The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-11-01
EDWARD n. BoYKIN,
Lieut.. Col. 1st s. G. Cavalry.
Gary at Appomattox.
n,o,n ,tlei Fallino ,Flao. Paoes 56-7(

When we rode into the open field We
could see the enemy. crowding along the
the edge of the woods, cavalry apparently
extending their lines around up. We
kept on advancing towards them to get q
nearer view of things, and were midway
on the Richmond side, between the town
and large white house with handsome
grove around it. In the yard could be
seen body of cavalry, in number about
equal to our own. We saw no other
troops near. Two or three hundred yards
to the right of the house an officer, sppa.
rently Of rank, with few men This staff
probably riding well forward, halted,
looking towards the town with his glass;
Just as be rode out Gen. Gary had given
the order to charge the pantry in the
yard. Some one remarked that it looked
like flag OF. truce. Charge l"' swore
Gary in his roughest tones and on we went.
The party in the yard we're taken by'sur.
prise. They had not expected us to charge
them, as they we're aware that parley was
going on (of which, of course, we knew
nothing) and that there was suspension
of hostilities. We drove-them through
the yard, taking one or two prisoners !;
one little fellow, who took it good hunor-
edly. He had his head tied up, having
broken it somewhere on the road, but was
riding aimule. fg5e,'t}} e::s.ec:ss4
We followed up their retreat through
the yard down road through the open
woods beyond; and were having it, as we
thought, all our own way when. stretched
along behind the brown oaks, and moving
with close and steady tramp, was long
line of cavalry, some thousands strong;
Cnster's division-our friends of last
night. 5..,s..
This altered the complexion of things
entirely. The order was instantly given
to move by the left aank-which, without
throwing our back to them, changed the
forward into retrogrde movement.
The enemy kept bis line unbroken,
pressing slowly forward, firing no volley,
but dropping shots from line OF scatter.
ed skirmishers in front Was all we got.
They, ofscourse, knew the condition of
things, and they seemed to think We did
not.
We fell back towards a battery of ours
that was behind us, supported l think by
brigard Of North Carolina infantry.
We moved slowly, and the enemy's
skirmishers got close enough for dash to
be made by our acting Iegimentel adju.
tant, lin place of Lieut.. Capers, killed the
night before) Lieut.. Halle. who took q
prisoner but just as it was done one of
our couriers, Tribble, ofthe 7th regiment,
mounted on fine black horse, barehead.
ed, dashed between thetwo lines with q
handkerchief tied on 9 switch, sent by
Gen. Gordon announcing the suspension
of hostilities."
By this time the enterpising adjutant
had in turn been made prisoner. AS
soon as the orders were understood every.
thing came to standstill, and for while
thought We we're going to have, then
and there, little inside fight on purely
personal grounds.
An officer-a captain-1 presume the
captain in command of the party in the
yard that we had attacked and driven
back updn the main body, had, I rather
suspect, been laughed at by his own peu.
pie for his prompt and sudden return
from the expedition he had set out
on
BE rodelup al once to Gen. Gary and
with good deal Of heat (he had his sabre
drawn 10 his hand, wanted to know what
he, Gary, meant by keeping mp the fight
after there had been surrender. "Sur.
render" said Gary, II have heard OF no
surrender. We are South Caroliniaps,
and don't surrender. Ah, General, but
we did, though.) Besides, sir, | take
commands from no officers, but my own
and do not recognize you nor any ofyour
cloth as SUCH"
The reioinder was about to be harsh
one. Sabres were out and trouble was
very near, when an officer from Clusters
staff should like to have gotten his
name-hi, manner was in striking
contrast to that of the beillicose captain
who seemed rather to belong to the
snortipg persuasion-he with the lan-
guage and manner of thorough gentle.
man said: II assure you, general, and l
appreciate your feelings in the matter,
that there has been suspension Of hos.
ilities, pending negotiations, and Gen.
Lee and Gen. Grant are in conference on
the matter at this time."
His manner had its effect upon Gen.
Gary, who at once sheathed his sabre
saying: "Do not suppose, sir, have any
doubt of the truth of your statement
but you mnst allow that under such cir.
cumstances can only receive orders
from my own officers: but am perfectly
willing to accept your statementand wait
on those ORDERS" Situated as We rere
certainly wise conclusion. Almost on
the very instant Col. Blsckford, of the
engineers, rode up, sent by Gen. Gordon
with Federal officer, carrying orders to
that effect -
We drew back the artillery and infan
try, which was Just behind us, and form