The Tupelo journal., 1910-05-27
Last Survivor Of Confederate Congress
Judge A. Orr Of Columbus at Age Of S2 Hale and Hearty

VOOOOOOOOVVOOO
In its issue Of April oath the St.
Louis Post Dispatch contains the fol
lowing interesting sketch Of one of the
surviving members of the Confederate
Congress Judge Orr is we'll known in
Lee county, where he has number OF
relatives, the Calhouns, Orrs and Tank
ersleys. He was the Colonel Of the
3tst Mississippi regiment. which was
made up in this section. Quite num-
Der of his old regiment still survive,
and will read with interest the sketch
of their former commander
In peaceful village slumberine
among the picturesque highlands of
Northern Mississippi, on an old South
ern estate-a reminiscence of the man
orial possessions of the cotton princes
lives a splendid, virile figure of old
age who might be 6ttinsly termed The
Last of the Confederacy."
Still potent among men at the age
of 81, still fired by the true enthusi-
asm of living, this man, who is the
last of the statesman who ruled the
destinies of the Confederacy is an in
spiration as tonic as the golden juice
of the Tokay of an emperor.
Judge John A. Orr, of Columbus,
Miss, was a member of the Provisional
Congress which held its sway in the
5 beginning of the Confederacy, then la
ter was elected a member of the Con-
federate Congress. No other member
of the latter body is now living, and
only one of the former All the rest
have passed away, even as the soldiers
who wore the gray are passing along
with those who wore the blue. Nat
urally the lawmakers, as a body, were
older than the soldiers, as they were
less numerous, hence they have sooner
passed of the stage Of action.
Judge Orr is fisur: of importance;
one worthy of study and veneration.
Stored in his mind-still as bright and
clear as it was in the days Of his youth
are recollections of things Of ma
tional and worldwide importance
which no other living man knows ex-
cept as he read of them, or had them
handed down to him by men now
dead.
Judge Orr received the first educa
tional advantages of his day He
graduated at Erskine College, South
Carolina, and then entered Princeton
University and received the Masters
Degree.
At q he became secretary of the
Mississippi State Senate, remaining an
incumbent for two years. At "a he
was elected to the Legislature from
Chickasaw county. During his first
term. he became identified with the
educational interests of the State
which he was to make special field
for his labors as legislator in after
years.
When but 26 years old, he was ap-
pointed United States District Attorney
for the Northern District of Mississippi.
In his 28th year he was delegate to
the convention that nominated Buch-
anan and Breckenridge. In 1861 he
was elected a delegate to the Missis.
sippi State Convention that passed the
ordinance of secession. BY this con.
ventlon ne was eleCteu onS vi tHS otd's
delegates TO the Provisional Congress
of the Confederacy, an Office carrying
with it such grave obligations to thu
country and people that no man daree
TO whisper that he was candidate to-
this high place in the honor OF the peo
pie of the South.
Judge Orr served in the Provisiona
Congress of the Confederaey throuehou
the entire term of its authority iron
February, 1861, to February, 1902
then was commissioned by the Confed
crate Secretary Of War, Up. Benjamin
to recruit a regiment. He raised
cohort of 400 men, and commando
them under the leadership OF GEN
Van Dorm, Pemberton and Johnson.
In April, 1864, he resianed bis CON
mand TO take his seat in the secon