The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-11-22

ence. If he had taken drink. and my
confederate olfactories had obtained a
Whit of the odor of it, it is possible that /
should have "caved.' The truth is, L had
not eaten two ounces i'll two days, and
had my coattail then full of corn, waiting
to Darch 1t as soon an opportunity might
present itself / did not leave it behind me,
because I had nobody | could trust it with.
AS an excuse which l felt ! ought to
make for refusing his proffered courtesy.
I rather haughtily said that had been sent
forward only to receive any communication
that was offered and could not properly
accept or offer any courtesies. In fact. If
I had offered what / could, it would have
taken my corn.
General Grants letter.
He then handed to me letter, which he
said was from General Grant to General
Lee, and asked that General Lee should get
t immediately if possible. | made no re-
ply, except to ask him if that was all we had
to transact or something to that effect.
He said that was all. We bowed very
profoundly to each other and turned away.
In a moment I was called again by General
Williams, and he asked if | would meet
one of the colonies OF General Miles s
brigade, whose name | have forgotten,
but who, if living and remembering the in
cidents. | nope will write to me at WayneS-
boro, Ga. | hesitated Il moment and re-
piled that I would. The colonel came up
and presented to me some of the effects
taken from the trunk of General Malone
that evening. which had been captured by
the federal forces. They were pictures of
General Mahone's family and if l rcmem-
her rightly. letters from his VIE. | to9N
them and promised to deliver them, thank
ing him Tor his kind consideration. lie
asked re ii knew anything of Lieutenant
or Captain Boyd. who was either Killed
or wounded. and was in our lines. related
what had occurred as | came forward.
7 &n II
no authority to do this. but | said for the
sake of humanity would take the authori-
w at the risk of Il court martial, and |
asked him if any of or men were suffering
in his lines. TO do likewise in relieving
them. | went back met Captain English,
four men. as he afterward told me. and
sent Captain Boyd forward to a detail Of
federal soldiers. who received him.. Is
Captain Boyd alive now? I would like to
know. He can thank Captain English ana
his confederate pickets for saving him
from q long night of suffering.
In General tee'- i3nnd.
In twenty minutes after | got back in
our lines q confederate courier, riding L
swift horse. had placed i'll General Lees
hand the letter which was handed to me,
the first demand for the surrender of his
silently pursuing our way toward the
now famous field of AppomattoX. We
marched all day of the Sth of April, and
slept in biovuac not more than three or
four miles from Appomattox. where the de,
mand was made again, and was acceded
to- and the confederacy of the south went
down in defeat, but with glory.
We arrived on the field of Appomatto31
about o. lock ca IL, 9th day OF April,
the day of capituiation. The negotiations
lasted during that day. The; general order
from General Lee was read to the army
on the 10th Of April. This is as | remelr
Der lit General Lee published his last or
der to his soldiers on that day.
I sat down and copied it on piece of
confederate paper. using bass drum head
for a desk. the best l could do. | carried
this copy to General lee, and asked him
to sign it for me. He signed it. and
have it now. 1t is the best authority,
along with my parole. that l can produce
why. after that day, no longer raised a
soldiers hand for the south. There We're
tears in his eyes when he signed it for
me, and when l turned to walk away
there were tears in my own eyes, too.
He was in all respects the greatest man
that ever lived and as an humble soldier
OF the south ! thank heaven that l had
the honor of following him.