The commonwealth., 1921-04-27
CAPT. FRAYSER HINTON'S
TRIBUTE TO
GORDON GILLESPIE
delivered at His Grave Sunday
Afternoon).

No human voice has ever spoken
words that softened the harshness of
death separation, That terrible 81
lence which sweeps over us in an
hour like this is so far reaching in
its effects that no mortal effort can
relieve even slightly its apparent bit
terness and only the gathering Of
true loyal friends so noticeable in
this assembly tends to remove the
horror of being set apart from a
loved one.
Gordon Gillespie was in my opinion
the most efficient man | have ever
known, his loss to the Country was
and will be felt beyond description by
those who knew and those who low
ed him, for to really know him, was
to love him.
Gordon joined my company in Mem
phis shortly after war was declared
and belongs to that element OF A
mericans that may today say with
pride that they Volunteered. From
the first he was keenly interested in
learning and when my good friend
and comrade Captain Fauntleroy
suggested that | appoint him First
Sergeant, which by the way is the
highest position a Commanding Of
ficer may warrant an enlisted man,
he quickly took his position in front
of the company and from that day to
his final appointment he never de-
layed doing his duty.
Someone has said that an ounce oil
loyalty is worth a pound of clever
ness and / want to say never in my
life have | ever been associated with
one more loyal than Gordon Giles
pie.
| Shortly after the government be-
gan to recompose and reorganize the
! army there was great necessity to
have officers appointed and on ac-
count of Gordon not being connect
ed with any of the then newly or
eanized units it made it doubly diff
cult for him to receive the support
so necessary in acquiring a commits
sion.
| Gordon always had made the hlgh
est marks In examinations on mil
tary tactics and science and now wa
the time when he should reap the be
nefits of his labor. Every Command
) ing officer had sent in list OF tn
men in his regiment that he though
capable of taking and passing the ex
animation for commissions. GordoI
. was not among these for the rea
sons that I mentioned before. II
came over to my tent one evening
the evening before the morning o
the examination. We sat down. Ii
said TO me Captain, ! feel might
badlv that | will not be given an OF
portunity to take that examination
, the morning, it seems that every on
\ has about gone back on me ana
have every reason to believe that
can pass it." / then asked him
certain officers Of high rank couI
help him obtain permission ana
stated that several had promised M
hut that none had made good the
word. Ever feeling a sincere aomi
alton for Gordon, | told him that
would see what | could do. ! had 7
command at that time, being attach'
only and not actively in charge
E. troops it made it doubly difficult Il
sr me to assist in the matter; however
h had a long talk with Colonel Mino
III Gordon's commanding officer at q
n time of his death and he advised r
r finally that he would try and ma
I'd II nossible for Gordon to take I
a examination. .
on Gordon did take the examlnatl
i'd and lead the class Of applicants;
ne made the highest mark OF all a
cy there were at least fifty.
ne Shortly after my arrival in Frar
was ordered to join the Rainb
Division, at that time fighting ne
sedan--and Paris being on the wa!
proposed to stop over a few hou
hardly had l registered in my no
IC than A member Of Gordon's regime
y Young lieutenant and Menp
boy whom was well acquainted W
advised me that Gordon had been x
nv ed I had come to Paris for
hours Of pleasure, just little
creation before joining the band
III
men that were making history ev
minnie. Never, never did such
strange feeling come over me; eve
thing became red before my eyes
ses could not see, I could not thlnS
nty could not hear, the young iIeu1en
lay talked on, did not hear a woro
INK said, was hungry before | met : :
DO,- had no desire to eat afterward
ey- was cold and wet with the dampr
es- 50 prevalent in European COUNT
nv eyes began to see, my ears =
menced to hear, my muscles bega'
harden, my brain began to work
work rapidly too, | now saw II a
lrt saw Gordon Gillespie carrying !
=, ,,. 10 +hosa who followed 10 "