The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-11

Major John b. Gordon. General Lee rode
towards my brigade and as soon us
had fronted tho men turned towards
him, salutng for my. orders He paid no
attention to me- but wheeled his horse
to the right, passed through tho vacancy
between the brgndes. took off Ills hat and
rode Traveller grandly to the front. lie
Ind scarcely. gottenaia dozen PAGES in
front OF our ,'rgadcs when General Cor
dan and mn officer on his Il left, whom
/ took to be his adjutnnt tr6tted quickly
after General Lee. and Gordon as soon
as lie reached him seized Traveller by the
right check of his bit stopped him and
said to General Lee: on must not ex-
pose Yourself; your life Is too valuable TO
the army aud 10 the Confederacy for you
to risk 1t so wntlton1y: we $nre Georgians,
We arc Virglnlnfls, we need no such en-
couraglnert4 At this somc OF our sold lers
called out mo, NO.. Gordon continuing,
said: '"1'here s'not soldier in the Con-
Tolerate army that would not gladly lay.
down his life to save you from HARM"
but the men did not respond t.. this last
proposition. While Gordon was speaking,
his adjutant rodo around the heads Of
tho horses Of the two gencrnls{nnd facing
his horse III n direction opposite that Of
General Lees began to tug ut Travellers
bit or bride rein. Looking through on
aperture dn our breast works + saw a
body of the enemy coming from our left.
slowly. and cautiously approaching us.
"a STEADY, 'FRONT.'"
r called out to General Leo to
come back, tho enemy were APP
proaching, and that we could not fight
whila he was in our front. a number
Of our mon, especially those Of Company
4, cal1sd out: Come back, General Lee :;
we cart fight while you are Il in our
'front.'" and some members of Company
a turned their right shoulders to General
Lee and their backs to me, but ilnme-
diately brought these men into line by q
STEADY. 'front.'
Neither Lee nor Traveller seemed In
cllned to tako single step backward.
And Gordon continued his patriotic adj
dress ana his adjutant continued Juggling
at Travellers bride bit in a comical man
ncr, but the noble presence OF General
Lee and the eloquent words and graceful
bearing OF General Gordon relieved this
dramatic scene. which might soon have
become dreadful tragedy from every
appearance Of being a comedy.
COME BACK. GENERAL LEE"
On looking out again for the enemy I
noticed that they had drawn very close.
to our earth works. called out to Cen
cral Leo ITO come back, and come
quick; that the enemy were close upon
u.s. and that my men could not fire on
the enemy without shooting him." "A
number OF my men called outs Come
back, General Lee: we wont fight az
long rs you are before us: come back"
Jo
produce a greater impression on General
Leo than tho cloquence of Gordon, and
my curt suggestions AS Traveller could
not be easily turned around with a
mounted officer on either side OF him,
facing in opposite directions. tho ad1u
tant let go Travellers bride Gordon
turned him around to the right and
proudly started to lead him back, and as
he was doing so called out: 'Threc cheers
for General Lee and Old Virginia." but
forgot to add Gordon's name to the list,
which were given with q will. Before the
two generals reached the Intervening
space between the brigadcs, Gordon let
go his hold OF Lees brldlo and dropped
behind short space, Leo as soon as he
reached tho line OF the brigades turned
his horse to the right, close up to mine,
and Gordon and his adtutant rode up the
line OF the Georgia Brigade.
COLONEL GORDON INTERVIEWS.
AS Leo drew up to mo I showed my
horse slightly In advance and turned his
head a littla In advance OF Traveller, 10
l. intercept il possible any further repeti-s
| ton OF such recklessness: md looked
| inQu ?rlngly at General Leo for some order
on for some word. but got mono. Just
then ] saw the heads OF tho enemy bob
bing mp in irregular order on the far
| Side OF our parapets, and saw the sun
rising beautifully above tho trees and
| lighting UP tho scene OF approaching con-.
| flict with rich, mellow rays said to
General Lee: "Shnll we give them the
bayonet, Gcndral?'
lie answered: Yes"
Just then tho enemy fired n scattering.
ineffective voley into our ranks. called
out: No time for fixing bayonets.
Chnrgc!" TIL. mon gave tho Confederate
yell and rushed OH the enemy who fed
preciptatcly. The brigade. instead OF stop
| ping In OUR earthworks, mounted them
and pursued the fleeing enemy. About
midway of the woods in front of our
| central line Of works we met another
body OF the oncmy, who showed fight. We
| hurled tlpsm back after Il sharp little
bout, In these woods ! found Colonel
tsnia, in II thicket Of bushes, lingering
the leaves at his feet, and asked him
wlfsrc lie was hit. Fc said the bushes
4 had knocked his spectuccs off ana no
could not see. ] told n lnnn standing
near llim TO !ind the Colonel's spectaclcs
for him. and IL he could not do so to lead
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