Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-12-08
PRICE ONE CENT
Arser oettysburr.

After Settysburg.
On the night after the last days fight.
ing at Gettysburg General Imboden was
summoned hy General Lee. When he
reached the place indicated, he saw bv
the light Of tlickering candle General
LIE and General 4. p Hill seated In \
tent ON camp stools, with a map spread
nnon their knees After an exchange
rf situations. General Lee directed 1ns-
ooden TO so back to headquarters and
await him there. General Imboden's
account Of the subsequent interview
with the Confederate leader, and OF tile
retreat of the next night, as given in
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War.
furnishes terribly vivid picture of the
horrors of war;
General Lee did not make his appear
ance till o'clock in the morning There
was not even sentinel ON duty at his
tent, and no one of his staff was awake.
AS he approached and saw us lying on
the grass. under tree, he spoke, reined
in his jaded horse, and essayed 10 dis-
mount
The effort betrayed so much physical
exhaustion that hurriedly rose and
stepped forward to assist him. but before
reached his side he succeeded in alight-
ing, and threw his arm across the saddle
TO rest Tie moon shone full upon his
massive features and revealed an ex-
preston of sadness that had never seen
before upon his face
Awed by his appearance. waited for
him to speak until the silence became
embarrassing, when, TO break it and
change the silent current of his Thoughts,
ventured to remark. in allusion to his
great fatigue, General, this has Leen
hard day for you.
He looked up and replied mournfully,
ayes, it has been sad. sad day to us.
and Immediately relapsed into lis
thoughtful mood and attitude.
Being unwilling to intrude again upon
his reflections, l said no more. After
perhaps minute or two lie suddenly
Strengthened up to his full height, and
turning to me with more excitement of
manner than had ever seen in him be-
fore. said, in voice tremulous with
emotion:
Il never saw troops behave more mag
nifcently than Picketts division did to-
day in that charge upon the enemy;
and if they had been supported as they
were to have been, we should have held
the position, and the day would have
been ours
After moments pause he added in
n loud voice, in a tone almost of agony,
"Too badl Too badl Oh, too badl"
After dark the next evening General
Imboden set out for the head OF the
retreating column. His orders were
| peremptory that there should be no halt
for any cause whatever. lie had seen
the suffering of the commanding gem
eral; he was now to witness the agonies
of the soldiers.
! For four hours he hurried forward on
his way to the front and in all that time
was never out of hearing of the groans
and cries of the wounded and dying.
Many Of the wounded in the wagons
had been without food for SO hours.
Their torn and bloody clothing. matted
and hardened was rasping the tender,
infamed, and still oozing wounds. Few
Of the wagons had even layer of straw
IN them, aud all were without springA
The road Was rough and rocky, and the
iolting was enough to kill strong nens
| If long exposed TO it.
From nearly every wagon as the teams
trotted on, urged by whip and shout,
Games such cries and shrieks as these:
"Oh God, why can't die p
%My God. will no one have mercy and
| kill me?"
"Stopl Oh, for Gods sake stop just
for one minute Take me out and leave
! ma IN dia an fha raaIsflafn
II am dyingi ! am dyingl My poor
wife, my dear children, what will be-
come of you?"
No help could be rendered to any Of
the sufferers OnI onl They must move
on. The storm continued, and the dark
ness was appalling
During this one night. says General
Imboden, = realized more of the hor.
rors Of war than in all the preceding
two years