The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-10
GENERAL ROssERs CAREER.

General Thomas L. ROsser was one or
the most dashing cavalry OHlceIs WIZ
fought In the war. His daring ana nero
ism aroused the admiration OF the entire
army i'm which he fought He never sur
rendered. and II is said or MN lnat hS
insisted until the last inat ne never NouL9;
General Rosser was born IN CampoeH
In 1885 he entered the United states
Military Academy az West Point, whete
he remained five years. the acadsihic
course having been changed by the non.
Jefferson Davis. who vas then secretary
Of War. from four TO five years. In 1901
Cadet Rosser resigned his cadetship ana
went South to cast his fortune with ms
native state. offering his services 70 tne
Secretary OF War OF the Confederate
States. be was assigned as first lieutenant
so the Washington Artillery, OF New Or-
leans. and remained with this FAMOUS pat
tery as lieutenant and captain until June,
1867 when he was promoted Tor gallantry
TO Northumberland Of cavalry. Two
weeks later he was made colonel OF the
Fifth Virginia Cavalry.
In October. 1868. he was promoted 10
brigadier-general and assigned 10 AShby' s
Brigade known I'm history as the Laurel
Brigade" having well earned thls soDri,,
quet by the conspicuous Valor displaycd
nv the officers and privates n many bat
tle-nelds. In 1854 General ROsser was
given a division Of cavalry and the rank
of ma iOr-general. which division ne com
manded until the close Of the war He
WIS NONlAtl nlflt llNlfHs
DID NOT SURRENDER.
At the surrender at Appomattox. April
o. 1865. General Rosser found back road
open to Lynchburg. and rode on; win
his cavalry. and was not included in the
paroles Of the Army Of Northern virginia.
From LynchDurg. ON Aprll lpth, ne Wen,
to Danviile. where the Confederate ana
State governments were collected. There
It was arranged that Governor Extra
Billy Smith was TO remain In virginia
with Rosser as his commander-in-cnlel'
was TO reorganize the state GoVernmeu. =
and TO continue the war the best he could.
General Rrecldnridge. Secretary Of War,
gave ROsser an order assigning. him TO
command all the troops that could be col
lected or rallied in Virginia. with the rank
OF lieutenant general.
went 10 Greensboro Rosser rode over 10
Charlottesville. whore ne Issued pro
clama ton assuming command or NFRlnla'
and ordered all the men VINO were absent
without leave or were on furlough 20 re-
port 10 him promptly In the valley OF VIZ
ginia. But the surrender OF Johnston ;
army ended the war . ~,--,
lust before Christmas. 1863. General
Rosser married Miss Bessie Winston, OF
Hanover. a cousin of Patrick Henry. and
a Mt representative OF that illustrious race
AS bride she was tall. handsome Snd
as fine a looking woman as Virginia mas
ever produced. The wedding was an eVent
In the army. John Pelham. Jack Garnet
Jim Deering John Fountaine. Pierce
Young. and Fitz. Lee. led by Jeb. stuart
the Flower Of the cavaliers were mere
from Hazel River and Little Washington
down 10 Fredericksburg and Moss Neck.
For forty miles many Of them had ridden
I'm a sweeping galIop. MAKING the "opu-
ring with the refrain, IF YOU want To-
have a Good Time. Jine the Cavalree,
and "Old Joe Hooker. Come out OF the
Wilderness
A NOTABLE WEDDING.
What a happy time there was-the
"bovs" I'm their short Jackets and long
boots and big spurs and rafting sabres
Jeb Stuart. with his yellow sash and
flowing plume. more noisy. more rolllcklnR
than all the rest together. and proud Bess
Winston. al the head Of her garden OF
girl cousins. who had gathered from Tide
water TO Piedmont, from Mathews Court,
house to Rappahannock Such eating and
drinking, such laughing and singing. such
dancing and flirting, such love-mak KING
and proposing. was never seen. and they
kept Il up until sunrise. when the bugles
in the front yard sounded reveille, then
"hoots and saddles, and OH the gay
soldiers rode. as fresh as II they were go
ing 10 a party. instead OF leaving one.
Mrs. Poser lived with her husband In
winter quarters 1S63-'O4, az Culpeper and
Orange Courthouse. and frequently rode
along the picket-lnes with him, sometimes
riding forty miles day.
AS soon as the war was over General
Rosser went 20 Baltimore where he had
many army friends. and was employed hy
the city government as engineer. In which
capacitv he made a survey and plat OF
the harbor. Then he was in the service
OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
many as one OF the sub-engineers In con.
struction OF it's McConnellsville branch
From there he went Ia MINNEAPOLIS
MINI. where he was employed as rodmar
on the Northern Pacific. In a brief time h
had risen from the lowest to the highes
position. and became chief eneineer Of ths
Northern Pacinc and as such surveyed
CONTINUED on ssyeatA gage.l