The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-02-17
AONORS MRS.. REWALT
CALLED "HEROINE OF SUSQUE-
HANNA" BY FORMER CON
FEDERATE GENERAL.

two books by Gen. John b. Gordon. a
famous confederate division COM
mander under Lee. Gen. Gordon
will be locally remembered by Mad
ison people, as he spoke here at the
chautauqua some years ago.
The books are entitled American
Oratory," which contains the
speeches and lectures Of Gen. Cor
don, and "Reminiscences Of the Civil
War and in both Mrs. Rewalt is
mentioned. 1t is a strange coinci-
dence that when the general lectured
here Mrs. Rewalt came here from
Fulda. Mimi, and renewed the ac-
q%uaintance that began in those stir
ring days of fifty-fiye years ago.
Here is how the acquaintance be-
gan: During Lees advance toward
Washington late in June. 1868,
which eliminated in the battle of
Gettysburg, Gen. Gordon's brigade.
$500 strong. all Georgians, marched
to the S~usquehanna river and took
possession of Wrightsville, Pa, i'm
which city Mrs. Rewalt was residing.
To delay his advance toward Phila-
delphia the federal troops set fire TO
the bridge and the flames spread TO
the houses in Wrightsville. Gen.
Gordon had called for buckets and
pals to fight the flames on the
bridge. but none were forthcoming
But when the fire threatened the
town. they were produced with start
ling quiekness.
His men fought the flames with all
their strength and finally managed
TO save Mrs. Rewalt's home from de
struction. To show her gratitude.
even though food was scarce. Mrs.
Rewalt invited as many Of the con
federate soldiers as her small dining
room would hold to breakfast. Now
let the General tell the story:
Seated at her table, surrounded
by one except confederate soldiers
she was so dignified. calm and kind
that | Immediately imagined that |
had found a southern sympathizer in
the heart Of a Pennsylvania, and |
yentured some remark which indi-
Gated to her the thought that was in
my mind. In an instant her eyes
were flashing with patriotic fire and
she turned 20 me and said:
Gen. Gordon, / cannot afford.
sir, to have you misunderstood me
or misinterpret this courtesy. You
and your soldiers last night saved
my home from burning, and | de-
sired to give you this evidence of my
appreciation, but my own honor and
loyalty TO my soldier husband de
mand that | tell you plainly that /
am a union woman, that my husband
and brother are both in the union
army with my approval. and that my
daily prayer 10 heaven is that our
union cause may triumph and our
country be saved"
The general speaks of Mrs. Rewalt
in his books as the heroine of the
! Susquehanna, and points out that
while southern ~womanhood suffered
J UNNECESSARILY during the war, the
women of the north were fully as
r patriotic, as self sacrificing as their
: unfortunate sisters in the south. He
goes on to say:
mo confederate left that room
t without a feeling of profound respect
and unqualified admiration for that
| brave and worthy woman. No south
{ ern soldier, no true southern man,
| who reads this account, will fail to
render to her a like tribute of appre-
citation"
In these days of lukewarm patriot
ism when some mothers do not raise
their sons to be soldiers it is an
honor to rewrite the story of a wom-
an who was not afraid to give all to
4 the union, If need be, and who gave
2 her husband and brother willingly to
r the union cause, the cause which she
t prayed for as we'll as for her men,
Mrs. Rewalt was not physically
able to fight, but she had the cour-
: age to declare herself, to place the
: honor of the union above any of the
smaller things which were very small
: beside the objective to be gained.
~ PhC IL 6Ont nON " TIC pldIG MntAt
: there are no wars, and she deserves
? the salute over her grave that is ac-
/, corded to the men who fell, and those
2 who came home to die, wearing the
{ blue.
r DR.. l.. l.. Rewalt, Mrs. Rewalt's
e husband whom she referred to in
! speaking with Gen. Gordon, was a
noted surgeon in the civil war and
followed the flag of Lincoln and
Grant from 1861 to 1865, and was
present at Lees surrender at Ap-
: pomattox in 1865 which brought the
bloody in%ternecine strife to a close
Y and once more made us a nation.
DR.. Rewalt is now living with his
VI daughter, Mrs. Felix Vidal, 121 Lib