Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-11-09
r@TRANsIENT BILLs-cAsH.

struck me as sort of amphithsatre, with the =
Contedsrates in the arena and the Federal
audience, so to speak, on the raised seats
The surrounding hills were excellent posi-.
tlous for artillery, and the small force could
be easily destroyed, it seemed There was
no doubt about the Federal force "up" aud
ready for attack. The late Gen. Custer,
then young cavalry officer, with long curl.
ing hair, and wearing velvet uudress Jack
ct, rode dewn the slope with fag, aud I
heard him exclaim in an excited voice: 1--WE
have eighty thousand men Just over that
hill" pointing behind him as he smoke in
the direction of the Courthouse.
At the moment ouly the Federal cavalry
were visible, and the prospect was not en-
courasing. They were drawn up in a very
heavy column, or rather line of battle, in the
depression opposite the Confederate left. A
broad ravine gave US good view of them,
solid aud black mass, with light flashing
from the sabres. They produced the inn
preston OF being ready, aud only held in
leash. whish, L suppose, affords good idea
of the fact.
TIE wHrTE FLAG.
There was no furthe- fighting, however.
Con. Lee had ridden to tho Courthouse and
agreed to the terms of surrender proposed by
Gen. Grant, who very courteousiy apologized
for not wearing his dress sword, which, he
said, was with his baggage. Gen. Lee is
known to have shown no emotion in face or
domoanor, though he had looked forward to
the surrender with feeling like despair, aud
exclaimed to one of his staff: "How easily [
could get rid of this and be ut rest! l have
only to ride along the limo and all will be
over " He said, however, about the samo
time, in reference to the surrender: "The
question is whether it is right If it is right,
| take the responsibility" The terms were
that the army should surrender and return
te their homcs-the officers retaining their
side>arms and tho men their private horses
there to "remain undisturbed, - as find from
looking at my own "paroled prisoners pass"
Whilo this was going on, and while the
small force of Contcderates in rear of tho
Courthouse had not the least idea that the
whole affair was over, a picturesque-it
might be called dramstic-incident indicated
everything. a column Of Federal infantry,
which had passed through tho Courthouse,
advanced to the brow Of tho hill above wav>
ing In front of them the largest white flag
have ever seen. Whore it was procured has
always remained a mystery to me to this
hour. 1t is barely possible that white Gag
OF any sort was so unexpected and nons!rous
to US that its siEe was exaggerated. With
Its appearance something like the hush of
death fell on everything Tho men seemed
ominous white signal, waving to and fro, with
stupid wonder. They were in position ready
to light, with cannon aIreSdy in battery, the
guns mnEzies pointing, and there was to be
no more fighting! Gen. Leo was going TO
surrender
FEELING OF OFFICERS AND MEN
try to give true idea of tho scene as 1
witnessed it and the feelings of tho Confed-
crates. 1t certainly was at first a feeling of
utter astonishment, then Of anger and miso>
ry. OF this l will give Two examples. Tho
officers Of the army fell into rnge at the
idea OF tho surrender, aud especially On un.
conditional surrender, which was said to bo
Gen Grants way on such occasions. / was
in the midst OF q group of officers and must
say we had all very nesrly lost our heads
One, with a violent oath, swore that no
would not surrender unconditionally for
Cen Lee or any one The alternative of
forming column of mounted officers aud
cutting through the Federal line was nearly
adopted, but given up. 1t was scou to be
hopeless even by these men, whose heads
were nearly turned with anger. Tho feeling
| of the men in the ranks do not so well
know. | can only speak Of one Of them, a
ragged infantrJman, who came up to me and
mentioning his command sked me If l could
| tell him where he could Gnd it,
Never mind" said TO him, "there is NO
use looking for it now. The army has sur
rendered"
shall never forget the expression of his
face or the tone of his voice when he replied
to me.
Surrender" ho exclaimed, looking at me
with sudden, haggard expression in his
eyes. 'Gen. Lee surrendered! Mister, don't
be joking with poor fellow"
He burst out crying as he said this, and
wandered away locking about him as he did
80 as II he had lost something and was sOaroh-
ing for it. 1t certainly was a time when
there was temptation to /" shed hot tears -
or grind teeth together. The surrender was
so unexpected that it came upon all but
few persons with the force Of sudden blow.
! The men focked round General Lee when
| he came back frem his interview with Gen.
ersi Grant and met him with shouts and
tears. His reply was:
| 'We have fought through the wsr togeth<
| or. J. have done the best l could for you.-
My heart is too full to say more"
LEE AND MEADE.
Afterwards it ia said tha. the troops on
both sides fraternized and intercbapged vis-
its, talking over cold times, and the soldiers
of the Potomac and Northern Virginia had
bad good many "old times" with esoh
| other. | did not chance to observe this
! The ouIy fraternizing noticed was that be-
tween General Lee aud General Moade-Les
in his brown feI. hat and gray riding cape,
and Meade in his small cap and blue upi-
form, riding beside each other with tho gray
and blue staff othcers, mingled barnoniously.
A few days afterwards Appomattox Court
House, which had suddenly emerged from
obseurity and become connected with a great
event of history. sunk to silence again and
was completely deserted.
The men of the Southern army went
quietly home through the w,sted fields, not
| crying over what was irreR ediable or harinr