The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-06-05
Closing Scenes of the War.

GEN. cHEArHAM's DIVISION AT GREENSBORO
From the Columbia Herald.
The near approach of the anniversary of the forma
surrender of Gen Johnstons army win bring man,
sad reflections 70 hose who present The wave
Of surrender rolled forward from Appomattox tt
Greensboro. The first of May, 1865, found The
Ejth0al remnant OK the Army of Tennessee, witt
stacked arms dy to receive their paroles and sever
forever the associations of the four years. war,
qgaed IN he annals of nations for severity of service
ana it's SaDguinary conflicts
GhcGtbiu4's -ision of Tennesseeans who had faced
the enemy on every Western battle field from Bel
mont to Bent0uE5fle-which cannot be said of any
olber division oil the Western army-never failed to
carry any position attacked, or hold against over
wbemng numbers its line of battle in every instance
was there To receive the last words from its faithful
and gallant commander, Frank Cheatham.
No more gloomy occasion ever oppressed with woe
and sorrow the human breast. None but true and
noble spirits such composed this fragment of 49,
900, fully estimate the full depth of sublime sor-
row that possessed and oVercame the soul of those
heroes of the truest stamp.
And these seven hundred mcn-some of whom dur
ing the war had Travelled on foot and otherwise up
wards of 1900 miles-who climbed the mountains
waded the rivers borne upon their heads the storms
of dreary Northwestern Virginia-who had under the
lead of Stonewall Jackson marched through binding
snow storms along the Potomac in January 1862 at-
ter tie foe like Infatuated beast seeking bis prey
who listened to the uproar and mingled in the crush
ing crashing conflicts from Shiloh to Nashvile-had
now to part and many to part that would never see
each other in this world. Will any of those seven
hundred ever cease to remember their last encamp-
ment in North Carona-near High Pont-along that
winding stream, in that tall forest of oak with the
plank road passing through-do not they remember
how warmly the sun shone, and mildly the wind blew
kissing the wild flowers into bloom on that beautiful
1st day Of May? There and then they separated to
60 to their homes, they saw their best friends and
loved comrades for the last time-what heart would
not be soened when he looked into the face of his
dearest friend "a friendship formed during a four
years conflict OF such terrible suterings that he will
never see again?
But the heart whose beatings were true-and whose
place in line was not vacant at Perryvle and Frank
lln-know how to appreciate the feelings of deep sor
row and despair, that the veterans of Cheat
hams division felt when, that bright, bany LIST day
of May 1865, they were declared no longer Confed
crate soldiers.
The Old Guard of Bonaparte, or the heroes of any
eheftain, show not record that can more than COM
pare with the devotion and casualty in battle of the
few hundred of Cheatham's division that surrendered
at Greensboro. Whilst the army lay near Raleigh
Gen. Cheatham being serenaded took occasion to re-
mark upon the faithful manner in which his division
had served the cause-or rather that part that were
now with him. He said that his division was organ
ised at Cornth, Miss, in April 1862 that the num-
Der of men then assigned him, with those that WIRE
afterwards placed to bis division, together with the
cohscflpts anu volunteers tlat were sent to him,
amounted to rather more than IS, 900 men. That by
DEATH discharge, deseron, and loss in battle his Off
cial papers showed loss of more than l6, 900 men,
and that he had at present rather more than seven
hundred. But this will be fully explained when it is
told that large majority of his soldiers had been
wounded from three to six and seven times.
They parted and are now scattered and pass along
other men, poor obscure, and unknown and will
live unhonered and die unsung. Nov, amidst the
vaunts Of the coward and the railing Of those against
Radicalism, they SILENT they feel that Appomat-
tox and Greensboro decided everything. They some
times talk with one another Of Shiloh Chickamauga
and are sad at heart though their faces are cheerful
Though unknown and uncared for in this world will
not God be kind and thoughtful Of them in another?
| think sol hone Sol pray 60