Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-11-18

before he had sent in his appli-
cation for a months fnrlough to
go and see his wife, who was
dangerously i'll, and though a
general order directed that no
leaves whatever should be gram
ted, | had forwarded his appli-
cation to Colonel Taylor, chief
of staff, calling his attention to
the case. He gave the young
officer ten days, and he duly
went and returned and was now
dead.
Gordon carried out his orders
and made a sudden attack on
the force in front-one of his
old reckless assaults which on
so many occasions during the
latter months of the war had
carried everything before them.
Taere. was general conviction
in the army that Gordon could
be counted on to effect anything
that was not absolutely impos-
sible; but he had here met with
the impossible. The force of
infantry and cavalry in front
was quite ovcrpowering. He
first attacked Gen. Sheridan's
cavalry and drove it a consider
able distance, but then he came
on the infantry and could do
nothing further ard fell back.
The result was that Gen. Lee
sent u flag to Gen. Grant with
a view to surrender his army,
and soon alterward went to APP
pomattox Courthouse 10 meet
him there.
These events occurred quite
rapidly, and the vicinity of tie
village had become a scene of
deep interest, though it could
hardly be called one of excite
mcnt. There was no "noise or
confusion" and Longstreet's
corps Of two or three thousand
men, who had been sent for from
the rear, advanced steadily in
profound silence to form line of
battle behind the hill. From
casual observation of the ground
at the spot it struck me as a sort
of amphitheatre, with the Con-
federales in the arena and the
Federal audience, SO to speak,
Oh the raised seats. The sur
rounding hills were excellent
positions for artillery, and the
small force could be easily de-
stroyed, it seemed. The late
Gen. Custer, then a young cav
airy officer, with long, ,curly hair,
and wearing velvet undress
jacket, rode down the slope
with a flag, and / heard him ex-
claim, in an excited voice: I'VE
have eighty thousand men just
over that hili," pointing behind
him as he spoke i'll The direction
of the Courthouse.
At the moment only the Fed
eral cavalry were visible, and
the situation was not encoura-
ging. They were drawn up in
a very heavy column, or rather
line Of battle, in the depression
the Confederate left.
A broad lravine gave us a good
view of them-a solid and black
mass, with light flashing from
the sabres. They produced the
impression of being heldin leash,
which, l suppose, afforded a
good idea OF the fact. -l.~--4--
There was no further fighting,
however; Gen. Lee had ridden
to the Courthouse, and agreed
to the terms Of surrender pro-
posed by Gen. Grant, who very
courteously apologized for not
wearing his dress sword, which,
he said. was with his baggage. |
Gen. Lee is known 10 have
shown no emotion in face or de-
meanor, though he had looked
forward TO the surrender with a
feeling like despair, and ex-
claimed to one of his staff: "How
easily l could get rid of this
and be at rest! | have only to
ride along the line and all VIII
be over" lie said, however,
about the same time in reference
to the terms of the surrender:
The question is achether 1t IS
right. If it is right, | take the
res possibility" The terms were
that the army should surrender
and return to their homcs-the
officers retaining their side arms
and the men to retain their
private horses-there to remain
undisturbed," as | find from
looking at my own "paroled
prisoners pass"
While this was going on, and
while the small force of Confed-
crates i'm rear of the Court