The Portland daily press., 1867-12-13

GOVERNOR CHAMBERLAIN can but have in
creased the already very high estimation in
which his literary ability is held in this city,
by his address last evening ON the Surrender
of Lee" The details of that momentous event
are by most people imperfectly understood and
even the closest students of such histories as
have described it, fail for the most part to get
a clear idea of the preliminary movements
which led to the contamination of the nations
triumph. But Gen. Chamberlain gives to his
narratioe that lucid arrangement and that
sharpness of outline which only an eye-wit-
ness can successfully attain. Only Caesar him
self could adequately describe the conquest of
Gaul, and among all the men of brilliant parts
who were found in the grand old Army of the
Potomac, it may be doubted if there is another
possessing the requirements and the expert
ence so peculiarly fitting to make him its his
torian as the man whom Maine has honored
herself by placing in the gubernatorial chair.
One who has read the brilliant battle pieces
of Victor Hugo may gain some idea of the Wv
idness with which Gen. Chamberlain depicts
the scenes which came under his own observa-
ton on those glorious April days of 1S65-the
patient march of weary but all-enduring men
IL Poio'Ao u % loC tudt HlOE6 budu IOuT
years had alternately fled before them or press
ed their rear-the brief and comfortless bivouac
before the dawn-the final dawn of victory and
peace-the soldiers reused for the last time
from slumber by bugle that called them to
battle-the thrilling dispatch from Sheridan to
Grant, saying that he had intercepted the enc
my and prophesying of "Ihe great results of
Tomorrow if support should reach him-the
impetuous forward movement of Chamber
lain's division in answer to this call-Sheri-
dams flag in sight-the filing to his right and
the engagement with the enemy-the falling
back of the rebels and the advance of the I'm
ion soldiers till the supreme moment when
they looked down from the crest of the hills
around the village of Appomattox, and saw in
the ampitheatre at their feet the torecE Of the
rebellion. There was fine touch of the bet
ter part of human nature in the speakers
allusion to an instructive and half-unconscious
feeling of reluctance on the part of our SOL
diers at this time of complete triumph to strike
disabled foe But over the crest and down
the hill they went, at no little peril withal,-
their leader choosing to obey Sheridans order
rather than Ord's more prudent commands
Then came the flag of truce and conference of
generals. Gordon, well-praised by the historian
of his defeat, Longstreet, looking grave and
care-worn, but with kindly dignity still, and
Anderson are pictured to us, meeting to treat
for cessation of hostilities with Phil Sheri-
dan. and to listen TO his explosives Then after
fruitless conference and preparations for re-
newal of the fight, came Grant and Lee and
made the compact by virtue of which $1,000
stand of arms and 100 colors were to be laid at
the feet of Chamberlain, rightfully selected
manned and battle-scarred as he was from re-
cent conf1icts-to receive the surrender
No one who was so fortunate last night as to
hear the Governors graphic description of the
formal ceremonial of surrender, of the gray
clad Rebels marching up and laying down
their weapons all day long, while not word
nor sign of derision or of triumph from
their magnanimous victors added to the weight
OF their humiliation, and of that wonderful
resurrectio of a long dormant traternal feel
ing between North and South-alas, too soon
to disappear again-no one who heard all this
will forget it sooner than he forgets how the Old
Guard died at Waterloo. s7 =-e
The Governor was made aware of the ap-
probation of his hearers by frequent outbursts
OF applause at some eloquent passage or at
some of the not infrequent touches of humor
OF which, in delicate aud scholarly way, he
IS quite the master. His account of an inter-
view with Bombastes Furioso Wise was espec-
tally entertaining. '
Owing to the prominent part taken by Gov.
Chamberlain in the closing scenes of the re-
beiiion, he could not of course, avoid quite
frequent though incidental allusion to himself
In describing them; but he did so with all be-
coming modesty, while man more given to
seitassertion might well have said, pars mama
fui.