The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-30
Distinguished Virginian
Dies at Home Near
Charlottesville.
MAJOR-GENERAL
IN CONFEDERACY
Had Notable War Record and
Never Surrendercd--.At Time
Of Death Was. Postmaster
in His Home Town-Final
Illness Due to
Paralysis.

tSpecialto The Times-Dispa tct.1
Charlottesville, Va, March 29.--Gen
eral Thomas Lafayette Rosser died a
7;i5 o'clock this evening at his home
Rugby near the University of Nir
ginia, About four wears ago he suf
fered partial stroke OF paralysis. a
a consequence of which he lost III
sense of speech. Though he has sine
been unable to articulate. his hearin
was unirnpaIred. Ten days ago, Marc
~. he was taken With a chill. He ar
rived home from the post-otfice seem
inEly ss well as usual. After suppe
he retired to his room, and was four
a short time afterward with sever
chill. When the family physician, Dl
Il. ". Magruder. arrived an hour o
more later, he found the general Wit
a temperature of 105, a rapid and ir
regular pulse. and a cough from tha
time on. Symptoms OF bronchial pneu
nona Increased. and were complicater
with an irregular heart and an ex
acerbation of an old kidney trouble
The general suffered no pain. bu
found difficulty in breathing. Thes
troubles increased, and for the las
day or two he was barely conscious.
End Was Peaceful.
The end was very peaceabie ant
without distress OF any kind. H.
stopped breathing quietly without ;
struggle.
Besides Mrs. Rosser and her thre'
children, there were present when tht
end came Campbell Cochran. of Bis
Stone Gap. husband Of the general!
eldest daughter with his two children
Miss Sarah Cochran and Thomas Coch
ran; Mrs. f. a. Richardson, of Della
ware. formerly Miss Fannie Byr,
Winston. who spent her school day!
ct Rugby Hall" and Mrs. Fanni.
Winston. DR. Rickerton Winston, o
Hanover: T. G. M.nston. of Mime
aPolis. Mrs. Rosserfs eldest givine
brother Will reach Charlottesville to
morrow,
The funeral wilfftske place som
time Friday, but the exact hour hai
not yet been determined upon. TIL,
services Will in all probability TAX.
place from the Presbyterian Church
this city. The interment will be II
RIverview Cemetery.
General Rosser succeeded W. G
SALESMAN as postmaster of Charlottes
ville. and was serving his second tern
in that Office, having been reappointet
by Roosevelt.
General Rns.er's Career.
General Thomas L. Rosser was one
of the most dashing cavalry officers
who fought in the war. His daring anc
herosm aroused the admiration of the
entire army in which he fought. He
never surrendered and 1t is said o,
him that he insisted until the last thai
he never would.
General Rosser was born in Camp.
bell county, Va, in 1896
In S56 he entered the United States
Military Academy at West Point. where
he remained five years, the academic
course having been changed by tht
Hon. jefferson Davis, who was then
Secretary of War. from four to five
years. In 1861 Cadet Rosser resigned
his cadetship and went South to cast
his fortune with his native State. Of
fering his services to the Secretary o.
War of the Confederate States, ne was
assigned as first lieutenant to the
washington Artillery, OF New Orleans
and remained with this famous bat
terry as lieutenant and captain until
June. 1862, when he was promoted
for gallantry TO ieutenant-colonel OF
cavalry. TWO weeks later he was
made colonel of the Fifth Virginia
Cavalry.
In october. 1863. he was promoted to
gadier-general and assigned to
Ashby's Brigade, known in history as
the Laurel Brigade, having well
spicuous valor displayed by the officers
1864 General Rosser was given a di-
vision of cavalry and the rank OF
major general, which division he COM
manded until the close Of the war. He
was wounded nine times.
Did Not Surrender.
All the surrender at Appomattox
April 0, 1865, General Rosser found a
back road open to Lynchburg. and
rode off with his cavalry, and was no.
included in the paroles of the Army
of Northern Virginia, From Lynch
burg. on April 10. he went to Danville
where the Confederate and State gov
we're collected. There it was
arranged that Governor Extra Billy
Smith was to remain in Virginia with
Rosser as his commander in-c chief; was
to reorganize the State government
and to continue the war the best he
could. General Breckinridge, Secretary
of War, gave Rosser an order. assign
ing him to command all the troops
that could be collected or rallied in
Virginia, with the rank of lieutenant
general.
While President Davis and his Cab
met went to Greensboro, Rosser rode
over to Charlottesville, where he issued
a proclamation assuming command OF
Virginia. and ordered all the men who
were absent without leave or We're on
furlough to report to him promptly in
the Valley of Virginia. But the SUR
render of Johrston's army ended the
war.
lust before Christmas. 1863. General
Rosser married Miss Bessie Winston
Of Hanover. cousin OF Patrick Henry,
and tit representative OF that Illus
trious race. AS a bride she was tall,
handsome. and as fine a looking wo-
man as Virginia has ever produced
The wedding was. an event In the
army. John Pelham, Jack Garnetf
Jim Deering. John Fountaine, Pierce
Young and F'itz Lee, led hy Ieb. stuart,
the Flower of the Cavaliers. We're
there, from Hazel River and Little