Photo from the Confederate Veteran, Vol. 6, p. 376.
Born in 1841 in Kingston, Ga., Lt. Col. Augustus "Gus" Manly Gordon was the next oldest of Gen. John B. Gordon's three younger brothers. He also served in the 6th Alabama Infantry alongside John, was wounded at Seven Pines and was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville.
According to John's reminiscences, while Augustus was captain in command of John's old Company D "Raccoon Roughs" (John commanding the regiment) he was shot through the lungs at Seven Pines where the 6th Alabama suffered horrendous losses. He recovered and was promoted to major and later lieutenant colonel; however, he was struck by a canister shot at Chancellorsville in almost the exact same place he was wounded before, this time taking his life.
In the battle of Seven Pines:
As I rode up and down my line, encouraging the men forward, I passed my young brother, only nineteen years old, but captain of one of the companies. He was lying with a number of dead companions near him. He had been shot through the lungs and was bleeding profusely. I did not stop; I could not stop, nor would he permit me to stop. There was no time for that, no time for anything except to move on and fire on.
- John B. Gordon, Reminiscences of the Civil War, pp. 56-57.
And according to John:
My younger brother Augustus Gordon, captain and later lieutenant-colonel, furnished another illustration of this remarkable foresight of approaching death. Brave and lovable, a modest though brilliant young soldier, he was rapidly winning his way to distinction. A youth of scarcely twenty-one years, he was in command of the Sixth Regiment of Alabama. Before going into the fight in the Wilderness [Chancellorsville], he quietly said: "My hour has come." I joked and chided him. I told him that he must not permit such impressions to affect or take hold upon his imagination. He quickly and firmly replied: "You need not doubt me. I will be at my post. But this is our last meeting." Riding at the head of his regiment, with his sword above him, the fire of battle in his eye and words of cheer for his men on his lips, the fatal grape-shot plunged through his manly heart, and the noble youth slept his last sleep in that woful Wilderness.
- Reminiscences of the Civil War, pp. 64-65.
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