American Historical Ephemera & Photography

"Army of the Confederate States. / Medical Certificate to Retire Invalid Officer." Macon, GA, 3 March 1865. 1p, 6 1/2  x 7 1/2 in. (creasing at folds ink somewhat faded). Certificate identifies Col. George A. Gordon of the 63rd Georgia Regiment as having appeared before the board for examination, and certifies that "in our opinion he is unfit for service in the field because of chronic hepatitis great debility & emaciation....We therefore recommend his assignment to Post duty. He is a Lawyer, and could serve on Court Martial...."

[With:] A copy of a letter sent 4 August 1866 to Gordon requesting "for publication, a copy of the beautiful speech delivered by you on the morning the 26th Ultimo,"  with Gordon's response written from Huntsville on the same day, indicating that he has enclosed the manuscript of his address "delivered on the occasion of your tournament." Gordon further explains that his purpose in writing the address was twofold, to assist in the erection of a Christian Church and "to animate some despondent-heart among my countrymen...." A small book, approx. 54 pp, 6 1/2 x 8 1/4 in. with marbled boards, contains what seems to be the indicated speech, with a handwritten title page "The Waters of Leche / An Essay / by George A. Gordon" for the "erection of church in / Athens Alabama."  The Confederate motto "Deo Vindice" appears below the main inscription.

George Anderson Gordon (1830-1872) of Savannah, Georgia, graduated from Yale in 1849 and subsequently studied law. He served in various political roles in the state of Georgia before entering military service at the onset of the Civil War. HDS indicates that George A. Gordon enlisted on 5/30/1861 as a captain and was commissioned into "Gordon's" Co., Georgia 1st Infantry. He later was commissioned into Field & Staff with GA 13th Battalion Infantry and GA 63rd Infantry. He was promoted to Major on 5/26/1862 and Colonel on 12/23/1862. Following the war, Gordon removed to Huntsville, Alabama, where he returned to the legal practice. He succumbed to illness there at the age of 42.