The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-10-19
Where the Flag was Furlcd.
From Philadelphia Times.l


little village, doing its days away on
the old stage road between Richmond
and Lvnchburg, seems to the Northern
traveller to have become tired Of exist
ence away back in the early part of the
century and to have settled into Rip
Van Winkle sleep, from which it only
once awoke. shaken by the thunder Of
cannon and the tread Of armed men, only
to relapse into more profound slumbcr.
All unconscious Of it's worldwide fame
and the richness of it's local history, the
little town is content with its own pecu-
liar life and calmly ignores the roar and
rush Of the outside world. Once in q
while stray tourist comes this way,
but seldom does the old tavern door
open to admit stranger. Its hinges
have accumulated rust for years and long
springs of grass grow between the
broken porch-steps. The whole town
wears the same passive air of somn olen-
cy as when Generals Grant and Lee rode
through>its quiet streets to close, by a
few strokes of the pen, the most bitterly
contested and bloody internecine 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 walk OF three miles through
sedge, field and thicket, forests and corn
fields, they reached Appomattox Court
House. Upon the brow Of hill over
looking 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
arc eighteen graves in one long row, each
with nameiess white pine .head-board
of simple design. These graves contain
tho dust Of the Confederate soldiers kill
cd 10 the last skirinish on Saturday
night and Sunday morning before Lee
sent the flag Of truce over the hills TO
Grant. A small whitcwashed pine monu-
ment had been erected in the centre of
the lot by some loyal friend OF the dead,
but even it is now overturned and lies
PROSTATE before the row Of mounds.
The Court House, tall, square red
briok building, resembling more the
residence of solid old Virginia farmer
than public structure, stands within a
small square or ''grecn" in the center Of
the town. The old stage road coming
over the, eastern hills deferentislly turns
to one side and passes around tho Court
House in semi-circlc, to resume in
front it's onward course again. Just
north Of the public building and across
the: road is the tavern, q gloomy looking
structure Of ancient architecture. A mass
Of matted ivy leaves cling to one damp
wall, while near by the old-time we'll
sweep rears its messy head. Very rarely
does guest inscribe his name in
tho musty register, or climb the creaking
stairs with his tallow candle to seek re-
pose. The county Jail is southeast of
the Court. Honse about twenty yards
away. Two small stores, one of which
enjoys the additional dignity of being
the postoffice, blacksmith shop and ten
or twelve dwellings. constitute the re-
mainder 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 ,hospitablc. 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 kind -heartedness be-
meath all that is genuine and cheering, A
number Of Northern. .visitorssstray here
in the course Of the tyesr (; il fact, curl
osity is the motive inducing strangers to
edmc:at ALL but there Is no cuolness in
the welcome oftheae people. The vete-
ran who fought under Meade at Gettys-
burg and followed Hooker into the
Wilderness finds here one of Jackson's
''foot cavalry" ready to grasp his hand
and share his humble home with his late
foe. ,s 81 f
COLONEL PEERS STORY.
A good man here is Colonel g. T..
Peers, clerk Of the county court, an
Office he has held uninterruptedly for