Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-02
LAST DAYS OF LEES ARMY.

LAST DAYS OF LEES ARMY.
The Men Who Led the One Hundred-Cap
English and the Flag Of Truce.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
The narrative of Gen. Gordon of the
last days of Lees lighting in Virginia,
which appeared in the Constitution of
last Sunday, has been the subject of gen.
eral comment. There are many men in
this city who went through those fearful
scenes, and in whose breasts the fervid
words of the narrative Weakened memories
that have for years been smothered by
he hum and hustle of the world.
Capt. James English of this city is the
man whe received the first note of the
correspondence between Gen. Grant and
Gen. Lee that resulted IN the surrender.
1t came about on the night Of the 7th of
April. Capt. English was commanding
q company in the second Georgia battal-
ion, in Wright's Georgia brigade. This
brigade had been engaged all
the afternoon in a heavy fight
with Miles division, and had captured
about 1900 prisoners. The men were
feeling pretty good over 1t. Their lines
were resting near High bridge in Vir-
gluIa. At night courier dashed up to
the lines and asked for truce, stating
that he desired to send note from Gen.
Grant to Gen. Lee. Capt. English, in
whose front he had halted, went forward
aud told him that he would communicate
his wishes to the brigade headquarter.
At length the permission was granted
and the sealed message was sent forward.
While it was gone, the courier who had
brought the message began talking. "Do
you know what that message isl" he said
to Capt. English, who had just been
joined by State Senator Perry, who was
ABUNDANT general Of the brigade. mo, l
don't!" was the reply. ut is demand
for the surrender Of Lees arryr' We
are not permitted to chronicle the exact
nature of the reply made by Capt. Eng
lish and Adjt. Perry to this information.
PATHETIC INCIDENT.
A gentleman in this city writes US the
following account of a most pathetic in
cident that occurred on the night attack
on Fort Steadman. 1t gives the name of
the leader OF the 100 men who took the
fort A more touching or heroic incident
is not be found in the annals of the war
ATLANTA. GA, Sept. III. W. Ora
DY: Dear sir-YOur interesting account
vi recent interview with Gen. Gordon
regarding the closing scenes of the late
war in yesterdays Constitution brings to
the mind of the writer an incident that l
think worthy of note as illustrating the
iion-hearted determination of the humble
actors in that bloody drama. The officer
who commanded the hundred rifemen,
whose task was to capture Fort Steadman,
was Capt Joseph P. Carson, Company l,
Fourth Georgia regiment, Phil Cooks
brigade, who now resides on his planta.
ton near Reynolds, Taylor county, Geor.
gia, younger brother Of Capt. Carson
only about nineteen years old at the time
and acting as courier for Gen. Cook
followed his brother unawares into the
fight, and was probably the first man
killed, as Immediately after daylight
Capt. G. found his body lying on the
edge of the fort with head to the enemy
Capt. Carson kept the body near him
moving from point to point during the
fight, and when the order was given t.
retire, took the dead brother on his shout
ders, still commanding his men, anc
brought it and the SURVIVORS of his mer
into the confederate lines and, since thu
surrender the body to its home in Georgi'
where it now rests. AS no official account
Of these names have been kept, as an &C
of justice to the living and the dead,
beg to bear testimony to these facts, hav
ing been an eye witness. Yours yer,
respectfully, w. T. WILSON
Lieut.. Fourth Georgia Regiment
PIECE OF UNwRITTEN HISTORY.
We present also from Prof J. Fl. Legal
an interesting account of the events o
that night, and Of a piece of history no
heretofore written:
EDITORS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES read
ing 81. W. CTS thrilling account of tn
last acts of the confederate army q
Petersburg, Va, l felt somewhat con
strained, being an eyewitness of muc
which he describes, to add something
though in a very poor way, to his br1
liant narrative. Such contributions, fror
any source, OF a reliable character, will b
of great value to the future historic
who shall write that story for the comm
generations
l was then serving in Gen. Willia1
Wallace's South Carolina brigade, form
erlY Gen. Evans, and attached to Ger
Gordon's corps on Gen. Lees extrem
left, near Hatcher's Run and Southsid
railroad.
/ cannot forget the night of the 90
and Gath of March, 1866. About eundow
of the 2Sd courier arrived ut our feel
hospital with. an order that about mic
night we should move with the brigaG
to Petersburg, about six miles distan
The night was brilliant with moonligh
We knew nothing Of the nature of IL
enterprise before US, but that it was OF
involving serious work we inferred fro
the preparations and the midnight marc
BY 10 o'clock the command was movin
just before leaving I called to see youn
Norwood, who was dying of fever in OF
of the tents-a son of the distinguishe
physician, Dr. Norwood of South Car
lima, and nephew of Mrs. Speer, We
cradle lady now of Atlanta. He passt
away, believe, that night, and doubtle
at the very hour when his friends az
comrades were storming Fort Steadma
On the march, short distance fro
Petersburg, we passed Gen. Lees hea
oh 80 ~