The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-09-21

j dered. But at the head or tnal yel!-
ing and racing thousand of men and
in the face Of that murderous fire
Gordon sprang to obey the fatal com
maud. When the shattered remnants
were hurled back across that death
strewn field its colonel, bleeding and
wounded in five places, was carried to
the hospital tent, where for weeks his
| life was despaired of. Nevertheless
he recovered, and within two years
rose, by hard fighting and merit as
commander, to the rank Of lieutenant
general. AS commander Of the Con-
federate I'd army corps he was tie
first to attack Gettysburg, and he held
the last line at Petersburg, fighting
with stubborn valor for every inch of
space. Yet Gen. Gordon had not had
particle Of military training, and
when the war closed was only 80 years
Of age. Since then he has been twice
Governor Of his State and twice a
member Of the Federal Senate.
Among the surviving Confederate
veterans who held the rank Of major
general are John b. Forney, who is
living in retirement at Jenifer, Ala. J;
=
SamuelC French, now plante in
Florida; William L. Cabell, mer-
chant in Dallas, Texas; James R.
Chalmers, Of Fort Pillow memory, at
present leading member Of the Nash
vile Bar; G. W. C. Lee, until lately
president Of Washington and Lee
University, at Lexington. Va, a post
his father, Robert E. Lee, held before
him; Matt. Ransom, long United
States Senator and Minister to Mexico
under Cleveland; Matthew G. Butler,
who lost a leg at Brandy Station, and
who, after three terms in the Federal
Senate, is ending his public career as
major general Of volunteers; and
William B. Bate, Thomas L. Rosser,
and Fitz6ugh Lee.
Gen. Bate went into the army as a
private and rose by stout fighting and
successive promotions to the command
Of division, being three times dan
gerously wounded in battle. After
the war he was elected Governor Of
Tennessee, and since 1887 has sat in
1.-The Senate at Washington. Gen.
Rosser was one Of the most daring of
the Confederate cavalry leaders. In
great degree he resembled Custer,
whose classmate he was at West Point.
Once at Buckland Mills, in Virginia,
as he was driven out, he left mes
sage with some ladies at a farm house
for the gallant leader who died on the.
big horn: aYou have disturbed me
at my breakfast. Lowe you one, and
/ I'll get even with you.
He was as good as his word. He
allowed Custer to cross the creek,
then swooped down upon him while
his command was brewing coffee. 1t
took Custer twenty-four hours to
gather his men after this dash. Ros-
ser is now rich man, and it is inter
esting to ,ecord that it was his old
chum Custer who helped to make him
one. The surrender of Lee left Ros-
ser penniless, and, with a wife and
children to support, he was glad to
accept an humble place in the con-
struction corps of the Northern Paci-
fc Road. There Custer ran across
him, quite by accident, and seeking
out the chief engineer of that road,
said:
ssThere is man named Rosser un-
der you as construction boss?'
eyes, was the engineers reply,
"and one Of the best men I ever had.
Anything wrong about him9"
ssNo," replied Custer, "but he was
at West Point with me: and after
wards major general in the Confed-
crate Army. Can't you give him
something better than the work he is
doing?"
"Why, I have been looking for just
such man, said the engineer.
And SO Rosser, through Gen. Gus
ter's kindly Offices, was made second
in command of the engineer corps.
When, a few months later, he became
its chief, be made such shrewd use OF
the opportunity the position afforded
him for speculation and investment
that to-day he is worth half a million
dollars. Custer, on the other hand,
died poor man.
Like Rosser, Fitzhugh Lee is best
remembered by his old comrades in
arms as dashing cavalry officer, and
as brave and light-hearteda q trooper as
ever led men into battle. When the