The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1905-05-05
Side Llghts on Appomattox.

Only two or three OF the leaders
prominent ut Appomattox survive to
celebrate the fortieth anniversary of /
that memorable surrender. Fitz-Hugh /
Lee, Wesley Merritt and General Miles
held important commands, but were
not personally conspicuous in the clos
ing scenes. Merritt led the cavalry
corps as subordinate to Sheridan, and
Custer, under him, narrowly missed |
being the hero of what in all probable |
ity would have been the last passage
at arms on Virginia soil. The historian
of one of Clusters regiments, the First
Maine cavalry, gives the following
simple account of the closing of the
last gap to Lees retreating army, and
the recital shows that the men engaged
little knew the history they were max
ing:
No firing could be heard except in the
immediate front of this brigade, and the
men supposed that was all engaged and
they were merely holding a road" The
line in front grew stronger and came
nearer ana 1lndlly CdIHe Wliilll ldlI GdllSet
when their men seemed unwilling to adj
vance. The carbines of this brigade did
all that could be expected and inspired
the line with a wholesome fear, a. feeling
apparently that they would fight very
we'll where they were, but would have
to get wonderfully walked up to advance
much even on that little handful of
Yankees. The little brigade fought well.
losing ground little by little. This could
not long continue.
The brigade had already left the road
when an orderly came riding by, shout
ing: keep up courage boys! The IN
fantry is coming right along in two col
umns, black and white, side by side-a
regular checkerboardi"
Clusters troopers cheered the negroes,
and their impetuous leader made ready
for the last charge, a charge that was
called off by the sudden appearance of
white flag. 1t was Fitz-Hugh Lees
horsemen whom the First Maine Skin
mished with at the outset, and the
Confederate re-enforcements which
strengthened the outposts, as stated in
the narrative quoted, were headed by
the late General John B. Gordon, the
last of the great actors in the drama
of 1865. Gordon's story of the thrilling
last moment when Custer sounded the
charge is here given in his own words;
saw plainly that the Federals would
soon rush between us, and then there
would have been no army. l called on
Colonel Peyton to carry a flag of truce
forward He answered, General, l have
no flag of truce"
Then 1 said, put your handkerchief on
stick and go forward.
'I have no handkerchief, general"
"rhen borrow one and go forward with
it."
He tried and reported to me that there
was no handkerchief in my staff.
'Then use your shirt"
you see, general, we all have on fan
mel shirts
At last we found a man who had a
| white shirt. 1 tore out the back, and, rig
cling it to a stick, Colonel Peyton went
forward to the enemys lines. l told him
| to say to General Sheridan that General
Lee had written me that flag of truce
| had been sent from his and Grants head
quarters and that he (Sheridan) could act
as he thought best on the information.
| In q few minutes Colonel Peyton came
back with a representative of Sheridan,
who said General Sheridan demands the
unconditional surrender of your army.
"Please return with my compliments TO
|
! surrender"
"But, general, he will annihilate you
81 am well aware of my situation"
He went back to his lines, and in
short time General Sheridan came for
ward attended by very large staff. AS
the general drew near l noticed one or
my sharpshooters drawing his rifle down
upon him 1 at once called out: Put
down your gun! This is a flag of truce!
! But he simply settled it to his shoulder
and was drawing a bead on Sheridan
when 1 leaned forward and seized hoid
of his piece. He struggled with me, but
l finally raised it. l loosed it, and he
started to aim again. l caught 1t again,
when he turned his stern, white face. all
broken with grief and streaming with
tears. up to mine and said, well, gen
eral, then let him keep his own side
Had Gordon succeeded in cutting his
way through Sheridan's line Appomat-
tox would have been a field of blood
and not a field of surrender Doubt
less the surrender would have followed
within a few days, but not upon that
ground.