Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-10-18
snERIpAN.s LAST cnARer.

His own Story of Che Ind of the War at
Appomattox
Beyond as in a low valley near APP
pomattox court house, after my Gank
movementl lay Lee and the remnant OF
1 his army. There did not appear 60 be
much organization, except ia the advRnc-
ed troops under General Gordon, whom
/ we had been fighting, and rear guard
under General Longstreot, still further
up the valley. formations were imluedt-
ately begun 60 mako bold and sweeping
charge down tho grassy slope, when an
ard dc camp flom Custer, hlled With ex-
oitemont, hat in hand, dashed up TO me
/ with the message FROM the chief. sLse
/ has surreuderedl Do ROT charge; tho
whto Tag is upW Orders we're given to
complete the formation but not To charge
| Looking TO the left, TO Appomattox
court horse, large group vas seen near
/ by the lines of Confederate troops that
/ had fallen back 10 chat point. General
I Custer had not como back aud supposing
that he was with the group 40 tho court
/ house, / moved on a ga'lop down the
narrow ridge, followed by my staff. The
court house was prrhapa three fourths of
| a mile distant We had not gone far be-
! fore heavy fire was opened on us from
| q heavy skirt OF timber 20 this right and
/ distant not MUCK over 800 yards halt
/ ed for moment and taking Off my hat,
called ont thar the hag vas being vioat-
I ed but could not stop the freing, which
now caused rs 20 take shelter in ravine
running parallel to the bridge we we're
on and down which We then travelled. A
/ we approached the court houao gentle
accent had TO be made. ! Was ia advance,
] followed by sergeant carrying my bat.
1 tle.hap. Within 100 go 100 yards from
4 the court house and Confederate liues
some Of the men In their ranks brought
/ down their guns 10 an aim on us and
| great effort was made by their officers TO
keep them from firing. / halted, mud,
/ hearing some noise behind, turned in the
| saddle and saw q Confederate soldier at.
tempting 70 take my battle flag from tho
color bearer. This the sergeant had
no idea of submitting TO, aud had
drawn his sabro TO cut the man down.
word from me caused him Go return his
sabre and take the flag back TO the star
officers, who were some distance behind.
1 remained stationary q moment after
these events, then, calling staff officer,
directed him Go 20 over 30 the group OF
Confederate officers and demand What
such conduct meant. Kind apologies
were made and wo advanced Tho
superior ofiicors met were General j. b.
Gordon and General Cadmus NJ. Wilcox,
the latter an old army officer A soon
as the fret greeting was over, furious
| firing began in front OF our own cavalry,
| from whoH wo had only few minutes
separated. General Gordon seemed 60
1 DO somewhat Disconnected by IL. / 20
marked TO him, "Generai Gordon, your
men fred on mo ga | WIS coming over
| here, and undoubtedly they have done
| the same to Merrtt'E and Custer's com
mGnds. We might Just ~ well let them
/ fight IL out To this propos ition Gen.
oral Gordon did not aocede. I then
asked Why not send star officer and
have your people ceasa iiringY they arc
violating the flag" lie said. ~ have no
stat officer 60 send" / replied ~ viii
let yOu have one Of mine, and calling for
! Lieutenant Vanderbilt Allen I directed
him 20 report TO General Gordon and car.
~ his orders. The orders we're TO go to
| General Geary, who was in command o. a
small brigade OF South Carolina cavalry
and ask him 20 discontinue tt~ firing.
Lieutenant Allen dashed Off with 80 mes
sage, but on delivering 1t to General
Geary was taken prisoner, with the re-
mark from that officer that he did not
care for white Aaga, that Sonth CAROLYN
ians never surrendered.
II was about this time that Merritt, get
ting i'm patient at the supposed treacher
ous firing, ordered charge Of q portion
OF his command. While Generals Gordon
and Wilcox we're engaged in conversation
with n e, cloud OF Dust, Wild hurrah, n
flashing Of sabres, indicated charge and
the cjaculatious OF my stsf officers we're
heard: "Lookl Merritt has ordered
charge" The flight of Geary's brigade
| followed; Lieut.. Allen was thus released.
The last gun had been fred and tho lsst
charge made IN he Virginia cam paign.--
| North American Review,