The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-13
A Narrow Escape.
tox-Drawing a Bead on General Phil
Sheridan.
1Phi1adelDhia Times.

philadelphia Tlmes
Ihad a message from General Lee telling me
flag of truce was in existence, leaving it to
my discretion as to what course to pursue.
My men were still pushing their way on. L
sent at once to hear from General Longstreet,
feeling that if he was marching towards me
we might still cut thro ugh and carry the army
forward. I learned that he was about two
miles off with his men faced just opposite
from mine, fighting for his life thus saw
that the case was hopeless The further each
of us drove the enemy the further we drifted
apart and the more exposed we left our wagon
trains and artillery, which was parked between
u.s. Every time either of us broke only opened
the gap the wider. 1 saw plainly that the
federals would soon rush in between us, and
then there would have been no army. l there.
fore determined to send flag of truce.
called Major Hunter of my staff to me, and
told him that wanted him to carry flag OF
truce forward. He replied:
General, I have no flag of truce"
/ told him to get one. He replied:
General we have no flag of truce in our
command" =
Then said I; 'Then get your handkerchief,
put it on stick and go forward"
''I have no handkerchief General"
'"Then borrow one and go forward with il"
no handkerchief in my staff.
"Then, major, use your shirt.
"You see, general, that we all have ON fian-
mel shirts
At last believe, we found man who had
white shirt He gave it to us, and tore of
the back and tail, and rigging this to stick,
Major Hunter went out towards the enemy's
lines instructed him simply to say to Cen
eral Sheridan that General Lee had written
me that a flag of truce had been sent from his
nd bao DIN RIO and that ba pOu10
act as he thought best on this information. In
a few moments he came back with Major -
of Sheridan's staff. This officer said:
General Sheridan requested me to present
his compliments to you and to demand the un-
conditional surrender of your army"
'Majcr, you will please return my compile
ments to General Sheridan and say that will
not surrender"
But, general, he will annihilate you"
81 am perfectly well aware OF my situation.
I simply gave General Sheridan some informa-
tion on which he may or may not decide to
act.''
He went back to his lines and in a short
time General Sheridan came galloping forward
ON an immense horse and attended by a very
large staff. just here an incident occurred
that came near having serious ending. AS
General Sheridan was approaching, noticed
one of my sharp-shooters drawing his rifle
down upon him. / at once called to him,
.'Put down your gun, sir; this is flag of
der and was drawing bead on Sheridan v hen
leaned forward and jerked his gun. l then
loosed it, and he started to aim again. L
caught it again; when he turned his stern,
white face, all broken with grief and streaming
with tears. up to me and said, ..Well, General,
then let him keep his own side!'' The fight
had continued up to this point. Indeed, after
the flag of truce, regiment OF men who had
been fighting their way through towards where
we were and who did notiknow a flag of truce,
fred into some of Sheridan's cavalry. This
was speedily stopped, however. showed
General Sheridan General Lees note. and he
determined to await events. He dismounted,
and did the same. Then. for the first time,
the men seemed to understand what it meant
And then the poor fellows broke down. The
men cried like children. Worn, starved and
bleeding as they were, they would rather have
died than have surrendered. At one word
from me they would have hurled themselves
ON the enemy and have cut their way through
or have fallen to a man with their guns in
their hands. But could not permit it. The
great drama had been played to its end