Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-09-18

curred that came near having serious end.
ing. AS Gen. Sheridan was approaching
noticed one of my sharpshooters drawing
his riao down upon him; at once
called to him "Put down YOUR
gun, sir; that is q flag of trucc!" But he
never raised it. lie simply settled it to his
shoulder and was drawing bead on Sheri.
dan, when leaned forward and jerked his
gun. He struggled with me, but finally
raised it. then loosed it and he started
to aim egaiu. l caught it again, when he
turned his stern, white face, all broken
with grief and streaming with tears, up to
me and said: "WelI, General, then let him
keep on his own sidc!" The fighting had
continued up to this point. Indeed, after
the flag of truce; regiment Of my meu,
who had been fighting their way through
TOWARDS where we were, and who did not
know Of a flag of truce, fired into some of
Geu. Sheridan's cavalry. This was speedily
stopped, however. | showed Gen Sheridan
Gen. Lees note, aud he determined to
await events. lie dsmountcd, and did
the same Then for tho first time, tho
men seemed to understand what it all meant.
And then tho poor fellows broke down.
The men cried like children. Worn,
starvcd and bleeding as they were, they
had rather have died than have surrendered.
At ono word from INC they would have
hurled themselves on the enemy and have
cut their way through or have fallen to
man with their guns in their hands. But
| could not permit it. The grand drama
had been played to its end. But men arc
seldom permitted to look upon such scene
as tho one presented there. That these
men should havo wcpt at surrcndcring so
unequal fight; at being taken out of this
constant carnage and storm; at being sont
back to their families, that they should
have Wept at having their starved and
wasted forms lifted out Of the jaws of death
and placed once more before their hearth
stones, was IN exhibition of fortitude and
patriotism that might set an examples for oil
time.
THE END.
All! sir, every ragged soldier that STR
rendered that day, from tho highest to the
lowest, from the old veteran to the beard
less boy, every one of them, sir, carried
heort OF gold in his breast 1t made my
heart bleed for them, and sent tho toars
streaming down my face, as I saw them
surrender the poor, riddlcd, battle stained
flags that they had followed so often, and that
had been made sacred with the blood of
their comrades. The poor fellows would
step forward, give up tho soanty rag that
they had held so precious through so many
long and weary years, and thsn turn and
wiring their empty hands in an agony Of
grief. Their sobs and the sobs of their
comrads could be heard for yards around.
Others would tear the flags from the staff
ond hide the precious rag in their bosoms
and hold it there. AS Gen. Lee rode down
the lines with mo and saw the men crying,
and heard them cheering "Uncle Robert
with their simple but pathetic remarks, he
turned to me and said. in broken voice:
ooh, Ganeral, if it had only been my lot
to havo fallen in our battles, to have given
my life to this cause that we could not
save" I told him that he should not fecl
that way, that he had done all that mortal
man could do; and that every man and
woman in tho South would feel this and
make him feel it. "No! no!' he said,
"there will bc many who will blamo me.
But, General, I have tho consolation of
knowing that my conscience approves what
| have done, and that my army sustains
me-"
In o few hours the army was scattered,
and tho mon went back to their ruined and
dismantled homes, many Of them walking
all tho way to Georgia and Alabama, all Of
them penniess, wornout and we'll. nigh
heart broken. Thus passed away's Lees
army; thus were its last battles fought;
thus was it surrendered aud thus was tho
great American tragedy closed, let us all
hope, forever.