The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-07
Maj. H. A. London Will
Write the True Story.
VISIT TO APPOMATTOX
The Committee Visited the Spot Where
Cox's Brigade Fired the Last
VoIIey in the War Be-
tween the States.

Major H. A. London. of Pittsboro.
was here yesterday to meet with the
other members of the committee who
week. are having map prepared
showing the points of interest to North
Carolinians and particularly the spot
where Cox's brigade fired the last
volley. This map, which is being made
by Prof. Riddick, will be published in
connection with Major London's ar
ticle on AppomattoX in reply to Judge
Christians attempt to take away from
North Carolina the right to claim that
North Carolina was first at Bethel
and last at AppomattoX." Those who
went in this party to AppomattoX We're
Major London, Judge MONTGOMERY.
Mayor Powell, Capt. w. T. Jenkins, of
Halifax. In addition to these soldiers,
who participated in the battle, Mr..
w. J. Peele. president of the commit
tee of the State Historical Society. was
in the party.
Major London has been designated
to prepare the article on Last at Ap-
pomattox." and no man in North Car
Dina can do the work SO we'll. The
full report of the committee is to be
submitted to the State Historical So
ciety on Tuesday night of Fair week.
Major London writes an interesting
account Of his visit to ADp0mattoX in
his paper. the Chatham Record, this
week 1t will be interesting to every
reader of this paper and is as fol-
lows:
For the first time since Lees sur
render at Appomattox Court House
we revisited that place on last Friday
and Notwithstanding the long dlme
that had interviewed and the many
changes there made We readily recog-
MI no r1y Snnt that there
saw on that memorable Sunday, the
9th of April. 1865.
1.-The old court house was destroyed
by fire in February, 1892. and the
new court house was built at the rail-
road station of AppomattoX, three
miles southwest. where there is now
a town of about 400 inhabitants. The
village at the old court mouse is now
almost deserted. only four or five di-
lapidated old dwellings, being Occupied.
The Mclean house, in which Lee ana
Grant arranged the terms OF the sur
render. was torn down several years
ago for the purpose of rebuilding it at
Washington, but the project was aban
doned and the old lumber is still lying
in piles on the site of the house.
"a few years ago the United States
government placed tablets at several
places in and near the village to mark
the most important spots. These tab
let's are cast iron about four feet long
and two and a half wide. and each
is supported by piece of railroad iron
driven in the ground. Two tablets
mark the two ends of the line OF Fed
eral troops as they were Drawn up TO
receive the arms of the COnfederateS.
who stacked them as they passed in
front of the line of Federals Thls
line began on the south side of the
road on the eastern side of the VII
lage just on the brow of the hill com
ing UP from the Appomattox river
which is only a creek there. On the
eastern side of the river. and about
one hundred yards from it, and on the
northern side of the road ana aDout
twenty feet from the road, is taDlel
to mark the spot where stood the IA
nous apple tree, under which Genefal
Lee rested while waiting for the return
of the flag of truce which he had SEM
to Grant. Farther up the road ana
on the south side of it. mile and a
quarter from the old court house. Is
a tablet to mark the spot where Gen
eral Lees tent stood. And about loO
yards from that tablet is another
showing where Lee stood when ht
read his last order and babe farewell
to those present About mile ans
a half west of the old court house. and
fifty yards south of the Lynchbure
road is a tablet (near large dead
tree) to mark where Grants mead
quarters were on the afternoon of the
day of the surrender.
''In the corner OF the yard of the
dwelling on the eastern end of the
old village is a tablet to mark where
the last shot was fired from Con-
federate cannon. and which killed
Lieutenant Hiram Clark, of New York
About a quarter of a mile west of the
village and on the south side of the
Lynchburg road is small cemetery
neatly enclosed. in which are buried
eighteen Confederates and one Unior
soldier These graves are marked by
small marble headstones. placed there
by the Ladies' Memorial Association
of Apporattox.
zone Of the places most easily rec.
ognized is the old field in which Gen
eral Gordon made his famous horse
back speech to his soldiers. drawn VI
in a hollow square. on the afternoon
after the surrender. This old field