The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-01
General j. Ii. Gordon on Lees
Surrender.

AS General Gordon's wing was the
one upon which devolved the battle
which daylight would bring, he thus be-
came the central figure around which
the events of the day should revolve.
Gordon, the old freight flashing in his
eye; we took the works and had
pressed the enemy back when a letter
signed by General Lee was borne to me.
1t stated that under flag of truce he
was in negotiation with General Grant,
and that l might inform the federal
COMMUNICATION / supposed was
General Ord-of the fact. Calling up
my chief of staff l ordered him to carry
flag of truce into the federal lines with
the information. " Did he carry it?"
4" WE'LL" said General Gordon, with
grim smile, " not flag of truce exactly
we had no flag, and it was impossible
to procure one. l told him to get a
stick and tie white handkerchief to it.
There is not handkerchief in
the whole command he said, Then
tear off a piece of your white shirt
have no white shirt Then get
some one else's white shirt, There
is not white shirt in the whole army
he replied in utter despair Finally he
got hold of something white, and rode
into the federal lines, where he found
General Sheridan in command, instead
of General Ord. General Sheridan i'm
mediately sent an officer into my lines
to demand our immediate and uncondi-
tional surrender. 'Give General Sheri-
dan my compliments, was my response,
and say to him that / wish merely to
inform him of the existence of the flag
of truce, and was not prepared to sur
render In few moments | observed
a cloud encircling a dozen horsemen.
With my staff l rode out to meet the
party, and found it to be General Sheri-
dan and staff, who had ridden within
our lines. Again Sheridan demanded
of me in person that / surrender.
Upon my exhibiting to him General
Lees letter, it was agreed that firing
should cease; that no advance should
wait the result of the negotiations
under the flag of truce between Cen
eral Grant and General Lee. After
that there was some desultory firing,
but it was soon checked. In a few
hours came the final message that
terms of surrender had been agreed
upon" How were the terms of sur
render agreed upon?" General Lee
appointed General Longstreet, Gen
eral Pendleton and myself to meet
officers similarly appointed by General
Grant, who should agree upon the Ian
guage of the parole, and the details for
the surrender of arms, etc. We met in
the brick house in which Lee and Grant
had met, and had no difficulty in put
ting into shape the business upon which
we had met" Did you meet Grant
upon that occasion?" ooh, yes,''
was General Gordon's reply, as he
stretched his arms out over the back of
the settee upon which he was sitting,
81 was very much impressed with the
modesty and unpretending character
of the man. He wore no uniform ex-
cept the blue blouse, overcoat and
breeches-not even a sword to betoken
his rank. His manner was most gra-
cious and courteous. Not a word es-
capped him which did not give evidence
of his purpose of treating the defeated
confederates with every mark of respect
and consideration. Indeed, this spirit
seemed to actuate all the federal officers
with one exception. They made con-
slant reference to the battles in which
the confederates had been victorious
and avoided those in which the FEEDER.
ais had been successful. With all
their courtesy, however, and all theil
kindness, the trial to the officers and
the men was one of the greatest through
which brave army has ever had tC
pass. Men kissed their arms as they
stacked them to be delivered up. Many
color bearers wept bitterly as they
folded their battle-fags, and, indeed
there was scarcely dry eye when the
realization came upon them that it was
all over. "-Atlanta Constitution.