The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-03-19
WITH SPENCER CARBINES.
EXPERIENCE OF THE MICHIGAN CAV
AIRY BRIGADE AT APPOMATTOx.
The Memorable 9th of ApriE-A Terrific
Fire from Spencer Carbines-Arrival of
Sheridan and the Fifth Ccrps-A Trap
The White Flag.

The White Flag.
1t is growing lighter in the east and day
light is just breaking. It is the memorable
9th of April. 1t must be about o'clock when
pingi pingi pingi a shower of mimic balls
whistle over our heads. Instantly all are on
the alert This is the beginning Of the strug
gle of that eyentful day which ended in thu
surrender of Lees whole army. The ping
ping of bnllets is from the firing of rebel
skirmishers. They have Withdrawn the
picket line and sent out the "feelers.s They
are not in strong force, however, and are soon
driven back to cover by our men, who are
not to be taken by surprise
The morning grows apace, we have man
aged to get some hot coffee and breakfast
and are now ready for orders. In the mean
time the firing has increased away up along
the right, and we judge the enemy is trying
the same game there but they are met and
are driven back in the same manner.
All is now quiet in front of us, and our
squad moves up where the brigade flag Is sta
toned The brigade is in batUle order, and
glancing little to the left we see the battery
in position, unlmbered, and the men in posi-
ton This looks as though trouble was brew
ing, and it soon comes.
Suddenly there is a movement by regi-
ment in front and the skir1nishers are seen re-
turning, driven in by an advance of the en-
emy. Looking away over to the edge of a
patch of woods, perhaps half a mile distant,
we see two long, dusty lines filing out and
rapidly advancing across an open field; now
comes a-third line. 1t is an advance in force.
Steadily they march, and soon the shock
must come for Michigan boys are to meet
them They must not dive usl For a few
moments watch the scene; then comes the
crash From the first line belches sheet of
flame, quickly returned by the Michigan men
with their Spencer carbines. 1t does not check
them.
SPENCERs OF THE MICHIGAN CAVALRY.
Bang! goes gun from our battery and
shell explodes i'm front of the advancing
column. 1t falls short. Try again. They
do, this time with better success, for death
dealing shell explodes in their ranks and kills
a dozen men. Close up, and on they come
again, this time to be met by a terrific fire
from the Spencers of the Michigan brigade.
They form, waver-another v0lley from the
Spencers-th they fall back upon the next line,
which wavers-a charge, Federal yell, with
a hot fire from our battery, and they are
driven into the woods again. Warm work,
but they have accomplished their object
They know they have nothing but cavalry
to fight We shall hear from them soon
again.
In the meantime the same demonstration
has been made ON our center and right We
hear the booming of the batteries and the
heavy firing of infantry, but do not know the
result It is evidently a movement to gain
information.
Half an hour passes, perhaps an hour. 1t
n
have been moved to a new position, little
back and to the right. The regiments are dis
mounted and the horses sent to the rear. Sud-
IDENTIFY line of butternut clothed men appear
above the brow of a hill in our front, then
another, and another. We divine their inten-
ton; they must break through our lines at
this point at any cost. Still they come, and
this time they have artillery Soon they
open fire, and the real fighting of the day
commences They are superior in numbers,
but our men are stubborn and refuse to be
driven Can we hold them! No. Steadily
we are forced back, inch by inch, yielding
the ground gradually.
Suddenly q lieutenant comes dashing up
and cries out: acct out of this boys. We
must get back Get word to the men with
the horses to go the rear-across that swael,
way over yonder. There'H be hotter work
here presently You chaps must follow the
flag, which will be along here presently" and
off he gallops to give another order.
Where is the infantry! Where is the Fifth
corps, which has been close in our rear for
the last three days! Is it possible that Sheri-
dan will let the prize slip through his grasp'
The fire in front grows hotter, the cantlcn
boom oftener and louder, wounded are going
by ON stretchers and ambulances, and yonder
come the Michigan boys, steadily, like the
veterans that they ale, but retreating. Where
is tie infantry?
SHERIDAN AND THE FIFTH CORPS.
We cross low swampy piece of land and
are nearing the road by which we came yes
terday, when suddenly there comes a yell
from the woods skirting that road and out
pours a swarm of blule-coats. Hurrah the
Fifth corps! and mighty cheer rends the air.
Sheridan and the Fifth corpsi The day is
saved!
Look out Here comes the artillery.
Away they go with rush down in front,
unlimber and are soon sending shot and shell
into the rebel ranks The Fifth corps are al
ready in line of battle and are hard at it.
And at this tipe we look away over to the
left and see along line of blue-coats stretching
away for mile. More Federal infantry
tirely surrounded, and it is question how
long they will hold out. They are stubborn,
this enemy in front of us. They charge again
and again, bat only to be driven back. They
can not break through; they are in trap.
Suddenly there is silence-a silence so pro-
found that nothing / can say will adequately
describe it. What does it mean? The artil-
lerymen rest their tired arms upon their pow
der-begrimed pieces, the infantrymen come
to parade rest, and every neck is stretched
forward i'm keen anticipation. The enemy
has ceased firing. But whys We soon know.
Over there in front, just discernible from our
position, flutters white flag, an officer evil
IDENTIFY holding it on the point of bis sword.
Now we see group Of officers in consulta-
tion and eagerly pointing to the white
object futtering on the Confederate lines.
ALI seem excited. Suddenly horsenlan
rides forth from among the group, and
attended by an orderly gallops rapidly
forward. It is Gen. Custer, and he goes to
receive the flag of truce from the hand OF a
Confederate captain. A short interval elapses
and the general rides back to the group of
officers and announces that he bears a flag of
truce, and that Gen. Lee desires cessation of
hostilties until he can confer with Gen. Grant
and arrange terms Of surrender for his whole
army.
aPass the word along the lines, Lee has
surrendered" Ten thousand voices are
raised in loud, long, glad shout, Lee has
surrendered" Caps fly IN the air, comrades
grasp each others hands. and still the refrain
echoed along the lines, 4Lee has surTen-
dered.n
"Lee has surrendered" The long struggle
is over.-C. C. Colbrath in Detroit Free Press.
8
Making 1t Personal Matter.
Rev. Sam Jones says: Live so your
children may put their feet in your tracks
and be honorable That is, don't walk all
over the road on the way home nights.