Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-10-03
Met a, Appomattox.

The Detroit Free Press of Septem-
Der ! i contains a four column article
from the entertaining pen of Capt.
Charles King on The Men Who Net
at Appomattox. Capt. King was
himself gallant soldier, although a
very young one, and the son of Gem
eral King, of second Manassas fame
Capt. King is the welI-ilnown author
of many popular and interesting war
novels. In his description of the
scenes at Appomattox, he pays
worthy tribute to Gen. Henry Kyd
Douglas. This portion of the article
is as follows:
tAnd then came the last scene of
alI.the final muster and parade, when,
partially rested from the hardships of
their rapid and hurried retreat, and
fed and comforted with soldier prod
igality, though soldier rations were
the best our fellows had to offer, what
was left of the gallant Army of yir-
ginia marched forth from their cheer
less biVouac to furl the tattered
battle-fags and lay them reverently
on the stacked and surrounded arms.
tOver against them stood the silent
lines in blue, silent in soldier SYM
pathy. Not note of triumph sound
ed. Not cannon pealed. One by
one the thin brigades, little more than
weak battaIions now, dressed their
ranks and with bowed heads, with
moistened eyes looked their last upon
the familiar old muskets, the worn
and rusty belts, the inseparable com
panions of SO many fierce campaign.
Many bearded soldier bent to kiss
the ragged folds of the OLD battle
flag, and no man sneered or censured.
At last but one brigade of infantry
remained in arms. 1t was that which,
on the morning of the 9th, pushing
forward under Gordon's orders,
found itself confronting Merritt's
troopers in the field along the high
way, and in compliance with its
orders, deployed for attack upon the
cavalry lines which, complying with
their orders, fell slowly back before
the southern flag, and in natural ex-
ultation the young commander sent
back word to Gen. Lee that the way
was open, and then pushed buoyantIy
ahead his skirmisli line firing steadily
the last shotsof theArmy of Northern
Virginia. Not until he was far from
support was the brigade leader over
taken by Gen. Gordon's aide, and
the news that the white flag was
raised and the army practically sur
rendered.
And now, as it was the last to
fight, so was it the last to stack its
arms and to pass into history as
second only in fame to the magnifi-
cent SLonewalI Brigade, Virginia's
braYest. He who led it at the last
had entered service as private in
the Stonewall, had risen from grade
TO grade, had served as Jackson's
trusted staff-ofticer, and finally Just
before the death of A. p. Hill, the
first commander of this. The Light
Brigade, as it was called, Henry Kyd
Douglas was assigned to the com
mand, the last of its list of heroic
leaders. Let his own words close the
chapter: Twas n trying time for SOL
diers, but as marched the dccima-
ted and ragged little band With their
D'eSNNASSA anu IuilCO-lOlu uaunCE up
the line of men in blue, looking on
before in silence and soIdierly SYM
pathy they having heard why my
brigade was last to lay down its arms,
suddenly reused themselves to life
and at signal from some one who
proposed three cheers for the hri-
gade the last to surrender, they gave
us such a greeting of ringing cheers
as only old soldiers are capable of.
g 1t was a graceful and manly
tribute, but it was more than we
could bear. Many of my dear old
boys wept like women, and my eyes
were as blinded as my voice was
dumb. A lump rises in nv throat |
now, and my hand trembles as |
think of it. Years have passed since
then and time mellows memories, and |
now 1 forget the keen agony of that
bitter day when look back and recall
that that line of blue that cheered nv
little brigade at Appomattox we're
glorying not in their own victory but
paying tribute to the little line in
gray that had fought them to the fin
ish and only surrendered because it
was destroyed
'Oh that those who fought had
been the men to make the terms and
bring about the reconstruction -