News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-09-27
THE LAST CHARGE.
Sheridan's Own Story of the End OF
the War at AppOmattox.
TFrom the North American Review.


Beyond us, in low valley (near APP
pomattox Court House, after my flank
movements) lay Lee and the remnant OF
his army. There did not appear to be
much organization, except in the adj
vanced troops under Gen. Gordon,
whom we had been fighting, and rear
guard under Gen. Longstreet, still
further up the valley. Formations were
immediately begun to make.a bold and
sweeping charge down the grassy slope,
when an aide-de-camp from Custer, filled
with excitment, hat in his hand, dashed
up to me with the message from his
chief: "Lee has surrendered Do not
charge; the white flag is up!" Orders
were given to complete tho formation,
but not to charge.
Looking to the left, to Appomattox
Courthouse, large group was seen
near by the lines of Confederate troops
that had fallen back to that point. Gen.
Custer had not come back, and suppos-
ing that he was with the group at the
Courthouse, I moved on a gallop down
the narrow ridge, followed by my staff.
The Courthouse was perhaps three
fOurths of a mile distant. We had not
gone far before heavy fire was opened
on us from skirt of timber to the right,
and distant not much over three hun
dred yards. halted for q moment, and,
taking off my hat, called out that q flag
was being violated, but could not stop
the firing, which now caused us all to
take shelter in q ravine running parallel
to the bridge we were on, and down
which we then travelled. AS we ap-
preached the Court House a gentle
ascent had to be made. / was in adj
vance, followed by a sergeant carrying
my battle-hag. Within 100 to $50 yards
from the Courthouse and Confederate
lines, some of the men in their ranks
brought down their guns to an aim on
us, and great effort was made by their
officers to keep them from firing. L halt
ed and hearing some noise behind, turn
ed in the saddle, and saw Confederate
soldier attempting to take my battle-fag
from the color-bearer. This the
Sergeant had no idea of submit
ting to and had drawn his sabre to cut
the man down. A word from me caused
him to return his sabre and take the flag
back to the staff officers, who were some
little distance behind. L remained sta
tionary a moment after these events,
then calling a staff officer, directed him
to go over to the group of Confederate
officers and demand what such conduct
meant. Kind apologies were made and
we advanced. The superior officers met
were Gen. j. B. Gordon and Gen. Cad
mus NJ. Wilcox, the latter an old army
officer. As soon as the first greeting was
over a furious firing began in front OF
our own cavalry from whom we had only
a few minutes before separated. Gen.
Gordon seemed to be somewhat discOn
certed by it. l remarked to him, "Gen.
Gordon, your men fred on me as l was
coming over here, and undoubtedly they
have done the same to Merritt's and
Clusters commands. We might just as
we'll let them fight it out" To this
proposition General Gordon did not ac-
cede. I then asked, "Why not send
staff officer, and have your people cease
firing? They are violating the flag"
He said, 81 have no staff officer to send"
mine, and calling for Lieutenant Van
derbilt Allen, L directed him to report
to Gen. Gordon and carry his orders.
The orders were to go to Gen. Geary, who
was in command of a small brigade of
South Carolina cavalry, and ask him to
discontinue the firing. Lieutenant
Allen dashed off with the message, but
ON delivering it to General Geary was
taken prisoner, with the remark from
that officer that he did not care for white
flags, that South Carolinians never sur
rendered.
1t was about this time that Merritt.
getting impatient at the supposed |
treacherous firing, ordered charge of q
portion of his command. While Gems. |
Gordon and Wilcox were engaged in |
with me a cloud of dust, a
wild hurrah, flashing of sabres, indica.
ted charge and the calculations of my
has ordered charged" The flight of
Geary's brigade followed; Lieut.. Allen
was thus released. The last gun had
been fired and the last charge made in
the Virginia campaign.