The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-10

were the ringing down OF the cIrtail
after tho last acts OF ono of tho most
gigantic struggles in the annals OF
war. 1t may interest you to learr
s)methtng, rs | draw my remarks to q
c'0sc, OF the closing scenes which led
to the surrender aud disbanding OF
J0hnston's army ut Greensboro, N. g.
With scarce $4,000 men ne mad met
Sherman's $4,000 or 10000 at Benton
vile and fought ono Of the liercsst bat
| ties OF the war
| Lee having surrendered soon after
wards at AppomatoX, Va, cessation
OF hostillties was arranged between
Johnston and Sherman, as | now re-
mcmbor for 80 days. Before the ex.
E'ration Of the armistice Generals
Hampton and Wheeler hRd left john
It MS army to proc I'd, as it was under
stold at the time, to The trans. Missss-
ippi dcpnremCnt to join that army az Il
continue the war.
This left me the ranking cavalry otli-
Ger OF JOhnstOn's army with headuuar-
tcrs at Hllsboro, n. G. Gen. Kilpat.
rick covered Shcrman's front, and
through his aud my headquarters all
messages between Johnson and 6hcr-
man passed. The day before the ter
mlnation OF the armistice Gen. Johnston
telcgraphed me from Greensboro to
meet him at the railroad with an CO.
cort and led horse and accompany him
to Cen. Sherman's Headquarters Ac-
cordinglv We were at the railroad to
meet INN on the down train, with a
squadron OF cavalry and extra horse.
Whcn we were within mile or SO OF
Sacrman' headquarters we wclo met
by detachment Of kilpatrick's cav
airy and escorted to the small farm
house where Gen. Sherman was await
Ing ns. He and Gen. Johnston entered
the house, while |, accompanied by
Gen. Il. Nj. Logan, Maj, John S. Pros.
ton and Capt. james N. Lipscomb, OF
my stan, remainod d in the yard.
ma short time we were joined by
Gan. O. .. Howard and later by Gems.
ScholicId, Blair and Fitzpatrick, with
whom we engaged In conversation un.
TIL invited into the house to Join the
two commandig generals, after they
had made their final terms Of cupituIn-
ttOn. 1T Is COntcndcl, | believe, that
these terms were drawn up by Muj.
Gen. Jno.M. Schoiicld. Cen. johnston
concentrated his army at Greensboro.
whcro 1t was paroled.
Maj Gen. Hartsutr OF Sherman's
army and myself, representing John.
st0n's army, were appointed q Joint
commission to'sign the muster rolls OF
the Confederate cavalry. When my
signature was attached to those rolls |
performed one Of the most painful du-
tics of my Life, aud | never racur to il,
without q feeling Of sadness and
gloom.
Gen. ) uhnstOL directed me beft re dis
charging the division that should su-
pnriDtcnd the distributing OF about
$l7, 900 IN silver to tho Oh GERS and men.
Fhts WAS done and my share Of the
'dnd was 81 10, which was about tn q
amount OF my worldly aNscts with
which to begin life anew.
We separated about the lst day Of
May, 1860, and marched to our homes
with the full consciousness OF duty well
performed. We made no apologies and
have made none since, tho only re
grets felt Or Expressed were that we
had not triumphed in our cause and
won the final victory after 80 much
hard lighting and so many sacrifices.
In parting after this reunion who
knows to how many 1T will be the last
! greet you, my old Confederate
friends, with the sincere affection of q
devoted cOmradc who has shared with
you the giories OF successful battle un-
der the Starry Cross and the sorrow S
and gloom Of undcscrvcd defeat. And
TO tue SONS OF Veterans, worthy sons OF
wo;thy Tres, | congratulate you on the
heritage you have in the prestige OF
your fathers, and commend their
splendid records as soldiers and citi
zHns to your Jealous guardianship. A
lew years more and there will be moth
ing OF them left except the sacrct
memories 0! their lives and the lofty
example OF their unseltish patriotism