The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-10-13

Lee rode through its quiet streets to
; close, by few strokes OF the pen, the
most bitterly contested and bloody IN
ternecine contest ever to swell the pages
OF history.
THE ROAD TO APpoMATToX.
This morning two tramps from the
borders of the keystone State found
themselves at Appomattox Station, on
the Norfolk and Western Railroad.
After a walk of three miles through
sedge, field and thcket, forests and
corn-felds, they reached Appomattox
Courthouse. Upon the brow Of hill
overlooking the town small graveyard
brings vividly back to memory the one
short but pregnant period Of civil war
which is inseparably connected with the
place, for within its whitewashed fences
are eighteen graves in ore long row, each
with nameiess white pine headboard
of simple design. These graves contain
the dust of the Confederate soldiers
killed in the last skirmish on Saturday
night and Sunday morning before Lee
sent the flag OF truce over the hills to
Grant. \ small wlitewashed pine monu-
ment had been erected in the centre Of
the lot by some loyal friend Of the dead,
but even it is nov overturned and lies
PROSTATE before the row of mounds.
The Courthouse, a tall, square, red
brick building, resembling more the
residence Of solid old Virginia farmer
than public structure, stands within q
small square or green n the center Of
the town. The old stage road coming
over the eastern hills deferentially turns
to one side and passes around the Court
house in a senli-circle, to resume IN
front its onward course again. Just
north of the public building and across
the road is the tavern, gloomy-looking
structure of ancient architecture. a
mass of matted ivy leaves cling to one
damp wall, while near by the old-time
weIl-sweep rears its mossy head. Very
rarely does guest inscribe his name in
the musty register, or climb the creaking
stairs with his tallow candle to seek re-
pose. The county jail is southeast of
the Courthouse about twenty yards away.
Two small stores, one of which enjoys
the additional dignity Of being the post
office, a blacksmith shop and ten or
twelve dwellings, constitute the remain
der Of the town, which contains. by
actual count, one hundred inhabitants.
The nearest church is two miles away.
The people of Appomattox are very kind
and hospitable, and without questioning
the intent and purposes of the stranger
at their gates, receive him courteously,
minister to his wants quietly, unostenta-
tiously, but with a kind-heartedness be-
meath all that is genuine and cheering.
A number Of Northern visitors stray here
in the course Of the year; in fact, curl
osity is the motive inducing strangers
to come at al, but there is no cool
ness in the welcome of these people.
The veteran who fought under Meade at
Gettysburg and followed Hooker into
! the Wilderness finds here one Of Jack
sons ''foot cavalry" ready to grasp his
hand and share his humble home with
his late foe.
COLONEL PBERs's STORY.
\ great man here is Colonel G. T.
Peers, clerk of the county court, an
office he has held uninterruptedly fol
eighteen years, and altogether for near
ly a quarter Of a century. Colonel Peers
is the only white man now living al
Appomattox Courthouse who was here
at the time of the surrender of Genera
Lee. He is the friend, counsellor anC
i leader of the little community, and hi:
kindly blue eyes and flowing white bearc
give him patriarchal appearance. His
office in the basement of the Courthouse
is crowded with musty old papers, many
bearing date early in the last century
and concerning the estates and fortune:
of many proud T. T. VS.. Colone
Peers is probably better acquainted witt
the local events transpiring at the time
of Lees surrender than any man in th'
South. With great kindness he pointed
out the scenes of the memorable Incl
dents of the Sth and 9th of April, 1865
~ remember WE'LL, he said, as, stand
! ing on the Courthouse ''green, lie gaZet
thoughtfully at the woods skirting th'
western sky, as though catching agail
in memory;s eye the GUNNER Of hostil
: banners through the trees-'I remcm
Der as though yesterday the day whel
r the Army Of Northern Virginia passet
into history. There were few men il
Appomattox that spring. Some wer
with Lee around Richmond, others wit
I Joe Johnston in the South, and other
E again were sleeping on the fields o
: Gettysburg, :intietam and Chancellor<
! Vile There were anxious wives
5 broken-hearted widows and childles
: mothers among us, and tie few who re
: manned could easily see the dark cloud
e gathering closer over the Confederacy
Y Lee, driven out of Richmond and W
! rooted from Petersburg, was hurryin
), his weary troops toward the wester
!. MOUNTAINS, with the slcuth-hounds {
Grant and Sheridan pressing hard be
|, hind On Saturday morning, April $,
c few stragglers reached Appomattox wit
is the information that Lee was close {