San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-29
THE SURRENDER OF ATLANTA.

He Appeared to Southern Eyes.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
Beyond the red clay fortress-over
the fragments of army wagons and
caissons, with eyes averted from the
skulls and bones that cleaned like so
many white horrors in the fierce sum
light, the little band with the flag of
truce rode on, the major at the head.
They passed the rifie-pits and en-
trenchments of the enemy. Not a
human being, not a living thing was
i'm sight. Two, three. four miles, and
not a sign of the enemy. A sudden
turn in the road brought them face to
face with a marching detachment of
men in blue. A brief halt, a hurried
explanation. A Federal colonel rode
up to the spot and asked few ques-
lions. The white flag, the appearance
of the strangers in citizen s garb, and
the calm, measured words of Mayor
Calhoun satisfied the officer, and an
orderly was at once detailed to guide
the visitors to the commanders camp.
When the mayor and his friends
were introduced to General Sherman
they saw before them a man OF 40
who looked fully ten years older. His
bronzed face, scanned with lines OF
care, and his eyes told tale of sleep
less nights. His wrinkled brow and his
rough, and closely-trimmed beard, to-
eether with his weather-beaten field
Uniform, made him l2Ok like anything
but holiday soldier, and his appear
ance contrasted strikingly with the
40 ~ lmnOS-
ing staffaronnd him.
Still there was an air OF Leadership
and command about this man, and
the messengers from Atlanta would
have picked him out among million;
There was nothing stately or dignified
about him. His face showed that 1t
never been a handsome one, and his
head, phenomenally large and bull g.
ing at the top, slOped precipitately
down to the neck at its back. The
peculiar shape of this remarkable
head had caused many officers at the
beginning of the war to insist that its
owner was mentally unbalanced, but
our followers of the white flag did not
waste any time in such idle specula-
tions. They saw Slocum's corps NOV
ing rapidly onward, and not moment
was to be lost in stating their bust
ness.
The stern commander, after a
searching scrutiny of the faces before
him, looked down at the ground,
while Mayor Calhoun quietly inform
ed him of the helpless condition Of
the city, and briefly surrendered it
upon the condition that life, liberty
and private property should be pro-
tected.
Then the general looked up again,
and in a curt, business-like way said
that he would grant the conditions re-
uuested. He said that the civil au-
thorities had taken the proper course
in seeking him, and expressed the
hope that their relations would be
pleasant and satisfactory.
"But this is war, you know" he
said in his abrupt way, "yes,
it. this is war, and 1 must place your
town under martial law. That won't
hurt good citizens, but it will play
the devil with the bad ones"
Now that we have surrendered, "
remarked one of the citizens, you
will probably come in at once?"
The general darted a quick glance
at him.
"Come in!' he answered, II think
some of my men are already there
they are marching in that direction
as fast as they can walk"
With a few words of parting the
committee started to return.
zone word more,n said Sherman.
II suppose it is uE derstOod that none
of your people will fire upon my
soldiers?"
He was assured that nothing of the
kind would occur, and the mayor and
the others then rode back to the city,
entering it with the advance guard of
the federals only few hundred yards
behind them.
Shortly after midday the streets
were blue with companies and regi-
ments of federals.
All night the wagons and troops
were moving into the city, and the
next day the place was crowded.
There were billiard rooms and drink
ing saloons over some of the stores,
and bills were out advertising min
strel show for that night on Decatur
street.
A dozen generals occupied the best
houses, in some cases compelling the
original occupant to move into other
quarters. General Sherman estab-
lished himself very comfortably in
the present high school building on
the corner of Mitchell and Washing
ton streets, and engaged for a
housekeeper an old lady who
two days before had been de-
nouncing him as savage for whom
even the worst fate was too
good. The two got along very agree
ably, and in less than a week the