The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-04-11

CT oDJeCLtOu 20 the inscription.
Here II is in full:
LAST AT APPOAIATTOX.
AZ this place the North Carolina Brigade Of Brig
Gen. ". r. Cox. Of Grimes Division. fired the last
voliey April. 1866. Maj. Gen. Bryan Grimes. OF
North Carolina. planned the last battle fought by
the Army Of Northern Virginia and commanded tho
infantry engaged therein. the greater part Of whom
were North CgrolinanS
This Stone is Erected by Authority Of the General
Assembly Of North Carolina in Grateful and Per
petual Memory Of the Valor. Endurance. and Pa
triOtism q her Sons Who followed with mistaken
fidelity the Confederacy % this closing scene.
Faithful 70 the end
Erected April g. Ie0a
North Carolina Appomatt0x Commissioned A.
London. + ] Holt, W. T. Jenkins Cyrus S Wat
son. A. d. McGill.
On the opposite face OF the monument
is this inscription:
North Carolina
Flrst at Bethel
Fsrthsst 70 the FrJnt al Gettysburg and
ChiGsuauga
Last AZ Appomsttu.
The spot where the letter-bearer Of
Gen. Grant found Gen. Lee reclining on a
blanket on the ground by the roadside.
under an apple tree, Is marked by a
wooden signboard. The apple orchard
has disappeared. That was the only
foundation for the apple tree legend Of
Appomattox. The spot covered BY Gen.
Lees tent when he wrote his farewell TO
the army Is also marked by a rude sign
beard.
Finds Bronze Tablet.
Il was somewhat OF surprise 10 Gen.
Chamberlain. in his recent rambIes over
the old battlefield. 70 find markers on the
locations which IN 1850 the Fifth Corps
had occupied. Feeling his way through
the underbrush OF the desolate region. he
descended an elevation which was COW
cred with stubbly growth of three dec
AIDES and came upon this extremely in
teresting bronze tablet:
Near this spot established the lef, q the line
o. the First Division Fifth Corps. formed 20 receive
the surrender Of the arms q the Army q Northern
Virginia on the eleventh day o. April. $50
And a little farther. near the ruins OF
the old courthouse. Gen. Chamberlain
found a second marker, IN which he also
had a great personal interest:
Near this spot rested the night q the First Divis
ion, FIFTH Corps. % receive the surrender q the
Amy Of Northern Virginia, the eleventh day Of
April, ls65
II may be explained that on April 3
Grant and Lee signed their agreement Of
surrender but two days elapsed before
carried out IN reference 10 this Gen
Chamberlain has said.
we did move up 10 this line for that
ceremony from our position on the right
az about noon Of the 11th; but while the
officers Of Lees army were permitted TO
sign the paroles for their own men, vet
they were so scattered that much time
was required 20 make up the rolls with
any completeness, and so the formal
ceremony was delayed. and actually be-
gan at sunrise OF the 18th and was COM
pieted only at sunset OF that day
Where Last Shot Was Fired.
A third bronze tablet which Gen. Cham
berlain found on the Appomattox battle
field had for him the greatest interest OF
them all It bore this inscription:
From this spot was fired the last cannon % the
Confederate line. on the 9th Of April. 1855
The shot referred to was the shot which
ended the life OF one Of the most brilliant
officers under Gen. Chamberlain. Lieut..
Clark, of the 18th New York. The tragic
event took place Just after the flag OF
truce reached Gen. Chamberlain and was
in the act OF leaving his hands. being
transferred 10 the corps commander, Gen.
Griffin
Gen George Forsyth. in a chapter Of
his war memories. entitled AT Appomat-
Ton Court House. has written a gripping
little description OF this last death scene.
Sherldan's aid-de-camp had notified then
Col. Forsyth Of the existence Of a truce
and the two were on their way 70 the
cavalry commander.
a few minutes more" says Gen. For
syth, and we were out OF the woods in
the open fields. I saw the long line OF
-
the men standing at rest, the standards
being held butt 10 earth. and the flags
floating languidy on the spring breeze.
As we passed them I noticed that the
officers had generally grouped themselves /
In front Of the center OF their regiments
sword In hand, and were conversing IN
low tones. The men were leaning wear
ily on their rifles. In the position Of pa
rade rest
Here and there on the field were small
groups OF medical officers and stretcher-
bearers around a dead or wounded man.
showing where the last fire OF the skirm-
ishers had taken effect; and as we pass
ed along a portion Of the front OF the
Fifth COrps-I think il was Chamberlain's
brigade-we saw just in front OF one OF
the New York regiments a group Of sad
eyed officers gathered around the body OF
one OF their number, a fine, stalwart-
looking lieutenant who. they told US. had
been killed by the last shot from the Con-
federate artillery, just as the order was
given 10 cease firing
Captures Provision Train.
The preliminary circumstances which
led 90 the truce and subsequent meeting
at Wilmer McLean's house took place on
April Z. 1865. when from FarmviIe. a lit I
tie village a few miles east OF Appomat-
tox, Grant began a correspondence with |
Lee. The Confederate army had been IN
fun flight after the departure from Pc
tersburg. Sheridan, 5000 strong. was
continually harassing them. Conceiving
that they would make for Danville or
Lynchburg, he cut across country. first I
toward Danville and then in the direc-
ton Of AppomattOx. He arrived Al the
latter town just in time 70 !nterecept a /
train OF provisions for the Confederates
and 10 throw his force directly across /
the route which Lee had chosen. In the
meantime the Union infantry was fol-
lowing the cavalry in all haste
At 5 O'Clock on the evening OF April :.
after the main body OF the Northern SOL |
diers had come 10 the support OF Sheri- /
dams dismouuted cavalry, thus effectu-
ally blocking Lees scheme OF retreat
Gen. Grant wrote to the Confederate
commander on "the hopeIessness OF
further resistance on the part OF the
Army OF Northern Virginia" He sent
the letter by his adjutant. Gen. Seth