The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-04-21
Fir.een Years AFTER Apromalsox.

. ma OF tDt Eecuclllon- ~ '~S 1890
mar, of 1864 the war had narrowed
itself down to the siege OF Petersburg
which Grant was conducting with
consummate skill.
Lees attempt to create diversion
by invading Maryland and attacking
i Washington failed of success, Sheri
dan ultimately driving back the des
perste Rebel horde up the Valley of
the Shenandoah. Sherman, in the
mean " bile, was gallsndy marching
through Georgia." and every where
throughout the South victory was
perching upon the banners of the Un'
ion hosts The siege of Petersburg
ended with the battle of Five Forks,
in the beginning of April, 1865. after
which defeat Richmond was eyaeuat-
ed and Granite hot chase of Lee be.
gun. Oa the Oh of April, Lee, OPP
pressed by repeated reverses and
hopeless of victory, seceded to the
terms of capitalation offered by Gen
i Grant and surrendered his army to
i that victorious ehieftain, thus prsc-
ticalIy putting an end to hostiIIues-
The surrender of Joh0ston TO SheF-
maa quickly followed; soon Mobile
fell directly afterward General fay-
lor delivered over his ragged Texan
army -aad the Secession monster
was dead
Lees surrender took place at Ap-
pomattox Court House, otherwise
known as Clover Hill, ia Virginia
TIE tvo great leaders met in a mod
est brick house in the little Southern
town. Grant had come distance OF
thirty miles Oh horseback in the early
morning, and his sOiled campaign
clothes hung loosely on his tired
frame. He was in undress uniform,
and did rot even wear sword Lse
carried himself with dignity in 3 fresh
suit of Confederate gray, wore all the
insignia Of his exalted rank, and at
his side trailed the splendid dress
sword Of which he was so proud
The contrast between the two great
ehief.ains was marked in still aaoth-
er vay. Grant was modest, symps-
thetic end kind Though undeniaoly
the mester of the situation, he yes
bore himself with such simple snd
natural unobtrusiyeness that bis proud
foe was almost made to feel that he
himself had named the terms of bis
humiliation and secured for his IN
happy followers the generous treat
ment they received. Lee, on the
contrary, though exceedingly polite,
was naughty and reserved, as If he
would exact homage even from bis
conqueror. Grant, in the moment OF
bis greatest triumph, sunk the soldier
in the man while Lee seemingly re-
mem bered only that he was mighty
bat unfortunate ehiefIain, and deport-
ed himself with the coolest aud strict
est military deeoram throughout the
historic scene.
Fifteen eveutful years have come
and gone since the brave BoTs ia
Blue huzzaed ss the great structure
of the Confederacy crumbled 10 ruins,
and since, their mission accomplished
and their decimated ranks disbanded,
they turned their glad faces home
ward, happy In the prospect of soon
resuming the even tenor Of peaceful
life. A generation has passed away
since the Rebels opened their mad
fire on Fort Sumter, the boom Of
whose fratricidal cannon startled the
world and reverberated IN thuaGer
tones throughout the South for four
long years The ages of most OF the
recruits who answered Lincoln's first
call for troops ranged from sixteen 10
twenty-four. They mstured unnatu-
rally during the soui-tryiDg scenes
which followed, and thousands of
soldier-boys who should be in their
prime to-day bave seemingly passed
the time mark which separates youth
from middle life, while many have
begun the physical descent which
should be Travelled only By ihose
whose sun is setting and who 10
years are rapidly approaching the al
lotted spaa. Grizzly boards are the
rule among the veterans who come
together ct the annual reunions, aad
the muster-roll is fast decreasing. No
better illustration Of the flight of time
can be given than 8 reference to toe
expansion OF newborn babes into
stalwart MN during the years which
have elapsed since the war began.
a new generation has come upon the
Stage of life, and ere long the active
participators in the civil conflict will
oe regarded as relies, to be shown eff
and admired on such anniversary &C.
caslons as the one which was ia many
places duly celebrated to-day.
The years have indeed chased one
another swiftly into eternity, but they
have not borne the fruits which
should have ripened since Secession
was overthrown.
OF late the question has many
times been asked, "Was he war
failure?" and if the query be under
stood to include these other interrog.
atiors-were the Rebels coereed iato
submission to the General Govern
ment? Were the great principles Sc
cured 20 posterity for the establish
ment # which the flower Of our youth
fougfl, bled and died, snd millions Of
treasure were spent ?-then posi-
tive affirmative answer may be giYen
TO- recent events have clearly proven
that though the South may have been
conquered it was not snbdued.
A few figures. extracted from an
old report of the Provost Marshal
General, win serve to show a. what
fearful cos. in lives the questionable
victory was secured.
On the lss of May, 1865, the
strength of the national army was
1000 SIG. A. this time the number
of men enrolled for military duty, bu,
not called out, was .254, ,053 The
whole number of men called for by
Government was 2. 759 049; be whole
number furnished. 2666, 999, inclu-
sive of re-eDlistments-equivalent to
2 l35 600 for three years
The soldier-boys went forth from
nearly every home in the land, leav-
ing behind them friends aud kindred.
wives and sweethearts The war