade
which constituted a part Of Stonewall
JacksOn's corps-iu all the battles which
eliminated in the memorable engage
ment at sharpsburg. He was then, and
had been Tor some time In command Of
Ewells division. At Sharpsburg his
horse was Killed under him and he sus-
tanned a dangerous wound by which he
was incapacitated for service until May
1868, when, although still lame, he con.
sidered himself fit for the field, and re-
ported in person to the adjutant general
In Richmond for duty.
me confederate congress had In
the meantime provided additional
rank for quartermaster general.
ana IL remained with the Presi-
dent either to compliment the
ofhcer then In charge of the bureau, or to
designate some general officer for the dis
charge OF the duties incident to the posi-
ton. President Davis and the Secretary
OF War were of the opinion that Gen
Lawton should be assigned to the station
of quartermaster general. When advis-
ed Of tnls determination Gen. Lawton was
much surprised, and manifested a decided
disinclinauon TO enter upon the discharges
u the uuLleS. Al the urgent request of
president Davis he finally Welded and in
August 1868 became quartermaster gem
eral of the confederate states. He held
the office until the end Of the war and tAe
disintegration Of the confederate govern
ment
Soon after the cessation Of hostilites
Gen. Lawton returned TO Savannah and
resumed the practice Of his profession
Ills later life is familiar TO every citi-
zen OF savannah. He was Identified with
many of the Institutions OF the citv
As vice president of the Georgia Histori-
cal Society for many years he took an
active interest in its affairs and In the
Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences
lie was "a trustee of the University Of
Georgia and was deeply interested I'm
its welfare. Although for some time
owing TO failing health, he had been un-
able to take an active part in public
affairs, he was keenly alive to everv-
thing that affected the public. There
are few men whose death would be more
sympathetically felt by the people of their
home and state.