The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-05-20
CHAPTER |.

bph INV NDittN Wfht VI hUIbU-
u mattox Court House. YEARLY.
but with spirit still, the batteries park.
ed their guns In field facing n strip
or woodland. The guns were few In
number now. but they were all that
were left OF those that had done battle
on u score OF historic fields.
Lee had been forced out OF hIs works
at Richmond and Petersburg Il week
before. Ever since. with that calm
courage which had sustained him
throughout the later and losing years
OK the war, ho had struggled and bat.
risa ~ an .~nat, .,o ..r.,ra., ,S en-.
Roa,nka r,v.r IA haa ho,,aa ,,,o.. -
unIte tbe y.mnant ~ hJs army w,,h
wha, ,s. la, 40 ton,..a,,,. ,,.a. .,,,,
No mata ,h.ra n an.i ana aasn.ra,a
s,apa
In tbIs nurnone he had haan h. a,.a
Grant's forces wcr. on his sou,hern
aank and tbev had s,oaalIv nresseJ
aim bnck toward IN. I.mas rIyer ou
IN. nor,b !, TIM, dtroc,in, ,h..,, ,,,.
no thorouphrnre for him NeI,hcr was
there nov In any o,h.. Continual hn,
fling MAD denle,sd HI. o,ny nn,t, /,
numbered now sc.rc.iy marc than m :.
600 man NH told and a,arvatlon hnd
weekened ,h.s. an ,r..t,v ,ha, o,iy
the berolsm Of dcsnolr .nah,ed tbem IA
arht or 20 march a, nll
The artillery thnt WAS marked out
there IN front ~ Anpomn,toy Court
House was only n feeble remnant or
that which had fought no long and NO
determlnedly. Gun after gun had been
captured. Gun after gun Ind been
dIsmounted In bnttle struggle. Gals.
son after calsson had been blown up
by the explosion of shells striking
them.
Captain GuIlford Duncan, at the head
Of eleven mounted men. armed only
with swords and pistols, paused before
entering the woodlands In front. lie
looked about In every direction, and.
with an eye educated by long expert
ence In war. he observed the absence
OF Infantry support,
He turned 10 Sergeant Garrett who
rode by his side. and said sadly;
Garrett. this means surrender. Cen
eral Lee has put bis artillery here to be
captured, The end has come"
Then, dlsmounting. he wearily threw
himself upon the ground. chewcd and
swallowed n few grains Of corn-tbe
only rationS he had-and sought n brief
respite OF sleep, But before closing his
eyes he turned TO Garrett and gave the
command:
Post sentinel aud order him TO
wake us when Sheridan comes"
In u minute the captain was asleep.
80 were all his men except the sentinel
posted TO do the necessary waking.
That came all too quickly. for at this
Juncture In the final proceedings OF
the war Sheridan was vigorously car.
rying out Grants laconIc instruction
TO press things" When the sentinel
walked the captain. Shcrldnn's lines
were less than hfty yards In front and
were pouring heavy volleys into tho
unsupported Confederate artillery park.
Guilford Duncan and his men were
moved to no excitement by this situn-
ton, Their nerves had been schooled
10 steadiness and their minds to calm
under any conceivable circumstances
ny -FOUR years OF vastly varied lighting.
\ without the slightest hurry they
mounted their horses In obedience to
Duncan's brief command. He led them
at once Into the presence OF Colonel
Cabell' whose battalion OF artillery lay
nearest to hin, As they sat upon their
horses In the leaden hailstorm with
countenances as calm as II they had |
been entering drawing room Duncan
touched MS cap 10 Colohel CabelI ana
SAID
Colonel am under hobody's orders
here' nave eieVeh men Win me- all
OF them' as you know, as good artil'
ieryiheh us there are IN the army Can
you 'et uS haho'e some guns Tor your
NO answered. Iolohei Iapel'
nave 'oSt 30 many guns alre"uy that
i nave twenty men 10 e"eh piece
lnen, "i''F ''o''e"'s pause ne
"uueu'
iou' c"P'"i"' cahiiol ialI W unucr-