The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-05-09

feeling deepened when flag of truce
was displayed by the enemy, and hos
tilities were suspended, never to be re-
sumed by the two armies there confront
ing each other.
Just before we came to halt re-
ceived the most painful wound that |
met with during the whole war This
was not caused by a ball, but it hurt
greatly in spite of that. ] was severely
kicked, not by a mule, but by
DIABoLIcAL LEAD HORSE,
which landed on my knee-cap, making
me think that a shot from a 100-pounder
had struck me- The natural effect was
to render me hors du combat for time.
While the Confederacy was going into
anarchy and chaos, / was going into
anica and cotton bandages. My CON-
rades provided me temporary, if not a
downy, couch on a pile Of loose rails,
where | spent a good part of the inter
val while negotiations for the surrender
were under way. In the meantime our
brigade band and a band on the rebel
line opposite were discoursing music ac-
cording to the side which each represented,
the Union band rendering "America y;
Yankee Doodle, and kindred airs, the
rebel players responding with "Dixie "
and The Bonnie Blue Flag"
The report having spread through
the ranks that Lee was surrendering, my
curiosity got the better of my wounded
knee, and having been assisted to mount,
/ made my way to the Mclean House, in
which Gems Grant and Lee had been
completing the formalitieS of the sur
render When | reached the house these
ceremonies were over, and Gen. Custer
was
JUST COMING DOWN THE STEPS
in front of the building, bearing in his
hands the little table upon which the
papers relating TO the surrender had
been signed. With my usual good for
tune, / happended to be on hand at
another historic period, and if | did not
see the papers signed, reached there
while the noted signers were still in the
building, and in time to see the table
upon which the signing had taken place
very short time before.
Soon after / arrived / noticed col
umn of men approaching from the rebel
lines. This proved to be a detachment
OF rebel infantry restoring to our lines
the prisoners that had fallen into their
hands during the campaign.
This was a sight worth seeing, indeed. |
The returning prisoners, / need not say,
were in high glee, and were vigorously |
singing Rally Round the Flag, Boys"
The guards were correspondingly de- |
pressed. | had short talk with the |
Captain in charge. The tears were
coursing down his cheeks as he spoke.
"This Is pretty rough" he said; but.
be added, "it's 'Bobby's' orders, and
it's all right"
Returning o my place b The line, I
passed through the ranks of the Fifth
Corps, the men Of which were in a state
of riotous enthusiasm. They were shout
ing and jumping in a truly frantic man.
ner, some of them hurting their caps
into the air and not giving the slightest
heed to whether they ever came down
to earth again or not. In the language
Of Artenas Ward, My buzzom heaved
with various sorts of emosbions."
Lee had surrendered, the rebellion
was over, and that night, for the first
time during the war, to my knowledge,
we lay down to sleep, in the immediate
presence Of the enemy, without having
any pickets on post.
So considerate was Gen. Grant of the
feelings Of our yanquished enemies that
we received positive orders the following
morning, when about to pass through
their lines, against indulging in any
Jeerlng or yaunting remarks toward our
late foemen. To show them still greater
delicacy, when the time came for us to
move through their ranks, our route of
march was SO changed that we did not
enter their lines at all.
] have been wondering for many
years why the anniversary of Lees sur
render was not generally and appropri-
ately observed as an important day in
the history Of the Nation, and / am glad
to know that within the past few days
Of the Union and Con-
iederate armies have together been at
Appomattox boating the positions of the
troops Of both sides, and that there are
good prospects that the scene Of the sur
render will soon become a National
park.
what Aaron Burr Said OF the Duel With
Alexander Hamilton.
tHGTper's WeeiIyl
Ass1npg fhoca rsarGonC livipu who |