Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-09-18
;Misfellaneul1s &eading.
THE LAST STRUGGLE.

THE LAST STRUGGLE.
GENERAL GORDON DESCRIBES THE CLOSING
SCENES OF THE WAR.
The latest and one of the most thrilling OF
the war sketches published in the Philadel-
phia Times is Gen. Gordon's account of the
closing struggle of the great war which ended
at Appomattox. The story is the more inter.
esting because it has never before been pub
lished, no official reports having ever been
made Of the Confederate operations during
the memorable fortnight preceding the 9th
Of April, 1866. Gen. Gordon, after giving a
pitiable picture of the condition of Lees
army, worn out, stretched over q line of twen-
ty miles and literally starving, goes on to say:
"Before daylight on the morning of the I'd
of March, 1866, Gen. Lee sent for me. l
mounted my horse at once and rode to the
Generals headquarters. reached the house
in which he was staying at o'clock in the
morning. As entered the room to which l
had been directed, I found Gen. Lee alone.
shall never forget the scene. The General
was standing at the fireplace, his head on his
arm, leaning Oh the mantel piece-the first
time ever saw him so thoroughly detected.
A dim lamp was burning on small centre
table. On the. table was mass of official re-
ports. Gen. Lee remained motionless for q
moment after I opened the door. He then
looked up, greeted me with his usual courtesy,
motioned me to the little table, and, drawing
up chair, sat down. I sat opposite him.
II have sent for you, Gen. Gordon" he said,
"to make known to you the condition of our
affairs, and to confer with you as to what we
had best do" The night was fearfully cold.
The fire and lamp both burned low as Gen.
Lee went on to give US the details of the situ
alton. 81 have here" he said, reports sent
in from my officers tonight. find upon
careful examination that I have under my
command, of all arms, hardly $4,000 men.
These men are starving They are already so
weakened as to be hardly efficient. Many Of
them have become desperate, reckless and
disorderly as they have never been before. 1t
is difficult to control men who are suffering
for food. They are breaking open mills, barns
and stores, in search of food. Almost crazed
from hunger, they are deserting from some
commands in large numbers and going home.
My horses are in equally bad condition. The
supply of horses in the country is exhausted.
1t has come to be where it is just as bad for
me to have horse killed as man. can
not re-mount cavalryman whose horse dies.
Gen. Grant can mount ten thousand men in
ten days, and move around your flank. 1.-The
were to send me word tomorrow that might
move out unmolested, I have not enough
horses to move my artillery. He is not like.
ly to send this message, however, and yet"
smiling, he sent me word yesterday that he
knew what had for breakfast every morn.
ing. I sent him word that / did not think
this could be so, for if he did know he would
surely send me something better. But, DOW,
let US look at the figures. have, as l have
shown you, not quite $4,000 men. My men
are starved, exhausted, SICK His men are in
the best condition possible. But beyond this
there is Hancock, at Winchester, with a
force of probably not less than $4,000 men.
To oppose this force l have not solitary vi
dette. Sheridan, with his terrible cavalry,
has marched almost unmolested and unop-
posed along the James, cutting the railroads
and canal. Thomas is approaching from
Knoxville with force l estimate at 10000,
and to oppose him have a few brigades Of
badly-disciplined cavalry, amounting to prob
ably 5000 in all. Gen. Sherman is in North
Carolina, and, with Scho6eld's forces, will
have $4,000 men. As to what have to op-
pose this force, I submit the following tele-
gram from Gen. Johnston. The telegram
reads: "Gen. Beauregard telegrapbed you
a few days ago that, with Governor Vance's
Home Guards, we could carry 10000 men
into battle. find, upon close inspection, that
we cannot muster over $4,000 men," (This,
Gen. Gordon said, was as nearly as he could
'recollect Gen. Johnston's telegram.) $50
there is the situation. I have here say 49,
900 men able for duty, though none Of my
poor fellows are in good condition. They are
opposed directly by an army 100000 strong
and confident men, and conyergiDg on my
little force four separate armies numbering in
the aggregate 10000 more men. This force,
added to Gen. Grants, makes over quarter
of million. To prevent these from uniting
for my destruction there are hardly $4,000
men available. My men are growing weaker
day by day. Their sufferiDgs are terrible and
exhausting, my horses are broken down and
impotent. I am apprehensive that Gen. Grant
may press around my flank and cut our sole
remaining line Of supplies. Now, General
he said, looking me straight in the face, what
is to be done2' With this he laid his paper
down and leaned back in the chair.
"I replied: Since you have done ME the
honor to ask my opinion, will give it. The
situation, as you portray it, is infinitely worse
than had dreamed it was. l cannot doubt
that your information is correct. I am con-
fdent of the opinion, therefore, that only two
things should be done. and at once. We must
either treat with the United States Govern
ment for the best terms possible, or we should
concentrate all our strength at one point Of
Grants line-selecting some point on the right
bank of the Appomattox-assault him, break
through his lines, destroy his pontoons, and
then turn full upon the flank Of his left wing,
sweep down it and destroy it if possible, and
then Join Gen. Johnston in North Carolina
by forced marches, and combining our army
with his, fall upon Sherman
"And what then?
"If we beat him or succeed in making a
considerable battle, then treat at once for
terms. / am forced to the conclusion from
what you say, sir, that we have no time for
delay
SO that is your opinion, is it?' he asked,
in tone that sent the blood to my face. l
ought to have remembered that it was way
Gen. Lee had of testing the sincerity OF
mans opinion by appearing to discredit it.
":It is, sir, l replied; 'but | should not have
ventured it had it not been asked ; and since
you seem to differ from the opinion l hold,
may ask you what your opinion is ?
"At once his manner changed, and leaning
forward he said, blandly: Il entirely agree