Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-09-20
GEN. GORDON ON THE SURRENDER
OF GIN. LEE.


was present Gen. Lee, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee,
as cad Of the cavalry, and Pendleton, as
chief of the artillery, and myself Gen.
Longstrcet was, think, too busily engag-
ed to attend. Gen. Lee then exhibited to
us the correspondence he had had with
Gen. Grant that day, and asked our opin-
ion of the situation. 1t seemed that sur
render was inevitable. The only chance
of escape was that I should cut away for
the army through the lines in front of
me. Gen. Lee asked mo if could do
this. replied that did not know what
forces We're in front of me; that if Gen.
Ord had not arrived-as we thought then
he had not-with his heavy masses of in
fantry, could cut through. I guaran-
teed that my men would cut IL way
through all the cavalry that could be
massed in front of them. The council fin
ally dissolved with the understanding that
the army should be surrendered if 1 dis
covered the next morning, after feeling
the cnemy's line, that the infantry had
arrived in such force that could not cut
my way through.
''My men were drawn up in the little
town of AppomattoN that night. still
had about 1000 men under me, as the
army had been divided into two COM
mands and given to Gen. Longstreet and
myself Early on the morning of the
ninth l prepared for the assault upon the
enemy's line and began the last fighting
done in Virginia. My men rushed for
ward gamely and broke the line of the
enemy and captured two pieces of artil-
lery. was still unable to tell what / was
fighting 1 did not know whether was
striking infantry or dismounted cavalry.
only knew that my men were driving
| them back, and were getting further and
further through. just then l had Il mes
| sage from Gen. Lee, telling me q flag Of
truce was in eXistancc, leaving it to my
discretion as to what course to pursue
My men We're still pushing their way on.
I sent at once to hear from Gen. Long
| street feeling that if he was marching to-
| ward me we might still cut through 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 we drifted apart
and the more exposed we left our wagon
trains and artillery, which was parked
between us. Every time either of us
broke only opened the gap the wider.
saw plainly thatthe Federals would soon
rush in between us, and then there would
| have been no army. / therefore deter
mined to send Il flag of truce. 1 called
! Major Hunter, of my staff. to me and
told him that wanted him to carry a
| flag of truce forward, He replied:
| General, have no flag of truce
| ~ told himito get one" He replied:
"'Gcncra1, wo have no flag of truce in
! our commando
| '.Then said I: 'Thcn get your l,andl>cr-
| chief. put it on a stick, and go forward
| "I have no handkerchief, general
! "'Then borrow one, and go forward
with it,"
.IIe tried, and reported to me that
| there was no handkerchief in my staff.
"'Thcn, major use, your shirt:
"'You see, general, that we all have on
| flannel shirts
! SAT last, I believe, wc found Il man
who had Il white shirt. He gave it to us
and I tore off the back and tail; and, rig
| gng this to stick, Major Hunter went
out toward the cncmy's lines. instruct
cd him to simply say to Gen. Sheridan
that Gen. Lee had written me that Il flag
of truce had been sent from his ant
i Grants headquarters, and that he coult
act as he thought best on this information
In few moments he came with Majo
-, of Sheridan's staff. This office
said:
"'Gcn. Sheridan requested me to pre-
sent his compliments to you, and to de
mand the unconditional surrender ofyon
army
"'Major, you will please return my
compliments to Gen. Sheridan, and say
that will not surrender
"'But, General, lie will annihilatc you.
81 am perfectly we'll aware of my sit
uation. l simply rgave Gen. Sherida,
some information on which he may orma,
not desire to act.' showed Gen. Sheridan
Gen. Lees note, and he determined t.
await events. He dismountcd, and die
the same. Theu, for the first time, th
men seemed to understand what it III
meant. And then the poor fellows hrok
down. The men cried like children
Worn, starved and bleeding rs they were
they had rather have died than have slr
rendered. At one word from me the,
would have hurled themselves on the en-
emy and have cut their way through.
have fallen to man with their guns il
their hands. But 1 could not permit it
Tho great drama had been played 10 IL
end. But mon are seldom pcrmittAd Il