The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-11
A TRIBUTE TO VALOR
The Surrender Of a Flag at
hppomottox
An Incident OF the War Revealing General Joshua
Chamberlain in the Light Of a
Generous Foe.

To the Editor: The enclosed letter from
General Chamberlain, of Maine a major
general in the Union Army in the Civil
War, in reply to mine of The Both u,to.,
(also enclosed, that the tenor of his may
be fully understood) may he OF interest
to your readers. Terhaps some CT the
old Confederate veterans remember the
incident of the surrendered Tag mentioned
herein.
Washington, D. c., July 30, 1901
General Joshua l.. Chamberlain Port
land. Maine.
My Dear Sir: Let love of chivlary be
strangers excuse for writing you.
"The dawn of April 9th, thirty-six years
ago, the day that marked the end Of the
great American Civil Conflict, found ME
too young to realize the momentous i'm
port of the times or to understand the
gloom that filled my home in the old
North State. But reading today in the
Personal "reminiscences of General Rob-
ert h. Lee, that peerless Southern cap
tain, the chivalrous words that fell from
your lips on that fateful day, feel
constrained to quote them to you in full,
thinking you may never have seen them
in history.
"a gallant color bearer, IS he delivered
into tears and said to the Federal SOL
dlers who received it. Boys, this is not
the first time you have seen that flag
/ have borne it in the front Of the bat
tie on many 4 victorious field, and I had
rather die than surrender it now Brave
fellow said General Chamberlain, OF
Maine, / admire your noble spirit, and
only regret that | have not the authority
to BID YOU KEEP YOUR FLAG AND
CARRY TT HOME AS A PRECIOUS
HEIRLOOM. Chapter 8, page
500.
Hoping that in the decline of life you
have health and comfort, and that after
you answer the last roll-call here your
chivalrous soul may find respose in the
Valhalla of the brave, l am, sir,
Every respectfully yours,
81 B. EATON"
In answer to the above letter General
Chamberlain wrote as follows.
Portland, August 1st, 1901.
81. B. Eaton, Esq, Washington, ID. c.
my Dear Sir: l thank you with pc
cular pleasure for your fine and apprecia-
tive letter of the 30th ulto. and the ref
erence therein to some notice of SIM
pie act OF mine at the surrender Of
Lees army. D
II had not supposed anybody remem-
bered, or cared, what | said on the oc-
casion referred to- | remember it well:
for it was the last flag surrendered there
and it came in borne by a little remnant
OF regiment which had recently been
| think, acting as a Headquarters Guard
and therefore came in late in the cere-
mony, after being relieved from that de-
tail.
The poor fellows-or | would rather
say, the noble fellows--clung to that old
flag, battle-smoked and blood stained. as
if it were dearer than life to them-dear
as manhood and honor ! felt their feel
ing, and said to them something like
what you have quoted.
''You may not know that in forming my
lines to receive the surrender of these
arms and colors, had given instruc-
tions for the regiments successfully, as
the respective Confederate commanders
and divisions were passing our front to
form for this last act in arms, to come
to the carry OF the manual (then called
the 'shoulderD in token of respect for
brave men, and in a deep sense com
rades; and this being done, was respond
ed TO in like manner by the passing coll
umn.
WAS not this a grand feature of this
last meeting in arms of two historic
armies! If you are from the old North |
State, | would like to meet you. There
was no body of men more brave and
In all ways manly than those she sent TO
that great ordeal With high regards
Truly yours,
JOSHUA l.. CHAMBERLAIN"
Who, Mr.. Editor. can doubt the stability |
OF the republic when that mighty Civil |
Conflict failed to destroy it! Who can
doubt that its destiny is safe under the
guidance of the descendants of the i'm
mortal Lee and Of that generous, high
souled soldier, Joshua L. Chamberlain. O.
Maine
Very truly, yours,
L. B. EATON