The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-05-25
A WAR EPISODE.
major MeIcher's Reception by a. p.
Hill Camp.
Some Southern Views on the Negro
Question.

Major Holman >. Melcner Teturneu huhio
from his Southern trip Tuesday night. A
representative of the PRESS happened into
the Majors counting room for friendly
chat Yesterday and the conversation that re-
suited proved of SO much interest that he
induced the Major to allow him to reproduce
it for the benefit of the PRESS readers.
1t will be remembered that the Major went
South partially with the purpose to visit
once more the battlefelds on which he was
engaged during the rebellion, and that while
he was in Petersburg. Va, he was cordially
received and entertained by A. p. Hill Camp
of Confederate veterans of that city. The
particulars of this reception are that Col.
McCabe, commandant of the camp, learned
that Major Melcher had been an officer on
Major General Warren's staff, and he desired
to show his appreciation for that officer by
his attention to the major. When Major
Melcher was introduced to the Camp COL
McCabe said that some years ago on rainy
evening. he answered his door-bell to find
short gentleman, with piercing eyes, stand
ing at the door who asked permission to in
trude upon him for the purpose of making
some inquiries about the Battle Of Five
Forks in which fight Col. McCabe was en-
gagged. The stranger introduced himself as
Major General Warren commanding the
Fifth Corps of the Union Army at that bat
tie. Col. McCabe invited Gen. Warren in
and that officer listened with the greatest
intentness to the Coloneps description OF the
fight. At its close he asked the Colonel II
he would appear as awitness at court OF
inquiry that had been ordered, into his. the
generals conduct at that battle. The Colonel
said he did not know what the charges were
against the general and that If he
went as witness his testimony
might be as much against him as
for him. Gen, Warren replied that the colo
mel was free to give his testimony perfectly
unbiased. Upon these terms Colonel Nc
Cabe consented to be a witness and said that
he attended the investigation and during all
the time was never approached by a friend
of Gen. Warren's, or the General himself. in
regard to any of his testimony and he wish
ed to state that in all his experience he never
met more thorough gentleman than the
general.
It will also be remembered that the Battle
of Five Forks resulted in the fall Of Rich
mond. Gen. Lee had thrown up line OF in
trenchments mile and three quarters long,
and General Pickett with some 1000 picked
infantry, and 6COO cavalry under Gen. W. If.
Fl. Lee had been slowly driven back OF this
line of intrenchments by Gen. Sheridan.
Sheridan appealed for troops to Grant and
General Grant detached the Fifth
Corps under Warren, some twelve thous-
and strong, and these with Sheridan's s
cavalry, were brought against Picketts
forces. The cavalry stood back for the in
fantry to make the attack. They fianked the
intrenchments and, putting through the
woods, captured battery where the fiye
forks centered, and also routed the rebels
taking some $500 prisoners, artillery, stand
ards, oso., and leaving the cavalry to pursna
the defeated rebs. Just in the flush of vic
tory cavalry officer, General Forsaith of
Sheridan's staff, rode up to Gen: Warren
and handed him slip Of paper. That officer
had to turn in his saddle to read 1t by the
rays of the declining sun. Crushing the
paper in his hand he turned, with pale
face. to the gentlemen of his staff, and call
ing to him his personal staff, said to all the
rest, gentlemen, have been relieved OF
my command n.i,n and you Es Wl,l shsn repodIs Tpode
away. eight miles to Grants headquarters.
The tents of General Grant and staff ad,
Joined, and Grants staff said they should
never forget Gen. Warren's pleadings for
Justice to Grant. They brought tears into
their ewes. The next day Richmond and
Petersburg fell and Warren was made
governor of the latter city.
After the war Gen. Warren sought an In
yestigation to ascertain why he had been so
cruelty deprived of his command In the hour
of victory. Presidents johnson and Grant
both declined to accord one, but when Hayes
was elected the general was successful. The
investigation was held. Among the witnesses
were Col. McCabe and Major Melcher:
Sheridan's charge was that Warren delayed
al the point of the intrenchments where the
Union forces turned the enemy's
flank, when, in fact, he had KEPT
on and dashed through the woods to the enc
of the fight. Sheridan said the whole thing
was misunderstanding but he had allowed
twelve years, or more, to pass, and his broth
er officer to rest under a cloud, because war
rem wouldn't come to him and ask MIN 70
exonerate him. Warren spent all his money
in the. investigation and died e.. proKei
hearted man before the court. martial rend
cred decision fully eXoneratlng him.
This regard for Warren, and no doubt the
general dislike of Virginians to Sheridan
had much to do with Major Melcher's cordia
reception. The, veterans couldn't @ S DO to- TO-
room at the hotel with flowers; they sent il
fruit in abundance they furnished carriages
and even when he took his trunks to be
mended. he was not allowed to pay for thu
work. From his.arrival in Petserburg to hi
departure it was round oi atten.lon. iaa n.;o
The PRESS representative asked MaJo
Melcher what he thought OF the negro ques
tion from such observations as he was en-
abled to make in his brief visit.
The Major said he was very much perplex
ed in regard to 1t. In fact the people ne me
with appeared to hold different opinions
While in Petersburg we saw large bricl
building, much larger than our own Stat
Insane Asylum, and gentleman told MN
that before the war, an insane negro wa
rare and now they were common. He CAV
three reasons for this SAD state OF aIaifs
1st their inability to care and provide 10
| themselves; I'd, education which had proves
| too much for them; 3rd, thir acquaintanc
| with. and acquired fondness for whiskey
| Another gentleman said. speaking OF the cit
negroes, they were generally orderly and a
| industrious as was expected Of negros, bu
| their ideas of morality were very lax and
| the police did not keep sharp lookout,
| was not uncommon to find thirty or fort
| negroes Of all ages and sexes, herded tC
| gether in single room. A third gentlema
thought they were very thriitless and lazy
| where some 900 or 1000 negroes are employed
| They seemed bright and Industrious. Whe
the noon bell rang only few left work. Ii
| ouirv revealed the fact that the hands wer
on piece work and they had rather take
| snack" while at work, and save the tim
| which would be otherwise be col
/ sumed in going home to Dime
| A gentleman who occupied a plantatio
| some little distance from Richmond tol
Major Melcher that the slaves left the. plar
| tation after the war, but the most OF thei
had drifted back to their old home. IN
Major asked the planter how he got alon
with them and he said "hrst-rate. lie ma
to keep the meat house locked (but 1t was
| Common lock- because If the negroes sa'
| ANYTHING lying around of au edible nature
| was not unusual for them to appropriate
There seemed to be a great deal Of differenC
of opinion among the Baptist clergy ii
Major met from Richmond and Atlanta, {
| To the future for the negro. Those wh
weuld be apt to be influenced in their view
from their connection with Northern missio
| Institutions, were very hopeful but those WI
| were not were not so hopeful. A gentlema
| of position said, and what he said seems vel
reasonable: what can you expect. III
fathers and mothers of the present generi
tiOn were in many cases, hardly more tina
cattle. They didn't even have the care
their own children. What, then can you O.
pect from the second generation in the wa
Of virtue and intelligence. Is 1t not gre'
deal to find these peoples children with
much intelligence and morality as they DO
sess. and, with proper education and trea
ment may we not expect fair progress in Il
future?"
When Major Melcher asked prominel
gentleman II he would wish to exchange Il
negroes for the average immigrants no
| making their homes in America, the gentl