The Portland daily press., 1897-04-10
LEES SURRENDER.
Gen. Chamberlain's Address Before
BOsWOrth Post.
ON THE 32D ANNIVERSARY OF
THAT MEMORABLE DAY.

An Eloquent and Graphic Series of Word
Pictures on the Closing Scenes of the
/ War-Gen. Chamberlain Delights the
Veterans With His Story of Appomatox
Court House.
= April 9, 1861
1t was just 80 years ago last night that
the magic words "Lee has surrendered
at Appotomax Court House, were
flashed over the telegraph wires through
out the length and breadth of the land.
They started the bells to ringing In the
belfry of every oh uroh in the country.
AS If by magic the hills and valleys
were lighted up by the blaze of innu-
merable bon flres and from every heart
there poured forth words of thanksRiv-
ing and OF joy. April Q, 1866. 1t is a
date that every school boy in the coun-
try has learned by heart and that no one
who was old enough at that time to take
notice of passing events, will ever forget.
This 32d anniversary Of Lees surrender
was fttingly celebrated last night by
Bosw orth Post, and the rousing camp
fire which WAS graced by the presence of
Gen. Joshua l.. Cham berlain, was large
ly attended.
Through the rain and storm the men,
bers of Bosworth Post turned out in
large numbers and by the time "mesa
call" sounded, at 7.30 O'Clock, nearly 200
were present. Down the winding stair
case into the dining hall the veterans
trooped at the sound of the call They
were as light hearted and as i:serry as
school boys off on holiday, but their
march to the dining hall was, for many,
a slow and laborious one. Twenty years
ago the descent of the winding stair case
would have bean made in an instant,
with jump and spring. Last night,
however, it took the veterans longer
time and nearly all hobbled along with
the careful and painful step of old age
or infrmity. Some there were among
them, it is true, Oh whom the weight of
years rested but lightly. but these were
decidedly in the minority. Nearly all
were gray haired and tn, few young
men who were present as guests seemed
sadly out OF place. in the assem- blage.
AT length all were standing about the
tables and all eye were turned towards
the door. The commander of the post
stepped into the dining hall, and behind
him in the doorway, stood the figure
so well l-known and SO well beloved. 1t
was man well remembered by those
present who had seen him amidst the
! leaden hail at Little Round Top on
that day at Gettysburg and who lad fol-
lowed him before and after that mighty
conflict into the battle smoke of many a
hard fought fight.
"Three cheers for Gen. Joshua L.
Chamber" commanded some one.and the
throats made hoarse by Years, gave for tina
welcoming shout that started the tears
into the eyes of the old commander.
| A bountiful supper over, a few whiffs
of the pipe and the comrades adjourned
to the hall above to listen to one of the
most delightful addresses that has ever
been heard in Portland. In eloquent
word pictures which placed before the
hearers eyes the scenes and incidents of
that memorable day when Lees army
laid down it's arms. Gen. Chamberlain
told the story, as only he can tell it..
With bated breath and in spell bound
interest. the veterans toasted on the tale
and when in sympathetic tones the vene-
rable speaker told of the last hours of
the Southern Confsderacy, when he re-
called to his hearers memories the long
| forgotten events Of that day, when he
spoke of Grant and of Lee, Of Longstre ct
and of Sheridan, of Ord and of Gordon
and of many other generals who were
the central figures in that historical
scene, one could have heard pin drop
in the hall. SO quiet was that large au-
dience OF gray haired vaterans.
| Gen. Chamberlain began by telling
how Lee had been driven out of Peters
burg by the Army of the Potomac and
how Grant in turning Lees right flank,
had finally succeeded in doing what he
said he would do when he said he would
Eight it out on this line if it took all
summer" But it took more than one
summer to accomplish this, in fact 1t
took ten months of hard stubborn fight
ing and long and dreary marches.
| '1It cost Grants army more men to fight
it out On this line than Lee had in his
army at any one tiine," said Gen.
Ghamberla in. From the time we
crossed the Rapidan until Lee surren-
dered. there were fully 5000 men on
our casualty list. l admit that we had
the rebels at disadvantage. They had
to guard 16 miles of front about Peters
burg and we were constantly interfering
with their supplies so that Lee even be-
fore we struck the last blow, had begun
to fear that he could not hold Virginia.
We turned Lees right on the Quaker
road and Petersburg fell and the only
thing left for Lee to do was to get out
with Davis as best he could. Gen.
Grant was very fond of Sheridan, who
had qualities which Grant could not fail
10 admire. Grant wanted a man who
yould not only fight, but who would
ndu