The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-11
LOC'L CQNF DEBATE Y7TERlNS PY 1RIB JTI T0 aEI0aY Or GEd. GsR 5Od
Continued from rifth paael

young man. They were of about the
 same age and were thrown t.gethsr
 great deal before the war He said last
 night:
 T knew General Gordon as d young
 man. He was handsome chivalrous and
 quite an orator even wnen boy His
 father spent the summers at Gordon Springs, which he owned, in Whitfield county Ga, and young Gordon was there every summer He graduated at the Uni versty of Georgia, was admitted to ths
 bar and practiced law
 Before he was fully settled in the prac- tice of law, his father opened the Dade coal mines and sent young Gordon over as superintendent When the war first broke out he raised a company of Irish men, called the Raccoon Roughs, all the members of which wore coon-slsin caps, by which they could be identified.
 Captain Gordon carried them to At lanta to get service, but they failed to get assigned to a regiment and he then got transportation for them to Montgom- cry. Just before leaving for Montgomery l heard him make a speech to the com pany encourag ging them and creating
 great enthusiasm among the men. He
 promised them active service. There the
 government assigned them to the Sixth Alabama regiment. The company dis
 tinguished itself for its bravery under his leadership, and he received rapid pro-
 motion. Nearly every member of his old
 company was killed during the war.
 AS to his personal character, 1t was
 lovely. He was always kind and his standard of characte was very nigh, I
 have seen him often since the war and
 heard him speak. l heard him last at
 Indian Springs. where he enthused an immense audience. He had great ability as an orator. Ills was one of the greatest characters 1 have ever known, and as we
 have grown old together I have watched
 him with great interest, and learned to love him more"
 Captain Huey.
 l Capt. J. M. Huey. who was commander of Company G, Eighteenth Alabama regi-
 ment of the O. s. A, in speaking of the death of General John B. Gordon, said:
 1T read with grief and pain the an-
 nouncement of General Gordon's death. He was one of the grandest generals in the army, and will be sorely missed by
 the survivors of the. Confederacy. He was the idol of every Confederate veterans | heart This was clearly demonstrated at the last Confederate reunion in New Or
 leans. His presence was the signal for | long continued ovation"
 | Pelham Chapter, U. D. C., sent the
 following telegram yesterday morning:
 ITO Maj Hugh Gordon, Miami. Fla:
 Pelham Chapter '. D. C., sends deep
 est sympathy MRS. JOHN LEWIS, Secretary" Judge Feagin Pays Tribute. | General Gordon was re-emnently a
 soldier. He literally fought his own way | up almost from the ranks to lieutenant generalship. Without military training. like General zachery Taylor. Samuel Houston. Andrew Jackson and other great Americans he had a genius for war. | Whenever the opportunity offered, he struck the enemy bravery and boldly with telling effect. often winning signal vic- | tories with small numbers. He soon won | the confidence of his troops. and they fol- | lowed his lead with a daring and impet- uositv that often won victory when de- feat seemed imminent.
 He had just the qualities to draw men and hold them as with hooks of steel. Sympathetic in his nature, generous of heart, frank of disposition, kind in man. | ner. free from guile. without envy or jea,- | ousy, brave in deed and loyal In thought | and act, all who knew him loved him. | His soldiers idolized him Tn war, and the confederate veterans could not repress the