Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-27
A SURRENDER STORY.
GENERAL GRANTS FIRST DEMAND
UPON GENERAL n. e. LEE.
Further Light on the sabject--Coi. Perry,
Of Georgia, Tells How IL Came About
The Part Of Captain English.
rAtlan,a CONSTITUTIONAL

IT,.
information of the incidents which led up
70 it,
most interesting paper, read before
the Confederate Veterans Association OF
Atlanta, spreads much'light on the subject
1t is from the pen of Colonel Herman ii.
Perry. now of WaynesOoro', Ga, VINO was
assistant acknowledgement on 'ho stan VI
General Sorrell.
Colonel Perry was himself the officer who
received from the hands OF General
Grants messenger the written demand
upon General Lee that he should surren-
der.
THE LETTER PRODUCED.
The letter Of Colonel Perry IS addressed
TO Hon. Robert l.. Rodgers, OF west End,
and is by him made public:
"Dear Sir.-I received your favor to-day,
with request to send 10 you an account OF
the transactions of mv receiving the first
demand for the surrender of General Lee 8
army before reaching Appomattox. l re-
member having written to you last year
that | would write 1t for your use as q
matter of history. l did 1t In pencli AT
the time, and ! laid 1t away ana nave
not referred 10 it since. i have
now disinterred 1t from lot OF ola
papers In my Office and send 1t with
ont anv further polish or correction.
wish you would read 1t to Captain D. w.
English and see if his memory and mine
agree about it. have been often lmpor-
tuned 20 write this before, but L nave re-
Trained from doing II because so many
heroes have appeared since the war
ended who never handled a sword or gun
then. and have been so lnJudiclousy laud-
ed nv the press that did not care TO have
the appearance of being on the list. But
let us refer now to the scenes when were
the closing acts Of the glorious southern
Confederacy as the closing history OF inc
times"
THE EvESTFUL MIGHT.
It was night, April 7. 1865. We had
crossed the river near Farmyllle ana had
taken up a position about. as near as i
remember, mile from the crossing, whlch
the Confederetes had attempted 10 burn,
hut unsuccessfully. General Miles. COM
mapding Federal brigade, mace hlilau at
tempt To throw the Confederates into con-
tusion on their left by a flank movement
1perbaps that was his purpose), but 1t was
n vervunfortunate move, for his lines were
in n few minutes nearly cut TO pieces ana
his brigade placed hOrs de conl6d'. A ~
rious picket-fring and shsrp-shootng De;
gan on both sides. while wounded ana
Sea6 Federals Law between the two lines.
. Nabone's division was now the rear
Guard at this point of General Lees army.
General Lees forces were reduced now 10
their minimum strength, but fercer,
more determined body of men never llved.
They simply waited for General Lees or
ders.
neared in front of General Sorrell's brigade
tGeneral Wright's old brigade), OF when
the writer of this account was the adJu-
tant-peneral A courier was sent - Ill
vision HEADQUARTERS to announce IT. Coio-
mel Tayloe. a splendid young Firglnlan,
had been assigned temporarily TO the com;
man6 of General SorrelPs brigade Genersl
Sorrell having been almost mortally
wounded near Petersburg lu short while
Colonel Tayloe was ordered to send stan
officer TO answer to the flag of truce.
TIE FLAG OF TRUCE.
The writer was assigned TO this duty, at
the Confederate front lines. As the top OF
the earthworks was reached number OF
Eederal sharp-shOoters fired at me, and
two balls passed through the uniform coat
wore and one ball wounded a Confederate
soldier in the hand, who had risen up with
others from behind the works out or curl
osity to see what was going TO take place.
That ended the truce business for that at
ternoon. After nlghttall and after every
thing on both sides had lapsed into silence
nickets were put in front of our lines about
one hundred yards. Captain James W.
English, one of the bravest. coolest. most
faithful. and vigilant officers IN the Con-
"
front of our brigade. | had selected him
for the reason that / knew that he would
not fail me if | depended on his courage
and faith. Colonel Tayloe knew nothing OF
our command or its officers, ana the re-
sponsibility rested on me 20 select the rlSht
men in the crisis there was now on US. we
apprehended a night attack.
At o'clock at night, as the moon was
about to rise. Captain English reported
that flag of truce was again offered on
the Federal line on our front. IL was re-
ported again at our division headquarters,
and was again sent out TO answer III as
before. Iput on an army revolver, put
aside my sword, and advanced about IIty
wards from our pickets, halted, and called
FOR the flag. Where | stood there were
scattered around several Federal dead and
One of the latter asked me to do some
thing for him. | told him l would very
soon. making this promise only 10 encour-
age HIM, for could really do nothing Tor
Iack of authority as well as lack of means.
I asked his name and was rather astonlshed
when he said he was General hlless adJu-
tant-peneral ana that his name was Boyd,
az now remember it. A response TO my
call in front took my attention, though
remember that the wounded othcer said he
had been shot through the thigh.
advanced some distance ana met
very handsomely dressed Federal officer
We stopped IN front of each other, about
seven or eight feet apart. l soon Tecog
nized the fact that my worn Confederate
uniform and slouchod hat, even III the dim
light, would not compare favorably with
his mannificence, but as | am SIX feet high
drew myself up as proudly as could and
put on the appearance, as well as possible,
OF being perfectly satisfied with nv per-
sonal exterior. The officer spoke first, In
Producing himself as General Seth Will
liams, OF General Grants staff.
After had introduced myself he felt in
his side pocket for documents, as l
thought. but the document was very
nice-looking silver flask. as well as coul ID
distinguish. lie remarked that he
hoped / would not think 1t was unsol-
dierly courtesy If he offered me some
very fine brandy. l will own up now
that i wanted that drink csawfully.
Worn down, hungry, and dispirited., u
would have been a gracious God-senu IL
some old Confederate and could nave
emptied that flask between us IN that
dreadful hour of misfortune. But raised
myself about an inch higher. II possible,
bowed and refused politely. trying TO pro-
duce the ridiculous appearance OF having
ten minutes before and that had not the
slightest use for as plebeian dllnk as
fine brandy"
He was true gentleman, begged par
don. and placed the flask in his pocket
again without touching the contents IN
INV presence. If he had taken drink and
nv Confederate olfactories had obtained a
Whit of the odor of it, it is possible that
should have "oaved." The truth Is, had
not eaten two ounces III two days, and
had my coat-tail then full OF corn, waiting
TO parcb it as soon as al opportunity might
present itself. l did noe leave II behind
me, because had nobody 1 could trust 1t
with.
As an excuse which / felt | ought To
make for refusing his proffered courtesy |
rather haughtily said that l had been sent
forward only to receive any communica-
tion that was offered and could not pro-
perly accept or offer any courtesles. In
fact. if had offered what could il 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
getitimmediately II possible. made no re-
ply, except TO ask him if that was all we
had to transact or sOmet hing IN that eh Tact