The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-10-20
GEN, THOs. |. ROSSER.
Interesting Sketch of the
Hero who will Soon
Retire.

Retire.
Brigadier- General Thomas L. Ros-
ser, Third brigade, Second division,
First corps, is about to lay aside the
sword and turn toward paths of peace
for the second time in life this time as
an elderly man, before as a man in full
prime. He was a hero of the confed-
eracy, ranking brigadier-general. His
whole life ran peculiarly parallel with
that of Gen. Custer. In the present
war he was brigadier. He is among
those who are soon to be mustered out,
and pending muster out he will retire
on sick leave, bidding Knoxville adieu
tonight to start for old Virginia once
again.
General Rosser has on his staff as one
of his aids, assigned from the Third
engineer corps, First Lieutenant John
Daniel, Jr., son of the distinguished
Virginia senator. Lieut.. Daniel has
the brilliance and eloquence character
istic of his noble sire. He has known
General Rosser from childhood, and
coming up in an old Virginia family,
the history of the struggle of the South
land is as much reality to him as tho
he had lived in it. Asked for some
notes on General Rosser's life, Lieu
tenant Daniel in conversational man
ner, told this beautiful story:
"Just prior to the great fratricidal
struggle for supremacy between two
great elements of our common country
there were at the United States Militia
ry academy, West Point, two young
oficera, classmates and warm friends,
touching elbows in rank and setting
their brains to work along the same
lines mentally. A great destiny was
before each. Trained to be soldiers in
the academy they were soon to be sol
diers in fact, and great soldiers at that.
One was to share the lot of the gray
and one the lot of the blue. One was
Thomas l.. Rosser, late Of the confed.
crate cavalry, the other none other
than Custer himself When their re.
spective states were called to arms each
promptly sent in his resignation from
the academy and went to be bounded
for his blood and locality-Custer tc
follow the star spangled banner, Ros-
ser the starry cross. They parted in
love as comrades, bidding each other 6
fond farewell and God-speed mutually
In the bloody events that followed Ros-
ser's cavalry struck terror to the hearts
Of his enemies, as also did the name Of
Custer to his enemies, then the gray
later the yelping Apache and Yaqui Of
western plains. Through the valley o.
Virginia Rosser held full sway ant
won his day. Custer also met with sue
cess. Both became famous for bravery
and heroic action. Many battles were
fought by each, sometimes favored by
the god of fortune, sometimes under
the frown of the god of failure. FatC
had momentous day in store for each
for soon former classmates in love ant
fraternity, were stretched to measur,
sabres as soldier to soldier and comman
der to commander. Many much need
ed meal of Custer was Interrupted il
an impromptu manner by Rosser ant
in the Rosser camp many corn cak
and swallow of brown paper coffee
characteristic of the confederacy then
had an equally impromptu interrup
tion from Custer. Oftentimes eacl
general would mount his horse MUNICH
ing bread, endeavoring to finish hi
breakfast to the tune of rattling mus
kerry in the face of O bold attack.
became common joke among the me-
of the respective commands to the et
feet that if Rosser and Custer didn'
come to mutual understanding prett
soon they would starve each other t
death. While they opposed each othe
per their respective commands, the.
had thus far never met in person sine
their early days at the Point. But fat
was to play card, and one day at til
fierce battle Of Trevillians Station i
the heat Of the fight where shells whiz
ed and bullets flew. Custer came fac
to face with Rosser's cavalry in persol
and the two staffs had the exceptions
pleasure of exchanging shots, Rose
at Custer, Custer at Rosser. Whethe
either was wounded l cannot say. Fat
was to play another flush. Rosser
cavalry remained the synonym of tel
ror to the blue coats. The name
Custer yet made the ragged, half star
ed confederate soldier CLEAN with de-
peration in the desire to retreat. Tv
: former classmates, they drifted apar
to fight battles on new fields. Whe
, the eventful 9th of April, 1865, can
a round itfound both still living, strang
! ly enough taking into considerable
e the magnificent services they had rel
: dered, the bloody conflicts in whiC
: each had a part, the awful wounds eaC
: had received. l cannot enumerate ii
: wounds of Custer, but / know th