The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-10-19

give MIN paCTiaTCnai appearance. HIS
office in the basement Of the Court House
is crowded with musty old papers, many
bcarning date early in the last century
and concerning the estates and fortunes
Of many proud F. F. VS.. Colonel Peers
is probably better acquainted with the
local events transpiring at the time OF
Lees surrender than any man in the
South. With great kindness he pointed
out the scenes Of the memorable Incl
dents of the 9Th and 9th Of April. 1865.
81 remember well," he said, as, stand
ing on,the Court House "green," he gazed
thoughtfully at the woods skirting the
western sky, as though catching again
in memory's eye the>glimmer Of hostile
banners through the trecs-"I remem-
Der as though yesterday the day when
the Army of Northern Virginia passed
into history. There were few men in
Appomattox that spring. Some were
with Lee around Richmond, others with
Joe Johnston in the South, and others
again were sleeping on the fields Of
Gettysburg, Antietam and ;Chancellors-
willie. There were anxious wives, broken
hearted widows and childless mothers
among us, and the few who remained
could easily SEQ the dark clouds gather
ing closer over the Confedcracy. Lee,
driven out Of Richmond and uprootei
from Petersburg, was hurrying his weary
troops toward the western mountains,
with the sleuth- hounds OF Grant and
Sheridan rressing hard behind. On
Saturday morning. April 8, few strag-
glers reached Appoma,tox with the in
formation that Lee WAS close at hand,
willie terrified country people from the
west came in with the intelligence that
Sheridan had conc up the railroad track
and as across the road in Lees front.
In the afternoon Lee arrived and en-
camped on the brow Of hill about a
mile from town. About halfway be-
tween, through fertile meadow, runs
'Appo,nattox Creek, crossing the road
near an old apple orchard
COukCIL OF WAR.
II went into the Confederate camp
that night and learned from an officer
that n council Of war had just heen held
by General Lee and his generals, at
which it was decided that if Sherdan's
calvalry was tho only obstructions in
front an attempt would he made early
the next III o1ning 10 cut through, but If
Ord's infantry should arrive during the
night there would be nothing left but
surrender, Lees pickets had been
thrown through and about mile west
Of the town, and and sharp encounter
occurred about dusk between them and
the 18th New York cavlary. The pick
ct line fell back through the town, fol-
lowed hard by the enemy, and it was
in leading this pursuit that the COM
mand Of the cavalry, Lieutenant Colo
mel Qoot,. was killed in the centre Of
the village. This was the last life lost
at Appomattox. On Sunday morning
battery was planted in my yard one hun
dred yards from the Courthouse, and an
artillery duel with the Federals began
From this battery the last shots were
fired by the Army Of Northern Virginia.
About 8 o'clock. that Sunday morning
word was brought General Lee, who
had ridden up under one Of the apple
trees on the banks of the creek, that the
infantry was in his front several thou
sand strong. According to the decision
Of the council the night before. he i'm
mediately sent forward from this point
the flag oftruce. Thi is was; the only
part played in the closing drama of the
war by the famous "apple tree of the
Appomattox." General Lee and Gen.
eral Grant never mot under its boughs :;
in fact, the latter never got within two
hundred yards of the apple tree. He
rode through the village about an hour
after the flag Of truce entered his lines,
and was met by General Lee on tho
brow ofthe. hill, half way between the
town and the appl, orchard. Here the
two chieftains conyersed awhile, then
turned and rode together into the
town" sa ~
'.sL THE SURRENDER. -
Meeting Mr.. Wilmer Mclean in
front Of the Court II House, General Lee