The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-10-17
The Last Charge.


R.,ona ~ in q low vally near Apo
u.,,ox court house. after ny asnk move
mentf lav lee and the remnant o. nus
srnv There did not appear 70 be mncn
orvaaizsfion. except in the advanced
.reons unier Gen. G0rdon. Nhsn he had
been 6rhting. and a rear guard under
cen Lonzs.ree;. ssill farther up the val
lev Formations were imme1iAieiyss 90
on, 10 make a bold and sweeping charge
5ownth- grassy slore, when On sid~de-
,-.mn from Custer, fl!ed with excitement
bst IN hand. dashed up 20 me With the
message from his chief; lee has sur
rendered, Do not charge the white nag
i nm Orders we're given to complete
the formation but not to charge.
Looking to the LEFT, TO AppomattoH
courthouse, q large group was seen near
bv the lines Of Confederate troops thai
had fallen back 10 that point Gen Gus
ter had not come back. and suPposing
that ne was with the group al the court
house. | moved on a gAllop down the
narrow ridge. followed by my staff The
c,urt house uas perhaps three-founhs OF
a mile distant We had not gone far be-
fore a heavy FIRE was opened on US from
a skin oftimber 70 the right, and distant
not much orer 800 yards. halted for
moment. and, taking Of my hat, called
out that the flag was being violated, but
could not stop the firing. which nov
caused Us al to take shelter in a ravine
running parallel 10 the bridge Va. Tere
On and down which We then Travelled.
A. We approached the court house a
gentle ascent had 70 made. was IN 3D.
vance. followed by s sergeant carrying
nv battle aag. Within 100 70 80 yards
from the court house and Confederate
lines. some ofthe men in their ranks
brought down their guns to aim on Us
aud great effort was made by their officers
10 keen them from firing. I halted, and
hearing some noise behind. turned IN the
saddle. and saw . Confederate soldier at
temp,ine 10 take the battle flag from The
color bearer This the sergeant had no
idea of submitting % and had drawn his
saber 10 cut the man down. \ word
from me caused him 10 return his saber
and take the flag back to the ahoiicers,
who were some little distance behind. /
remained stationary a moment anerthese
events. then, calling a staff officer, direct
ed him 10 70 over to the group ofCon-
federate officers and demand what such
conduct meant. Kind apologies we're
made and we advanced. Tie superior
officers met we're Gen. J.. B. Gordon and
Gen. Cadmus VI. Wilcox, the latter an
old army officer.
As soon As the first greeting was over,
furious firing began in front Of our own
cavalry from whom we had only a few
minutes before separated. Gen Gordon
seemed 10 be somewhat disconnected 10y
it. I remarked 10 him. "Oen- Gordon
your men fred on me as I was a coming
over here. and undoubtedly they have
done the same 70 Merri.t's land Clusters
commands. We might just as well let
them fight it ont" To this proposition
Gen. Gordon did not accele. / then
asked. why not send a stat officer and
have yonr people cease fring2 They
are violating the flag He said, y have
no staff officer 10 send / replied, 81
will let YOU have one of mine, and cali
ing for Lieut.. Vanderbilt Allen, | direct
cd him 10 report to Gen. Gordon and
carry his orders. The oniers were to 60
10 Gen. Geary, who was in command Of
a small brigade Of south Clrolin9 cIvla-
ry,and ask him TO discontinue the firing.
Lieut.. Allen dashed of with the message,
put on delivering il to Gen. Geqry was
taken prisoner. witl the remark from
that officer that he did not care for white
flags, that South C~Irolinials neger ST.
render.
II was about this time that Merritt,
getting impauen; at the supposed treach-
erous firing. ordered a charge Of a por-
ton Of his command. While Gems. Cor
don and Wilcox were engaged in CONVEX
sation with me a cloud Of dust, a wild
hurrah, a flashing Of sabers. indicated a
charge and the CALCULATIONS OF MY STAFF
officers were heard, "L11kt Merritt has
orders 81 a charge The aght Of Geary's
brigade followed: Lieut. Allen was thus
released. The last gua hal been fired
and the last charge made in the virgin
ia campaign-NJrh Amricm Rscicr.