The National tribune., 1896-11-19
SHERMAN'S MEMOIRS.
first n1ERl

gan's Corps, so that all my corps had to
encounter was the direct fire from the
newly-built parapet across the peninsula.
This line had three sections of tield-guns
that kept things pretty lively, and sew
eral round-shot came so near me that
realized that they were aimed at my
staff; 50 | dismounted and made them
scatter.
As the gunboats got closer up saw
their flags actually over the parapet OF
Fort Hindmap, and
THE REBEL GUNNERs scAMPER OUT
of the embrasures and run down into
the ditch behind. About the same time
man jumped up on the rebel parapet
just where the road entered, waving
large white flag, and numerous smaller
white rags appeared above the parapet
along the whole line. | Immediately
ordered, "Cease fring!" and sent the
same word down the line to Gen. Steele,
who had made similar progress on the
right, following the border OF the swamp.
l ordered my Aid, Col. Dayton, to jump
on his horse and ride straight up to the
large white flag, and when his horse was
on the parapet followed with the rest
of my staff. ALI firing had ceased, ex-
cept an occasional shot away to the right,
and one of the Captains (Smith) of the
18th Regulars was wounded after the
display of the white flag. On entering
the line, / saw that our muskets and
guns had done good execution for
there was horse battery, and every
horse lay dead in the traces. The fresh
made parapet had been knocked down
in many places, and dead men lay around
very thick. | inquired who commanded
at that point. and Col. Garland stepped
up and said that he commanded that
brigade. / ordered him to form his
brigade, stack arms, hang the belts on
the muskets and stand waiting for Or
ders. Stuart's Division had been halted
outside the parapet. | then sent Maj.
Hammond down the rebel line to the
right with orders to stop Steele's Divis-
ion outside, and to have the other rebel
brigade stack its arms in like manner
and to await further orders.
inquired of Col. Garland who COM
manded in chief, and he said that Gen.
Churchill did, and that he was inside
the fort. / then rode into the fort,
which was well built, with good para
pets, drawbridge, and ditch, and was an
inclosed work Of four bastions. l found
it full of soldiers and sailors, its parapets
toward the river well battered in, and
Porter's gunboats in the river, close
against the fort, with their bows on
shore.
/ soon found Gen. Churchill in con-
versation with Admiral Porter and Gen.
A. j. Smith, and about this time my
Adjutant- General, Maj. j. III. Hammond,
came and reported that Gen. Deshler
who commanded the rebel brigade facing
and opposed to Steele, had refused to
stack arms and surrender, on the ground
that he had received no orders from his
commanding General that nothing sep
arated this brigade from Steele's men
except the light parapet, and that
THERE MIGHT BE. TROUBLE THERE
at any moment. Iadvised Gen. Churchill
to send orders at once, because single
shot might bring the whole of Steele's
Division on Deshler's Brigade, and l
would not be responsible for the conse
quences; soon afterward, we both con-
cluded to go in person. Gen. Churchill
had the horses of himself and staff in
the ditch; they were brought in, and
we rode together to where Garland was
standing, and Churchill spoke to him in
an angry tone, "Why did you display
the white fag?" Garland replied, II
received orders to do so from one of
your staff" Churchill denied giving
such an order, and angry words passed
between them. stopped them, saving
that it made little difference then, as
they were in our power. We continued
to ride down the line to its extreme
point, where we found Deshler in person,
and his troops were still standing to the
parapet with their muskets in hand.
Steele's men were on the outside. l
asked Deshler:
"What does this mean? You are a
Regular officer, and ought to know bet
ter"
He answered, snappishly, that che
had received no orders to surrender"
when Gen. Churchill said:
"You see, sir, that we are in their
power, and you may surrender"
Deshler turned to his staff officers
and ordered them to repeat the COM
mand to stack arms" ETC., to the Col
onels of his brigade. I was on my horse
and he was on foot. Wishing to soften
the blow of defeat, l spoke to him kindly,
saying that I knew a family Of Desh-
lers in Columbus, O., and inquired if
they we're relations of his He dis
claimed any relation with people living
north of the Ohio in an offensive tone,
and I think / gave him piece of my
mind that he did not relish. He was a
West Point graduate, small but very
handsome, and was afterward killed in
hattie T naver met him apain.