The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-06-30

/ was very hardly pressed. Gen
Longstreet then. directed me- r.
to ride over to Gen. Gordorn anC
| say to him that if he thought
proper he might send a flag OF
truce over to Gen. Sheridan. who
was supposed to be in command
in his front, and ask for a sus.
pension of hostilities until he
i could hear from Gen. Lee. who
had ridden down the road to
meet Gen. Grant. "
/ found Gen. Gordon in the
|village Of Appomattox hardly
pressed 20 ntSnd being fanked
Eon his ef After delivering the
fnessag be- said it was proper
for him 70 send the flag, and as
he had no staff officer with him
begged me to take it. We agreed
that the best direction to take
the flag was toa heavy column
OF cavalry then pressing on his
left flank. rode through Gen
Gary's dismounted cavalry who
were hotly engaged with the
enemy. Upon reaching the
enemy l was met by Lieut.. COL.
now Gen., Whitaker, and a
major. Col. Whitaker advised
me to go to Gen. Custer, whose
column of mountain cavalry was
Just then passing to the rear of
Gordon,s left flank. We put
spurs and ina fow moments
reached the head of the moving
column where / found Gen. Gus.
ter: He asked me who | was
and what / wanted. I REPLIED
that / was an officer on Cen
Longstreet's staff and was the
bearer OF a aimessage from Gen.
Gordon who desired suspension
of hostilities until Gen. Lee could
be heard from, who had gone
down the road to meet Gen. |
Grant.
1isfssnp fer 70 G,,-.er. M .ser. said, eve will
unconditionaSgm but that of an
people are now behind nd'n5t nJ5tor,eee.lr
I replied, Il don't think we will
submit to that, but will take
your message back to Gen. Cor
don, and if you wish to send an |
officer with me you can do sc"
He directed Col. Whitaker and
the major, whose name | forget,
to accompany me. On our way |
back to our lines Col. Whitaker
begged me to give him the towel,
which / had used on this occasion
as flag of truce. This l per-
emptorily and emphatically de-
clined, telling him that / would
not allow him for any considera-
tion to preserve it as memento
of our humiliation. Upon reach
ing Gen. Gordon he was being
hardly pressed in front and on
his right, and he begged me to
take the flag to another part of
the field. l told him that l could
not do so, as | must go to Gen.
Longstreet, who would probably
need me very soon, as Gen. Gus
ter said he would proceed to at
tack; besides, said, '''You have
a member of your staff, Maj.
Brown, with YOU"
Maj. Brown asked me to loan
him the towel. l told him |
would do so on condition that he
would not allow the Federal
officer to get possession of it.
When / returned in the afternoon
to get the towel, Maj. Brown
told me that Col. Whitaker asked
for the towel to display as a flag
of truce as they rode into the
Federal lines (together), fearing
he said that they would be fired
upon by the Federals. AS soon
as he reached the Federal lines
he rode off, mixed up with other
officers and men and he could
not be identified. The towel
afterwards was given to Gen.
Custer and is now in possession
of Mrs. Custer at Monroe, Michi-
gan. 1t frequently bobs up at
the different national fairs and
demonstrations of the Grand
Army as a curiosity and relic.
I rode from Gen. Gordon to
Gen. Longstreet directly and
hurriedly. found Gen. Long
street and Gen. Custer talking
together at a little distance from
the staff. l heard some allusion
made by Gen. Custer to the mes
sage | delivered. / walked over
to them and begged to correct
Gen. Custer, that / did not tel
him that | was the bearer of q