Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-05-12
FHE BATTLE-FlELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The HlHc and the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and in n
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.

| Tell of Camp, March and Battle.
i met, on Appomateux day" said the
Colonel. the officer who received Gen
eral Lees flag of truce, just before the
surrender, April 9, 1861. This was
Major George +. Morgan. at that time
in command of the tine Hundred and
Fifty nth Pennsylvania in Griifn's dl-
vision of the Fifth Corps The division
was on duty early that morning, Nor
gan being well to the front with lines
near AppomattoX. A rebel battery went
| into position TO check the Union adj
vance, and became SO troublesome that
General Griffin said TO the commander
of the brigade: Tell Morgan to take
that battery
Griffin had at one time commanded
the brigade, and he knew Morgan. No
sooner was the order given than the
One Hundred and Fifty fifty charged
the battery. The guns were whisked
/ away and the Alabama brigade sup
| porting the battery swung around the
| flank of Morgan's men TO compel their
| withdrawal. Instead of Withdrawing
! the One Hundred and Fifty fifth pro
| ceeded To cut the Aabamans off from
| their main column While this move
ment was being executed n Confederate
major came forward bearing a flag of
truce 4 white pocket handkerchief tied
| to the twig of a tree Taken To Major
Morgan, he said nj once: For Gods
sake. Major, stop firing. General Lee
has decided to surrender
Morgan asked why in thunder his
command did not stop firing The flag
of truce was sent back to General Crit
| fin, the message to be forwarded to
| Sheridan or Grant, while Morgan him
self pressed the AabamnnS to surren.
der Immediately. This they did and
| MorganS regiment had the honor Of fir
| ing the last voIley of that campaign
/ and of receiving the unconditional sur
render of the first Confederate brigade
to lay down its arms at Appomattox
Then Morgan. after sending his prison
ers To the rear. rcarranged his lines SO
as 10 include the Mclean and other
houses in AppomattoX.
He was sitting ON his horse in front
of the Mclean house when Lee and
Babcock rode up, and his men were on
duty when Grant, Sheridan, and the
others came up. Not only were Nor.
gan's men closely associated with the
events of that day hut they were ap.
pointed 10 receive the arms of the Con
federates. who turned over guns and
equipment i'm the next few DAYS 1t
will he remembered that Lee. after
writing his last note to Grant was met
by Colonel Babcock, who escorted him
to McLean's house 10 await the coming
of Grant, To whom the note had been
forwarded. Meantime all was uncer-
tainty where the lines were I'm contact.
the officers arranging for only a tenn
porary truce. But it SO happened that
Major George r Morgan, now of chi
cago. was at the most interesting point
on the line and became participant in
the dramatic scenes of the Appomattox
| surrender
Morgan was also ut gettysburg. We
said the Captain. land he had an odd
| adventure on the night Of the second
day. His brigade was posted on Little
Round Top and at night he was chang
ing his pickets along Plum Greek. in
front. when he walked into dctJch
ment of rebs looking after their own
pickets Morgan was taken u short
distance to the rear AS Il prisoner. but.
watching his opportunity, slipped be
| tween the vidette> and worked his way
back to Little Round Top lie found
his lieutenant sound asleep. and creep
ing under the blanket Went to sleep
himself
ln the morning the lieutenant pinch.
cd his captains arm To dcpermiu"
whether he was ghost or NOT. and
there was a great connection. the men
being noisy with JOY when they found
their captain again among them and
none the worse for his adventure The
next night there was on Round Top "a
quiet little game Of poker under the
| ,,reen Of blanket. When Morgan in.
timated that it was time to quit the
Lieutenant remarked. That's al right
as you have all the money CS31ol, but
] will get it all tomorrow You VIII be
shot and / Will 20 through your peck
cts But Morgan was not shot and
WIS kept in training for many "a hard
| fight"
A Five Forks Morgan VA, the senior
| captain in provisional brigade In
| which no field officers were present for
duty. When Sheridan and Griffin rode
zap at the turning point in the battle rnc
situation was explained To them, Nor
! Kan expressing his Willingness 10 as
sumo responsibility. Thcreupon Shori
Gan gave his orders and said to MOI
can III you do just as tell You wc