The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-06-23
Gen. Gordon to Retire.

A0 i0NIeWS ulle progress OF lne
organization of veterans and the
present status and announces that
he will retire.
Just who the successor will be
1T Is now impossible to say. All
OF the Southern States have com
manders of Confederate veterans
and General Gordon's successor
Will be one of the commanders.
The commander Will be elected at
the Nashville reunion. General
Gordon has been at the head of
the veterans since their organiza-
ton. General Gordon's address
follows:
ATLANTA, Ga, June 10, 1897.
"To My Confederate Comrades: I:
1t was my proud privilege to an
nounce officially few days since
that a thousand camps have been
Incorporated into the United Con-
federate Veterans, glorious bro
therhood organized for non-parti-
san and noble ends. All these
camps will be represented, trust,
in our annual reunion at Nash
vile. This remarkable growth of
our organization must be to you q
source of sincere pride and pleas
ure. 1t will be welcome news to
brave and magnanimous men in
every section of our country, who
comprehend its philanthropic and
patriotic aims. To me it is o
source of profound qualification
that our brotherhood has reached
its present vast proportions dur
ing the years in which you have so
steadfastly and with such unpar-
alleled unanimity honored me with
the position of communicating
chief. The growth is the more re-
markable because it has occurred
in an organization which has no
partisan purpose to stimulate its
efforts, and no cohesion of Sec
tional passion Or selfish aims to
bind it together. While elimina-
ting from it's life all narrow pref
udices that tend to dwarf its man
hood, and while inspired by a SEN
tlment most helpful to the har-
mony, of the sections and the well
being Of the republic, this repre-
sentative body of ex-Confederate
soldiers it is resolved to guard
through the potent agency of i'm
partial history, the self-respect of
our people and to conserve to the
we'll being of the republic, thus
representing, not the passions, but
tie halloTcd memories of o mar
velously heroic struggle.
"Such a success could never
have been attained except. by the
earnest cooperation of the COM
manders of departments and di-
visions, and their co-workers in the
camps. But these distinguished
officers and the noble. men COM
manded by them will unite with
me in according to George Moor
man, my chief Of staff, the largest
share of honor in the achievement
of this great result. 1t is but
Simple justice to the superb staff
officer to say that in all these
years of upbuilding, of anxiety.
and OF labor, often amidst difficult
ties and discouragements of the
gravest character, he has given his
time, his thought, his energies and
his talents, ungrudgingly and
without a dollar of compensation
to the arduous task imposed upon
him by the duties of his office. and
no amount of work for the wei.
fare of the organization has been
too onerous or exacting for him tc
cheerfully and efficiently per.
form.
"1n announcing this gratifying
success l wish to make nv mos1
grateful acknowledgements to m,
comrades of every rank, in every
| State. While it has been one O
the chief pleasures, as well a,
highest honors, of my life, to serv,
in the station to which your par
tiallty has so repeatedly callet
me, and while I shall ever cherisl
the numberless evidences of you
confidence, yet | must ask you +,
prepare for the selection at Nash
vile of some one else as your com
mander. You are my witnesse
that | have repeatedly in the pas
sought to surrender this high an,
responsible position and I hav
yielded my purpose only to you
earnest solicitations. 1t must b
apparant to you now that whethe
the exigencies supposed to exist il
the past We're real or fancied
there certainly no longer exist
} any sufficient reason for askinj
my continuance in that high of
} flee. Fortunately for tho we'll he