Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-29
SOME NOTABLE sURRENpERs.
How Great Generals Have Behaved
When the End Came.

When the End Came.
General Williams, you have made
yourself a name In history, and pos
terity will stand amazed at the endur-
ance, the courage, the discipline which
this siege has called forth in the re-
mains of an army. Let US arrange
capitulation that will satisfy the de-
mands of war without disgracing hu-
manity." In these noble and generous
words did the Russian General Mou-
ravieff address the gallant man VINO
for six months had conducted the de-
fense of Kars against overwhelming
odds, says the st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat. And it was only when cholera
had devastated his garrison and there
was no longer a scrap Of food left that
the intrepid Fenwick Williams would
even listen to such word as surren-
der.
When the great Napoleon had played
his last card and realized that the
game was over he wrote this letter
to the prince regent: Royal High
ness-A prey to the factions which
divide my country and to the enmtty
Of the greatest powers Of Europe,
have terminated my public career, and
come, like Themistocles, to seat my
self at the hearth Of the British peo-
pie. I place myself under the protec-
ton Of its laws, which I claim from
from your royal highness, as the most
powerful, the most constant and the
most generous Of my enemies"
Then Napoleon walked with proud
step and gallant bearing on board the
Bellerophon and surrendered himself
to Captain Maitland-the first stage
of his journey to exile and death IN
St. Helena.
Another historic surrender was that
of General Lee to his adversary, Grant,
in the civil war. When, at the end OF
his long and keenly fought duel with
Grant, the Confederate general found
himself hopelessly hemmed in by an
overwhelming force Of the enemy, he
accepted Grants invitation to sur
render "in order to avoid useless efru-
sion of blood" The conditions were
made easy and honorable for him by
his generous foe, and on April 3, 1855,
General Lee handed his sword to
Grant at the Appomatox court house.
while the remnant Of his once great
army, now reduced to 1880 men, fol-
lowed in his wake, leaving their weap-
ons behind them. Thus one Of the
most destructive wars in human his
tory came to dramatic and honora-
BILE close.
At that supreme moment in the des-
tiny Of Napoleon III, when he found
himself at Sedan with the demoraliz-
ed remnant of his defeated army, sur
rounded by 250,00o Of the enemy's
troops, he sent the following note to
his conqueror. the Prussian king: MY
brother, as I am not able to die at the
head Of my troops, I place my sword
at your majesty's feet"
On the following morning the
crushed emperor and Bismarck met In
the sordid upper room Of a weavers
cottage, and the terms Of surrender
were arranged. 1T was the most un-
comfortable hour I ever spent in my
life." Bismarck used to say later. In
fact, I felt more awkward than when,
as a young man, had partner at
dance who wouldn't or couldn't talk"
The surrender, we need scarcely re-
CALL was absolute. Napoleon was sent
captive to the castle Of Wilhelmso-
hohe, near Cassel; and 80 generals, 230
staff officers and $4,000 men became
prisoners Of war.
But perhaps the most gallant gen.
eral who ever surrendered to the en-
emy was Osman Pasha, the immortal
defender Of Plevna. Surrounded by
an immeasurably superior army Of
Russia. Osman kept his flag flying for
142 days, inf1icting loss Of over 40
900 men on the enemy, and losing 3O,-
900 of his own garrison; and 1t was
only when both provisions and ammu-
milton failed that he decided on that
desperate attempt to cut his way
through the investing army.
The attempt, one Of the most dar-
ing and resolute in history, failed, and
Osman was at last compelled to throw
up the sponge. So impressed, how
ever, were the enemy with his valor
that, as he was carried wounded
through their ranks, they greeted him
as a conqueror with cheers and pre-
sented arms.