Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-09-26
A NARROW ESCAPE.
An Incident al the Battle oG the Apo.
MISUNDERSTANDING Bead on Gen. Phil
Shcl idlu.
From me rh,laaelphia Times.

HattuN.-uraNIng hcau on ten. thtl
Shei idiu.
From the Philadelphia Times,
| had message from General l.sc
telling me \ flag " truce was in exist.
ence, leaving it to my discretion as to
what course to pursue. Mv men were
still pushing their way on. sent ut
once To hear from General laugstreet,
feeling that il he was marching towards
me We might Shll cut through and carry
the army forward. learned that Ne
WAS about two miles of with his men
faced just opposite from mine, lighting
for his life. thus saw that the case
was homeless. The further each OF us
drove the enemy the further we dri0ed
apart, and the more exposed we lcll
our wagon Trains and artillery, which
was parked between us. Every time
either Of us broke only opened the gap
the wider. | saw plainly that the ted.
erals would soon rush in between It's,
and then there would have been ny
army. therefore determined to send
y tltg Of truce. called Major Hunter
of my stall ~ ME, and told HIM that |
wanted him to carry flag Of truce Tor.
ward, He replied:
General, have no flag Of truce"
told him to set one, He replied
General, we have no tlag Of truce III
our command"
Then said l. "rhen get Your hand
kerchieE pitt 1t on u stick and SO for.
ward.
II have uohandkorch,ef General. +"
Then borrow one and 20 forward
with it,
He tried and reported to me that
there was no handkerchief in my stail,
"'rhen, major use your shirt.
"Iou sec, General, that we all have
ON flannel shirts"
At last, believe, we found man
who had n white shirt. He gave il to
us and tore OIL the hac.: and tail and
rigging this 10 u stick, Major Hunter
went out toward the cuemy's lines.
instructed him simply 10 say to Gen
eral Sheridan that General Lee had
written me that flag OF truce had been
sent from his and Grants headquarters,
and that he could act MS he thought best
on this information. In u few moments
he came back with Major - of Sheri
dams staff. This officer said:
General Sheridan requested me to
present his compliments 10 you aud To
demand the unconditional surrender
of your army"
major, you will please return my
compliments to General Sheridan and
say that will not surrender"
but general he will annihilate you :
II anl perfectly we'll aware of my sit
uation. | simply give general sheri-
dan some information on which he may
or may not desire to act. :"
lie went back to his line and in n
short time General Sheridan came gal
Looping forward on an immense horse
and attended by IL very large stall. Just
here an incident occurred that came
near having " serious ending. As Gen
eral Sheridan was approaching noticed
one OF my sharpshooters drawing his
rifle down upon him. | ut once called
to him, Put up your gun, sil; this is n
flag OF truce' But he never raised it.
lie simply settled il to his shoulder and
was drawing II bend on Sheridan when |
leaned forward and jerked his gun. lie
struggled with me, hut | finally raised
it. then loosed it, and he started TO
aim again. | caught it again, when he
turned his stern white face, all broken
with grief and streaming with tears, up
to me and said, "Weil, General, then let
him keep on his own sidol" The fighting
had continued up to this point. Indeed,
after the flag OF truce, n regiment Of my
men, who had been fighting their way
through towards where We were and
who did not know Of n flag Of truce,
fired 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 1t all meant. And
then the poor fellows broke down. The
men cried like children. Worn. starved
and bleeding rs 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 fal-
len to II man with their guns in their
hands. But could not permit it, The
great drama had been played to its end.