The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-12-12

Third Corps, A. n. ", writes from
Galveston, Tex. Ounc 13, 1900, to Y.
r. Lackic, Esq, Detroit, Mich:
have read your article, "Rcminis-
ccnccs of Appomattox,' in the C"n-
fcdcratc Veteran for March, and as a
Confederate veteran thank you for the
many generous sentiments it contains.
But you have made an error in your
statement, and that is when you say
the Union army always treated it's
prisoners Of war with the utmost
kindness. know Of one exception,
and in this case was the prisoner. /
was in the Virginia army from April
~, ISL, to April 9, 1863, in the Pur-
cell Battery, Pcgram's Battalion of
Artillery Ga noted command), and was
at Appomattox as q sergeant Of artil-
lcry. was riding very fine brown
mare. When an officer of your army
came to receive the final surrender Of
our guns, horses, and equipments, he
allowed every one owning private
horse to retain it, as this was Gen.
Grants order. My horse was private,
and was allowed to keep it. This
officer-a major of artillery, | think
was kind and courteous to us. He
said to me: Sergeant, that's fine
animal, and | would like to own her,
and will give you SITS for her." This
was tempting offer to man that had
not seen a good dollar for SO long, but
| refused to accept it, telling him l
wanted to ride it back home. He
said, That's your privilege. but l
would like to own her." and so l kept
the horse. Either that or the next
afternoon party Of us went over
toward the Union army to sec the
cavalry surrender their arms. We
were in front Of the Fifth Corps, and
hero came in contact with the Six
teenth Michigan Regiment. The be-
ginning of this meeting was rather
pleasant, but the parting very sad to
me. 1t was about dark when the cav
airy finished giving up their arms.
Near where We stood were some of the
Sixteenth Michigan looking on. They
came up to us and commenced conver-
sation, and asked: "IIavc you chaps
anything to cat?' We replied: Every
little. They then said: "Comc over
to our camp and take supper with us.
We we're not in condition to refuse
such kind invitation. For my part
| was willing to begin to close the
"bluody chasm' right there. We
accepted, and were soon sitting around
their camp fire enjoying real coffee
with condensed milk, and many other
good things to which our stomachs had
long been strangers.
| had tied my mare near by while
enjoying the hospitality Of these SOL
diers in blue. A man came up to me
e took him to be an orderly and said:
Sergeant, that'a fine horse you
have, and 1 would like to trade you
out Of him." Ireplied I that I did not
want to trade. He then said that I
could not take tho horse out OF the
camp. I asked: "Who said so7"
"Tho Colonel" said ho. This took
my appetite. Tquit eating, thinking
to unite, mount her, and ride away;
but the orderly took the horse by the
bit and, putting his hand on the hilt
OF his sword, said: "You cant take
this horse until you get an order from
the Colonel. He is in that big tent
over there l went into the tent.
There were score of officers. I salut-
ed and asked for the Colonel Of the
Sixteenth Michigan Regiment. He
spoke, and asked what l would have.
I said: II am parolcd prisoner, and
came into your camp by the invitation
of some of your men to get something
to eat; am riding private horse,
which was allowed to me when We
turned over crr guns and horses. One
Of your men has taken possession of
my horse, and says he has orders from
you to do SO, and that I cannot have
the horse without you give me an
order for him." He asked what bust
ness had with horse, as I was not
commissioned officer. I said: "No,
only noncommissioned, but in our
army we have to furnish our own hor-
scs, or walk, as our government is too
poor to furnish them" I left tho
tent to find that my horse had been
run off with, bride, saddle, and what
clothing had l walked away
through the darkness over to the hill
where the balance of my command
were, feeling good deal like cold
dog Tray"