New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-08-12
DEATH OF GENERAL GORDON

The SD news was received YES.
terdcy of the death at his home
at Memphis of General George W
Gordon. the chief commander of
the United Confederate Veterans
hero of the Southern war for
independence in 1876 and a,
the time of his demise a repre-
sentative for the Tenth District
i OF Tennessee in the Congress of
the United States. 1t is an in
terestlng incident that a man whc
was an enterpris;ng and brave
soldier on the side Of the South
in what is declared in the gov
eminent records to be the "War
of the Rebellion.'' and at the
time of his death was the high
est officer in the organization of
the Southern veterans. WIS at the
same time representative of a
Southern state in the Congress of
tlle IetlullPu nation.
George Washington Gordon, of
Memphis, was born Oct. ), 1886.
in Giles County. Tenn, and reared
chiefly in Mississippi and Texas ::
received a collegiate education
and was graduated at the West
ern Military Institute. Nashville.
Tenn. in the class of 1859 re-
celving there about the same mil
ltary education and training as
were then given at the National
MILITARY Academy at West Point :;
practiced civil engineering till the
outbreak of the Civil War: en-
listed in the military service OF
the State of Tennessee in June.
1861. in the capacity of drillmas
ter of the Eleventh Tennessee In
fontry Regiment and was soon
thereafter transferred with the
other Tennessee troops to the mil
i'ary service Of the Confederate
States of America was successive
ly a captain, lieutenant colonel
and colonel of this regiment. and
in 1864 was made brigadier
general and served with that rank
till the close of the war.
Though captured three times
and once dangerously wounded he
participated in every engagement
fought by his command except
those at Nashville, Tenn. and
Bentonville. n. c.. at which times
he was prisoner at Fort War
ron. Mass. where he was hCld
till July. 1865. several months af-
ter the close of the war. Upon
his release from prison he studied
law and practiced that profession
until 1888, when he was appoint
ed one of the railroad commits
sioners Of the state; in 1885 re-
ceived an appointment in the In
terror Department of the United
States Government, and served
during Cleveland's first term,
four years, in the Indian country;
then resumed the practice of law
till 1892, when he was elected
superintendent of the Memphis
city schools. which position ne
held until March. 1907. when he
resigned to take his seat in ths
Sixtieth Congress. He was re.
elected to the Sixty-first Congress
and again to the Sixty second
Congress. receiving 1862 votes
to S44 for T. II. Haines, Socialist.
He was chosen commander-in-
chief Of the Confederate veterans
at the reunion Of 1910 in Mobile,
and was reelected at the Little
Rock reunion Of 1911. At the
latter occasion his health was
feeble. and he had not fully re-
covered, although he ne
,hrank from any of his duties. He
vas an orator and statesman of
many accomplishments. and he
lied at a ripe age. loved and re-
'pected by all who knew him. |
General C. Irvine Walker Of
Charleston. S. c., succeeds him as
Confederate COMMUNICATIVE