The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-07-04
leir officers to keep them from
A PLUcKY FELLOW.

their officers to keep them from
: firing.
A PLUCKY FELLOW.
| halted, and hearing some noise
behind turned in the saddle and saw
a Confederate soldier attempting to
take my battle-hag from the color
bearer. This the sergeant had no
idea of submitting to, and had drawn
his sabre to cnt the man down. 4
word from me caused him to return
bis sabre and take the flag back to
the staff officers. who were some little
distance behind. | remained Sta
tionarv a moment after these events a;
then, calling a staff officer, directed
him to go over to the group of Con
federate officers and demand what
) such conduct meant. Kind apollo
eies were made, and we advanced.
The superior officers met were Gems
]. b. Gordon and Cadmus NJ Viii
cox. the latter an old army officer
/ As soon as the first greeting was
over q furious firing commenced in
front OF our own cavalry from whom
we had only a few minutes before
separated. General Gordon seemed
to be somewhat disconnected by 1t.
| | remarked to him "General Cor
don, your men fred on me as | was
coming over here, and undoubtedly
they have done the same to Merritt :
and Clusters commands. We might
just az well let them tigh. it out. "
TO this proposition General Cor
don did not accede | then asked:
Why not send a staff officer and
have your people cease firing2 They
are violating the flag"
He said, II have no staff officer
to send" I Ireplied, 81 will let you
have one of mine" and calling for
Lieutenant Vanderbilt Allen he was
directed to report to General Cor
don and carry his orders. The or
ders were to 20 to General Geary,
who was in command of a small
brigade Of South Carolina cavalry,
and ask him to discontinue the fir
ing. Lieutenant Allen dashed of
with the message. but on delivering
tit to General Geary, was taken pris
oner, with the remark from that Of
liccr that he did not care for white
flags; that
isoUTH CARoLNIANs NEVER sURREN-
DERED.
1t was about this time that Mer-
ritt, getting impatient ut the sup
posed treacherous firing, ordered a
charge Of portion OF his command.
! While Generals Gordon and Wilcox
were engaged in 4 conversation with
me, a cloud OF dust, d wild hurrdh.
a flashing Of sabIcs, indicated a
charge, and the CALCULATIONS of my
staff officers were heard, Look !
Merritt has ordered a charge" The
fight OF Geary's brigade followed
! Lieutenant Allen was thus released.
The last gun had been fred and the
last charge made IN the Virginia
campaign.
While the scenes thus related were
taking place, the conversation now
.speak OF was occurring between Gen.
/ Gordon and myself After the first
salut.On General Gordon remarked:
! General Lee asks for suspension
OF hosilites pending the negotiations
which he has been having tor the
last day and night with General
3, Grant. | rejoined: Il have been
constantly informed Of the progress
OF the negotiations, and think 1t
singular thatwhile such negotiations
are going on, Gen. Lee should have
continued his march and attempted
to break through my lines this morn
ing with the view Of escaping. l can
entertain no terms except the condi-
ton that General Lee will surrender
to Gen. Grant on his arrival here, l
have sent for him. If these terms
are not accepted, we will renew hos
tilities." General Gordon replied
"General Lees army is exhausted.
There is no doubt OF his surrender
TO Gen. Grant on his arrival.
AN OLD FRIEND N GRAY.
General Wilcox, whom l knew
quite well, he having been captain OF
| the company to which was attach
ed as cadet in the military acade-
my, then stepped to his horse and
taking hold OF the saddle-hags, said,
in a jocular way:
" Here, Sheridan, take these sad
! dle.bags they have one soiled shirt
and a pair of drawers you have
I burned everything else | had in the
4 world, and think you are entitled
to this also"
He was alluding, OF course, to the
/ destruction Of the baggage. trains,
which had been going on for some
days.
! When the terms above referred 70
were settled, each army agreed 70
r4ma in instatu quo until the arrival
of Gen. Grant, whom Col Newell,
my AdiUtant General, had gone tor.
Gems. Gordon and Wilcox then re-
turned to see Gen. Lee, and promis-
ed TO come back in about thirty min
utes. and during that time Gen. Ord
ioined me at the court house. At
the end Of thirty or forty minutes
Gen. Gordon returned in company
with General Longstreet. The lat
ter, who commanded Lees rear
guard back on the Farmvilie road,
seemed somewhat alarmed lest Gen.
Meade, who was following up from
Farmyille, might attack, nOt know
ing the condition of affairs at the
front To prevent this proposed
to send my chief OF staff, Gen. J. W.
Forsyth, accompanied by Conied-
crate officer, back through the Con-
federate army and inform Gen.
Meade of the existing state OF affairs.
He at once started, accompanied by
I Col. Fairfax, of Gen. Longstreet's
staff, met the advance of the Army
of the Potomac, and communicated
| the conditions.
GENERAL GRANT ARRIVES on THE
SCENE.
| In the meantime General Lee
came over to McLean's house in the