The Washington bee., 1911-11-25
ONE MORE BATTLE.
That Was What General Lee
Wanted Before Yielding.
HIS TALK WITH LONGSTREET.
Major Ranson's Interesting Account of
the Scene In the Confederate Com
mander's Cherries Tent the Night
Before the Surrender.

An interesting account of the dra-
matte scene at General Lees headquar-
tiers the night before the surrender,
when the Confederate commander was
still determined TO strike one more
blow for the cause for which he was
fighting, is given by Major A. r. 81.
Ransom in Harper's Magazine. Major
Ransom writes:
when l arrived at headquarters
General Lee was in a tent, sitting with
General LOngStreet on some bundles
Of rye straw, the ground being wet
from the rain, at the upper side of the
tent, with one candle for a light. l
made my report, and the general told
me to wait, as he wished to see me.
He asked me if 1 had had anything to
eat, and ! told him no He said he
was sorry he had nothing to offer me.
He gave me a bundle of straw and
told me to sit near the door.
1T had been raining all afternoon,
and / was quite wet. l was also very
tired, so 1 put my foot through the
bride rein of my mare standing out
side and. lying down on the bundle Of
straw, was soon asleep.
Il was awakened by voices and,
looking up, saw the colonel l had left
in charge of the troops at the bridge
standing in the tent. He reported that
the ratiOns had not arrived, and the
starving and discouraged troops had
all deserted in the darkness, leaving
their arms in the trenches.
General Lee heard him to the end
Of his account, and then with a wave
of his hand dismissed him. Turning
to General Longstreet, he said: This
is very bad. That man is whipped. 1t
is the first time 1 have seen one OF
my officers who had been whipped. 1t
is very bad
''The conversation between the gen.
erals was then resumed in low tones,
and l again fell asleep. l must have
slept for some length of time when 1
was awakened by General Lees voice,
| speaking in loud tones, louder than l
had ever heard from him. He was
saving, General LOngStreet, l will
| strike that man a blow in the morn
| ing General Lee sometimes spoke
of General Grant as that man and
| of the Federal army as those people,
General LOngstreet replied in low
tones, giving the strength and cOndi-
| ton of his command and the strength
| and position of the enemy, and con-
cluded by saying, But you have only
to give me the order and the attack
will be made in the morning. Again
the conversation was resumed in low
tones, and fell asleep.
II must have slept for an hour at
least when again 1 was awakened by
| the loud, almost fierce, tones Of Gen
| eral Lee, saying, I tell YOU, General
| LOngstreet, / will strike that man a
| blow in the morning. General Long
street again recOunted the difficulties,
ending as before, General, you know
you have only TO give the order and
the attack will be made, but l must
tell you | think it will be a useless
waste of brave lives
thinking / had been present long
| enough at such an interview, l cough
ed and got up from the straw and,
drawing back the flaps of the tent,
looked out into the darkness. General
Lee said: Captain Ransom, l beg your
| pardon. I had forgotten you. Go low
and get something TO eat and some
rest. I will see you in the morning.
''I found my poor mare lying fiat on
her side in the rain and fast asleep.
1t was past midnight and very dark,
but I reached our camp, though nei-
ther I nor my mare got anything to
eat that night.
''The morning came, and l listened
for the sound of our attack, but all
was still. There was no attack. Our
fighting days were over"