The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-09-17
PHILs sHRIDAN.s PERIL.


Battle Of Appomattox.
Philadelphia Timesl
al had message from General Lee telling
me flag oftruce was in existence, leaving
it 10 my discretion as to what course to
pursue. Ny men were still pushing their
way on. l sent at once to hear from Gener-
al Longstreet, feeling that if he wac march,
ing toward me we might still cut through
and carry the army forward. / learned that
he was about two miles off with his men
faced just opposite from mine, fighting for
his life. thus saw the case was hopeless.
The further each of us drove the enemy the
further we drifted apart and the more ex-
posed we left our wagon trains and artillery.
which was parked between US. Every time
either of us broke only opened the gap the
wider. / saw plainly that the Federals
would soon rush in between US and then
there would have been no army. / there
fore determined to send flag of truce. 1
called Majors Hunter, ofmy staff, to me and
told him that / wanted him to carry flag
OF truce forward. He replied:
"'General, have no flag of truce
81 told him to get one. He replied:
"General we have no flag of truce in our
command
"Then, said 1: Then get your handker-
chief, put it on a stick and go forward
81 have no handkerchief, general
"Then borrow one and go forward with
it.
"He tried, and reported to me that there
was no handkerchief in my staff.
Then, major. use your shirt
"'You see, general, that we all have on
flannel shirts
"At last, believe, we found man who
had white shirt. He gave it to us, and
tore off the back and tail, and rigging this to
a stick Major Hunter went out toward the
enemy's lines / instructed him to simply
say to General Sheridan that General Lee
had written me that flag of truce had been
sent from his and Grants headquarters, and
that he could act as he thought best on this
information. In few moments he came
back with Major -- of Sheridan's staff
This officer said:
"General Sheridan requested me to pre-
sent his compliments to You, and to demand
the unconditional surrender of your army
"'Major, will you please return my COM
pliments to General Sheridan and say that
will not surrender
II "'But general, he will annihilate you
az am perfectly well aware of my situa.
ton. simply gave General Sheridan som,
information on which he may or may mo-
desire to act
"He went back to his lines, and in shor
time General Sheridan came galloping for
ward on an immense horse and attended by
n very large staff. Just here an incident
occurred that came near having a serious
ending. As General Sheridan was APP
preaching l noticed one of my sharp-shoot
ers drawing his rifle down upon him. 1 a
f once called to him. Put down your gun sir
this is flag of truce!' But he never raised
it. He simply settled it to his shoulder anC
was drawing bead on Sheridan, when
leaned forward and jerked his gun. II,
struggled with me- but l finally raised it
then loosed it and he started to aim again
{ 1 caught it again, when he turned his whit,
| face, all broken with grief and streaming
with tears, up to me and said, We'll genera
then let him keep on his own sideP Tn
/ fighting had continued up to this point. In
! deed after the flag of truce a regiment o
my men, who had been fighting their wa,
through toward where we were and VIII
) did not know of a flag of truce, fired int
some of Sheridan's cavalry. This wa
speedily stopped, however. l showed Gen
eral Sheridan General Lees note and he de
: termined to await events. He dismounte(
: and did the same. Then, for the first tim,
t the men seemed to understand what it al
5 meant. And then the poor fellows brok
, down. The men cried like children. Worn
starved and bleeding as they were, they ha'
rather have died than have surrendered
AT one word from me they would hav
t hurled themselves on the enemy and hav
{ cut their way through or have fallen to
man with their guns in their hands. But
: could not permit it. The great drama hat
: been played to its end.