The National tribune., 1901-07-18


Continuing our march eastward, we be
gan to meet soldiers, fragments of Lees
dissolving army, returning to their desc
late homes. They were in pairs, pla
toons, companies and squadrons, without
arms, nearly all of them being hungry
tattered and torn. This was near Chris
tiansburg, where we received the first au
thentic news of Lees surrender, our com
munications having been cut by Stone
man and others, who now, however, in
terposcd no hostile force between US anC
the Eastern armies, which, in truth, were
no longer IN eSSe.
With the surrender of Lees veterans
our soldiers generally realized that the
end had come; that
1.-The neighing troop. the flashing blade,
The bugle's stirring blast,
The charge, the dreadful cannonade,
The din, the shout were past"
All was gloom. l shall not attempt to
describe the pathetic scenes. The men
were undecided as to the best course to
pursue. Many suggested an attempt to
join Gen. Joseph L. Johnston's army,
which was supposed to still retain its or
ganizaton; others determined to make
. their way te the Trans Mississippi De
partment, an 4 thence to Mexico or South
America. We were not fully informed
and had not yet realized the magnanimity
of Grants terms of surrender.
With tears in his eyes, Col. Giltner,
still mounted on his war-steci, Billy"
addressed his Kentuckians, all being
mounted. In sad, though fluent, speech
he recapitulated their daring and faith.
fulness in the long, hard struggle, which,
he said was evidently ended. He simply
sought to advise his troopers, making no
effort to dictate to them, nor to control
their actions in any way. He thought
the best thing to do would be for the
command to retain its organization,
march to Kentucky, and there surrender
on their native heath, in sight of home,
sweet home" Emphasizing the fact that
without Lee and the Army of Northern
Virginia further conflict would be hope
less, he said that any prolongatiOn of the
struggle would result in useless suffering
and effusion of blood. With faltering
voice the Colonel spoke of sundering the
ties that for three years had bound Off
GERS and men in close comradeship. All
eyes were dim; all voices were hushed.
The men silently grasped hands, not
trusting themselves to speak. No funeral
scene was ever more solemn.
THE HoMEwARD MARCH.
After a brief period of unbroken still
ness, Col. Giltner, in clear, louder voice,
said: Comrades / am going to Ken
tucky, alone or attended; all who choose
i TzIl- 1T
course, at liberty to 20 whittier they please
or their judgments dictate" The greater
moiety of the brigade unhesitatingly then
adopted the Coloners advice and turned
their faces toward Old Kentucky. Others
arrayed themselves under the still un-
furled red battle-fag of Gen. Basil w.
Duke and followed that gallant chieftain
southwark. Having hidden the followers
of Duke a sad farewell, we started upon
the long and dreary homeward march.
There was no note of music, no -bugle
sound.
''No cymbal clashed, nor clarion rang,
Still were the pipe and drum;
Save heavy tread and armors clang,
The sullen march was dumb"
Marching leisurely, many of the men,
Row free from military restraint, broke
ranks occasionally to visit some Virginia
or Tennessee home where they had pre-
viously found hospitable entertainment.
Like Others | aYailed myself of favor
able opportunity to pay visit to
'The girl left behind me
Down in sunny Tennessee"
Where there was a happy greeting and
fearful, final parting. Riding away, /
heard old Sambo and his banjo for the
last time singing and playing the tune /
had so often heard before-"The Hills of
Tennessee" While writing this l fancy
1 can hear that same old darky singing
and playing another familiar tune:
~ likes de ole piano, an / likes de fiddle,
too,
An de ole guitar makes music mighty
sweet;
/ listen to de ladies, when I've nothin'
else TO do,
Case DER mellow voices never can be
beat
"But when de twilight falls around my
dear ole cabin door,
o, it's den my heart feels happy, gay
an free;
] sits an picks de banjo, an sings de
Case de banjo am de instrument for
me-"
THE SURRENDER.
Arriving at Hazel Green, Ky, probably
90 miles from Mt. Sterling, we halted and
sent forward a flag of truce to ascertain
from Gen. Z. II. Hobson the terms upon
which we would be permitted to surren-
der. When our flag returned il was ac-
companied by gentlemanly young artil-
lery officer, with a small escort bearing
q courteous communication from Gen.
Hobson, suggesting that we march to Mt
Sterling and surrender upon the same
terms, substantially, as Grant had accord
ed TO Lee at Appomattox. Immediately
acting upon the chiyalrous Federal Gen
erals proposal, we marched to Mt Ster-
ling and were paroled May i, 1865, Gen.
Hobson treating us with delicate consid-
GRAFTON, doing all that was in his power,
under the circumstances, for our comfort
and pleasure.
Our surrender to Gen. Hobson was
Striking illustration of the yicssitudes of
war, the General having only one short
year before surrendered himself and
troops to Gen. John H. Morgan at Gym
thiana. Without special incident / ar
rived at my home, on La Belle Riyiere,
which, because of its location within Fed
eral lines, had not seen since | had
'jined the critter-bacli company" and rode
down TO Dixie's Land.
And now, in the language of the great
Federal chieftain, Let us have peace"
Appomattox was Inevitable Certainly
the North is not Russia, nor the South
her Poland. The spirit of England reigns
not in the Northern heart nor that of Ire
land in the heart of the Southron.
Eittingly, ! quote the language of Clark
Howell, Of Georgia.:
The peace that Gen. Grant commanded