The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-02-01

degree rendering such disaster as tina
to his rear divisions at Sailors Creek
between Amelia Springs aud Farmvile
is one of the most signal evidences o.
his natchless power as commander.
WHETHER GEN. LEES HEART WAS IN
THE SOUTHERN CAUSE
Has been called IN question by some
interested in maligniug that cause. Let
me mention an incident which makes
the truth clear as day.
Having reached Farmville, in Prince
Edward county, on the morning Of Fri
day, April 7lb, our little army crossed
the Appomattox again, gaining the
Northern bank, aud destroying the
bridges. Battle order was then formed
and the enemy approaching greeted
with cannon in position. One bridge
below, however, had not been destroyed.
and corps of the Federal army pressed
upon us from that direction. Giving
my personal attention to the defence
there, met your OWE gallant fellow
citizen, General John B. Gordon, con
ducting the fight, as was his want, with
dash and vigor. A few words we're ex-
changed. He Informed me of con-
ference held some hours before between
himself, General Richard Anderson and
others, in which it was determined that
myself, as one intimately associated
with the command,in chief, should be
requested to see him, if in accordance
with my views, and express to him our
sense Of the desperateness OF the stu
ation-and of the moral impropriety Of
continuing struggle now clearly hope
less-cyery man killed under such cir
cumstauce being, as We thought, rath-
er murdered than martyred. My i'm
preston being ip the main OF the same
general cast, l agreed to see General
Longstreet first, as next in command to
General Lee. This, accordingly was
done. General Longstreet met the
suggestion at first with his accustomed
imperturbable resolution, objectiug, in
to to, to any thought of discontinuing
the contest, and adding that he belize
we'd his corps, or what remained of it.,
could "still whip" as he expressed it,
"three times their number of Yankees"
Admiring his spirit, l readily acquies-
ced, but suggested the inquiry whether
they could Withstand thirty times their
number, as they would have TO do? He,
! in the sequel, fully agreed tha: General
Lee ought to be communicated with,
and begged him to 90 in person aud
express his own sense Of tae situation,
if for no other reason, to relieve the
noble heart of the great commander OF
the sense of solitariuess in his mighty
responsibility. The veteran ,Licuten-
ant General, however, excused him:
self on the score of his being slow Of
speech, and requested me to represent
him, with the rest, in submitting the
statement of all this TO General Lee. l
gladly make this statement TO the hon-
or of General Lonestreet-though dit
fering with that officer, as to his recent
course, wide as the poles.
General Lee was lying on the ground.
No other heard the conversation be-
tween him aud myself. He received
my communication, with the reply,
"Gracious heavens, l trust it has not
come to that !' And added, General,
we have yet too many bold mcu to think
of lavins down our arms. The enemy
do not fight with spirit like our boys
still do Besides, if | were 20 say a
word to the Federal commander, he
would regard it as such a confession of
weakness. as to make it the occasion ol
demanding unconditional surrender, a
proposal to which l will never listen.
| { have resolved to die first, and that ii
it comes that we shall force through, or
all fall 10 our places" [ tell you
friends, General Lee was the boldest
man in all that heroic band. The Gen.
eral went on-"General, this is no new
question with me. I have never be
lieved we could, against the gigantic
combination for our subjugation, make
good, in the long run, our. indepeud-
ence, unless foreign powers should
directly or indirectly, assist US. This
II was sure it was their interest and duty
to do, and hoped they would so regard
;t Rut sueh considerations really
made with me no difference. We had
/ I was satisfied, sacred principles te
maintain and rights to defend, for Which
we were in duty bound to do our best
Eeven if we perished in the endeavor r
These were, as nearly as: l n-reeal
then, the exact words Of General lee
Ion that most critical occasion. You SEE
lin them the soul Of the man what'hi'
Iconscience dictated, and his judgmer
decided, there his heart was.
THE SURRENDER.
Another illustrative incident, show
inc the man, occurred a few hours be-
fore the surrender. = Engaged under hi
instructions the evening before, amil'
or two beyond Apponattax G. = . II
extricad1g an artillery command o
which one Of my associates had charge
and there exposed to csptare, e we
Erscsilsd BY message from, himself l
''dNasl j, A. ii. Sunday, 9th April before
through the darEnessAsds danger aSgc 1
ceeded in. finding the General: II ~
tarseetinisS; t eGo0& rhorni6g. GeDerdN "a
his fresh neatness Of dress. as sa,ds tor som
imposing. ceremony, surprised ) sge
'lGan, I.onestreet gas, With him. - Efte