The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-08-14

nifty accorded to many others, but h'
showed wonderful power as tacticlar
and commander. I do not think tina
we had his equal for handling an arm.
and conducting a campaign. Gen. Lee
was great leader-wise, deep and saga
cious. His moral influence was some
thing wonderful. But he lost his poist
on certain occasions. No one who is &C
quainted with the facts can believe tina
he would have fol the battle of Get
tysburg had he not en- under great ex
citement, or that he would have ordered
the sacrifice of Pickett and his Virgin
ians on the day after the battle. HI
said to me afterwards, 'Why didn't yot
stop all that thing that day?' At th'
Wilderness, when our lines had beer
driven in, and 1 was getting to the field
General Lee put himself at the head o
one of my brigades, and leading it int
action my men pressed hin, back, and
said to him that if he would leave m!
commands in my own hands I woult
re. form his lines. His great soul rost
masterful within him when crisis o
diaster thre atened. This tended to dis
turb his admiral equipoise. 1 loved Gen
eral Lee as brother while he lived anC
I revere his memory. He was 8 grea
man, born leader, a wise general
but think Johnston was the mostaccom
plished and capable commander that We
had"
"Who was the greatest general on tht
Northern sideW
"Grant-incomparably the greatest
He possessed an individuality that i'm
pressed itself upon all that he did. Nc
Clellan was skilful engineer, but never
rose above the average conclusions of hi
council. Sherman never fought grea
battle, and displayed no extraordinary
power. But Grant was great. He un
derstood the terrible power of concen
tration and persistency. How stubborn
ly he struck to Vicksburg and to Rich
mond. He concentrated all his strength
trained his energies to single purpose
aud then delivered terrible sledge ham,
mer blows against which strategy and
tactics and valor could avail nothing
He knew that majorities properly handled
must triumph in war as in politics, and
he always gathered his resources together
before striking"
"What was the most desperate battle
of the WARP"
"Gettysburg-as far as my observation
extended. There never was any fighting
done anywhere to surpass the battle
made by my men on the I'd of July.
led 10000 men into that charge. Over
one.third of this number were killed Of
wounded. These veterans charged the
whole Federal army, entrencbed on 6
crest, harassed on each flank until the
line was stretched, and at last 1 found
myself charging $4,000 entrenched mer
in the face Of volcano of artillery, with
single line of battle. My two divisions
encountered and drove back the Thirc
Corps, the Fifth Corps, the Sixth Corps
the Second Corps, one division of the
Twelfth and the Pennsylvania Reserves
As they broke line after line they en-
countered new ones and felt the steady
shock of fresh troops. The Federal'
contend that the bulk of Lees army was
in this charge, and put the strength O
the attacking column at At, 900 men, wher
it was only 10000, with 1000 of these
knocked out of ranks before they hac
hardly started up the slope. do moi
think the records of the war can show
anything to approach this work."
THE SURRENDER AT APPoMATTox.
"Did you agree with Lee as to the ne
cessity of the surrender at Appomat
tox?"
81 did. For some time I had felt thai
we were fighting against hope. | KEEP
my lips closed and fought ahead in silence
For the week preceding the surrender
fought almost without ceasing. I wal
covering Gen. Lees retreat, while Cor
don opened a way for him in front.
had Fields divisions, all that was left
The Federals pressed upon us relentlessl!
and we fell back, fighting night and day
inch by inch, covering the slow retrea
of our wagon trains. Our lines were
never once broken or disordered. My
men fought with the finest regularity ant
heroism. Wherever placed brigade
there it would stand until l ordered i
away. was among my men constantly
so that I knew little of the general situa
ton. Early in the morning Gen. Let
sent for me and I at once went to him
He was in deep concern. He stated tt
me that his retreat had been cut off ant
it was impossible for him to escape from
the circle that had been drawn abou
him. IF that is the case, General I re
piled, you should surrender the army
If escape is impossible, not another life
should be sacrificed Gen Lee then be
gan to talk about the distress and trouble
that surrender would bring upon his coun
try and his people. That cannot be pu
against the useless shedding of these
brave mems blood. If you are satisfied
that you cannot save the army, it shoult
be surrendered. The people will know
that you have done all that man cal
do He then told me that he had dis
covered that there were heavy masses o
| infantry in front and that he could no
hope to cut through. 1t was terrible
moment for Gen. Lee. Having Tough
for years with high and lofty purposes
having won victory after victory ant
made q record for his army not equalleC
in our history, it was hard that he mus
surrender everything. I cannot tell yor
how my heart went to him." but tht
moistened eyes and the fine voice, growr
husky, as Gen. Lsngstreet went over the
story, did tell me-. ~ left Gen. Lee ant
went back to my men. I ordered firing
stopped. stood quietly awaiting events
Suddenly horse came Gathering dowr
my front. I looked up and saw smar
looking officer, with yellow hair stream
ing behind him, hurrying forward tc
where stood. He was in great excite
ment, and urged his horse to where
stood. Then he wrenched him suddenly
to his launches, and said, in somewhat
violent tone: In the name of Gen. Phil
Sheridan I demand the instant surrender
of this almyp l was not in humor fol
triAing just then, but 1 replied as calmly
as I could: I am not the commander
of this army, and if were should moi
surrender to you,' meaning, of course
| thot T ,vonld treat with the nroner MI.