Huntsville gazette., 1885-06-13

Wilderness: "Operating in an enemy's
country and supplied always from dis
tant base, large detachment had at all
times to be sent from the front to guard
the base of supplies leading to it. We
were also operating in a country un.r
known to US and without a competent
guide or maps showing the roads accur.
ateiy. Estimating Lees strength in tho
same manner as ours, the enemy had not
less than $4,000 men at the start. His re-
lntorcements during the campaign were
about equal to ours, deducting our dis.
charged men and those sent back. Lee
was on the defensive and in "a country
in which every stream, every road, every
obstacle to the movement of troops, aud
every natural defense was familiar. The
citizens were all friendly. and furnished
him ucc'irate reports of our every move
ment. Rear guards were not Necessary.
for him, and having always railroad al
his back, large wagon trains were not
required. All circumstances considered,
we did not have any advantage of num-
bers. More severe fighting
has not been witnessed on this continent
than that of the 5th and 9Th of May, 1864.
Our victory consisted in having success
fully crossed formidable stream almost
in the face of the enemy, and getting the
army together afterward as unit. We
gained an advantage on the morning of
the 9Th, which, if it had been followed
up, must have proven very decisive. In
the evening the enemy gained an advant-
age, but was speedily repulsed. As we
stood at the close, the two armies
were relatively in about the
same condition to meet each other
as when the river had divided them. But
the fact of safely crossing was a victory.
On the morning of the 7th
we sent out pickets and skirmishers to
discover the position of the enemy, but
Lee showed no disposition to come out.
About midday Warren was directed to
make "a reconnaissance in force. This
drew some sharp firing, but there was no
attempt on the part of the rebels to drive
him back. This ended the battle of the
Wilderness. Our losses in the Wilder
ness were 2,2l6 killed, s,7S5 wounded
and 1902 missing-probably nearly all
the latter captured by the enemy.
In giving "reminiscences of Lees sur
render, General Grant says: ~ found
General Lee had been brought into our
lines and conducted to house be-
longing to Mr.. Mclean, and was there
with one of his staff awaiting my ar
rival. The head of his column was oc-
cupying hill, a portion which was an
apple orchard.
Wars produce many stories of fiction.
The story of the apple tree is one of
those fictions with slight foundation of
fact Rnnnino
diagonally up the hill was a wagon
road, which at one point ran very near
one of the trees of the orchard, so that
the wheels had cut off the roots of the
trees which made little en-
bankment. General Babcock reported
to me that when he first met General Lee
he was sitting upon this embankment
with his feet in the road and leaning
against the tree. 1t was then that Lee
was conducted into the house where I
first met him. l had known General Lee
in the old army and had served with him
in the Mexican war, but l did not suppose,
owing to the differences in our ages and
rank, that he would probably remember
ME, While would remember him more
distinctly because he was the Chief En-
gineer on the staff of General Scott in
the Mexican war. When 1 had left camp
that morning, | had not expected the re.
suit so soon that was then taking
place, and consequently was in
rough garb, and, l believe, without
a sword, as I usually was when on horse
back on the field, wearing soldiers
blouse for coat with shoulder straps OF
nv rank TO represent who / was. When
1 went into the house | found General
Lee we greeted each other, and after
shaking hands took our seats. What his
feelings were do not know, being man
MI with INN
BILE face; but my own feelings, which had
been quite apparent on the receipt OF his
letter, were sad and depressed. 1 felt
like anything rather than enjoyment at
the downfall of foe that had fought so
long and so CALAMITY, and had suffered
so much for cause which believed
to be one of the worst for which people
ever fought, and for which there was not
the least pretext. I do not question,
however, the sincerity of the great mass
of those who were opposed to US. Gen.
eral Lee was dressed in full uniform en-
tirely, wearing sword of considerable
value, very likely the sword that had been
presented to him by the State of Vir-
ginia; at all events, it was an entirely
different sword from the one that would
ordinarily be worn in the field. In my
rough travelling suit, which was the uni
form of q priva e, with the straps
of General, l must have con-
trasted very. STRANGELY with man
so handsomely dressed, six feet high and
Of faultless form, but this was not mat
ter thatI thought of until afterward.
General Lee and l soon fell into a con-
versation about old army times. He re-
marked that he remembered me very
well in the old army. Our conversation
grew SO pleasant that almost forgot the
object of our meeting. General Lee was
by one of his staff, Colonel
Marshall. ] had all of my staff with me,
4 good portion of whom were in the
room during the whole OF the interview"
Wants the Verdict Reconsidered.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June 8.-Lieutenant