Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-23
APPOMATTOX.
GOING HOME FROM THE sURREN.
DER.
q Graphic Narrative by One Who Was
There.


q Graphic Narrative by One Who Was
There.
Written for THE EVENING STAR by Thos. j. Murray.
late Lieutenant, C.S.A.
On reading the article Of Gen. Phil. Sheridan
In the North Americ0n Reuie,o for July, giving
his recolections of events connected with the
surrender of the army of northern Virginia at
Appomattox Court House. it occurred to me to
write down my "reminiscences of what happened
subsequently to the act of surrender and more
particularly of how Lees troops got home, and
what they saw and experienced on the way
there. have never seen any account of this
published. Having been only subaltern of the
army, of course can only give what came I'M
der my personal observation, and if the letter
81" appears too frequently in the following
narration, let it be ascribed to the fact that from
thcnature of the case such amethod Oftelling the
tale could not be avoided. Again. my expert
ence was, in the main features similar to that
of nearly all of Lees army, whose homes were
In Northern and Middle Virginia and who cut
across the country, either on foot or horse back
en- route to join the loved ones from whom they
had been separated by four long and weary
years of toll, prfvation and danger. / write
from memory only and NAV make mistakes as
to dates, &c. but the main facts are true. and
am sure that shall nothing eytenuate and set
down naugft in malice / am chiefly moved to
write this because it will doubtless be of inter-
est to my Old comrades and others to have re-
Called the events and experiences of that bitter
month of April, 1865. from a subalterns point of
view.-and moreover such as it is-the tale here
told is history.
On the bleak hill side that stoned to the little
valley. through which flowed a r;vuet were
massed on that bright spril morning all that
remained few and feeble enough. God knows)
of men, horses artillery and wagons, that repre-
sented
THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
About two miles in front was AppomattOX
C. H.. and although the white flag of sur
render was futtering on the advanced lines.
yet q few spluttering shots. with now and then
defiant yell, Indicated that some of the I'M
daunted spirits ofthat hitherto unconquered host
were indisposed to unconditional submission to
their foes. UptOthe previous evening Lees men
hoped to be able to Outmarch Grants columns
push aside Sherdan's cavalry from before them
and get to Lynchturg, thus putting the James
river between the armies aud giving a chance
for successful rally in the mountains All
hope OF forming junction with Johnston had
departed after the disastrous affair at Sailors
creek But when. on the evening in question,
the remnant of the troops We're halted at 4
O'Clock In the evening. and the boom of cannon
and the rattle of musketry directly in front told
where Gordon was endeavorinm to force pas
sage. end when the Noise of battle died ayay
and nc order to move forward was given all
felt that the game was up. and the shattered
remnant OF the bulwark of the confed-
eracy was fairly caught in the tolls.
can even at this day recall wildly the sad
cOuntenances of the officers and men of Lees
army, and the hushed voices in which CONVERSE
tiOn was carried on, as if at the funeral of some
beloved leader after it was authOrtatiyey an
nOunced that the terms OF surrender had been
agreed upon and signed. Every man of that
hoyfH -fs hoh hnnp anti fttnIr aII,r
the last. fully realized that all that men could
do had been brayely done to avert the catastro-
phe, but for all that it was none the less as bit
ter as were the waters of Marah to the Israelites
when pershiGg in the desert.
The surrender being an accomplished fact and
Che excitement of the continued combat of the
past five days having abated the wants of the
physical man began loudly to assert themselves
and the crying question of the hour was when
shall We get something to eat?" 1t may here
be stated that no regular rations had been issued
TO the troops since leaving the lines at Peters
burg,-the trains containing provisions from
Richmond. though ordered to await the arrival
OF the army at Amelia C.. H., having been seized
upon and franticaly driven southwark by
THE BoMB-PRo0F CROWD
feeling from the confederate capital with no
other idea in their cowardly heads than putting
their own worthless carcasses out of danger
All thought. even by officials, of the dire strait
Of the army was thrust aside. The provision
trains ordered from Danyille and Richmond Gas
Is stated by Gen. Sheridan in his article
above referred to- never reached the cOnfeder-
ates. SO that for five days. including the dav
OF surrender. Lee troops had been practically
marching and lighting on empty bellies, for the
circumscribed space within which they were
hemmed by the federal hosts and the constant
battle that was maintained. sometimes even
tar into the night. did not permit OF much for
aging, even if the tract of country passed
through had been rich in provisions, which 1T
was not by any means.
No sooner were the articles of surrender
signed than the first thought of Gen Lee was
for his starving men. and he forthwith re-
quested Gen. Grant to send supplies as quickly
as possible Gen. Grant promptly acceded to
the request, and about five or six hours after
the last shot ,oO, was ,ss,n fired in hos
and q drove of beeves.-suficient ratiOns for
twenty-five thousand men (about the number
armed and unarmed. that were surrendered) for
three days,-moved slowly from Appomattox
e. ii. into the lines of the conquered army.
leave it to those who have had the misfortune
to be really extraordinarily at the point OF
starvation and collapse, to realize what short
work was made OF the welcome provision By
the confederates. liz spite of the efforts of COM
manders of companies. who had been fore
warned from headquarters. many of the men
made themselves i'll by oyeT-eating. and. for
lack OF medicines to relieyethem. number who
had gaIEey stood up to the scratch and took
their punishment during the war now,
In sight OF the Canaan of peace. of their
homes and families. persisted miserably. As I
have said. the bulk OF the surrendered army
was massed on the sloping sides of a bare val
ley. about mile long and half mile broad
and as soon as my duties to my company would
admit struck out to find what was left OF INV
old regiment 9th Virginia infantry AK; of
Pickett's division, to which it belonged.
soon found what sought. and what did find
literally dumbfounded me. OF the 18th resi-
Ment which. when last saw it few months
before, numbered about 500 men fit for duty,
there we've only ice present and accounted for,
and the division represented by about
thirty ragged. wretched. aud woe-tegone fellows,
who could hardly lit themselves up to greet
me.
Five FORKS AND SAILORS CREEK
had done the work. In the afternoon, about
an hour by sun, the battalion to which nv COM
pany belonged Qst Virginia battalion, infantry,
and which, though frequently exposed during
the retreat, had maintained its organization in
tact, was drawn out To escort the federal prs-
Oners. of whom We had some two or three
thOuSand-amOnO them Gen Grpup of Shpri-