Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-05-03
TIiE SIMPLE Life OF A COMMONfR
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

sVOsW - 80 \
that 1t was distributed all over the
country. He had taken the arms
and munitions of war from the
North and placed them in the forts
and arsenals of the South. Indeed
he q, done everything that he
could 9 'e still a member of Presi-
dent BIZ ans cabinet to deplete
and ruin ~. North and build up
the South. - 10 the change was
made. and then T. there the trail
tor Floyd ended infamous ca
reer OF thievery, hery and
cowardice, by stealing .mself away
in the night with 5000 men, and
Pillow went with him with more
men, while Forrest with 1000 cav
airy foundered his way out through
the mud and backwater and dark
ness to Nashville.
On the following morning after
the Confederate council was held.
we were drawn up in line Of battle
for another advance, q prospect
which, considering the carnage Of
the day before, was very depressing;
but there was no desire to shirk so
far a. could be noticed; every man
appeared to be ready to move should
the word be given to advance. Hap
PLY. however, we were saved from
any further fighting in that battle,
for AZ the first gray streaks of morn
ing light appeared in the east. a
bugle was sounded from the rebel
lines, which, though It was not at
first understood by us. was soon
greeted with cheers, for 1t was ac-
companied by white flag. the ap-
pearance of which filled us with
hope. It meant parley, to say the
least, and that might result in all
we were hoping for; and It did. The
bugle announced an officer who was
carrying letter from General Buck
ner to General Grant I'M which q
proposition was made, elxgseting
the appointment on comm ssioherl
TO agree dpOn tsrms, ~ cap5xu1aE
and at the same titde no nx ~
armistice till noon. Grants reply
to that letter was the first really
energetic war note the country had
heard from the field. and It thrilled
the whole land, 1t filled the army
with new courage and the country
with new hope. mo terms except
an unconditional and immediate sur
render can be accepted. propose
to move Immediately upon your
works. General Buckner did not
hesitate to accept the terms offered,
indeed, there was nothing else left
for him to do. So he sent General
Grant the following reply: "The
distribution of the forces under my
command. incident to an unexpected
change of commanders, and the over
whelming force under your COM
mand, compel me, Notwithstanding
the brilliant success Of the Confed-
crate arms yesterday, to accept the
ungenerous and unchivalrous terms
you propose"
AS the memory of the events OF
those days come to me now. after
the passage of nearly half a century,
| / look back to Sunday, February
10th, as one of the proudest days OF
my life; for Immediately after the
terms of surrender had been agreed
upon the Union army proceeded ia
take possession of the fort. Lau-
man 8. brigade, with the exception OF
1.-THE Second Iowa. was formed in two
lines facing inward. SO as to give
lample room for men to march be-
tween them, four abreast; then we
were formed at the foot Of the col
umn and marched through the lines
to the head. Our hearts were light
and 80 were our steps, for we receiv'
ed such recognition that day as
had never hoped or even dreamed
of. Each regiment, as we passed II
dropped its col0rs In salute, the
bands played and the men cheeret
land cheered again. 1t was a great
ovation. such as seldom comes int
the lives of men. and we were hap
lpy. AS soon as we had reached thu
place of honor at the head of thu
column, our own band struck up thu
Star Spangled Banner" and follow
ed by the entire army. entered ant
quietly took possession OF the fort
The rebels who had been disarmed
were standing around in all sorts o
attitudes gazing upon us with sucl
looks of detection, as to move u
with pity for them. am sure W
would gladly have done anything II