The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-10
tcharlotte observer.)
TO the Editor OF The Observer:

To she Editor OF The Observer:
In The Confederate Veteran for Au-
gust Captain william kaigier. or Daw-
son. Georgia. insists thai the last vol
ley AT Appomattox was fired by The
sharpshooters OF Evans division uL-
der his command. and not by North
CarolInians. The closing incident of
the greatest Of modern wars Is or such
historic Importance n is so crsdita-
BILE 10 those participating therein. that
il il not surprising that they should
be proud OF h and claim as much OF
It's glory as truth permits.
In The Veteran for November. 1885,
Captain Gaigler first claimed this hon.
or for his command and in The Veier-
an for February. 1893. he is answered
and contradicted by Captain James /.
Metts. OF Wilmington. who quotes
statements Sustaining HIND made by
several North Carolina officers. among
them being General w. r. Cox. whose
brigade they say fired the last votley
at ~Appomaictox. In his last comnuni-
cation Captain Kaigler says that Gen.
eral Cox is liable TO be mistaken, be-
cause his statement lis only from rec
election after thirty years have elaos-
ed In this Captain kaigler is him
self mistaken, for this statement NJ
General Cox is exactly the same writ
ten by him and publishe in 1879. in
Moore's History OF North Carolina
Ii was my privilege to have been an
active participant in that memorable
mornings scenes at Appomattox as
one OF the staff of Major General
Bryan Grimes. and d. fell TO my lot to
carry the last order on the field OF bat
tie Immediately preceding the surren-
der. All the incidents OF that historic
occasion are still fresh in my memory,
and as an eye witness / un~hesitatingly
testify that the last voliey III Apo
mattox Court House was fired bv ox's
North Carolina brigade of Grimes d.
vision. But. to put the matter beyond
all doubt and to cite the best evidence
possible, / will ask your reaoers to con-
sider what was said about this coptr,
Verted qu1su~n ~ me witness pest
qualified 10 know-General Bryan
Grimes-who planned and commanded
the last charge at Appomattox.
L inclose, therefore. the following eX-
tradt from Grimes own report. or
statement, published in 1879. and never
questioned before his death. AS stated
by him, he was given by General Cor
don the divisions of Walker and Evans
in addition to his own division. which
was composed Of Phil. Cooks Georgia
brigade. Battles Alabama brigade,
Grimes old brigade and CoX's brigade.
IL is proper to state that General
Grimes was not in the rear, but was
with the line Of battle, n narrowly
escaped being killed.
All soldiers know how hard it is for
an unmounted officer at one end Of a
long line Of battle to know what is
done at the other end. Hence it does
not disparage Captain Kaigler's VerdC-
ity or courage to assert that he, who
was on the extreme left, could know
what was done on the right as Wei as
mounted officers. who were riding az
along the line and had full opp0. 1uni-
ty of seeing all that was done.
This statement of General Grimes
(whO died in 1880 is so clear and ex-
plicit hat it should be accepted as con-
elusive of the facts mentioned. AMI
being of peculiar historic alu should
be carefully read and e~membere
II. A. LONDON.
Pittsboro, n. c.. Sept. Il.