Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-18
MYSTERY CLEARED UP
.rE OF A SOLDIER LEARNED
AFTER MANY YEARS.
an THAT CuLPEPER ORC HARD.
what Happened to Captain fLigev
white, on August 10th, 1se2-one
play Moment-eeneral Ewell Saw
IL All.
The following appeared In the Tappa-
hammock Democrat:

3alnock Democrat.
Loretto, Va, January 5. 1903.
"A D. Lane. Esq. Tappahannoclz, Va.
Dear Sir,-I send an incident OF the
war" based chiefly on John Gcrdon's un-
timely disappearance. think 1t will be
Of considerable interest to many Of your
readers. These interesting Incidents con-
necfed with our own people. should not
be lost sight of-in fact. think the peo-
know their devotion and services to coun-
try, are entitled TO know. and they want
TO know, all about them
During one of the many minor, but no
less desperate and bloody engagements
which took placesfn 1865. on General Lee S
extreme right. near the Squirrel Level
road" below Petersburg. John Gordon, of
Tappahannock. sergeant-n1ajor Of the
Fdfty-ffth Virginia Infantry. brother OF
James r. Gordon, Esq, of Richmond dis
appeared entirely from view. No trace
OF him could be found by his family or
friends during or after the war.
This battle YVES fought chiefly in thick
:
ties and the extraordinary circumstances
under which il was fought
Our Division. had occupied the line of
tbs Squirrel Level road for some weeks,
enf had constructed most elaborate and
Formidable line eIs6erensive works, espe-
daily constructed SO that a compare lively
small force could hold them against the
Overwhelming numbers OF Grant We
rested In fancied security. and thought
ourselves well prepared to give them the
best kind OF reception when they came.
Early one morning we were notified that
the enemy was advancing in force, and as
they approached near enough TO engage
Dur skirmishers, we were marched out
of onr fine works without firing a shot,
and back and into the defences at, Peters
burg, when we stacked arms and rested
IA the shade until after the middle OF the
day.
The enemy continued TO advance and
finding our works occupied by a few. poor
ly armed. dismounted cavalry, quietly took
possession, and then advanced towards
Petersburg.
We were then sent out to drive them
back and out Of the works we had gener-
ously given up to them in the morning.
In endeavoring to do this we suffered SO
severely.
among our many losses. Judge T. r. B.
Wright fell, supposed to be nlortally
wounded, b! the side OF his brother, r.
q. Wright. who was killed al the same
moment The writer Of this was knocked
down by the same yoiiey, but he renem-
beers distinctly seeing these two brothers,
Ned and Tom Wright. as he supposed,
dead, in three feet OF each other, almost
in the enemies ranks.
After fruitless inquiries, all hope of
learning the fate Of young Gordon was
abandoned and his family reluctantly con-
cluded that his fate would ever remain
unknown But there is sequel.
During the summer of 1900. the writer
was travelling through Middiese3 county
and became possessed with the idea that
William FL. New. an Old soldier OF the
sane company. knew something of Cor
don's fate. He cannot recall how he got
this idea; whether he dreamed it or some
one mentioned it. At any rate. the in-
PRECISION was so strong that, though thir-
ty-five years had elapsed. he Determined
to seek out Mr.. New, and see II he really
did know anything about 1t, Mr.. New
5 being absent from home. could not be
seen. but on his return. he Promptly wrote
that ..he knows SerEeant-Major Gordon
ven: that they were together in a rifle
ptt. when the enemy suddenly fred
yoliey at them and Gordon was Instantly
killed. he (New1. was in hospital for a
long time; when he returned TO the regi-
men, all Inquiries for Gordon had ceased.
and ha was not aware that his fate was
unknown.
Sc many stirring events were happening
about that time, that mems minds were
occupied with what WAS occurring every
aay. and they had little thought for events
I IF yesterday. OLD SOLDIER.