Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-05-02
Obituary.

Mrs, Gordon was cue daughter W
John and Esther Ringgold Spencer O.
Kent County on the eastern shore Of
MARYLAND, and through both parents
was descended from distinguished co
lonial ancestors. The Spencers are Of
English descent.
Two brothers, Nicholas and Robert
Spencer. came to America In 1857 and
settled in Maryland.
They were the sons of Nicholas Spen
Ger of Copls, Bedfordshire, near Althorp
the county seat of Earl Spencer, Nicbo
las Spencer being kinsman OF tina.
house. OF the two brothers who settled
in Maryland, Robert remained there and
Nicholas, BY reason of relationship to
and friendship with the Washingtons
moved to Westmorelsnd County, Viz
ginia.
The Mount Vernon estate was origina
" the half of 5000 acres of land that wal
assigned on division to John Washington
the great grandfather of George Wash
ington, 10 conjunction with Nicholas
Spencer, under patent from Lord Cul
pepper, in 1910.
The Spencer descendants in Maryland
were conspicuous in the affairs of thai
colony as members of the House OF
Burgesses, Judges, Colonial Civil and
Military officers, and officers during the
Revolutionary War, and they intermar
ried with the Murrays, Balls, Thomp
sons and other families of Colonial dis
tinction.
No less distinguished in Colonial his
tory Are Mrs. Gordon's maternal an
cestors the Ringgolds.
Thomas Ringgold was born in Kent
County, Maryland, about 1910, and
among his descendants are numbered
members of the House of Burgesses, q
Governor of Maryland, Judges and many
other Colonial officers of distinction.
The Vaughns, Belts, Halls and Brooks,
were among those intermarrying with
the Ringgold family.
Mrs. Gordon married Major George
Alexander Gordon, Fifth U. S. Cavalry,
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel U. S. Army,
son of Commander Alexander Gordon
U. S. Navy of the Virginia family OF
Gordons.
The notice of the death of his wife
calls to mind, to the "Old Army" in
the memory of Jakey cadet nickname)
Gordon the typical "beau sabreur" and
dashing cavalrymau of his day, and it is
not amiss in announcing her death to
his old friends, to recall his brilliant
career.
He graduated at West Point in 1854
into the I'd Artillery, but preferring the
mounted service, he joined the famous
old I'd Dragons in 1855, as I'd Lieu
tenant.
Under the Colonel of Colonies, R. E.
Lee, be served in the Utah Expedition
and the march to Oregon 1S57-1S60.
The outbreak of the Civil War found
him a LIST Lieutenant of Dragons at
Fort Critteuden, Utah, with his family,
many of his service friends, his friends
in his native state and flattering offers
of place and preferment, all inducing
him to join the Southern Army.
He remained true to his flag and true
to his old regiment. he declined a
Colouelcy of Volunteers after he was
promoted to Captain in his beloved I'd
Dragons in May, 1861, and fought
through the whole war as Captain in
the same regiment, which became the
I'd Calvary by official designation in
August, 1851.
Serving in the defenses of Washing
ton, through the Virginia Peninsular
Campaign lin which incidental to con.
slant cavalry fights he won brevet of
Major at New BRIDGE, and siege of
Yorktown, August, 1852, found him at
Harrison's Landing in command OF his
regiment, which be took through the
Maryland campaign, and fought it
beautifully at South Mountain and An
tietam.
Still only a Captain of Regulars he
alternated the fighting command OF his
regiment in the Rappahanock Campaign
with duty as Chief of Ordnance and
mastering Officer Of the Cavalry Corps
till July, 1858, when he took part in that
succession of Cavalry skirmishes Incl
dent to the march on Warrenton, Vir-
ginis.
In the autumn and winter of 1894
he was with his regiment, in command
much OF the time on harrassing pickle:
duty along the Rapidan until May, '64
when he was needed for Staff duty in
the Richmond Campaign as Aide dc
Camp to Generals Merritt and Torbett in
turn, and CommiSsary of Musters of the
1st Division Cavalry Corps.
As such he rode in Sberidan's first
Raid on Richmond and the Second Raid
to Trevillian Station, where he won a
Lieutenant CColonel's Brevet. In dis
cussing the battle of Trevillian Station,
Sheridan often remarked that the re-
suits were due to "Jakey GordOn's
work"
In the Shenandoah Campaign In the
fall of "a be served as Commissary OF
Musters of the Cavalry Corps and
Special Inspector of Cavalry, Depart
ment of West Virginia, and during the
following winter was continued on staff
duty, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of the
Shenandoah.
From May to November, '65, he served
on General Merritt's Staff as Adjutant
and Inspector General, and In December
after the Civil War was over, joined his
regiment on frontier duty at Fort Dodge,
Kansas, and remained with 1t until his
promotion to Major in 1867 took him to
the 4th Cavalry.
Until 1878 he was almost constantly
on frontier duty with the 4th and 9Th
Cavalry and served brilliantly in the
many Indian scouts and campaigns.
His final service in the field was in
the winter of 1876 with Crooke's COM
mand In the expedition against the
Sioux following the Custer massacre.
The haIdsbips and exposure Of that
terrible campaign following twenty-five
years OF Cavalryman's life Of that time,
resulted in physical breakdown, which
finally caused his death, and the loss OF
one Of the most widely known and best
beloved men in the Army.
Mrs. Gordon bad little Of the frontier
experience Of Cavalryman's wife, as
she was married In 1874 and Colonel
Gordon died in 1878, her stay on the
Plains having been at Camp Supply, In
dian Territory, when her husband com
manded that post in 1875, and after the
Sioux War, at the post he commanded In
Nebraska.
According to Mrs. Gordou's expressed
wishes, funeral services for her were
strictly private and held, by her direc
ton, In the Chapel of Oak Hill, In which
Gene she was inferred beside the
grave Of her husband, the Rev. DR.
Blake of Christ Church, Georgetown
officiating.
Mrs. Gordon is survived BY two sis
ters, Mrs. Mary Spencer Gordon, wife o.
Mr.. j. Holdsworth Gordon of George
town, D. c., and Mrs. Esther Spence
Kimball, wife of Rear Admiral William
Writ Kimball, U. s. N, and two broth
ers, Mr.. John Thompson Spencer o
Philadelphia, and Mr.. William Alexande
Spspcer NJ MARYLAND