The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-28
THs.LAST CHARGE.
s,e-,saa.s Or-n story Of tho End OF tho
War a. ipporiattcs.


Bevond US. in low valley lneair Apo
nsf,oy court honse. after my Hank move
,rentA. lay lie and the remnant OF ms
49,. There did cot appear TO be much
orr,, citation. except in tie advanced
,-9o,.s uuder Gen. Gordon. whom we had
hon fighting. and a rear guard under
c. Ionrstreet, still further mp the val
Ie, Formations were immediately begun
80 make bold and sweeping charge down
,hc grassy slope. when an aidc-de-camp
fron Custer. filed with excitement. lat in
hand. dashed up 70 me with the message
from his chief: Lee has surrendered. DO
not charge; the white Tag Is up Orders
were given TO complete the formation Du'
aot to charge.
Looking TO the let. to Appomattox
courthouse, a large group yves seen near
bv the lines Of Confederate troops that
had fallen bac; TO that point. Gen Gus
ter had not come back. and supposng that
lie YVES with the group at the court house.
moved on gallop down the narrow
| ridge. followed by my staff The court
house was perhaps three-fourths OF nile
distant. We bad not gone far before a
heavy fire was opened on us from a skirt
of timber TO the right, and distant not
much over 300 Yards. halted for mo
mept and, taking off my hat, called out
that the flag was being violated. but could
not stop the firing which now caused Us
all to take shelter in a ravine running par
allel to the bridge we were on, and down
which we then travelled.
As we approached the court house a
IL H.. / n,
advance. followed by a sergeant carrying
my battle flag Within 100 to $50 yards
from the court house and Confederate
line. 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. halted, and
hearing some noise behind, turned in the
saddle. and saw a Confederate soldier at
tempting to take the battle flag from the
color bearer. This the sergeant had nc
idea Of submitting TO and had drawn MS
saber TO cut the man down WORD
from me caused him TO return his sabeI
and take the flag back to the staff officers.
who were some little distance behind.
remained stationary a moment after these
events, then. calling staff officer
directed him 10 go over TO the group OF
| Confederate officers and demand what
such conduct meant Kind apologies
were made and we advanced. The supe
rior officers met were Gen J. Z. Gordon
and Gen. Cadmus NJ WilcoE, the latter
am Old army officer
As soon as the first greeting was over
q furious firing began in front OF our OWL
cavalry from whom we had only few
minutes before separated. Gen. Gordon
seemed TO b. somewhat disconnected by
/ t.. / remarked 20 linn. "cen. Gordon
your men fired on ne as WIS coming
over here. and undoubtedly they have
done the same 90 Merits end tustcr-
commands. We might just as well lc'
them light il out TO this proposition
q n Gordon did not accele. l then asked
"Nhv not send staff officer and have
vour people cease firing. They arc Vic
latirr the flag Tie sail II have nf
stair officer 90 send. replied, - viii
+ let SON have one ol mine. aaa calling fox
( Licut Vanderbilt Allen, / directed him Cd
report to Gen. Gordon and carry Ai1
orders Tho orders were o. 60 CO. Gen.
I Gearv. who was in command az q small
I brigade Of South Carolina calvary, and
ask him % discontinue the firing Lieut..
Allen dashed off with the message. but.
on delivering it 60 Gen Geary. was taken
I prisoner. with tie remark from tuat oiii.
CO. that ho did not care for white flags.
that South Carolinass never surrendered.
10 was about this time chat Merritt,
/ getting impatient ut ths supposed trcach-
c9ous firing ordered % chrecof portion
Of his command While Gems. Gordon
arl Wilcox were engaged in CONVERSE
ton with me a clold OF dust, wild hur-
,ah. q flashing of sabers indicated q
charge and tie calculations Of my sfaii
officers were heard, Look Merritt has
ordered a charge The fight Of Goary s
brigade followed: Lieut.. Allen was thus
released The last gun had been fired
and The last charge made irthc Virginia
campaign North American Review