The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-10-25
At PORTLAND PaIcEe.

| But he never raised il. He s;rs,,s.
settled it to his shoulder and was drsr.-
ing bead on Sheridan. when T lsars.1
forward and jerked his gun. Ha sfrno-
gled with me, but I finally raised 4
then loosened it and he started Il an,
again caught it again, when he turned
ms stern, white face. all broken wifi,
grief, and streaming with tears. M ia ma
and said: =. = 7, y a'ls
Well. General, then let him keep ON
his own side" -
The fighting had continued mn 4, th;s
point. Indeed. after the fac of trnce 5
regiment of my men who had been f;oht-
ing their way through toward wheree -.
were, and who did not know of 4 4iasr r.f
truce, fired into some of Sheridan's eav-
airy. This was speedily stopped how.
ever. showed General Sheridan Cen.
eral Lees note, and determined to-
await events. He dismounted, and I
did the same. Then, for the first time
the men seemed to understand what
it all meant. And then the poor fell
lows broke down. The men cried like
children. Worn, starved and bleeding.
as they We're, they had rather have died
than have surrendered At one word
from me they would have hurled them
selves on the enemy. and cut their way
through or have fallen to q man with
their guns in their hands. But could
not permit it. The grand drama had
been played to its end. But men are
seldom permitted to look upon such
scene as the one presented there. That
these men should weep at surrenderinp
SO unequal fight; at being taken cut Of
this constant carnage and storm at being
sent back to their families; that they
should have wept at having their wasted
forms lifted out Of the Jaws of death and
placed once more before their hearth
stones, was an exhibition of fortitude
and patriotism that might set an exam
pie for all time.
Ah SIR, every ragged soldier that sur
rendered that day, from the highest to
the lowest, from the old veteran to the
bearolless boy, every one of them. sir.
carried heart Of gold in his breast. II
made my heart bleed for them, and sent
the tears streaming down my face as
saw them surrender the poor, riddled.
battle-stained flags that they had follow
ed SO often, and that had been made sa-
cred with the blood Of their co1nrades.
The poor fellows would step forward
give up the scanty rag TINT they held 10
precious through so many long and
weary years, and then turn and wiring
their empty hands together and bend
their heads In the agony of grief. Their
sobs and the sobs of their Comrades.
could be heard for yards around. Others
would tear the flag from the staff and
hide the precious rag In their bosoms
and hold it there. As General Lee rode
down the lines with me and saw the men
crying, and heard them cheering Uncle
Robert" with their simple but pathetic
remarks, be turned to me and said in q
broken voice: .0hl General, II it had
only been my lot to have fallen in one of
our battles. to have given my life to this
cause that we could not save. I told
him that he should not feel that way;
that be had done all that mortal man
conld do, and that every man and woman
in the South would feel this and make
him feel it. mol nor said he, There
will be many who will blame me. But,
General, have the consolation Of know
ing that my conscience approves of what
have done, and that the army snstains
me.
In few hours the army was scattered
and the men went back to their ruined
and dismantled homes, many Of them
walking all the way to Georgia and Ala
bama, all Of them penniless, wern-out
and well-nigh heart broken Thus pass
ed away Lees army; thus was its last
battles fought; thus was it surrendered,
and thus was the great American frageds
closed, let MS all hope, forever. 5llia-
delphia Times.