The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-29
TORY OF APPOMATTOX
d.. CHARLES MARSHALL's RECORD
on CONFEDERATE SURRENDER.
Lees Companion, who Died Recently
in baltimore, Figured Largely in
the Famous Negotiations


Baltimore Herald.
While General Grant and Gen Horace
Porter. who was Grants staff officer. and
is now our ambassador to France. and
Others have given accounts Of the formal
surrender at AppOmattox. as the Union
officers saw the event. there is only one
what might be called an official story by
a Confederate eyewitness extant. so far as
is known. That one the late Col Charles
Marshall made in an address made by him
10 a gathering of Confederate veterans in
the concert hall Of the Academy Of Music,
Jan. IS. 1904 As is well known. he was
present on the occasion as Lees secretary.
So much Of the address as is printed below
appeared in the Century Magazine for
April.
The march was continued during the Sth
OF April. with little interruption from the
enemy. and in the evening we halted near
Appomattox Courthouse General Lee in
tending TO march by way of Campbell
Courthouse, through Pittsylvania county,
toward Danville, with a view OF opening
communication with the army OF Gen. Jos.
Z. Johnston. then retreattnE before General
Sherman through North Carolina General
Lees purpose was 10 unite with General
Johnston to attack Sherman or call John
ston 10 his aid in resisting Grant whichever
might be found better. The exhausted
troops were halted for rest on the evening
OF April S near Appomattox Courthouse,
and the march was ordered to be resumed
at 1 a. m. can convey a good idea of the
condition of affairs by telling my own
perience.
When the army halted on the night Of the
sth, General Lee and his staff turned out Of
the road into a dense wood to seek some
rest. The general had conference with
some OF the principal officers. at which it
was determined TO try TO force our way the
next morning with the troops Of Gordon.
supported by the cavalry under Gen. Fitz
Lee, the command of LOngstreet bringing
up the rear. With my comrades of the
staff, and staff officers of General Long
street and General Gordon, I sought a little
much-needed repOse.
We lay upon the ground near the road.
with our saddles for pillows, our horses
picketed nearby. eating the bark of trees
for want Of better prOvender, our faces COW
cred with the capes Of our OvercOats to
keep out the night air. Soon after o'clock
I was aroused by the sound of a column of
infantry marching along the road We
were so completely surrounded by the
Ewarming forces of General Grant that at
first when / awOke 1 thought the passing
column might be federal soldiers.
j raised my head and listened intently.
My doubts were quickly dispelled. L re-
called the order TO resume the march at
that early hour, and knew that the troops
j heard were moving forward to endeavor
TO force our way through the lines of the
enemy at AppOmattOx Courthouse. soon
knew that the command that passing
consisted, in part at least, OF Hoods old
Texas brigade
II was at times composed in part of regi-
ments from other States. Sometimes there
was a Mississippi regiment, sometimes an
Arkansas regiment and sometimes
Georgia regiment mingled with the Texans;
but all the strangers called themselves
Texans and all fought like Texans.
On this occasion L recognized these troops.
al they passed along the road in the dead
of night, by hearing one Of them repeat the
with which 1 was familiar mean with the
Texas version You will readily recall the
original text when / repeat the Texan YER
sion OF il that fell upon my ear as 1 lay in
the woods by the roadside that dark night:
'The race is not to them that's got
The longest legs to run,
Nor the battle TO that people
That shoots the biggest gun
This simple confession of faith assured
me that the immortal brigade of Hoods
Texans was marching TO battle in the dark
ness
THE LAST BREAKFAST
Soon after they passed we were all astir,
and our bivouac was at an end. We made
ting on our caps and saddling our horses.
We then proceeded TO look for something to
satisfy our now ravenOus appetites.
Somebody had a little corn meal and some
body else had tin can such as is used to
hold water for shaving. A fire was kindled
and each man in his turn, according to
rank and seniority. made can of corn-meal
cruel, and was allowed TO keep the can
until the cruel became cool enough to
drink. General Lee, who repOsed as we had
done not far from US. did not. as far as 1
remember. have even such refreshments as
] have described
eracy. Our next was taken in the United
States. and consisted mainly of a generous
portion Of that noble American animal
whose strained relations with the great
chancellor of the German empire made il
necessary at last for the President OF the
United states TO send an Ohio man to the
court OF Berlin.
As soon as we had all had our turn at the
shaving can, rode toward AppOmattOx
Courthouse, when the sound of guns an
nounced that Gordon had already begun
the attempt 70 open the way. He forced his
way through the cavalry of the enemy,
only to encounter force Of infantry far
superior TO his own wearled and starving
command. lie informed General Lee that
ii was impossible 10 advance farther. and it
became evident that the end was at hand.
Early on the morning of April 8, General
Ice arrived near AppOmattOX Courthouse,
which was occupied by the enemy. Accord
OF April s 10 General Grant General Lee
attended by myself. and with one orderly.
proceeded down the old stage road To
Richmond TO meet General Grant and
while riding 10 the rear for this purpose
he received the messag &c OF General Cor
don that his advance was impossible with
out achievements. We rode through the
rear guard Of the army. composed of the
remnants of Longstreth's corps. They had
thrown UP substantial breaStwoTks Of logs
across the road leading TO the rear. and
cheered General Lee as he passed in a way
they had Cheered many time before. Their
confidence and enthusiasm was not one
whit abated by defeat. hunger and danger
IL is lucky for the secretary of the treas
ury that this rear guard was not permitted
20 Try its hand at increasing the pension
roll with which he is now struggling. Those
men made no fraudulent pensioners When
they were done with man he or his rep
FeSentatiVes had an indispuJable claim 10
a pension under any kind of a pension law
But as soon as General Lee received the
report of General Gordon as 20 the state
OF affairs in front. he directed the officer
to ask for a suspension OF hOstilities, and
proceeded at once TO meet General Grant
General Lee. with an orderly in front
bearing flag Of truce. had proceeded only
a short distance after passing through our
rear guard when they came upon the Skin
mish line OF the enemy advancing TO the at
tack