National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-25
CONFEDERATE CANNON,
How Some OF Them Disappeared Mt APP
PomaftOx.


pomattOx.
l. r. Trembly, of this city. in a COM
munication to THE REPUBLICAN, says: so much
mas been said pro and con of efforts having been
MADE by confederate officers at Appomatox to Sc
crete cannon and other ordnance stores previous
10 the surrender that the truth of history GER
talnly calls for reliable information upon that
question. am able to furnish some facts in rela-
ton thereto that are neither far fetched nor want
ing in evidences of reliability as will appear.
Captain W. L. Trembly, now of the War Depart
ment here then an ordnance officer in the Fifth
Corps was one of two officers detailed by General
Griffin, in obedience to General Grants order to
proceed to General Lees camp to receive and have
care of all ordnance stores to be delivered in COM
pllance with the terms of surrender Early in
the forenoon of the day following the agreement
| tosurrender these two officers, accompanied by
two other officers Of the same corps who had asked
10 go with them, passed the outer line of our
camp amid cheers and EXPLANATIONS, such as
BOUND FOR ASDERSoNvILLE!
Well never see you again, and the like. Reach
ing the confederate line, they were refused adj
mission except as prisoners of war. All right
said they; take us prisoners to your next higher
officer. This was DONE and he also refused to re-
ceive them except in the same manner, saying he
! could not see what General Grants Order which
they showed. had 70 do in that army He could
only take them prisoners ~ his superior officer.
With these and similar delays I2Ore han half
day was spent, making it well along in the after
noon when they reached headquarters of the con-
federate army. Then further two hours was
spent in efforts or pretended efforts to find the
chief artillery officer. This parsonage, when found
proved TO be an officer whom Captain T. AYERS he
had noticed
SITTING WITHIN PLAIN VIEW
the whole of these two hours Of suspense and
of search for him, and he, when found, could
not think of entering upon such a task so late
| in the day, and urged a postponement until
the next day. When our officers urged that
their orders were to close it up that day if pos
sble, all he could be induced to do or say WIS.,
There they are, take them away; no one will in
terfere with YOU l have been thus particular
about these delays through whole day of valu-
able time, so that each may judge for himself as to
the probabilities that they were part of plan to
gain time in preparing for and the obsequicS of the
gun funeral, to which We now come. Captain
Trembly, carefully on the alert for anything bear
ing upon the object of his mission had discovered
already not only an unusually large amount of
ammunition for the number of guns-sixty-two in
all-but some of q kind and size that would not fit
any Of these guns.
THIS, IN VIEW OF THE TERRIBLE MARCH
and following they had experienced, and the well.
known fact thai, to tighten their burden they had
abandoned hospital stores and other supplies of
much value to army thus situated, was &C
cepted by him proof positive of the existence of
other cannon not very far away. These proofs he
urged upon the confederate officer and insisted
that there should be more cannon, but could get
no reply more than, There they are, all l know
anything Of although he admitted that, as chief
artillery officer OF that army, he had regularly re-
ceiyed up to the day previous the customary
morning reports purpoTting to give the number
and kind of cannon and the amount and quality
of all ammunition and other ordnance stores on
hand from day to day. So well convinced had
our officer become by this time that other cannon
should be found that detail of pioneers was sent
out with instructions to search the woods and all
secluded places for six or eight miles in every di
rection. In this search
TWO sIX-GUN BATTERIES,
all complete and III working order, were found
some two or three miles out in a low wood ravine
away from any road or other evidences that they
could have been taken there III the regular line of
service or of a march. These were trundled into
camp and in further search they came upon six
soldier graves, with head-stoneS, &c, complete. !
These were in a thickly wooded place away up on
the hills, six miles from camp. Attention was |
called 10 these graves and suspicion awakened by
the secluded locality and the want of any evil |
deneeS that it had been used for hospital or for
any other purpose even. An examination of these |
six graves revealed the fact that six cannonS had |
been removed from their carriages, and in that out
of-the-way place they had
Slowly and sadly laid them down,
From The field of their fame fresh and CORY;
They carved not line but had raised a stone
Ger the grave where their cannon they buried. |
Here probably perpetrated the first instance of |
GRAVE ROBBERY IN OPEN DAYLIGHT
and in unblushing disregard of law and order |
saw those six guns myself soon after their ar
rival in camp still covered with wet sand and |
mud. By these and other discoveries the original |
number-sixty two guns-which the confederates |
made out were all they had, was swelled to over |
one hundred. l have carefully abstained from |
anything more than plain statement of facts as |
1 understood them at the time and will only add |
that in addition to the direct connection of ms |
brother with this affair, as above described, and
my own knowledge of it, there are other officers |
and men now in this city who were there and to |
whom l have permission to and will cheerfulIy |
introduce any who may desire from eye and ear |
witnesses, further verfcation of what write or
fuller verifcatiOn of any portion thereof"
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