The daily gazette., 1877-08-10
THE coNFEDERACX's LAST CAPi
TAI
STRANGE SCENES AT SHREVEPORT,
IA IN MAY. 1863.

First Fe ieral Volunteer, in Phila. Weekly
Times.
Shreveport was the last capital OF
the Confederate ma ton. There were
assembled the civil as we'll as the
military genius of what was left of
the Confederacy intact, There
Sterling Price called Tom Reynolds
ssthe pretended Governor of Mis-
souri"' and d. Kavanaugh called
Reynolds ga cowardly deadhead,"
and Rednolds called Price ga toddy-
slipping blusterer." Kirby Smith
was accused of cottoning to the
enemy, both in the staple and the
surrender, and gave over the COM
mand of the troops to Simon Bolivar
Buckner. Buckner and Price quietly
went off to New Orleans to surrend-
er the Department for Smith, and
General Heron, appointed by Candy
to receive that surrender, brought
them both back in his steamboat, and
also Major General Brent, now of
Maryland. Herron's steamer was in
the advance-twenty steamers in all
and as the others were deeply
laden with provisions for the starry
ing rebels, he rode ahead over the
low water and approached Shreve-
port on an afternoon in May, 1868.
The scene on the levec was so tumul-
! tuous that even the rebel command
er shrank back, unwilling to leave
the steamer. They knew that Shell
| by and others had revolted against
a surrender, and, might attack his
unarmed boat, and their own status
was uncertain. Shelby was even
then drawn up on the prairie west
of Shreveport earnestly debating an
assault on Heron. Price, Buckner
and Brent were well educated,
polite men, all of some Northern
affiliations; they did not 60 ashore
until next day. Herron's nearest
steamer, which contained troops, was
nearly a day behind him. In this
uncertainty he ordered the band to
play, and drove up to the wharf in
the view of full 10000 armed men
looking in wonder at those lonely
stars and stripes, land all jabbering in
the widest confusion.
"I'll be derned," cried one fellow,
''if that amt General Heron up
there"
Heron went ashore, and this man
elbowed through the crowd to him:
"General, what does this mean!
Have we surrendered"
eyes," said Heron, '.you have
surrendered. l have come up to
lparole you and give you something
: to eat. My transports will be here
pretty soon."
The man jumped upon bale Of
cotton and made speech: "Boys,
this is General Heron. You've all
heard of him in these parts. We've
surrendered. Huzza General Her.
ron's here to issue our paroles and
give us transportation home, and
Glory be to God. to give us some
thing to eat. Immense yells and
cheersl / propose three cheers foi
General Heron"
That huge concourse of wild men
swayed and shouted and nearly pres
sed Heron off the wharf. A thou
sand different emotions were expires.
sed in their faces, but chiefly graft.
: tude. Looking down from the steam.
er, sad and apprehensive, and cast
anew on the barren strand of civi
life, were the brave old veterans O
Mexico, Price, and Buckner, the de.
fender of Donaldson, whose accom-.
= plishments survived that humilia
ton. 1t was the last general seen,
it the rebellion. Dick Taylor hac
surrendered at Citronelle, Ala, Ma,
/, and Joe Johnston had surrender
ed April 26.
Heron threw himself, with read
diplomacy, upon the confidence an,
cooperation of the Confederate lin
of officers at Shreveport, and sent 70
II several of them by their soldiers.
81 am not acquainted here" h
said, "and would like you to indi
to cate suitable building for my head
i quarters "
They told him to take the bank
and led the way up through tn
IL town of $4,000 inhabitants, tn
ur ragged rebel veterans throngin
round and following.
"Now, officers" said Heron, "le
us help each other to protect the pee
pie and guard these streets. 81
your own guards tonight, and let l
IS close this war up creditably to bot
armies"
That night, very late, Hero
walkal out and inSnncto1 tbo +ou,,