Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-16
CAPT. | ]. LAIRD,
BRAVE OFFICER,
IS DEAD
WHEN A MERE BOY HE LED HIS
COMRADES INTO A BATTLE
SEEMING CERTAIN DEATH.

Capt. L. J.. Laird, a well known financial
and insurance man. died Friday morning
at $50 at his home. no Capitol ave-
nue.. His death was unexpected, although
he had been I'll for two weeks.
Captain Laird was seized with nervous
prostartion about four years ago, and the
condition OF his health was such that he
was compelled 20 retire from business
Since that time he had been I'm Indifferent
health. His last Illness began two weeks
ago. but his condition was not considered
critical until Thursday night at o'clock,
when he was seized with commissions and
died without regaining consciousness.
Captain Laird is survived by his wife
and six children. His wife was formerly
Miss Elizabeth Cody, daughter of Rev.
Edmund Cody. a well known Baptist min
lister of Eufaula, Ala. The children are:
Laird, OF Atlanta; Mack Z. Laird, of St.
Paul. Min; Mrs. Joseph n. Ellis, of JEFF
ferson City. Tenn, and Miss Elizabeth
Laird and Miss Jennie Laird, OF Atlanta.
Captain Laird was born in Eufauia, Ala.
February Z. 1913. and was therefore in his
sixtieth year at the time of his death. He
served in the war under Gen. Alpheus
Baker. and the latter gentleman always
said that Captain Laird was one Of the
brsvest men that ever faced a gun.
Captain Laird visited Louisville two or
three years ago and while there called
on General Baker. These gentlemen had
not seen each other for over eighteen
years. and in keeping with his feelings the
general clasped his old comrade when he
saw him like father would clasp his boy.
He related an incident about Captain
Laird in connection with the battle Of
New Hope church. in Georgia which was
fought May q, 1864.
The attack was made by the Federals
on Gen. Henry d. Clayton's brigade prin-
cipally." said General Baker "and after
an hours hard fighting, in which a great
deal OF artillery was used on the Federal
side. the Federals were repulsed. On the
18th there was. great quiet or that line,
but on the night OF the 18th about II
o'clock, I found Federals were establish
ing battery in front OF my line to which
my regiment was on left. the Twenty
seventh Alabama. was principally expos
ed. wrote Gen. A. p. Stewart. telling
him that the battery was being established
there about 800 yards distant. that would
be bound 20 suffer IL It opened on us the
next day. because we were armed alto
gether with Belgian rifles that carried
only 800 yards. I told General Stewart
that II he would send me artillery I would
send the battery out OF the ground at
daylight in the morning. He wrote back
20 me that he could not furnish me any
artillery. that I occupied an important
part OF the line and he knew would hold
Il.
"On the morning Of the 9th I waited
in great apprehension. and about o'clock
IN the afternoon the smoke pulled up from
the battery and terrific fire Of grape and
solid shot struf k the Twenty-seventh
Alabama. II was very destructive and in
a few minutes 81 were killed and wounded
Heads and arms were shot of. We could
not reach them with our Belgian rifles,
but knew we had a few Enfield rifles in
our brigade. and called for all armed
/ with Enfield rifles to come forward Nine
teen men came. and knowing II was a
most desperate undertaking, I asked for
volunteer officer to lead these nineteen
men, and mere boy. Capt. L. ]. Laird,
then only II years old. came forward and
volunteered to lead these men. And he
did lead them into the jaws OF death and
right into the fire of the grape-shot and
in few minutes he had silenced the bat
terry and saved the brigade, receiving a
most desperate wound from a cannon ball
On the head, which disabled him for over
a year"