New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-28

|, complainngly to the will of Providence and the
power OF the heavier batteries and battalions.
Since that day at Appomattox the mystic Anglers
bugle-call has been summoning with Increased
rapidly tho remnant Of tho Army OF Northern VIZ
einia TO cross the dark river to the white tents OF
the silent, where are resting under the eterhai
truce flags the men who the blue and the men
who wore the gray. all Of whom did before Goo ana
man what they believed to be the full measure OF
their duty.
am not regarded as a sentimentalist though
hope am a man Of sentiment. But to-day. on the
eve of Grants birthday and the dedication or MS
mausoleum, I must confess my heart Is touched;
and the years roll away, and am again lean,
gaunt boy with the last OF the old battery about
me- listening to tho terms Grant proposed to the
leader Lee whom we all so loved and whom every
man in blue respected II by some divine mandate
the comrades in gray who died before or VINO nave
| been called since could once more assemble at
| the drums long roll the buge's summons. feel
they would rally In the lines and dress ranks to DO
honor to the memory Of the heroic commander OF
tho Army Of the Potomac. He was the leader who
| in the hour Of his magnificent triumph proved his
splendid manhood by considering the needs and re-
specting tho feelings Of the men he had beaten
after the most terrific fighting and heroic suffering
of any soldiers Of whom history has preserved
record.
In that supreme moment, when Fame covered his
efforts at the bidding OF Victory. Grant gave no
thought to himself. did he need to consider his
superbly equipped army. The Impoverished men III
gray-the men whose lines were so thinned by
death. the men whose clothing was rags whose
money waste paper. yet the men whose man
hood remained. because they were of his race-it
was to the care of these he gave his first thought
and We, who survive to witness or share In THIS
GROWING honor to himself. cannot forget 1t I'LL We
too are called to join him and the heroic Amerl-
cans who have gone before.
How rapidly even boys grew bron2ed and aged
| and desperately thoughtful during the war only
those who have survived the furnace Leat Of battle
can tell But 1t is not senility that makes
a man well under sixty, like myself. reminiscent II
is the fact that at the most receptive age 1t was my
fate to be witness to the greatest event in the re-
! corded history OF the Western World-the surre'-
| der at Appomattox
! II were to attempt to write this formally,
could not write at ALL for the closing days OF that
| terrible conflict are TO me chaos. memory OF
hnn "nS getting into battery to resist the des
pcrato rush OF that splendid corps or borsemen IN
| blue. who so Unexpectedly assaulted US from al
| sides. . ,. L.,
| our hope was to unite with Joe Johnston IN
| solder did not understand, but was willing 10 leave
TO Ills officers fight II out while man was lett
psr is TO the remaining veterans OF Lees army
| but we were astounded to find those ubiquitous
which we hoped to cross destroyed Even these
caiames brought some compensation, for the e. halt ,
| ground by our lean, staggering horses -
Not in the hours OF It's most assured success.
| the Lost Cause" fight more heroicay than on
2rg TaS 1 TGeE
stand before Grant sent In his white nag compares
| favorably with the Yankee charge at Fredercks-
| burg Plcketts splendid advance az Gettysburg or
Longstrees desperate assault az on knoXville
| iation that swept through our lines when we
learned that the surrender he'd been aeleed TO pc
| tween the opposing commanders. II was alone our
foIth i'm Lee that recOncied to the inevitable.
But when the truth became known 10 us, whel
rations and blankets ana when we learned OF
Grants tcrms-for they were all his-our spirits re-
| yved. and we felt that liie was sun n worth the
Before me- write, there Is a torn and faded
| diary ia which put down-the ink is now yellow
the story of that retreat. ana there are spotches
| on the poor pages that give my heartbroken OK
pressions OF the surrender. can see how cursed
Providence then In my madness. just as bow 10
| The supreme win now when age has rpened reason
| and charity has taken the place OF hate. And
Grant had more to do In making this change than
| hut Ike many OF my veteran comrades. respected
| him while living. honor him while dead. and on
his grave lay my sprg o, Snisana c maSnoIa
| his countrymen leave the rest TO history.
| 1t through Grant we We're returned TO our
homes and II was largely 10 his influence that We
| were returned TO our old positions In the Union.
The day IL coming when we who Fought on OPP
| posing Sides will bc mustered out Then II broader
| Then our children and their childrens children viii
| glory In the exploits OF Americans no matter who
| coin and Grant and Lee and Joe Johnston will
rise over all ns the finest types OF American man
| lagos will be full OF enrolling legend and poetic
| tradition to the coming generations because OF the
| men In blue and the men IN gray who struggled IN
| And this we know and It thrills our hearts 70
how II. that the rivers ~ which 0uS heroes aleeI