Evening star., 1897-07-27
DEATH OF GEN. McLAWS,

Confederate Officer and Federal SOL
der I'm the Mexican War.
Maj. Gen. La Fayette McLaws died i'm
Savannah, Ga, Sunday morning of acute
indigestion.
Maj. Gen. La Fayette MeLaws was sew
enty-six years old. and one of the most in
terestinS figures in the southern confeder-
acy. Born in Augusta, Ga. of Scotch and
French Huguenot stock, he received his
earliest education at home. and was then
sent to the University of Virginia. He re-
mained only one year in that institution,
and received an appointment to a cade:ship
at West Point, whence he was graduated
in 1912.
He first did military duty in the Indian
territory, but when hostilities between the
United States and Mexico commenced he
Joined the army of occupation at Corpus
Christi. under command of Gen. TAYLOR
He was at Fort Brown and the famous
siege of Monterey, and witnessed the bonn
bdrdment and surrender of Vera Cruz un-
der Gen. Scott
His health by this time being seriously
impaired. he returned to the United States
on recruiting duty, and shortly after the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was appointed
assistant adiutant general in the depart
men of New Mexico. serving in that ca
pacity for two years. In 1851 he was pro-
Albert Sidney Johnston in the expedition of
1858 against the Mormons. His next COM
mand was against the Navajo Indians,
1890 during which he attained distinc-
ton for personal bravery and meritorious
service.
On tho secession of his state from the
Union Capt McLaws resigned his COM
mission and offered his services to the con-
federacy. He was appointed colonel of the
10th Georgia Regiment. and on September
p, 1861. was commissioned as a brisadier
general. His gallantry in an action near
Lees Mill. and the skill with which he led
his command to Richmond after the battle
of Williamsburg, brought him to the at
tention of Gen. Johnston, at whose recon-
mendation he was made a major general,
May 23, 1862.
His division, which consisted of Ker-
shaw's and Semmes' brigades. was engaged
in the battles of Savage Station and NAL
vern Hill, and when the confederate army
started in pursuit of Pope it was left. with
two other divisions. to watch the enemy at
Harrisons Landing. Soon afterward he re-
entered Maryland and rejoined the army.
Gen. McLaws was placed in command of
corps and ordered to march on Harper's
Ferry and capture Maryland Heights. He
ordered a road built up the side of the
mountain, by which cannon were got to the
summit. and when they opened fire Har
pers Ferry at once surrendered. He al
lowed his troops, who had been for sixty
hours under fire and without water at Elk
Ridge, only a few hours rest at Harper's
Ferry, and then marched all night. He
reached Sharpsburg just the troops of
Jackson and Hood We're retiring in lisor-
der, and, driving back the federal troops,
restored the confederate line.
At Fredericksburg he posted his men
along the bank of the Rappahannock and
on Marye's Hill. where from a sunken road
they drove back the federal troops. At
Gettysburg his division formed part of
Gen. James Longstreet's corps. which as
saulted and repulsed Gen. Daniel Z. Sickles'
corps and other troops in the second days
fight. At the siege of Knoxville he reluc-
tantly carried out Gen. Longstreet's order
to assault Fort Saunders, and desisted from
the attack wnen he saw that success WAS
impossible. He was summoned before
court-martial, but his conduct was justified
and his honor vindicated.
Gen. McLaws took part In many other
engagements, and served until the surren-
der.
After the close of the war Gen. McLaws
engaged in business. He was subsequently
appointed collector Of internal revenue at
Savannah, Ga. in 1875. and postmaster of
that city in 1876. In 1886 he made a tour,
during which ne gave a series of lectures
on 1.-The Maryland Campaign"