Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1904-01-28
Gen. GOrtlon's Farewell
Address at Appomattox

BY EDWIN d. NEWTON. SURGEON, c. :. A.
After the death ofGeneral Stone
wall" Jackson, Gen. John B. Gordon
may be said TO have been the right
hand" of General Lee. owing to his
thorough knowledge of strategy, his
habits OF watchfulness OF the move
ments of the enemy. and the irresis-
tible dash with which he led his dar-
ing veterans upon the field.
General Gordon was q born sol
der, true son Of Mars. He was
as modest rs he was brave and OF
course. in his recent lectures did
not tell OF his own many deeds Of
valor, rs they were Witnessed or
known TO the veterans OF Lee y army.
| was ut Appomattox and beg leave
10 mention afew incidents connected
with the gallant Gordon:
BY order of Sergeant Lafayette
Guild, medical director OF the Army
OF Northern Virginia, who had i'm
provised q small field hospital for
the wounded, OF our last "skirmish"
on the morning OF the surrender.
On the day following. while taking
a little rest from our labors when
In conversation with my rother
medical officer, we were most agree.
ably surprised by salutation from
General Gordon, rs he rode up 10
our camp fire General Gordon and
were college boys together NJ the
University OF Gordon, no senior
and Freshman. Tie addressed
me in his old familiar manner:
Ned, get your horse and ride with
me, am now on my way 10 make u
last address TO my soldiers of the
Second corps and the right wing of
the army"
In u few moments we were facing
the soldiers who loved him SO we'll
and were ever proud TO follow him
in battle. Still in his saddle and
surrounded by his staff, oil OF whom
were mounted, General Gordon nd.
vanced pace to the front, and with
oil the winning grace OF % soldier,
removed his hat and addressed his
veterans. can only give the ideas
in the crude form, for the address,
with the lapse of years is now but
memory of this sad and eventful
occasion:
My Countrymen and Fellow
Soldiers: Already has our great
commander, Gen. Robert Il. Lee,
spoken an affectionate farewell 10 the
Army of Northern Virginia. No
pen or words can add to his touch
ing and patriotic address. | beg,
however, as your late corps CON-
mander, the privilege OF a few words
in this sad hour of parting. Let me
assure you that my heart goes out TO
each andevery one ofmy gallantcorps
in this dark hour OF disaster. Do
not doubt, my fellow soldiers, that
the future historian will give to you
full measure of your martial glory.
You battle flags, now furled, tell of
your heroic achievements. Thou
sands of your comrades, in almost
every plain in historic old Virginia,
sleep the sleep of death, yet the
death of glory. But few survive
the fierce contict of civil war. And
only remnant is before me TODAY.
to tell the story of the battles and
privations of the Second Army corps
the old corps OF Stonewall Jack
son. This corps and this army of
Northern Virginia will be remem-
bered as long as the names OF Stone
wall Jackson and Robert T.. Lee
will be treasured by a grateful peo-
pie. Overwhelmed by superior
numbers aud almost inexhaustible
resources, together " 18th the untir-
ing energy and dauntless courage
which has ever marked the military
movements of the great leader OF the
Federal army, General Ulysses S.
Grant, the army of Northern Vir-
ginia, an army OF heroes, decimated
by battle, disease and privations.
through four years of almost con-
tinuous warfare, will how disband,
never perhaps, to meet again.
With our last parting let me inn
press upon you one or two thoughts,
which trust will go with you to your
homes and firesides. Remember
that in Gods providence we have
surrendered not to q foreign foe, but
to our own countrymen. In the ex-
hibition of your fortitude in the face
of disaster, ever be as great and as
good as citizens as you have been
great and heroic as soldiers. Ever
be the model citizen, as you have
been the model soldier. Obey the
civil law, no matter how odious the
same may be temporarily. Dis
charge every duty as citizen TO
your respective states and 10 the
general government. Sustain the
poor, help the feeble, and succor
the unfortunate in your midst, and
by so doing you will command not
only the admiration and respect of
the world, but win the friendship
and confidence of those whoare now
your political enemies.
Fellow soldiers, with my love
and my benediction resting upon
each and every one within the
sound of my voice. / nov bid YOU
farewell. May God, in his infinite
mercy and kindness. protect and