The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-23

, He Law wounded on, the Battlefield
~ "
The war experiences Of the late Cen
eral John B. Gordon, the Confederate
leader, are graphically set forth in his
"Reminiscences of the Civil War" pub
lished by Charles Scribner's Sons,
In his account OF the beginning Of
the Bull Run engagement General Cor
don says Of General Ewell, the Indian
fighter, who at the last moment went
over to the Confederacy: lie became
a very pious man in bis later Years,
but at this time he was not choice in
his manner of expressing himself. He
asked me to take a hasty breakfast
with him just before he expected the
order from B~eauregsrd to ford huli
Run and rush upon McLloweIs left,
"EIis verbal invitation was III these
words: Come and eat 4 cFaekef WIFI
me We viii breakfast together mere
and dine together IN hell, ~ a young
officer like myself, who had never been
under fire except at long range On
scouting excursions or Oh the sklillllsl
line, such an invitation was not IN
spring or appetizing, but EWeiIs Sp1r-
its emo TO De IN q nuller OF eAu@la-
ton.
An hour later, after l NAG beeh re-
called from my p%erilous movement to
feel Of the enemy, | found General
Ewell, as ! have said. almost ifehzlea
with anxiety over the nonarTIVal on the
anticipated order to move to the at
tack. He directed me to send 70 MIN at
once a mounted mai Win sense enough
to go and find out what was tAe q
ter l ordered a member OF the gov
ernor's horse guard to report lnllnedla-
tely to General Eyvell.
"As for myself" says Geneial Cor
don, Il was never In a battle without
realizing that every moment might De
my last, but | never had a pfeseItl-
ment of certain death at Il gwen ufne
or in a particular battle. There GA
come to me on II occasion q feeling
that was akin to a presentiment. 1t
was, however, the result OF no supposed
perception of certain coming rate, pul
an unbidden, unweleome Calculation OF
chances suggested by the peculiar cir
cumstances in which l found myself
at the time.
ut was at Winchester, IN the valley
Of Virginia. My NINA was lying
almost in the shadow or a froWning
fortress in front, in which General
Milroy of the Union army was strong
~ intrenched with forces which we
had been lighting during the afternoon.
In the dim twilight, with the GUNNER
of his bayonets II brass hoWltzefs
still d~iscernible, l received an order to
storm the fortress at daylight the next
morning.
ITO say that l was at the
order would feebly express the sensa-
ton which It's reading produced, for On
either side OF the fort was an ope1i
country, miles IN width. through which
Confederate troops could easily pass
around and to the rear of the fort. cut
ting Off General Mllroy 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, how
ever, but to obey the order.
"As in the night | planned the as
slaughter that awaited my men, there
came to me, as | have stated, a calcula-
ton as to chances which resulted in
the conclusion that 1 had not one chance
In a thousand to live through it. The
weary hours of the night had nearly
passed, and by the dim light of my
bivouac fire l wrote with pencil what
I supposed was my last letter to Mrs.
Gordon, who. as usual, was near me.
1 summoned my ouartermaster. whose
duties did not call him into the fight.
and gave him the letter. with direc-
lions to deliver it to Mrs. Gordon after
I was dead.
"Mounting my horse. nv men now
ready, l spoke to them briefly and en-
cor1ra oad tbar, tn 10 wifi, ~ ;,+o 40