The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-18
THE LAST FLAG OF TRUCE.
on the Retreat to AppoAnttoz.

On the Retreat to Appornttox.
u,;m R. H. Sims, i. Charleston Weekly Ness.
4 ia not surprising that ! should adj.
Mira and esteem Gen. Longstreet to q
f."lt. is I served for four years in one
..nacity or another under his command
.SG .nGd never saw nor heard thing disre.
anutable TO him his character was the
P;nhest as q bIaYe end unselGsh soldier.
Ths Tie hardest, sturdiest blows that were
made by the Array of Northern Virginia
were u given by Longstreet's corps, and
,,hereyer the danger was greatest the old
Ceneral was there in person.
During the winter of 1866 was on
hi, personal staff as inspector of his com.
mmand. IA ostensibly the First Corps, but in
fsct @ the Confederate line from Swift
Creek (about half way between Peters.
burg and the James River) to the Chick.
ohoSminy, including the artillery at
Dnry's Bluff and the Howlet House.
and q brigade of cavalry on the extreme
left. We were quartered In asmall white
house in rear of Kershaw's liyisicn and
between the Osborne turnpike and the
Charles City Road. During the month
Of March. / had made en- inspection of
the artillery and means of transportation.
The animals were in better condition
than expected to see them. l remen-
ber distinctly the fine condition of the
horses of Major Johnstor's battalion Of
artillery.
On Saturday, the 1st day of April, 1
rode to tho extreme left of our line to in.
spect some dams that were being con-
structed for defence between the Will
iamsburg and Nine Mile Roads. Il was
pleasant, cool, sunny, clear day. re-
turned 10 quarters late in the afternoon.
very much fatigued, to find that Grant
was preparing for general attack and
was attacking the whole line on the
south side of the James, that he was
threatening the extreme right of the
army with heavy force of cavalry and
infantry and that the result would be our
removal to Petersburg that night. The
orders soon came-we were aaddled by 6
o'clock, but did not leave our quarters
until about IL. We crossed the river ON
tho pontoon bridge just above Drury's
Bluff and rode slowly along good road
in rear of the lines Of defence from the
James to Petersburg. There was con-
tinuous firing of small arms all along
the line during the. night, indicating q
general movement of the enemy. d
Gen. Lees headquarters were about q
mile beyond Petersburg. AS we reached
the house in which he was quartered the
faintast grey streaks could be observed in
the east indicating the approach of day.
We hitched our horses, uneaddled and
spread our saddle blankets on the lawn
for little rest until day ehould come
aud Gen. Lee and his military family
should awake. I don't think we found
any guard or solitary person awake at
his quarters. was the only one of the
party who knew whore the headquarters
we're, and I directed the party to them
and arrived there frat or among the first.
! do not think that there was single
person awake on the hill.
Not feeling like sleeping, Col. Man
ming of the staff and asked Gen. Long
street to let us 60 out and scout. The
General replied he had no objection, he
never stopped man from fighting In his
life when he was anxious for o fight:
Werode out of the yard, which was
on the north side of road running
parallel with and not o great distance
from the Appomattox River, crossed the
road and struck out across large old
field. We took different directions.
Manning going TO the right and to the
LETT, but each intending to strike our
line of defence about three.quarters Of 8
mile in our front. We both discovered
that
OUR LINES WERE BROKEN
and that not Confederate soldier was
TO be seen. We rode up and down our
lines for considerable distance without
seeing soldier. I finally came near to
ia.Party which appeared to be q picket
i6ivouacked in advance Of our line of
oreastworks, and as they were about half
way between the two lines (our own and
the enemy's) l could not tell to which
party they belonged. I sat on my horse
Watching them for q minute, and they
watching me. Their arms were stacked
anu they were standing around o fire pre-.
pafing, think, to make pot of coffee.
Alter looking at me for some time they
l1shed as to the stack Of guns and moved
on They fred:at me 6hE without effect
at very close range, rot exceeding one
hundred and fifty yards.
- rode back and on my way met Man
ming about the same place I had left
nin, returning too to report the came
conditlon CO.. of things that had observed.
vi course We aroused Gen. Lee and his
stah and they packed up and had their
eaecs moved off in the quickest time
possible. AS aoenas, We repoited these
iacts TO Gen. iLobgstreet We returned
rapidly to make a further survey of the
ei.uatlon In front of us. A short distance
aiies an, crossing the road and entering the
aela opposite Sen. Lees headquarters
We ". passed d Confedefate officer and
;;nifteen men marching up the country
- ~ line almost PARALLEL with the river
1aney eaid that they belonged to Col.
U9wan's regiment-T don't think they
;oia us where they were going, and my
oppression is that they were cut off in
.ome way from the rest Of their COM
nAna Sh aud were seeking their comrades.
oaITattly ,sI.a after passing them we came up
WIN N..-g8 s-.'.-s., f--.4,. s..-,,s CO.
TWO YANKEE SCOUTS.
lIney separated and Manning and Nse.
lecied our man and pursued him. The
9COuklt fyAra Co. =