The National tribune., 1902-10-16

LAVE SEEN REBELS BEFORE TODAY"
| in a wild and rough locality; the guards
| were weary with their days march, and
not over-vigilant; the time, the place, the
condition of the weather, the WEAKNESS
| Of the guards united in making this a
favorable opportunity to escape, and some
| of the prisoners improved it, but the ma
jority were too much worn out to make
the attempt. l had strength left for the
effort, but among the prisoners there was
one could not leave; he was terminate,
straight-haired and true, and the only
| other member of my company captured,
except our Captain, who was not with
our crowd. This comrade had been
afflicted for six months with that scourge
| of the camp which clings like grim death,
and when we left Fredericksburg in June
On the Gettysburg campaign he should
| have been sent to the hospital, but instead
he made the march with us, was wounded
death was surely his doom. During the
days march we had become separated, and
though l searched through the crowd
that night in the darkness and mud till
l was ready to drop off my feet, / was
unable to find him, and our only opportun-
ity Of escape passed.
On the 9th we continued our tramp,
hardly halting moment during the whole
day except once, when Lees retreating
| army needed the road. That was about
| mid id-afternO0n, and we rested, probably
two hours, while a part Of his army and
Lee himself passed US. Then we knew
for certain that Lee was defeated, and
that the greatest army Of the rebellion
had received blow from which it was not
likely to recover, and in contemplation Of
that fact we almost forgot that we were
prisoners Of war. Standing or sitting by
the wayside, we had a splendid opportun-
ity to see badly beaten army making
actNy bud WALL
meut after regiment with depleted ranks
filed past; Is battery after battery, each
showing the marks of the terrible conflict
through which it had passed, hurried by,
it became evident to us, who had every
chance to see and study their condition,
that the Army Of Northern Virginia had
lost more than battle,-it had lost that
over-weening confidence in its prowess
and in its leader, which was twO-fold
defeat. l had been talking with an Off
Ger Of our guard-a Virginia Captain
and feeling a little jubilant, of course.
while reading the book that was open be-
fore US, l said: Captain, judging from
the condition of these passing troops, it is
not likely that Lee will undertake another
| invas.On Of the North this year." He re-
piled: Il reckon you're right" and a mo-
ment after added; Il wish your Govern
ment would put million men in the field
| and whip us at once; for there is no ques-
JUL uoW dS " luc ulidl result OI Tue war.
That was surely great admission for
Captain to make to a prisoner of war.
But when Lee rode past, shortly after,
this officer pointed him out and said in
| tone that expressed unbounded pride in
his General: There goes the great Con-
| federate leader"
Then the superb Confederate chieftain
rode by within few yards of me. His
long, grizzled beard was neatly arranged; !;
his clothing was clean and faultless; his
horse had been groomed and saddled with
| care; there was nothing about his personal
appearance to indicate haste, uneasiness
| or even weariness; he bestrode his steed
| apparently cool and confident, not as one.
who had suffered defeat, but rather as
conqueror. Then l looked from him to
| his shattered battalions, and read the evil
dence of his terrible conflict and humiliat-
! ing defeat, and it was plain to see that
| Lee himself must have fully recognized
the fact that the glorious dream of his
ambition could never be realized. Never
theless, his bearing in defeat was heroic
and inspiring; had he been successful in
every undertaking; had he conquered the
world and was returning with his victor
ious army to receive triumph at the
hands OF his wOrshipers, instead Of fleeing
in haste to the shelter of his friendly hills
beyond the river to save the remnants of
defeated army from annihilation, his
bearing could not have been more digni-
fed and imposing. Lee was the only man
Of that defeated army. so far as T saw it
on the retreat from Gettysburg, who did
not reveal the marks Of defeat; but IL is
fair to presume that beneath this outward
show Of pride and unyieldng courage there
was an ambitious heart that was very
sore.
INCIDENTS BY THE WAY.
We reached the Potomac near Williams
port. The river was booming high, and
for lack Of pontoon facilities Lee was un-
able to cross over for several days. If
Gen. Meade really intended to recapture
the prisoners, here was a God given CD
portunity; but, alas! it was not improved.
II single gun was fred by Meade's army
1t was not within my hearing. The pris-
oners were ferried across the river in pom
toon boats during the forenoon of July
lO, and as soon as we were all on the
Virginia side we were pushed forward to-
ward our destination. We reached Mar
tinsburg before sunset, where an agree
able surprise awaited us. We did not
expect to meet a loyal man or woman
: south Of the Potomac; but az we entered