Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-04-18
cepting almost any terms of sur.
render.
I gathered number of
INCIDENTS OF THE SURRENDER

owned by the same gentleman, at whose
house, near Bull Run, Beauregard had
his head qual tiers during the battle of
July 10, 1861, Sheridan stalked in and
said, rudely, 81 mean to have this
cnair" taking up one of the chairs In
which the Generals had signed the
terms of capitulation, and exhibiting
at the same time Il $3.50 gold-piece.
Major Mclean replied, THAT chair is
not for sale, General. If you choose
to take it you have the physical power
to do So" II mean to have it,, was
the curt rejoinder; and the "Great
Barn-Burner" gave another proof of
skill in petit larceny. The table and
other chairs were in like manner car
ried off by Federal officers as souUe-
Mrs.
AS soon as the flag of truce was
hoisted on Gordon's line the offensive
General Gustav ("Miss Fanny') came
riding furiously in to General Gordon,
demanding, in his own name, ''uncon-
ditional surrender" Gordon drew
himself up to his full height, and with
crushing dignity replied 81 can have
no negotiation with you, sir !; and if
the settlement of this matter rested
between lis there could be no negotia-
tons but by the sword
AS showing the spirit of the men
who participated in the brilliant action
that morning it may be mentioned that
many of them 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
30
staf-and eagerly asked if the enemy
had sent in to surrender their force on
that road, thinking that in thanking us
Grant had pushed a part of his force
too far. They had no dream that they
were to be surrendered. But gradu-
ally the truth broke upon them, and
great was their chagr1n when these
high-mettled victors in the last battle
of the Army of Northern Virginia
learned that they must ''yield to over
whelming numbers and resources
that after all their marches, battles,
victories, hardships and sufferings, the
cause they loved better than life itself
must succumb to brute force. Many
bosoms heaved with emotion, and
Something on the soldiers cheeks
Washed OF the stain OF POWDER
After the flag of truce was raised
FEDERAL SCOUT WAS SHOT
through mistake by his own men, when
trying to stop the firing, and New
York major, under the influence OF
liquor, met his death by galloping up
to a Confederate battery and demand
ing its surrender.
The women and children of Apo
mattox Courthouse had all left their
homes during the battle of the morn
ing, and upon their return had to pass
through Custar's cavalry. Miss
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 in especially high terms of Gen
eral Chamberlayne (since Governor of
Maine), who was delicately considerate
of the feelings of the people, gentle
manly in his bearing, and generous to-
wards the vanquished.
When the arms were being stacked
A GALLANT COLOR-BEARER,
as he delivered up the tattered remnant
of his flag, burst into tears and said
to the Federal soldiers who received
it ''Boys, this IS not the first time
you have seen that flag. have borne
1t i'll the very forefront of the battle
on many a victorious field, and [ had
rather die than surrender it now
Brave fellow" said Gen. Chamber
layne. who heard the remark, Il adj
mire your noble spirit, and only regret
that have not the authority to bid
you keep your flag and carry it home
as precious heirloom"
THE CALM DIGNITY OF GEN LEE
amid these trying scenes, the deep
emotion with which the men heard his
noble farewell address, and crowded
around to shake his hand-how they
were thrilled by his simple words,
Men, we have fought through the
war together. [ have done NV best
for you. My heart is too full to say
more" Gen. Gordon's noble farewell
speech-the tender parting of COM
rades who had been bound SO closely
together by common hardships, suffer
lngs, dangers and victories, and now,
by this sad blighting of cherished
hopes, We're all wildly recalled as {
gazed on the very spots where they
occurred, but are too familiar to be
detailed now
l was amused to learn that the Fed
eral soldiers and tourists not only car
ried off all of the ''historic apple tree"
but IA whole apple orchard as well, and
was reminded of hearing of gallant
Richmond soldier who sold to North
ern visitors after his return home
WAGON LOADS OF THE "APPOMATTOx
APPLE TREE -
which he regularly gathered from a
orchard
noted with pleasure that the noble
women of Appomattox have gathered
the Confederate dead into a neatly kept
on the roud to Appomattox
station, not far from the grove in which
Grant established his headquarters.
L cannot close this sketch without
quoting the language of that splendid
soldier and unconquerable patriot Gen
eral j. A. Early in his noble Grafton
On General Lee: Finally, from
mere exhaustion, less than eight
thousand men, with arms in
their hands, of the noblest army
that had ever fought sin all the tide of
Tine, were surrendered to an army of |
me hundred and fifty thousand MEN:
The sword of Robert E. Lee, without a |
Flemish upon it, was sheathed forever,
md the flag to which he had added |
such lustre was forever furled, to be |
lenceforth embalmed in the affection
tie remembrance of those who had
'emained faithful during all our trials,
md will do SO to the end
Il have never been a relic hunter
[ prize the blanket under which I
lept the night of the first battle of
Manassas but I plucked some thorns
rom the tree near which Lee met
irant, which 1 propose to weave into a
wreath of evergreen and immortelles,
aiken from General Lees bier the day
We laid him in the vault at Lexington,
nd to encircle them with the motto:
:" The MO'1as Of AppOnaattor covered
'HH the i"naOriettes and euergreens
= Ices 5t,st great rictoay."
V1AToR.
From the Southern uitivator,
FOR THE MONTH. |