Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-14
0N THAT LAST MORNING. A Pen Picture of Ante-Appo-
 mattOX. HE DIDN'T WANT TO QUIT. So Custer Offered to Accommodate Him-A Sketch Abounding in Humor and
 Pathos by One of Hoods
 lmmortas.

From the fall of Richmond, April to
 the dull. gray dawn of the 9th we had
 fought by day and by night, hungry,
 weary, footsore and ragged all the time
 We, of Hoods old division, had composed
 the rear guard of the army during the
 night of the 9th and at break of day we
 filed from the muddy road Into an old
 field and lay down on the wet ground to
 rest and gather a little strength for the
 conflict we felt sure was to come. There
 filed past us Ewells old division, gaunt
 and spectre like in the murky morning
 mist. the wreck of that splendid corps
 which had chased Banks. Freemont and
 Shields from the valley. and made Pope
 Burnside and Hooker lose their high
 commands Alas, what a change! It's
 brigades had dwindled to mere com
 panies, it's tattered regimental flags up-
 held by haggered, famished men, were
 so near together that it seemed only the
 color guards had been left to make that
 last sad review. Truly, coming events
 had already cast their shadows before.
 The shadows we saw, the coming events
 we did not see, for how could those men
 of war believe that there was anything
 but battle in front of us?
 I heard General Lee direct General
 Benning to send scouts to the rear over
 the route of our night march and by the
 time the couriers reached me with the
 order, had buckled on for the last time
 the familiar armor and selecting two sol
 diers, retraced our steps through the
 woods and far into the fields beyond
 Soon we saw the blue-coated cavalry
 coming. Sending my comrades wh0
 were unused to scouting to the rear. and
 sheltered by pine thicket I waited the
 approach of the foe. A major rode in ad- vance and I came near adding his name to the pension list before saw he had Q white handkerchief on a switch. He gave me a letter addressed to General Lee, which I delivered to the nearest general for transmission by mounted courier, and returning to the rear, found the federal infantry forming in
 plain view of our men, who had orders not to fire. We could not understand it,
 and I hastened to my own commander
 with the information. Shortly, the news came along the line that Lee had Surren- dered Like a scar burned by fiercest flame. that scene is imprinted on memory. Gray-haired veterans wept aloud, and wrung their hands in agony. Some broke their swords and rifles; some cursed the day of their birth; others laughed hysterically like men gone mad from sudden frenzy. We were surren- dering to men who fled before us at Ma nassas. Fredericksburg and Chancellors- vile. Among these men was Sheridan, whose division at Chickamauga had melted before us in the widest panic. We had killed, wounded and captured more of that army than our own num- bered since the campaign opened in May, 1864, and what mattered it if they were now seven to one recruited with bounty loving foreigners. But 1t was done. General Lee had said so. I told my comrades I should desert and go to Johnson's army, and going to Colonel Sorrel, Longstreet's chief of staff, told him I intended to desert. I remember I wondered then, that he did not order me to be shot, but he refused to tell me the best way to get out, saying that his pa- role forbade that. I insisted that he tell me where the fewest yankees were, and he finally waived his riding switch to- ward the southeast.
 By wading down mill stream fringed with willows which screened me from observation, passed the enemy's lines, but in the evening while passing through large field, which I could not avoid,
 foraging party of Michigan cavalry cap tured me and carried me to their com
 mander, General Custer. who. among other questions. asked me what would do now, if had my way. Put powder under both armies and blow them to perdition, Twas the reply. Said he: "If you have not had enough of fighting I have a man here who will give you enough, and he called out, "Tom Tom;" when there arose a Michigan trooper. who seemed to be at least feet high.
 I said to General Custer: "As am very
 tired, will take a seat while you make
 game of prisoner" and took seat on a
 pile of wood prepared for his evening.
 fire. He immediately ordered me sent to
 the provost guard who shared with me
 their stolen Virginia ham and coffee; all
 they had. Two days afterward I was
 permitted to return to my comrades, re-
 ceived my parole and set out, moneyless
 ragged and without rations on the tramp
 to Alabama. |
 My company, the Columbus Guards,
 entered service on April 16, 1884, with
 114 names on its rolls. Thirteen. of