Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-18

and into our cell corridor Even then
we were released only after they had
pried our cell door up with an iron bar,
and dragged us out by main force"
The attack upon Murfreesboro by Gen
Forrest and his famous cavalry was the
turning point in Forests career. and es-
tablshed his reputation as a commander.
He had pushed his men on long, forced
march, thrown a small body Of troops into
the town and surrounded the jail, and sent
the balance of his force In two bodies
against the Michigan and Pennsylvania
troops that were on opposite sides or the
town. Before the Union forces were
awake or armed the Confederate cavalry
had ridden them down, killed hundreds.
rescued the condemned men and so firmly
established themselves that the Federal
troops were forced to surrender.
The only Confederate general in Con-
greSS is Representative George Wash
ington Gordon of Tennessee At the re-
cent Confederate reunion at Little Rock,
Ark, Gen. Gordon was a prominent fig
ure. His history is a striking one; he
was captured three times: dangerously
wounded once and slightly wounded sew
eral times; was in every important battle
participated in by the Tennessee troops.
and was finally taken prisoner and re-
moved to Fort Warren, Mass. where
he was held until three months after the
war was concluded.
Gen. Gordon graduated from the West
ern Military Institute at Nashville, In
master of the 18th Tennessee Regiment.
and soon was transferred into the regu-
lar military service OF the Confederacy.
He became captain, lieutenant colonel,
colonel and finally brigadier general IN
1894.
Two men in the House Of Representa-
tives Capt. John Lamb Of Virginia and
Maj. Charles M. Stedman Of North Car
DINA, were with the 1900 Confederatee
who fought the battle Of Bethel, tho first
battle OF the war, and were still fighting
with the Army of Northern Virginia when
Lee laid down his arms at Appomattox.
April 8, 1855. The records show that
only twelve men enjoyed this distinction
Capt. Lamb was cavalryman, and
finally, as a captain, commanded the
famous sharpshooters' regiment. Every
officer of his command was killed, with
the single exception of himself. The
last lieutenant, a relative of his. fell dead
at his side the day before the surrender
at Appomattox.
Mai. Stedman, commanding the 44th
North Carolina, fought with Lee through
out the war. He was wounded time and
again. He participated in the thrilling
campaign that stretched through the
Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House
and Petersburg. in the attempt OF Gen.
Grant to force his passage to the James
river.
There were thirty~two Confederates
in the House and sixteen in the Senate
when I came here in 1897" says Capt.
Lamb. I'VE used to have Confederate
gatherings In Washington then, with an
evening OF story telling and "reminiscences.
Some of these men have died. some have
become governors of states, and within
the last year or two some have been
turned out OF Congress by the younger
boys
Both Maj. Stedman and Capt Lamb
reverence the memory of Robert +. Lee,
the man under whom they served during
most of the war, and whom they regard
as the greatest figure Of tho war. Maj.
Stedman was asked as to his most last
ing impression OF the great Confederate
leader
The picture or Gen. Lee that stands
out most clearly in my mind is that of
Spotsylvania Court House." said Repre-