The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-08-18
Address of Hon. Jas. l.. Orr.

power and devotion to liberty in the halls OF
Justice, the gallant and determined Leadership
during the war, and the learned, pure and con
scientious opinions on the Supreme Court Oh
Samuel MCGOWAN must not only shed a rear OF
affection with his family, but feel that the State
has sustained 4 serious loss.
Gen. MCGOWAN was born in Laurens County
Oct. 9th, 1919, and was nearly IS years old. He
was of Scotch-Irish descent, and although his
education and he finished at the South Carolina
College in 1871, winning one OF the honors Of his
class. He studied law in Abbeville, was adj
mitted in 1913, and Immediately entered into
partnership with Col. Thos. c. Perrin, his pre-
ceptor and lifelong friend, and enjoyed fron
the very beginning of his career q large practice
Scarcely had he settled down to hard work.
iife.-wben in 1916 the tocsin of war was sounded
and volunteers for Mexico were called, He an
swered the first war note and volunteered rs q
private in the glorious Palmetto regiment from
South Carolina. He was soon commissioner
captain by President Polk, on the staff of the
General Quartermaster of the army, and served
on the stats Of Generals Quitman, Worth and
Twiggs. AS voluntary aide-de-camp Of Gen,
ouiiman, he took part in the glorious battle Of
Chapultepec, and for his gallant conduct at the
capture Of Garita de Belen, leading into the city
of Mexico, he was compllmented on the held
That war was fought and won by the South,
and the gallantry there displayed was but an
earnest Of what she would do fifteen years later,
when the whole civilized world stood transtiHed
with amazement, that q handful of men with the
fires Of patriotism aglow in their bosoms could
hold, not onlya great majority Of their own oun-
trymen, but contingents from every country of
the world at bay for four years.. Your glorious
Col. Marshall was also baptized with fire aud
blood, as was the dauntless Sergeant McJunkin,
during that war.
At the close Of the Mexican war, Gen. nc
| Gowan returned home and resumed his former
partnership, and soon afterwards married Miss
4 Susan Wardlawr one of the most beautiful and
1 accomplished ladies of historic old Abbeville-
! that county famed from Revolutionary times to
~ f@- +1n 1nny,t, n mi mr. no
| triotism of her women. In addition to Gen. Nc
| Gowan's large law practice, he gave attention to
| the militia, becoming Major General; and to
politics, REPRESENTING I'm n ms . cOensy IN s1 ter mouse sn oi
1 serving as chairman OF the committees Oh edu-
| cation Ind military.
/ South Carolina seeded from the union on Dec.
| Goth, 1860, and at once called for ten regiments
| for defense of the State. These were divided
| into four brigades, and Gen. MCGOWAN was given
| command of one of these by the Governor. He
assisted Gen. Beauregard in the capture of Fort
| Sumter in April, 1861, He was never a laggard
| when his country called. Soon after this these sol
| diers were transferred to the Confederacy, which
\ cancelled his commission from theState. As fight
ing was in prospect, however, ne i NM cd aiSSs
/ and took part in the battles OF Bull Run and
1 Manassas Plains. He then came home assisted
| in raising, and was elected lieutenant colonel
/ Of the 14th s. Gin which capacity he served
until the spring Of 1862, when Col. Jones resigned
| and Gen. MCGOWAN was promoted d. to the colonel
| cy-carried his regiment TO Virginia, and COM
menced that gallant struggle which rendered
\ the army of Virginia famous the world over.
! Men who could fight five to one, without food,
l clothing or suitable arms, for four years must
| have been impelled by a patriotism Of the purest
character, and, notwithstanding mlsrepresenta
| ton Of present history, they will he revered in
| future ages equally with the Spartan 800 who
| held the pass at Thermopyle against the Persian
| hosts, or the English light brigade at Balaklava.
He took part in all the battles around Richmond
- -+soh hfc raninopnt yprC ON ra nod and was
\ wounded at Cold Harbor, but stuck to his men
until the battle Of Malvern Hill was fought.
| He was recommended for promotion by Gen.
