The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-02-08
THE WHITE FLAG,
n c"rrcc, vcrston OF the Surrender signal
Mt Apponatto,.
Communication I. n. y. !. II. Z.

My attention mas been called 10 an ar
ticlc recently printed in the I1H, Of this
city, and credited TO ycur entcrrtining
paper, in which il is stated tha, the Ap.
pomattox flag of truce disappeared after
the surrender, and that an article written
By the Confederate Col Sims, Of South
Carolina, for The Charleston atws and
CWicr had interested many persons in
the search for it, and that it hal been
recently found III the possession Of Mrs
Custer, the widow Of the late Cen Gus.
ter, To whom il was presented by Gen
Sheridan.
Now, ,ha, those interested may lave
the "bot,on, facts in regard TO that flag
Of truce, let me say that it has not been
missing" one hour since that day when
and stop the Federal infantry line Of bat
tie, after which it was given to Gen;
Custer, then and there, by myself /
the circumstances under which the old
white towel value about twenty. five
cents served the double duty of an
nouucins the surrender Of Lees army
simultaneously to II charging column of
Shcridan's entire cavalry and Ord's in
fantry corps in line of battle, and were
closing in around Lee from separate
points Of the compass. General Custer
on the night before had made impossible
the further retreat Of Lees army toward
Lynchburg by charging OH to Appomat.
tOX station, i'll advance OF orders, captu
ring the depot and railway supply trains,
and after . desperate night battle, cap.
turing twenty five pieces Of artillery and
planting his command across the Lynch.
burg pike, facing east toward Lee. Dur
ing the night General Ord's infantry
reached the field and took the position
won by Custer. On the morning Of the
9th Sheridan moved his whole cavalry
command out over the fields South Of
the Court House, Gen. Clusters division
in advance and received the fire of the
encmy's artillery.
We had reached favorable point for
Il charge at what appeared TO he the cen
ter of the rebel line, when I'm officer
galol ed out to us, with the truce in his
hand, and said 10 Gen. Custer: Gen.
Lee requests II suspension Of hostilites"
Custer instantly halted and, turning TO
me, by his side, said: tio with this
officer and say for ME TO Gen. Lee tina,
cannot stop this charge unless he an.
nouuces an unconditional surrender, as
am not in sole command on this field"
The officer gave his name as i1ajor Sims
of Lougstreet's staff, and hurricdly ri
lotcd me through the rebel lines, but q
few rods in our front, where ar,iilerymen
stood in position by their shotted guns
and piles Of ammunition. On the way
to Lee we were met bv General Gordon,
with group Of many other prominent
officers, who stated that the request for
a suspension Of hostiities was, in fact,
unconditional surrender, that Lee had
just rode away to the rear to find Grant,
and that the infantry line of battle clos
ing in on them from tho west must be
halted and further bloodshcd stopped.
consented to take the same truce and
stop the infantry if Major Sims would
accompany me. lie did so, and we both
doubtless q little warmed up and out Of
breath, explained to Gems. Ord and Cham.
bcrlain the situation, when their line
halted and cheer after cheer rolled from
right to left.
At this point Sims and myself parted,
he to return to Gen. Gordon, q short dis
tance, and in full view over an open field,
and to return to Gen. Custer, where the
ground WAS not open, and the rattle Of
course, the truce in hand WAS still need
| that Confederate cavalry commander
had been trying to charge through our
| lines on the right, and had not succeeded
had no further use for the truce, and
handed it to Gen. Custer, who more than
any other person was entitled 10 posses
i sion of the relic, rs he had done most
toward bringing about the surrender
Gen. Sheridan never saw the truce when
in use, never possessed it, ana of course,
never gave il to Gen. or Mrs. Custer.
Mrs Custer has recently written me for
its history, and gives the address of Col
| Sims, to whom have written
| have not seen the article referred tc
"a written by him and printed in the
Charleston paper, and do not know how
anxious he is 90 recover the relic, but
trust that lie and all our ex. Confederate
friends will cheerfully accord to Mrs.
Custer the rightful custody of it, and
would remind them that it was her gal
liant husband, at the head of the Third
Cavalry Division, who led the advance
in every battle in Virginia during the
six months closing the war. csnturing
Ill pieces oftield artillery, G5 battle flags,
ten thousand prisoners of war, including
seven general officers, and never lost a
gun or color.
+. w. WHITAKER,
Late Lieutenant Colonel First Connect.
cut Cavalry, Acting Assistant Inspec.
or.General Third Cavalry Division,
and Brevet Brigadier General United
States Volunteers.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Monday, January
8, 1888
What We Eat.