The Portland daily press., 1883-01-23
That Historical White Towel.

Letter to the New York Times,
My attention has been called TO an article re-
Gently printed in the Post, of this city, and
credited to your enterprisng paper, in which it
is stated that the Appomattox flag of truce dis
appeared after the surrender, and that an arti-
Gle written by the Confederate, Col. Sims, of
South Carolina, for the Charleston News and
Courier, had Interested many persons in the
search for it. and that it had been recently
found in the possession of Mrs. Custer, the
widow of the late Gen. Custer, to whom it was
presented by Gen. Sheridan.
Now, that those interested may haye the
"bottom facts" in regard to that flag Of truce,
let me say that it has not been missing one
hour since that day when Gen. Gordon begged
me to take it and stop the Federal infantry
line of battle, after which it was given 20 Cen
Custer then and there by myself. 1 may be
excused, perhaps, for detailing the circum-
stances under which the old white towel (value
about twenty-five cents) served the double duty
of announcing the surrender of Lees army al
most simultaneously to a charging column of
Sheridan's entire cavalry and Ords infantry
corps In line of battle, that were closing in
around Lee from separate points of the COM
pass.
impossible the further retreat of Lees army tc-
ward Lynchburg by charging on to Appomat-
tox Station, in advance of orders, capturing tt @
depot and railway supply trains, and, after
desperate night battle, capturing % pieces of
artillery, and planting his command across the
Lynchburg pike, faciDg east toward Lee Dur
ing the night Gen. 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 divi-
sion in advance, and received the fire of the
enemy's artillery
We had reached favor BILE point for charge
at what appeared to be the centre of the rebel
line, when an officer galloped out to us, with
the truce in his hand, and said to Gen. Custer:
Seen. Lee requests suspension Of hostilities."
Custer instantly halted and, turning to me, by
his side, said: go with this officer and saw
for me to Gen. Lee that | cannot stop this
charge unless he announces an unconditional
surrender, as am not in sole command on this
field" The officer gave his name as Major
Sims of Longstreet's staff, and hurriedly piloted
me through the rebel lines, but few rods in
our front, where artillerymen stood in position
by their shotted guns and piles of ammunition.
On the way to Lse we we're met by Gen.
Gordon, with a group of many other pr eminent
officers, who stated that the request for sus-
pension of hostilitirs was in fact, uncondition-
al surrender, that Lee had just rode away to
the rear to find Grant, and that the infantry
line of battle closing in on them from the west
must be halted and further bloodshed stopped,
consented to take the same truce and stop
the infantry If Major Sims would accompany
me. He did so and we both, doubtless little
warmed up and out of breath, explained to
Gems Ord and Chamberlain 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, short distance, and in
full view over an open field, and to return to
Gen. Custer, where the g'ouLd was not open
and the rattle IF the carbine was still heard,
and, Of course, the truce in hand was still
needed. On reaching Gen. Custer learned
that a 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
no possession of the relic, as he had done most
toward bringing about The surrender. Gen.
Sheridan never saw the truce when in use,
never possessed it, and, of course, never gave
it to Gen. or Mrs. Custer. Mrs. Custer has re-
Gently written me- tor its history, and gives the
address of Col. Sims, TO whom have written.
have net seen the article referred to as
written by him aud printed in the Charleston
naner. and do not know how anxious he is to
recover the relic, but trust that he and all our
ex Confederate friends will cheerfully accord
to Mrs. Custer the rightful custody OF 1t, and
would remind them that it was her gallant
husband at the head of the Third Cavalry Die
vision, who led the advance in every battle in
Virginia during the six months closing the war,
capturing Ill pieces of field artillery, 90 battle
flags, 10000 prisoners of war, including Z gen.
eral officers, and never lost gun or a color
e w, WHITAHER,
Late aforementioned First Connecticut
Cavalry, Acting Assistant Inspector General
Third Cavalry Division, and BreveJ Briga-
der General United States Volunteers
Washington, d. c., Monday, Jan. 8, 1883.