The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-18

| r.. 'uos he was pressed back in front
oy nesvy numbers and was Tapped on
eaeh Hank. Gen. Longstfeet then direc.
leo me 10 ride over 10 Gen. Gordon and
say TO him that il he thought proper he
might send o message TO Gen. Sheridhp
VINO was in his front asking for
A SUSPENSION OF HosTILITIEs
uniii Gen. Lee could be heard from. who
nao ridden down the road to meet Gen,
ufant' l found Gen. Gordon in the
centre OF the Village of Appomattox in
tne main street pressed very heavily in
'front.' and threatened on each flank I
0eliyered him Gen. Longstreet's message.
ana ne at once asked me to do him the
Sindness 10 take the message to Gen.
sheridan asking for the suspension of
nostllltles, as he did not have O single
sian oiilcer to spare. Upon o 81 Or. con-
siocration as to the proper place to 90
through the lines, it was agreed that I
shouid go to the left, where the flank
was threatened by heavy force of cav.
AIRY, and where sharp fight was going
on between dismounted cavalrymen o5
each aide. Just as I was leaving Gen.
gordon member of his r',tf. Major
brown, came up, and he ) either sent
with me or joined me afterwards
had entered the enemy's liues-T do
not now remember which.
Pardon little depression. A few
weeks before leaving Richmond / had
found up on Broad street some yery nice
towels and invested in three. having
$40 apiece. On this morning after dress.
ing put one OF these clean towels end
COMP and hair and tooth brush In small
1sversacks which threw over my shoul-
oefs' preparatory to our days advent
ana the departure of our headquarter
wagon with our trunks and all other bag
gage 10 parts 10 us unknown from that
Gay to this. Cadet Alexander, of the
neneraps staff, took charge of the wagon
ana started for the mountains of North
carolina, but we never heard of it again.
mad been cautioned by Gen. Long
street net to let our men know that there
was such thought as asking for truce.
90 IN passing into the enemy's lines
n1 nad very dangerous duty to. perform.
Ihe enemy occupied the edge Of q wood
running across the road. l had to ride.
snd our dismounted cavalry were behind
fence parallel 20 The wood, and some
TWO hundred yards from it lively fight
was going on between them. / rode
through part of Gary's brigade. did
not exhibit any signal until near the en-
emy's line, but put spurs and dashed in
as rapidly as possible, pulling out as
went towel. AS soon as
THE WHITE TOWEL
was recognized by the enemy, which was
not until [ got almost upon them, thew
ceased firing at me.
was approached rapidly by a lieu.
tenant colonel, who asked nv business.
| told him wished to see Gen. Sheridan.
He told me that Gen. Sheridan was OFF
some distance, but that Gen. Custer was
near by, and that he was in command of
that part OF the line. We started up the
road to fi.,l Gen. Custer. I had come
from the village and had gone but short
distance, about one hundred Yards l
think, when we struck about the centre
of Clusters division of cavalry moving
at gallop road at right angles to the
one we were In, and leading east and to
the left flank of our advanced forces.
We turned to the left, riding briskly to
join the head of the column. This di-
vision was so we'll drilled that we found
little difficulty in keeping q steady and
brisk gallop by the side Of the line in q
not very wide road. After galloping
some four hundred yards, I should saw.
we reached the head of the column.
Gen. Custer at its head.
He was neatly dressed wearing q sack
coat, felt hat and boots. The striking
peculiarities in his features and dress
were sharp thin face with little beard
on it, long sandy reddish hair, red scarf
and an attractive scarf pin, O. brilliant
stone in. the front of his hat and on eech
shoulder-strap He asked ME quickly,
"Who are you, and what do you want 7"
replied was an officer Oh Gen. Long
streets staff, but was the bearer of a mes.
sage from Gen. Gordon, who was in COM
mand of the forces in his front; that
Gen. Gordon desired me to say TO Gen.
Sheridan that Gen. Lee had ridden down
the road to meet Gen. Grant, and he de.
sired suspension of hostilities until ho
could be heard from.
owe win do no such thing; we are be.
hind your people now and we will listen
to no terms but those of an uncondition.
al surrender"
said, every voll, cir, we will never
don ?"
Certainly, sir" he said.
"Do you desire to send any one with
me-" asked.
He said "Yes," and he directed two
officers, one the lieutenant.colonel who
first met me, and major, to go with me.
Just before entering our own lines upon
my return the lieutenant.colonel Who
was with me, asked mo If would please
rxfv fEa altryh hfn1, 4 y
as
a FLAG OF TRUCE.
The realization Of our whole situation,
the end of the four years struggle, of the
hopes and fears, the hardships aud the
dangers enduredand this miserable end.
ing Of all bprat upon me at once, and, I
fear, answered the officer very rndely,
"Nol It is sufficient source of regret
to know that l have used it in such
way, and surely shall not allow you to
preserve it as memento of our humilia-
ton and defeat" z.
He apologized at once, rsying he meant
no harm and appreciating my feelings,
and deeply regretted that he had woun-
ded them.
Passing branch some Confederate
artillery were contending with the mud
and mirs and struggling to get across
aud to get upon the hill in front. The
Yankee officer. with very keen percep-
tions of business, desired me to stop this
artillery, that in view Of the probable.
suspension Of hostilities everything
should remain in stdtu quo. / replied
that 1 could not do 80, and from what I
learned from Gen. Custer would not if
1 could, as the probability was that we