The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-03-06
Recollections of the Last Days
of the War.

Col. J. W. Spaulding's description of
the memorable events of that last days
campaigning of the 10Th Me. Sunday.
April 9th-will ever mark great epoch
in the history of our country. Our
march began early in the m rning and
was not more than five or six miles over
rough road, much of the way through
woods On that march events occurred
which we had never witnessed in all our
experience. As we trudged along we
heard the sound of bugle in the rear.
and as 1t came nearer we found it
was signal for the marching column to
clear the road. Then came large
cavalcade of horsemen, with that great
General, U. S. Grant, at their head,
riding with his staff at rapid pace to
the front. We all cheered-everybody
yelled. We believed it happy omen
when it appeared of more Importance
for the Commanding General to have
the right of way to the front. Shortly
another bugle sounded, and again we
cleared the road, when General Meade,
sick and obliged to ride in an ambulance,
attended by his large mounted staff,
passed to the front Again we cheered.
Later We cleared the woods and at lit
tie house on the hill saw the flag of
army headquarters and we were massed
in brigade lines in the fields on the op-
posite side of the road. Our lines were
at right angles with the road and not
more than two rods apart.
Other troops, with artillery and cavalry,
were massed in like manner on the other
side of the road just ahead of US, but
concealed from our view by woods. AS
far back as we could see other troops
were being massed in like manner.
Arms We're stacked and no officer or
man was allowed to leave the ranks. 1t
was a bright Sabbath day; the men were
in the best of spirits. We believed we
were facing great and important event,
or that the end had come. We had
heard nothing of the correspondence
that had taken place between Lee and
Grant. Every man was discussing the
probabilities. Everybody was hoping it
meant the close of the war. How we did
long for peace. At last, between the
hours of five and six O'Clock in the after
noon, we heard cheering from the troops
on the other side of the woods Each
regiment fell into line behind it's guns;
the best way to discover the cause Soon
came General Meade at the head of bis
staff, riding at high speed. As he
reached US he turned into the field and
rode along our line, then on to the next
brigade, and so on down the line, giving
the news to each regiment with his own
mouth. With bare head, his horse travel
ing for all he was worth, that sedate, digni-
fled looking officer, paler that day than
usual because of sickness, was crying
out like boy: "Peace boys! Peace! Lee
has surrendered! Peace boys! Peace!
Then such scene as followed; such re-
joicing; such cheering The sun itself
was almost obscured with hats, coats,
blankets, haversacks, etc., tossed high
in the air. Everything went up. Even
some of the small men on the left were
tossed high above our heads. Tongue
nor pen cannot begin to describe, nor
imagination depict that scene. Before
taps we were talking of home, and how
re]olced would be the loved ones there
when the news reached them.
A. STINSON.