Ma1cy Gregg' VINO IN ~ me tso oe e1s,ian Lepo anS sP efiScisn IN
/ service Of Col. MCGOWAN and the 14th S. c in the
| battle of Cold Harbor. Gen. Hill also gives them
! unstinted praise in his report OF the same battle,
and speaks in the highest terms of their conduct
| at Frazier's Farm. He took an active part in the
I campaign of Slaughter Mt, and was wounded Sc
m uesets Cen MCGOWAN was sufficiently recovered
| to get to his regiment in the fall, went with
it during the march from the valley and was pres
| ca, at the battle Of Fredericksburg, where that
gallant flower Of s0 %t EN-, cnlSalIy, Gen ef c MaxGy
brigade and though there we're tried and true
! officers who ranked Gen. MCGOWAN he was pro.
| noted to the head Of the Brigade and continued
in that capacity to the END or the war, Delng
! wounded Several times, and especially severely
I at Charlottesville, and at the bloody angle 1T
| Spotsylvania G, H., which spot the few left OF
Orr's Regiment will remember as the most terri
BILE that was encountered during that Tour years
1 Of death and destruction.
He surrendered at AppomattoX, having taken
part in the brilliant birth of the Confederacy, he
| was a mourner at the funeral.
His sentiments were beautifully expressed by
that %matchless singer of the South, Father Ryan:
"Furl that banner, softly, slowly,
Treat it gently, 1t is holy,
For it droops above the dead;
Touch it not, unfold 1t neyera
Let it droop there, furled forever
For its peoples hopes have fled"
Like a brave and honorable soldier he accepted
the situation, acknowledged his defeat and re-
turned home to recover his broken fortunes, and
| counsel obedience to law and maintenance OF or
der. 1t is difficult to point out the leading trait
in Gen. MCGOWAN as q soldier. Possessor OF all
| The grim determination of his Scotch ancestry,
| he also evinced in a marked degree the enthu-
siasm and reckless bravery or ms irish Iofe1a-
charge, the other immovable IN defence. His
frank, generous ayd just treatment OF ms men
| won their affection, while his dauntless courage,
skill and foresight in battle commended their
greatest respect. Ne never ordered them to GO
! IN the thickest of the fight but to COME.
Others have enjoyed greater regulations from
their war record but no soldiers VINO wore tne
| otism, or q higher sense OF duty than Saml NC
Gowan.
| gave his whole heart to his work and soon built
u0 On6 VI III lLISSSU plG<SlISSo 40 bNS WV
| having partnerships in Abbeville, Anderson,
| Oconee, Pickens and Greenyille. He also took n
great deal of interest in the political condition
q the State; His ReoP;l H sent sem f hlm to to t lss5 EeG anG
| elected him to the United States Congress, but
| he was not allowed to take his seat. He was
again elected 70 Congress after a spirited con-
| test but was counted out. He was also an elector
at large on the Tilden and Hendricks ticket and
| made one of the moss brilliant canvasses ever
made in the State.
AS a lawyer, Gen. MCGOWAN was conspicuous
| " successful, an untiring worker, thoroughly
| devoted to the interest Of his client, and one or
the most powerful advocates before a jury the
| State has produced. He took his cases to heart
/ more thoroughly than any man l ever knew.
Victory gave him more personal Joy, and defeat
| more POIGNANT sorrow than any lawyer of my
| whole acquaintance. While absolutely fair and
| honorable to his opponents and courteous IN a
| marked degree to the Bench, he was for his CHI
| emit, against the world, and the more desperate
| the case the more enthusiastic and determined
| was his fight. o.,
In 1878 Re went to the legislature, and in 1879
| was elected all Associate Justice OF the Supreme
Court. -
Though as gallant soldier as ever drew sword
for liberty and home, though as strong and sue
| cessful an advocate as this State has produced,
as a Justice Of our Court OF last resort JuoGe
| MCGOWAN has made a more lasting reputation
than in any other sphere. He was peculiarly
| well fitted for the delicate and arduous duties
of this position. He had a%judicial mind, that is
Il well Ul!siuCtN, 11IiSd oAe 1N
| taking, logical and above all loved justice
| above everything on earth. ADD TO these
| qualities, strong common sense, indefatlga-
| ble industry, and a genial disposition, and it
| is not surprising that in his decisions we
find that he has erected to himself monuments
more indestructible than granite. Harper,
Cheyes and Wardlaw, with many other learned
Judges, have made the South Carolina reports,
pass current, in all the courts Of this country,
and McGowan's will bear comparison with the
best of them.
| bench save to say that it was q cruel injustice to
him and a loss to the State, which was not
! prompted by pure or patriotic motives. He was
las some tall cliff that lifts its awful form
| Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the
storm,
Though round it's breast the rolling clouds are
spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head"
Since his retirement he has spent his time IN
| reading and study, surrounded by admlring
| friends. every want anticipated by his devoted
family and comforted by sweet religion which
he embraced a few years before his death.
.tBut on he moves to meet his latter end,
Angels around befriending virtues friend
Bends to the grave with impoverished decay
While resignation gently slopes the way
And all his prospects Frightening to the last
His Heaven commences, ere the world DC
passed"