The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-04-09

II NHRbk 49, 80 III Ndtdl
n pursuit was not pressed or appove,
~ the enemy at all, all day. Severa
lines during the day | reported to Fit
Lee that the cavalry had all left the rear
| also asked to be allowed to take m,
iivision and 90 to the rear and attacl
General Grant supply trains. Ny scout
had reported that these trains were poorly
Guarded and | believed then, and | be,
lIeve no,C, that | should have been SEN
back upon his mission, but for SON,
reason or other | was not allowed to 90
APPoMATTOX.
About 10 A. NJ. a flag of truce cam,
mp to me from the enemy in my rear. al
dressed to General K. T.. Lee. An an
swer was returned through my lines il
about two hours and this circums,anc,
filled my soul with the dread suspicion
hat the grand old Army of Virginia wa.
about to be surrendered to that foe over
which We bad tr umphed on many a hard
fought field. But on reflection the pos
sibility of such a thing seemed to be
doubly denied by the calm, manly and
heroic bearing of every man in our little
army, and | felt that the oCly answer
which such a proposition could receive
would be that of the Old Guard We
can die, but we cannot surrender II
the army had been consulted thts uould
haze been ats unsUer.
A little while before dark | was ordered
to take my command TO the front TO rein
.orce the cavalry then fighting at Apo
mattOx Court House, and as | passed
our Infantry | saw that it had for the
hrst time, or the retreat from Peters
burg, gone regularly into camp. This
tact confirmed my suspicious as to the
intentions of General Il. f Lee, and
when ! met General John B. Gordon and
told him what | had seen he d~efiantly
said that his corps, although but a hand
ful, was not whipped nor ready to sur
render; he also stated that he had been
sent for by General r. E. Lee and was
then on his way to see him. | urged
him to insist that be allowed to 90 back
that night and attack Grants wagons and
to this proposition he CALAMITY said If
General Lee will allow me | Will burn my
wagons aud oun my men on the mules
and | will 20 back this night and join
you in burning Grants wagons. The
idea is q good one and | will urge it on
General Lee" | felt better after this
meeting with Gordon. Gordon was al
ways cheerful and hopeful and ready to
fight and after Stonewall Jackson was
taken away John b. Gordon was the
ablest general General r. h. Lee had left.
The country had been drained by u
own hungry troops, and if Gordon and |
could have destroyed Grants supply train
that night he would have been compelled
to halt OF retreat, for there were not
enough rations in the country to have
fed his army one day.
reached Appomattox Court House
late at night and found Generals Roberts
and Gary with their brigades In position
on the western edge of the village. |
took position on their right, sent out
scout 10 watch the roads toward Lynch
burg and to ascertain what the enemy
was doing. Then | went to the house of
my old friend, Major Mclean, and spent
the night In talking over our war expert
ences. 1t was upon McLean's farm that
the first battle of Bull Run had been
fought and now he was about to furnish
the stage whereon the last scene of the
drama was to be exhibited. About 2
o'clock on the morning of the 9th ecu
erals Gordon and Fitz Lee arrived, raped
at the door, and, being admitted by
Lieutenant Winston, of my staff, they
anne into the parlor where [ sat.
| saw by the dim light of several tallow
candles, which were burning in the room.
that something terrible had happened
and | at once demanded the news. To
m0rr0U morning, General r. K. Lee de-
sired as to sag to you. he UiH either sur
render the army Of Northern Virginia or
disperSe It.. | rose at once and informed
these gentlemen that General Lee would
not surrender me in the morning. My
scouts had informed me that the Lynch
burg road was clear and | began making
arrangements to move off before daylight
when General Gorden assured me that If
| would wait till daylight that he would
go with me, and with this understanding
| got everything ready and waited.
About daylight other troops marched
into the village, and | rode to General
Gordon and had some conversation con
corning the attack we were about to make.
About sunrise Gordon moved his little
line to the front and his men met the
enemy with their accustomed dash and
confidence, capturing some prisoners and
driving the cavalry back upon the infan-
try, when he was repulsed, but his re-
pulse was more of a recoil than a defeat.
When Gordon moved forward | charged
the cavalry in my front and drove it off.
capturing a good many prisoners, and |
pushed on till | occupied the Lynchburg
road then changed front with my rear
towards Lynchburg and pushed forward
and attacked the enemy in flank as he
faced Gordon, but in a few moments |
saw with my field glass that Gordon had
fallen back on AppomattOx and then |
saw the white flags. Then firing ceased.
then troops from the opposite lines be-
gan to walk freely about and then | knew
all was over, so far as General Lee and
his army were concerned. had. how
ever, received no Instructions, and as |
was then situated l determined that |
would receive none and marched my
command OF to ~Lynchburg, where | ar
rived on the evening of the 9th.
The surrender Of General Lee was not
the surrender OF the Confederate States.
Our President was still free and we had
General +. Johnston and several other
abe generals in the field and there was
still hope. Therefore | dispersed my
little cavalry force, stating that | would
push on rapidly and see the President
and if their services wore required |
would return and COLLECT them. They all
assured me that they would rally under
the old banner whenever called, and [
knew they were sincere. Each color
bearer took to his home the old battle
flags and treasured in these homes those
dear old flags can be foupd to day.
After dispensing n.y. command I left
Lvnchburg early Cd the morning of the
10Th of April, and taking my staff rode
to Danville, Va. where | expected to
overtake the President, but whea |
reached there Ton the morning of the
lIth) [ fouGd shst the President had
gone OF to join the army under General