Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-04-15
glory by accepting almost any terms
Of surrender.
/ have gathered number of

y
General Lee left the MCLEAN House,
owned by the same gentleman, at
whose house. near Bull Run, Beaure
gard had his headquarters during the
battle of July Is, 1861, Sheridan
stalked in. and sad, rudely, q mean
to have this chair taking up one of
the chairs in which the Generals had
signed the terms of equalization, and
exhibiting at the time a $3.50 gold
piece. MCLEAN replied, That chair
is not for sale, General. |, YOU choose
to take it you have the physical power
to do So" . l mean to have it," was
the curt rejoinder and the "Great
Barn Burner gave another proof of
his Skill IN petit larceny The table
anu other chairs were in like manner
carried OF by Federal officers as SouUe-
Mrs.
As soon as the flag of truce was
hoIsted Oh GOrdOn's line the offensive
General Gustav e. Miss Fanny ~
came riding furiously in to General
Gordon, demanding in his own name
unconditional surrender" Gordon
drew himself up to his full height,
and with crushing dignity replied: Il
can have no negotiations with you sir;
and if the settlement of this matter
rested between US there could be no
negotiations but by the SUord."
AS showing the spirit OF the men
who participated in The brilliant action
that morning it may be mentioned
that many of then. crowded around
the bearer of one OF the flags of truce
"a widely-knOwn and loved chaplain,
who, since the capture of his regiment
at SpOttsylVania Courthouse, had
served with great gal!antTy Oh Gen.
Gordon S stat1-and eagerly asked if
the enemy had sentin to surrender
their force on that road, thinking that
i'll thanking Us Grant had pushed a
part of his force too far. They had
30 dream that they We're TO be surren-
dered. But gradually the truth broke
upon them, and great was their chag-
rim when these high-mettled victors
i'll the last battle of the Army of
Northern Virginia learned that they
must yield TO overwhelming num-
beers and resOurces"-that after all
ther marches, battles, victories hard
ships, and sutierngs, the cause they
loved better than life itself must sue
cumb to brute force. Many bosoms
heaved with emotion, and
81 Something on the soldiers cheeks
Washed off the stains of powder"
After the flag of truce was raised
A FEDERAL SCOUT WAS SHOT
through mistake by his own men,
when trying to stop the firing, and a
New York major, under the influence
of liquor, met his aeath by gaIloping
up to a Confederate battery and de-
handing its surrender.
The women and children of Apo
mattOX Courthouse had all left their
homes during the battle of the mora
ing, and upon their return had to PASS
Fanny himself was very rude to them
and permitted his men TO kiss them
as they passed. -
Per contra it affords me pleasure to
say that many OF the Federal officers
and men were very courteous and con-
siderate. The citizens of the village
speak well of General Chamberlayue
(since Governor of Maine), who was
delicately considerale of the feelings
of people, gentlemanly in his bearing
and generous towards the vanquished
When the arms were being stacked
A GALLANT COLOR-BEARER,
as he delivered up the tattered rem
nant OF his flag. burst into tears aud
said to the Federal soldiers who re-
ctived it " BOYS, this is not the first
time you have seen that flag. l have
borne it in the very forefront of the
battle on many victorious field, and
| had rather die than surrender it
now Brave fellow" said General
Chamberlayue. who heard the remark
- admire your noble spirit. and only
regret that have not the authority to
bid you keep your flag and carry it
home as a precious heirloOm.n
THE CALM DIGNITY OF GEN. LEE
amid these trying scenes, the deep
emotion with which the men heard
his noble farewell address, and crowd
ed around to shake his hand--how
they were thrilled by his simple words,
MEN, we have fought through the
war together. ! have done my best for
you. My heart is too full to say more, s"
GordOn's noble farewell speech-the
tender parting of comrades who had
been bound 50 closely together by
common hardships, sufferings. dangers
and victories, and now, by this sad
blighting of cherished hopes. were all
wildly recalled as ! gaZed on the very
spots where they occurred, but are to be
detailed now
| was amused to learn that the Fede-
raj soldiers and tourists not only car
ried off all of tie " historic ample
tee," but a whole apple-Orchard a.
well. and was reminded of hearing Of
a gallant Richmond soldier who sold
to Northern visitors after his return
home
WAGoN-LOADs OF THE AFFIRMATION
APPLE-TREE."
which he regularly gathered from a
HcnricO orchard.
noted with pleasure that the noble
women of AppOmattOX have gathered
the Confederate dead into neatlv-kept
cemetery on the road to Appomattox
station, not far from the grove i'm
which Grant established his head
quarters.
/ cannot close this sketch without
quoting the language of that spIen-
did soldier and unconquerable patriot
General j. A. Early in his noble ora
ton on General Lee: Finally, from
mere exhaustion, less than eight MOus-
and men, with arms in their hands. of
the nOblest army that had ever fought
in all the tide of time, were surren-
dered at AppomattoX to an army Of
one huadred and fifty thousand men
the sword of Robert T.. Lee, without
Il blemish upon it, was sheathed for
ever, and the flag to which he had
added such lustre was furled, to be
hencefoth embalmed in the affection
ate remem brance of those who had
remained faithful during all our trials,
and will do so to the end.p
II have'never been a relic hunter
II prize the blanket under hich I
slept the night of the first battle of
Manassas but plucked some thorns
from the tree near which Lee met
Grant. which | propose to weave into
IL wreath of evergreen and immorte'les
taken from General Lees bier the day
we laid him in the vault at Lexington
and to encircle them with the motto:
"7he HOrHs Of AppOmdHoc couered
1Uith the jBlH1Ortailes and eUcTgreenS of
Lees last greet rictOyy."