Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-09-17
Gen. Gordon's Fears.


Gen. Gordon's Fears.
"As for my SELF says Gen. Gordon,
81 was never in a battle without real
izing that every moment might be my
last, but l never had a presentiment
of certain death at a given time.or in
a particular battle.
There did come to me on one occa-
sion feeling that was akin to pre-
sentiment. 1t was, however, the re-
suit of no supposed perception of GER
tain coming fate, but an unbidden,
unwelcome calculation of chances sug
gested by the peculiar circumstances
in which 1 found myself at the time.
ct was at Winchester, in the valley
of Virginia. My com Nand was lying
almost in the shadow of a frowning
fortress in front, in which Gen. Mil
roy of the union army was strongly
intrenched with forces which we had
been fighting during the afternoon. In
the dim twilight, with the glimmer of
his bayonets and brass howitzers still
discernible, 1 received an order to
storm the fortress at daylight the next
morning.
ITO say that 1 was. astounded at
the order would feebly express the
sensation which its reading produced;
for on either side of the fort was an
open country, miles in width, through
which confederate troops could easily
pass around and to the rear of the
fort, cutting off Gen. Milroy from the
base of his supplies, and thus forcing
him to retire and meet us in the open
field. There was nothing for me to
do, however, but to obey the order.
LAS in the night l planned the as
Of
slaughter that awaited my men, there
came to me, as 1 have stated, cal
culation as to chances which result
ed in the conclusion that l had not
one chance in thousand to live
through it. The weary hours of the
night bad nearly passed, and by the
dim light of my bivouac fire 1 wrote,
with pencil, what l supposed was my
last letter to Mrs. Gordon, who, as
usual, was near me. l summoned my
quartermaster, whose duties did not
call him into the fight, and gave him
the letter, with directions to deliver
it to Mrs. Gordon after I was dead.
Mounting my horse, my men now
ready, 1 spoke to them briefly and
encouraged them to go with me into
the fort Before the dawn we were
moving and soon ascending the long
slope. At every moment 1 expected
the storm of shell and ball that would
end many life, my own among
them. but on we swept and into the
fort. to find not a soldier there! 1t
had been evacuated during the night
Milwaukee Sentinel.
Enlisted at 10.
Col. J. D. Walker, three times elect
ed national commander of the union
ex-prisopers of war, was born in AL
legheny City, Pa. So years ago.
At the age of 16 he enlisted in the
famous Knap's battery for three years
or during the war, and from that date
of enlistment participated in all the
marches and battles of that celebrat-
ed organization until mustered out in
Pfttsburg, Pa, June IA, 1865.
He was at the battle of Antietam,
guarding rebel prisoners of war, and
also with Shackelford's cavalry in
their pursuit of Morgan through In
diana and Ohio and was in at his
capture.
Col. Walker was with Gen. Sherman
In the Atlanta campaign, his march
to the sea and through the Carolinas.
He was taken prisoner near Black
water, N. c., by Gen. Hampton's cav
airy and confined in the confederate
prison at Raleigh, N. c., Danville, and
Libby, Va. He has been a member
of the G. A r. since 1867. a past
president of Post IS, Department OF
Pennsylvania, a past president of the
Allegheny county Grand Army asso-
citation, three times commander of the
Allegheny county association of union
ex-prisoners of war. He was for
three terms chairman of the execu-
tive committee of the union ex-pris-
oners of war, and was elected national
commander at Cleveland. 1901, and
unanimously reelected at Washing
ton, d. c., in 1902, and also unani-
mously elected again at San Fran
cisco, Cal, 1903
He is of Scotch-Irish extraction,
and of direct descent from the fight
ing preacher of the walls of Derry"
Grants Marvellous Memory.
Gen. Grants retentive memory was
simply marvellous, more especially to
those most closely associated with him
from day to day. In the midst of
absorbing thought, and with appar-
emily unobservant manner, his quick
ear and eye seemed to hear and no
tice everything. and two weeks or
months later the slightest details had
not escaped his attention or memory.
This power was Enthusiastically demon