The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-03-27

don, who was being forced in, might
fall back upon him. 1 accordingly Sc
lected line about a thousand yards on
our side of the village of Appomattox,
and put about five thousand infantry
of Fields, Mahones, and Wilcox's divi-
sions in position upon it, and crammed
| it full of artillery, making the last line
of battle ever formed by the Army of
Northern Virginia.
| Meanwhile Lee had ridden to The ear
! to meet Grant, leaving Longstreet in
| command. When Lee had been gone
over half an hour, Fitzhugh Lee, COM
| handing the cavalry, sent word to
Longstreet that he had found an open
ing through which the army could es-
cape. Longstreet called Colonel John
c. Haskell, commanding one of our
battalions of artillery, who was riding
a mare celebrated for her beauty and
swiftness, and said to him: Lee has
gone to the rear to surrender the army;
ride after him, and kill your mare, but
overtake him and tell him what F'itZ-
hugh Lee has reported" Haskell i'm
mediately dashed down the road at ut
most speed, and after going about three
miles passed the rear-guard, and turn
| ing bend in the road, found Lee, with
his staff, dismounted by the side of the
road, awaiting an answer to a COM
munication he had sent in to the Fed
eral lines for Grant. Going at full
speed, Haskell passed the group a short
distance before he could stop his horse.
Lee came forward to meet him as he
turned back. saying: What is it? What
J is the natter" and then, with
out waiting for an answer, said: you
have killed your beautiful marel What
| did you do it for 2" Haskell gave mis-
message. and Lee questioned him about
the situation, and finally told him TO
| tell Longstreet to exercise his own
! judgment as to what he should do.
Meanwhile, however, Fit2hugh Lee had
/ found that the supposed opportunity
to get through the enemy's line did not
exist, and one of Longstreet's staff was
sent to follow Haskell and report.
HaskelPs mare did not die, but was
sold after the surrender to a Federal
officer for a high price.
While this was going on the situation
at the front was growing more critical.
Gordon found his short line threatened
! by an overwhelming force of infantry.
while large bodies of cavalry were en-
! veIoping his TANKS. He called upon
Longstreet for help, and Longstreet
sent his inspector general, Major r. NJ
Sims, to suggest a flag of truce to the
Federal commander in his front, to ask
suspension of hostilities pending
Lees interview with Grant.
Gordon requested Sims to bear the
message, but cautioned him not to let
our men know of his GRAND. Sims rode
out to the left flank, where line of our
cavalry, dismounted behind a fence,
were exchanging a hot fire with the
two hundred yards off. Then, putting
spurs to his horse, he galloped rapidly
across to the enemy's line. He had in
his haversack a white towel and as soon
as he drew near the enemy he pulled
it out and displayed it. AS soon as it
was recognized (Which was not until
he was quite near, the enemy ceased
firing, and Colonel Whitaker came to
meet him. Sims asked to be taken to
Sheridan. but was told that Custer was
near and in command of that part of
the field, and it was decided to see him.
Going short distance to the rear, they
came upon Custer moving at a gallop,
with a brigade of cavalry, to envelop
our left flank. Custer presented a
striking appearance with his long
sandy-colored hair on his shoulders,
red cravat with streaming ends, large
scarf-pin, and brilliant stones in his
hat and shouider-straps. He asked
what was wanted, and Sims gave his
message: that Gordon requested a truce !
pending meeting between Grant and |
Lee.
Custer said: 1--WE will do no such |
thing. We have your people now where |
we want you, and will listen to no |
terms but unconditional surrender
Sims replied: "Well, sir, we will never |
submit to that, but you will allow me |
to carry your message back to GeneFal |
Gordon"
To this Custer assented. During this |
interview Sims had been followed and |
joined by Major Brown of Gordon's |
staff, and the two officers returned to-
gether, escorted by Whitaker and an
other officer.
Gordon was found at the courthouse, |
where the street was now filled with
stragglers and wounded, and he re-
quested Brown and the two Federal
officers to go over to the right and
endeavor to find Sheridan and secure a
suspension of hostilities from him.
Meanwhile the opposing forces on the
left seemed to find out that something
like a truce was going on, and without
any general order the firing on each /
side was gradually discontinued. At
this stage of the proceedings Custer
undertook a little game of bluff on his
own responsibility. Accompanied by
an orderly, and waving the orderly's
white handkerchief he left his lines and
galloped across to ours, approaching
them at a point occupied by the Rock
bridge Artillery of Hardaway's bat
talon, under the immediate command
of Major w. H. Gibbes.
AS he lie they were |
by the cannoneers and some
infantry skirmishers, who, not exactly