The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-24

the bll! 8oiiidh WIN tAtl loilONco
army during the entire period of war
and was within the sound of the guns
of every battle in which her husband
fought. Such is her record-a record
not held up to general view, and to OBJ
tain even 4 glimpse Of which required
much persuasion even from the daughter
of an old friend.
That daughter bearing in mind this
notable reunion, feeling, indeed, in the
very air the spirit Of those war times
now nearly forty years agone, went out
to Sutherland" the Gordon country
home, and begged Of Mrs. Gordon a lit
tie war talk from her own full eXper-
fence.
My dear I never talk for publica-
tion,2 she said.
.'Well. then. Just talk for me-" | urged.
And so she did. And | did not once
promise not to tell.
mo sooner was war declared, began
Mrs. Gordon, ethan / determined to go
with my husband. 1t did not once occur
to me that he might not join the army.
/ would have been ashamed of HIM IL
he had stayed AT home. All, that war
was different from this one. This does
not stir my patriotism. The cause does
not appeal to me. Cuba is not worth the
waste of life entailed by it.
But the war between the States was
altogether different. / would not have
had my husband elsewhere than at the
front. And so | simply determined to
go with him, so as to be near him in
case he were sick or wounded.
ssHaw did | nououp II Why. very
simply. | travelled in a rockaway,' rs
those carriages were called. All necas-
sary clothing / carried in a little hat
box'-one Of those miniature trunks
about two feet by eighteen inches in
size. used forty and fifty years ago.
This could be easily carried with me in
the carriage. larger baggage being left
at some point on the railroad. In that
little rockaway, with my baby, Frank
Gust three years old when the war be-
gum / followed the army
'And did nobody disturb you-no ruff
fan nor drunken persona!
''Nobody On the contrary. there was
shown me every kindness and attention.
Every one, seeing me with my baby,
recognized me as Il mother, and even
those who did not know me gave me
sympathy. / would always stop ut the
town nearest the point where the army
stopped. | made no demand on my hus-
bands time. / was a, very inconspicn-
Gus figure. / was not posing rs a her
Dine or as one doing anything great: |
was simply seeking to be near my hns-
band in the event Of sickness. Often
nobody in the whole army knew my
whereabouts except General Gordon and
Il courier
"What suspense it must have been dur
ing Il declaring the guns and not
knowing but
Eyes. my dear; / lived those days hour
by hour. | dared not look forward.
had strong patriotism and-a simple trust
in Gods providence that comes to us
in such stringencies And so / kept
pretty brave Certainly | did not hamp
er General Gordon remember General
Early paid me the COMPREHENSIVE Z
woman hater, too, he was. who thought
that women were always better ont OF
the way-but he paid me the compliment
of saying that Gordon fought better witt
his wife near by than when she was
further away"
"Apd the general was wounded-he die
need YOU
at the battle Of Sharpsburg, known aist
as Antietanl, that he received those fvt
wounds, the scar Of which he still bear!
on his face. / was in Richmond. and a!
soon as the news reached me that there
had been a battle Frank and | set out
First we heard from the battle of Blooms
boro, and he was safe. Then shortly
after came the news Of Sharpsburg-a
terrific fight, and my husband badly
wounded. Never win | forget that trip
After leaving the train at Winchester
we had to go by stage 81 miles to Fred
ericksburg. to which place the army
had retired, carrying my husband witt
them, declaring that though there was
little chance for his life he was too gal
liant an officer 10 let fall into the hands
of the enemy.
st took us two days and nights tC
make this trim, and when we reached
the place crowded with caissons and
wagons and all those things that con
stitute the baggage of an army, oul
stage could go no further, and | had not
yet found my husband. Finally, al
officer whom | knew recognized me.
ais that you, Mrs. Gordon? Allow
me to escort you. | know where thu
colonel Is. He's all right
"He accompanied me to the hous'
where my husband lay in the room witt
another officer He must be kept yer.
quiet. / doubt if you should see him.
said the surgeon whom we met. But
went quickly to che room designated AM
Knocked softly.
'.'Come in said General Gordon's owl
voice, in n tone so CHEEKY that | was a
once reassured; but when | entered tn
room and saw him / should never hav
known him. Swelling ensued from ina
terrible wound in his face. and there h
lay. his face discolored almost to black
ness, one eye closed entirely, the othe
almost closed. his mouth drawn down o.
one side from the immense swelling
which made the wounded side of the fac
as big as four faces. His leg was ban
daged from the two wounds above an
below the knee, one arm was heiples
from wound below the elbow, and ais
one in the shoulder. ! rushed to his sid
and lifted his right arm.
.''Honey this is all there is left I
hug he said, in serio-comic way tina
made me laugh and cry at once.
1T was three months before he was ii
Tn, tt,I ny