The Opelousas courier., 1900-03-17
A CURIOUS STORY.

we near from UeH. O0fuoDS OWN
lips u story that, in a metaphysical
paint, is exceedingly Interesting. He
says that when he fell he was utterly in
capable of moving. He gradually be-
gan to think of his condition, and this
is the half-dream and half soliloquy
that he carried on II have been struck
in the head with q six-pouDd solid shot.
Ii has carried away my head. On the
left side there is a little piece of skull
left. BIT the brain is gone entirely.
Therefore, / am dead. Aud yet / am
thinking. How can a ma think with
his head shot off. I may have con-
seriousness while dead, but no motion.
Ii / can lift my LEG, then / am alive, /
will try that. Can En- Yes, there it is,
lifted mp! I'm all right"
The general says that every stage of
this soliloquy is ipdelibly stamped on
his mind, and that in bis exhausted
stage the reasoning was carried on as
logically as ever man reasoned. at bis
desk. Doubt succeeded argument and
argument displaced doubt just as i0gi-
caIly as could be. He says he will never
forget with what anxiety be made the
test of lifting his leg-with what agony
he waited to see whether or not it would
move in response TO his effort, and how
be hesitated before trying it for feaT IT
might fail and that his death be thereby
demonstrated.
APPELLANT AND MASTERLY MANEUvRE.
II From the I'd of May, 1854, Gordon was
%ngaged In almost lncessant lighting
aki summer, aud made himself famous
Throughout the army. On the 9Th of
May he executed a manenvre new ID
the practice of war, startling in it's au-
dacity and an inspiration in its sudden
ness. Gordon was on the left of the
army on the fredericksburg road.
He was commanding Lawt0H's old bri-
gade, having won his Generals stars at
5ShaTpsburg. Being ordered TO carry a
point Iii front OF his command, lie
dashed forward. As usual he swept
everything before him. He s0oB found
that lie had broken through the enemV's
lines, and was alone with his brigade
behind the Federals. It was a despe-
rate case. All the enemy had to do
was to close in around the devoted
Ge0rgians and capture them. Gordon
compreIended the situation, and as
quick AZ lightning determined to make
i desperate fight for liberty. He
wheeled his men back, their faces
turned towards the lanks of the Fede-
rails through which they had just torn
their way. Then ordering a charge,
his brigade divided half in half, falling
like lightning upon the torn and dis
ordered TANKS OF the enemy. The sur
price was complete and the ronte was
perfect. The Georgians rushed up the
opposite TANKS of tile Federals, slangh-
terings capturing. dispensing as fast as
they could 20. Regiment after regi
ment attempted to face them, bat Cor
don would hurl bis men on them before
they could make the turn and scatter
them with d single blow. We captured
ono regiment entire and took thousands
OF prisoners. We killed two brigadier
generals and captured two more. For
oyer one mile his men swept down the
lines 0f the enemy, utterly breaking
them, and he Withdrew only at night
fall.
On the 18th af May heIlad made that.
remarkable q ngaInst Hancock,
which gained to him the title 0f ssThe
Man on theI2Eh of May
General Lee. who had aIready rec
~ptssNeIslea Gordon FIR promotion at
oEee t~alesrapiled That he must Be III.
area sRasle i enlargement. and Tint
bis commission must date from the 10th
uf day. The promotion WAS made but
the War Department, mol approaching