The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-11-02
GEN. E. NJ. LAW
Times-Union)

Y
Barlow, Oct. 31-Major General
E. M. Law, ranking surviving officer
of the army of the Confederate States
|cf America, died here today after
weeks illness.
Evander MeIver Law. schoolmater,
soldier and editor. was born in Dar-
|lington, S. c.. in 1886. He graduated
from the South Carolina Military
Academy in 1856. and began teaching
lat Kings Mountain Military school at
ork, S. c.. the next year, remaining
there until he moved to Tuskegee,
Ala, in 1860, to establish a military
school.
Upon the secession of Florida IN
January, 1861. Gen. Law abandoned
his plans and led company of Ala
hama volunteers to aid the FIoridians,
assisting in the capture of Pensacola
and the forts at that place. He re-
mzined IN Florida two months, going
into the Confederate army as lieuten-
ant colonel of the 4th sASahesaa reg
iment when the states organized. His
first post was an assignment at Har-
pef's Ferry but he shortly returned
/ to Virginia and was wounded at the
first battle of Manassas. He attained
the rank of colonel during the penin-
sular campaign and after the battle
of Seven Pines. was elevated to the
rank of senior colonel of his brigade,
leading his command with signal gal
lantry through the seven days battle
from Gaines Mill to Malvern Hin.
Gen Law commanded his brigade
in 1852. going through the second
battle of Manassas and the battles Of
Roonesboro and Antietam and emery
ing as brigadier general in October
in time for the battle of Fredericls-
burg.
Under Longstreet in the Suffolk
campaign the next year, and at Get
tysburg, when upon the wounding of
Gen. Hood, he succeeded to the conn.,
mand of the division, he was signalIy
successful, having been breveted on
the field at Gettysburg by General
Longstreet for maneuvering his di-
vision on the Round Tops, in such a
manner as to effect the disastrous re-
pulse of Kilpatrick's division Of
mounted federal troops.
Gen. Law wept to the western
army with Longstreet. IN 1868, and
commanded a division at Chickamau-
ga, Gen. Longstreet commencing him
for his distinguished conduct" In
1864. he returned east and was with
Gen. Lee through the Wilderness and
sacceeding campaigns until the battle
of Cold Harbor. where his division.
lrepulsed Smiths Sixteenth army
corps with loss of 4500 men. and in
which engagement he was seriously
wounded.
| Returning to duty in February,
1855, Gen. Law was assigned to Gen.
Wade Hampton,s cavalry corps, later
becoming chief of staff to Gen. Jos.
E. Johnston. Upon the illness Of Gen.
Butler, Gen. Law was elevated to the
frank of major general and assigned
Ito command Buffers division. This
command he held until his surrender
lat Greensboro, N. c., on April %.
1 Gen. Law came to Florida IN 1893,
and the following year established
the South Florida Military Institute,
the forerunner of the University Of
/ Florida. Later he became editor Of
the Barlow Courier-Tnformant, and
served in that capacity until his re-
ltirement from active life In 1915.
4 He repeatedly had refused honors
lat the hands of the state organization
of United Confederate Veterans and
at the state reunion IN 1916 opposed
vigorously the adoption of a reso1u-
ton proposing his name for COM
l1nander-in-chief of the national or
ganization, declaring that the honor
) lof being senior surviving officer Of
: the Southern armies was sufficient.
This distinction he had held six years
, prior to his death.