The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-03-23

| man, whose name i do not now recall
on the side Of the Confederates, and Gen,
Gibbon, Gen. Merritt and third. Der.
haps Gen. Mackenzie, on the part 81
the Union forces. When Iarriyed at the
court house, negotiations and pour parters
were going on between the commission
ers at Gen. Gibbons headquarters, at
the house Of Mr.. Mcclellan, and / then
saw many Of the general officers on both
sides. From what one saw there it could
hardly have been conceived that these
men had been in arms against each other
through more than four years of deadly
strife. The terror of the breach, the
fury Of the charge and the fatigue of the
march seem to have been forgotten, and
these brave men came together more as
friends than enemies. In all their talks
there was never a suggestion nor word
from either side that could have wounded
the tenderest susceptibility. Many Of
these officers on both sides had served
together in the old army, and it was
touching and interesting to witness the
sympathy between them, which had sur
viyed those long years Of conflict and
carnage. Gen. Cadmus Wilcox told
with emotion how his old classmate.
Gibbon, accused him of having nothing
but Confederate money, and taking from
his pocket new and crisp $50 green
back, thrust it upon him. There was one
sentiment among all of these men,
which seemed to crop out in spite of
themselves, and that was that, after all
the bloody struggle of the past, they
were still all americans. The only pun
ishment saw inflicted was that on some
large jugs of brandy which had found
their way to the Union headquarters,
and under the peculiar circumstances
that was not taken and deemed as a
"cruel and unusual punishment" within
the meaning of the constitution.
met on that occasion two gentlemen
in the Confederate service with whom I
had served in congress: Hon. Alexan-
der R. Boteler, of Virginia, and Hon.
Lucius Q. G. Lamar, of Mississippi.
Lamar was member of the committee
on commerce in the thirty-sixth congress,
of which was chairman, and though we
differed on all political matters as widely
as two men could well differ, our per-
sOnal relations had always been pleasant
and agreeable. Though had not much
money with me, I proposed to divide
with him, but he declined, saying he
could see his way clear to get to Balti-
more, and when once where Winter
Davis was he should be all right. I
knew what that meant, Tor the intimacy
and friendship that existed between those |
two brilliant and gifted men, so utterly |
opposed to each other on all of the politi-
cal questions of the day, was well known |
in Washington circles. They were
united together by tie which binds to
gether scholars, persons of similar tastes
and smen of genius and eloquence, and |
which even the storms of war could not !
sunder. Had these men lived in France
during the great revolution, Lamar
would have rivalled Mirabeau in the
tribune of the national assembly, and
Winter Davis would have been the peer
Of Vergniaud, the echoes of whose grace
full, but indignant eloquence resounded
through all France long after his head
had rolled into the basket of the guillo-
Tine and his blood ran in the cutters of
The Place de la Revolution.
Altering remaining two days at Apo
natox, / was ready to start with my
.scort on my return towards Burksville
md Richmond. Gen. Gordon, having
ieard Rof the sickness of his family at
Petersburg, was extremely anxious to
ret away as soon as his mission in con-
lection with the surrender should be
nded, and he sent word to Gen. Gibbon
o inquire if he thought | would have
ny objection to his going with my escort.
sent as an answer that I should be
leased to have him or any of his friends
Or company on the long horseback Jour
ey before me. I had heard 20 much Of
is wonderful career as soldier, that I !
as very happy to have him 70 along e
18th me. Gen. Cadmus Wilcox. an old
spulsr army officer, and we'll known II