The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-05

federate Veterans Association. It is the
fore coming to a description of the great
sis of the reasons for General Lees cro
Of the rich and prosperous country thro
delightful stories and incidents of the N
charge that has been penned. 1t is thro
be read in its entirety. Below we give
the Battle of Gettysburg, which Gene
IN the Confederacy's fortunes"l
Returning from the banks of the Sus-
quehanna. and meeting at Gettysburg
July 1, 1863. the advance of Lees forces
my command was thrown quickly and
squarely on the right flank of the Union
Army. A more timely arrival never oc
CURED. The battle had been raging for
four or five hours. The Confederate Gen
erai Archer, with large portion of his
brigade, had been captured. Heth and
Scales, Confederate generals. had been
wounded. The ranking Union command
er on the field, General Reynolds, had
been killed. and Hancock was assigned to
command. The battle, upon the issue of
which hung, perhaps, the fate of the
Confederacy, was in full blast. The Union
forces, at first driven back, now rein
forced. were again advancing and press
ing back Lees left and threatening to
cnvelop it. The Confederates were stub
bornly .contcsting every foot of ground,
but the Southern left was slowly yield
ing. A few moments more and the days
battle might have been ended by the
complete turning of Lees TANKS. l was
ordered to move at once to the aid Of the
heavily pressed CoRfederates With a
ringing yell. my command rushed upon
the line posted to protect the Union right.
Here occurred a hand-to.hand struggle.
That protecting Union line once broken,
left my command not only on the right
flank, but obliquely in rear of it. Any
troops that were ever marshalled would,
under like conditions, have been as sure
" and swiftly shattered There was no
alternative for Howaru men except to
break and fly, or to throw down their
arms and surrender. Under the concen- |
tfated fire from front and flank, the i
marvel is that any escaped. In the midst
Of the wild disorder in his ranks, and
through storm of bullets, a Union of
ficer was seeking to rally his men for a
final stand. He too, went down, pierced
by mimic ball Riding forward with my
rapidly advancing lines, discovered that
brave officer lying upon his back, with
the July sun pouring its rays into his
pale face. He was surrounded by the |
Union dead and his own life seemed to /
be rapidly ebbing out Quickly dis
mounting and lifting his head, 1 gave him
water from my eanteen, asked his name and
the character of his wounds He was
Ma jor- General Francis C. Barlow of New
York, and of Towards corps. The ball
had entered his body in front and passed
out near the spinal cord, paralyzing him
IN legs and arms. Neither of us had the
remotest thought that he could possibly
survive many hours. / summoned sew
eral soldiers who were looking after the
wounded, and directed them to place him
upon a litter and carry him to the shade
IN the rear. Before parting, he asked me
to take from his pocket a package of
letters and destroy them. They were from
his wife He had but one request to make
Of me- That request was, that if / should
live to the end of the war, and sEIsuld
ever meet Mrs. Barlow, l would tell her
Of our meeting on the field of Gettysburg
and of his thoughts of her in his last mo-
ments. He wished me to assure her that
he died doing his duty at the front; that
he was willing to give his life for his
country, and that his deepest regret was
that he must die without looking upon
her face again. / learned that Mrs. Bar
low was with the Union Army, and near
the battlefield. When it is remembered
how closely Mrs. Gordon followed me, it
will not be difficult to realize that my
svmpathies were especially stirred by the
announcement that his wife was so near
him. Passing through the days battle
unhurt, / despatched at its close, under
flag of truce, the promised message to
Mrs. Barlow l assured her that ii she
wished to come through the line, she
should have safe escort to her husbands
side. In the desperate encounters OF the
two succeeding days, and the retreat OF
Lees army / dismissed all thought OF
Barlow, except to number him with the
noble dead of the two armies who had so
gloriously met their fate The ball, how
ever. had struck no vital point, and Bar
low slowly recovered, though this fact
was wholly unknown to me. The follow
ing summer, in battle near Richmond, my
kinsman, with the same initials, General
LIB Gordon Of North Carolina, was kill
ed. Barlow, who had recovered, saw the
announcement Of his death, and entertain
ed no doubt that he wds the Gordon
whom he had met on the fieid Oh Gettys-
burg. To me. therefore, Barlow was dead;
10 Barlow, / was dead. Nearly fifteen
wears passed before either of US was I'M
deceived. During my second term In the
United States Senate, the Hon. Clarkson
Potter. of New York, was member OF
the House of Representatives. He invlt-
ed me to dinner in Washington to meet
a General Barlow who had served In the
Union Army. Potter knew nothing OF the
Gettysburg incident. / had heard that
there was another Barlow in the Union
Army. and supposed. of course. that 1T
was this Barlow with whom | was to dine
Barlow had a similar reflection as to the
Gordon he was to meet. Seated at Clark
son Potters table, l asked Barlow:
General, are you related to the Barlow
VINO was killed at Gettysburg He re-
piied; Why, am the man, sir. Are you
Te'aocd TO the Gordon who killed me?''
am the man. sir" / responded. No