The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1918-12-04
CAPT. FAUNTELROY'
PAYS TRIBUTE:
w,ites to Lieut.. Gordon Gillespie's
Na.her Describing His Tragic
Fndirg-Letters Also From
Capt Schmitt and Nine.
HerZ0g.
CAPT. FAUNTELROYs LETTER.
American Expeditionary Forces

CAPT. FAUNlELhOi . LEI IEn'
American Expeditionary Forces,
France, October 25, 1913.
Mrs, ]. L. Gillespie, Greenwood, Miss.
Nv Dear Mrs. Gillespie;
The dispatches, no doubt, have al.
ready burdened you with the tragic
news of Gordon's death. But they
are so barren. They leave so much un-
said that | am taking the liberty to
tell you some of the circumstances
which, | am sure, leaves none of his
friends more sad or more lonely than
In truth, it requires a tremendous
effort. even though hedged about with
every evidence of war; its oppress-
ions and its horrors, for me to fully
realize that Gordon is no longer with
US.
For probably 6 weeks up to about 10
davs ago he was in Southern France
at school. When he rejoined us We
were on our way to the front. We
were going into battle. Though his
preyious training had been in ma
chine gunnery. upon his return he was
placed IN command Of Company L
of our regiment A day or two later
the attack was launched. If you have
read of the combat work of our Div
sion. | know you underJtand what a
splendid part Gordon must have play
ed, His battalion was in support with
headouarters near an old farmhouse
which, by the way, was under terrific
shell fire from the German artillery.
On the early morning of October 18th,
Gordon was on his way from his COM
pany battalion headquarters for or
ders. His orderly was with him. Just
before reaching there shell struck
Immediately behind h,m. The orderly
quickly got aid from headquarters.
Gordon was taken TO the first aid
station scarcely fifty yards away. He
died before reaching there. In fact
he never regained consciousness. His
n legs were torn and his spine shatter-
" ed
n These facts seem cold. Yet this is
n the second time have rewritten them
n in an effort to soften them, and strip
II them of the heaviness which weights
upon me as write.
| said, | believe, that it requires
' a tremendous effort for me to realize
# that Gordon is no longer with US
M Et would seem the most natural thing
III in the world for him to come bursting
III into my tent right at this minute with
the cheer and goodE humor that was
III always his. You may recall that ht
@ and | were together on the CONNER
# cial Appeal at Memphis. 1t was
# who enlisted him in the Second Ten
W nes8ee. Later we both came to thi'
@ regiment. At Camp Sewer we wer'
III with each other a great deal of th'
time. His friends, as a rule, were m,
K friends, always if | happened to knov
# them. Whilst the rest of our regl
W ment became separated when we lef
|S for overseas service, still he and
5 made the long trip together. W
.l were in England, in Belgium and /
M France together. | recall now hoy
very much | was delighted the othe
M day when he returned from schoo
M Always unselfiah and loyal, he rt
# membered his friends even though h
s# forgot himself. He brought me som
new Captains bars from Paris.
Z he were living now he might nee
~ them for he would have been promo
|8 ed to a captaincy soon. The hont
H would have been his Of being the fir
captain in our division and amor
the first in the army, l expect, wi
s volunteered and served as priva
3 solder, The last time | saw Gord'
# was on the night of the 10th
Ccsob-r. He gave me some money
5 had ard come company funds whi
he asked ME to keep for him.
tomorrow to see that his personal
@ fects are sent you. l will send t
s money al2o.
a 1t mu-t be some satisfaction
Know that grateful government {
81 pect3 to see that those who made I
z sacrifice shall not sleep SO far aw'
w But the years may be long. l
maps may not show it plainly, but
little TO the south Of Valenciennes,
l|z mere properly, LIE Cateau, in one
the most beautiful spots in Picar
Is little river called the Selle.
one Of the hills overlooking it Ii
M little village st. Souplet. Just to
8 South is ano her village, St. Mart
z nVlsre. Between these the hills
gently to the East, The view lie
lar away encompassing a battleft
oat when the eye is dropped, Ii
e hedged patch rises below. In it
| sx graves. Two Of them are Of b
N my own company. There Cor
Is buried The vicissitudes Of
Yielded him no shroud, and pass
Smells as they whined along permit