The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-03-30
HISTORIC APPOMATTOX.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLACE ASST
APPEARS

APPEARS
Thirty.Four Years After the Cessation
of Hostilities In the Great War Be-
tween the States-Where the Clos
ing Scenes of the Confederacy Were
Enacted.
Mr.. j. Appleton Wilson. of Balti-
more, writes the Sun as follows:
LAS we drive over the roads OF
bright red clay from Appomattox
Station on the railroad toward the
old Court House Oh this bright winter
morning it seems almost incredible
that the country through which we
pass was ever teeming with hostile
armies, or that the occasional farm
house had ever re-echoed the shots of
opposing foemen. Nothing could eN-
coed the gracefulness and Sabbath
quiet of the three miles drive. For
lay through the blackjack, scrubby
second growth of oaks and brush, but
mile from the old Court House the
line of demarkation was sudden as
we came to the original timber
growth.
THE FIRST REMINDER.
Under a splendid oak standing
alone in field on the right was the
an iron tablet telling that General
Grant had his headquarters camp at
this point on the evening following
the surrender. Directly across the
road a small frame building still
bears the mark of a cannon shot.
We come to the next rise, where an
unpretantious paling fence arrests
our attention. On reaching it we
find nineteen graves with rude head
boards, the names fast becoming
illegible. They are soldiers of the
Lost Cause sleeping their last sleep,
and came from many a Southern
State. The little Enclosure is pa
thetic in its simplicity and poverty,
and sad reflections crowd each other
at the thought of all the privations,
the long and weary marches, the
warnings for home and dear ones
which these poor fellows endured for
four long, painful years, only to fall
in the last fight of the gallant Army
of Northern Virginia, with home so
near, and yet they were not to taste
its pleasures. 1t is the saddest spot
in Virginia, covered as is the State
with the graves of brave men. U
THE HISTORIC VILLAGE.
eve soon catch our first glimpse
of the historic village, on rising
ground, which falls away rapidly
toward the stream, and in fact in
almost every direction from the
Court House, which in this way oc-
cupies quite a commanding position.
The dark ridge beyond covered with
pines, was held for a while by the
Southern guns. The Mclean house
was the first on the right. The
stables and outhouses are standing.
and the paling fence on the road,
with its wagon gate and garden en-
trance. A row of locusts on each
side of the walk and the we'll in the
center of the yard all are there as
they were on the day when this spot
was made world famous. but alas
only the foundation of the house re-
mains. In 1898 the place was pur-
chased and the building torn down
for transportation to Chicago, to
share with John Browns Fort and
Libby Prison brief season of
notoriety away from the environ
ments which gave them interest.
For some reason only the first part OF
the programme was carried out and
the bricks are still piled in the yard,
covered with boards. and the doors,
windows and porch are stored away
from the weather in the outbuildings
A tablet stands on the site.
.'Driving on we come to the ruins
of the old Court House building,
which in 1892 met a more legitimate,
if not more satisfactory, late by fire.
All that remains is a pile of brick
and a cut granite post standing
where formerly was the gateway
The road passed on either side Of the
building, as a stream passes ar
island, and uniting beyond continued
down the hill. The village consists
of only six or eight houses with their
outbuildings, some of frame and
some of brick. A few gnarled and
broken oaks and locusts stand about
the houses, and the place has an all
of having been passed in the onward
march of time, and of having been
stranded alone.
Following the road, we turned
rather sharply to the left and con-
tinued down the hill. at the foot OF
which runs the Appomattox river,
only small fordable creek at thi:
point. Before reaching the water {
sign post marks the line of Union
outposts, and some distance beyond
the line of Confederate outposts
Between these points on round hill
to our left is tablet marking the
spot where Generals Grant and Lee
held a conference on the morning
following the surrender. Just after
passing the stream, to the left. and
on the edge of the road, is the site o
the apple tree under which Genera
Lee sat and which in some way has
been COMPOUNDED with the place 0
surrender.
Passing up the hill. away to ou
left is little white farmhouse
nesting in a grove. There lived :
man whose name was known through
out the army wherever the gallan
Stuart rode-Sweeney. the banJ'
player Many a dance did he lead
the next mornings sun destined t.
shine for the last time on some OF tn
merrymakers. His playing cheere'
many weary march and disma
camp.
LAST FAREWELL TO LEE.
AT the edge of the forest, jus
inside the rail fence on the right,
a tablet which tells the credulou
traveller that here General Lee rea
his farewell order to his army OF
April 10. 1865 Men who were Their
tell us that no such thing took place