The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-09-27
manitomoe pilot.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 81.
Gen. Gordon's Meeting With Sheri-
dan,

Gen. Gordon, now Governor OF
Georgia. tells this story OF Sheridan at
Appomattox to the New York b0rtd:
"A cavalry officer came to me from
Sheridan with flag of truce. He was
| a handsome fellow, and very polite.
Saluting. he said;
.'.Is this Gen. Gordon? | am the
bearer of Gen. Sheridan's compliments,
! and he demands your unconditional
surrender
| =. We'll. colonel Cor whatever | saw
| his rank was), l answered, you will
| please return my compliments to Gen.
| Sheridan and say that | shall not sur
| render"
| "'Then,' he said, you will be ami
| hiIated in half an hour. We have you
| completely surrounded
| Very well, SIR / replied, i am
probably as well aware of my situation
| as YOU are. but that is my answer
"'You don't mean thatr he ex-
| claimed.
| Yes / do, SIR | said, the only
| thing propose to say is what | have
| already said through my staff officer
| that flag of truce is in existence be-
| tween Gen. Lee and Gen. Grant. /
| was not going to surrender because l
| knew it was coming. / was not going
to let Sheridan capture me in that
way
| % Then you will be annihilated,' he
| said. and rode away.
| while / had been sitting there
| waiting, the firing had almost ceased.
| The infantry on my TANKS had not
changed their position much, as they
had been moving up very slowly, l
| was firing artillery at the time, SO as
| to check them. In few minutes Sheri-
dan himself came up with his staff. He
was riding an immense black horse.
| will never forget how he looked with
his short legs sticking out on either
side. We had very much the same
sort of parley as had occurred between
the other officers and myself Indeed,
the language was almost repetition
Finally | said TO him: General, |
hardly think it is worth while for us to
parley. l have made up my mind not
to surrender, and shall accept any con-
sequences that may follow this deter
mination. l wish simply to give you
the information which was sent me by
Gen. Lee All / know is that there is a
flag of truce in existence, and | only
know the bare fact
Ibid you say that you have letter
from Gen. Lee?' he asked
II handed him the letter.
HE looked it over aud said: i sup
pose, then, the only thingwe can do is
to cease firing
i think SO. replied.
He then said to me: If you will
Withdraw your forces to a certain place
| will Withdraw mine and wait to see
| what happens
I'VE got down off our horses, and,
taking a seat on the grass, talked
there for some time. In the meantime,
| had forgotten that early in the morn.
ing had detached force to 90 back
and over on the brow of a hill to pre-.
| vent the cavalry from coming around
between Longstreet and myself. While
we were sitting on the grass | heard a
roll of musketry, and looking over to
where the force had been placed, saw il
firing into some cavalry that had rid.
den down in that direction.
Ill, sir, what does that mean?
cried Sheridan.
81 am very sorry about it l replied
as | explained the circumstances, and
he and | each sent an officer over tc
the hill to stop the firing.
Il saved Sheridan's life that morn
ing beyond question. One of my sharp.
| shooters was a sour sort of fellow, anC
his only idea was that when he saw 6
blue coat it was his duty to shoot at it
| | had the sharpshooters around me
| when Sheridan came up with the flag
! of truce, and | saw this fellow draw his
| gun. What do you meanP' | cried
this is flag of truce He did not pay
the slightest attention to me, and wa:
lust about firing when | knocked III
his gun, and it went off over Sheridan:
head. Let him stay on his own side,
General he muttered.
General Sheridan and | sat on the
ground, close to the brick house where
Lee and Grant met, in the orchard.
| had passed the house in the morning
| We chaffed each other a little in the
course of the conversation, Sheridan
saying: i believe | have had the
| pleasure of meeting You before | re
| piled that we had had some little &C
! quaintance in the Valley of Virginia
He turned the thread of the converse
ton to some guns he had received il
the valley. Sheridan had captured
nearly all of Early's artillery and some
more had been sent to him from Rich.
| m6nd. Some wag had written will
chalk on one of those guns: Respect
fully consigned to Mai. Gen. Sheridan
through Gen. Early Sheridan hat
heard of this, and he was very mucl
amused at it; but whether he ever saw
such words upon a gun | do not know
When he was through with the story
suggested that / also had two guns
which | could consign to him, ant
with the more grace because they hao
come from him that very morning.
Sheridan came with full staff anC
remained with me about an hour and
ii half. My recollection is that w,
stayed at that place until we received
information that Gen. Lee and Gen
Grant had agreed"