The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-07
what was said to him that / could see

iecte1ness Which mad n,ode ai hin equal to. and
ready for, all emergencies traits. Indeed,
which his whole history has shown. were
trnly and unmistakaby his.
| nave no idea how long ]. remained
seated alone in the car watching what
Was s nn1i on around me. It may have
been an hour or two ',o'' was so deeply
Interested in my study Of tho man. that
! took no note Of time, or Its passage.
mhen 81, Was aact II the earas the BUS US
trains started-Gen. Johnston took a chair
near me-, and commenced a conversation
n npd ordnary topics anparen So rs free
worry, no anxiety for him. in the world.
The stream of his talk flowed evenly.
s smoSt " ,.,brolsenly on, frequently
tersely put. which made his remarks ex-
tremely Interesting. OF course allusion
was made by me to the important an occur
Department Che would never have refer-
them the fall of Nlcksburg., He spoke
knew enough of the secret facts with re-
gard to some OF these occurrences, espe-
cially the last, to satisfy me that his
viewing the,11-that. in Short, ne was
bound to feel mortified and indignant. as
the comnander of the department. at the
terferred With and thwarted, and the un !;
Just criticisms to which his conduct had
been subject ed--flot ono word OK DIler
comment upon either escaped his lips;
While speaking of his order to General
Pembcrton to evacuate Ficksblirg before
It's investment. and his failure TO COM M
ply. I interrupted General johnston lor
General" + remarked, I'VE all know
now that your order to General Pen1peer-
ton wa' wise 10, onew wa fMe W Uly would s
not have. known 1t had ne ooeye .rS, 9r;
The people OF the Confcderacy g en,e,fiarny
many. of them in high olhcial p os.,IoniS;
as we'll as the maSses-Werc Supremacy
anxious, ] might even say. Wltnou. ,mo
least exaggcration frantiealy or anX'o ond
for Vicksburg to be held, and llIniy n'Tu
confidently believed 1t could pc he ~,
Didn't YOU. know then when you Eaye me me
order to General Pemberton, that o,. the
evacuation of Nickshurg under ina u u c
strong word, but could not use 2 T., soft Yer,
and do justice to the sub1ect,.dld,h, St,u
know that it would ruin you IN tI1e e os
large part of your fellow-citizens or inc
Without a moments hesitation sTli oras ne Gro 5e
p ed from lis lips Kpes BY one Hs looked lSsa
The hero that he really was, as ne ro oS,
from his chair and re s,oTly and nl.'e' Knew
more. was sure that, under the circuit a,deafy
stances. the chances were deGiaeaty
against, my ever bei ao a0lf But IT, eontn-
fal5y b sinT W MY rng in his voice which
betrayed The depth and lnte1 9an fcd 1 .y
dee1g s. wit fss G that fn Johnston Willie
io ala not no believe It could do without the
veteran army under General F tsat rmv
W Whsse on less c %s up in Vctsh1rs Nc
bic words, expressive OF noble action.
and uttered by noble man AMI He tho;p nn
the heavens should fall! Here was
willing sacrifice of sclf-an utter lmmo-
lation Of selfupon the alta altar 20 OF t dae
fesrnVne s patriotism! Hero was siyng
to the help Of the confsdsra,cy thas w oEs
has not already done, 50, will yet place
5o snras Was dns ana ana Robert q lee
strenuous The first 'e 8. s: seso dsssa
as Wild sI'a as the The people Of the Confederacy
on the subject OF holding vicks5urg,
parts Of two teleErams from MI Seaaon
during duri n' the siege. are given It will be
stren@ss The 5Tss sS; slssr7 mzt dated Is,
The interest and honor of the Confederacy
forbid The fIes dated 5n9s 1ft
demand Rely upon 1t. the eyes and
hopes of the whole Confederacy are upon
you.
The LocaI-Defence Troops at Sailors
Creek.
Editor Times Dispatch:
Sir,--I notice a letter from Mr.. r. II.
Flemming in your paper or Sunday, 3lst,
in regard to the battle OF Sailors Creek.
of Naval OFFICER" by Captain William
II. Parker. My father, Colonel r. T. w,
Duke, colonel commanding the Reserves;
was, on the retreat from Richmond, and
in command OF the sailors. marines. ETC..
from tho batteries below Richmond. and
have often heard him give an account
Of the battle of Sailors Creek, In which
he and his whole command We're captured.
Captain Parker's account Is correct In re-
gard to the surrender of the reserve forces
and the sailors, but my father always
brought to him by a Federal officer. The
reserve forces and marines were making
q gallant fight when my father heard
firing IN the rear Of the co 1raG. LOOK.
were In his rear, and at the same time
saw an officer with his handkerchief on
his sword waving to him. My father
went up to him and he Informed hin, that
General Ewell under whose command my
father was. had been captured and that
further combat was useless, and offered to
order to convince him that they had been
captured. Ny. father at first thinking II
was ruse declined &c. go with him, but a
Confederate soldier, whose name do not
now remember, stated to my father that
It was correct and my father walked back
to the rear of the lines, where he found
General Ewell and staff, and the command
was then surrendered. my father surrend..
erlng to Lieutenant BY ,,d the NAN, name ,s Of
belonged to my fathers great-grand-
father, and which this "canny" officer
sold him back after the war at hand
some price have often heard my father
say that the conduct Of the reserves and
the marines was superb, and the state.
ment Is correct that tho Federal troops
cheered them when they marched through
the lines after having surrendered.
Very truly yours
r. T. w, DUKE. Jr
THE LONGEST WAY AROUND
Travels of Telegraphic Messages When
the Wires Were Down in the West
Tbo raca,yt etorma In the West did