Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-24


gasping our last gasp and that the peace1
conference wa forlorn hope. Because
OF the stnformAllty Of the conference and
my knowledge OF Mr.. Lincoln. bic human.
ity. his broad nature, his warm heart.
aid believe he would take advantage Of
this very informal'ty and spring some
wise, superhunan surprise which would
somehow restore peace and In time insure
unity Now, heaven help US. It win b
war to the knife with knife no longer
keen, the thrust Of an arm no longer
strong. the certainty that when peace
comes It will follow the tread OF the con-
Queror.
Again in the same strain he writes:
All, Chulita mia, the triumphs Of might
are transient, but the sufferings and CRU
cifxions Tor the right can never be for
gotten. Tho sorrow and song Of my glo-
~ crowned divisions nears its doxology.
May God pity those who wait at home for
the soldier who has reported to the Great
Commander. God pity them as the days
go by and tho sad nights follow. The SOL
der is done with tears and time. and to
him . thousand years are as one.
The End In Sight.
The hnal letter of the series was
written few hours before tue surren-
der of General Lee at Appomattox. 1t
follows In part:
Tomorrow. my darling. may see our nag
furled forever. Jackerie. our faithful old
mail carrier, sobs behind me as l write.
He bears tonight this-his last-message
from mo as Our Cupid" First he Is
commissioned with three ORDERS which
know you will obey az fearlessly as the
bravest OF your brother soldiers. Keep up
q stout heart Believe that shall come
back 10 you and know that God reigns.
After tonight you will be my whole COM
mand-staff field officers. men-all. The
second commission is only given pre-
caution lest should not return or lest for
some time should not be with you. Lees
surrender Is imminent. 1t Is finished.
Through the suggestion Of their command
ing officers as many OF the men as desire
are permitted to cut through and join
Johnston's army.
1t is finished! All. my beloved division!
Thousands OF men have gone to their
eternal home. having given up their lives
for the cause which they knew to be just.
The others. alas. heartbroken. crushed In
spirit. are left to mourn its loss! Well. It
is practically all over now. We have pour
ed our our blood and suffered untold hard
ships and privattons, all in vain. And
now-well, l must not forget either that
God reigns. Life is given us for the per-
Torrance of duty, and duty performed 10
happiness.
It is fnished-the suffering. the horrors.
tho anguish Of these last hours Of strug-
gle. Of these men. baptized In battle at
Bull Run. In the lines at Yorktown. at
Williamsburg. where they. with the Ala
bama brigade OF Wilcox. withstood the
advance Of the whole Of McClellan's army.
driving them back at Seven Pines. At
Gaines Mill Trazier's Farm. Second Ma
nassas Boonsboro Sharpsburg. Gettys-
burg. and the engagements in front of
Bermuda Hundred Fort Garrison. Five
Forks and Sailors Creek.
The glorious gift Of your love will help
me to bear the memory Of these days. In
this midnight hour | feel the caressing
blessing OF your pure spirit az 1t mingles
with mine. Peace Is born.
The Battle Of Seven Pines.
There follows part Of vivid and
stirring description Of the battle Of
Seven Pines:
A violent storm was raging. flooding the
level ground. as wrote you last. followed
the next day by one OF nre and blood-ths
battle Of Seven Pines.
I pray that you accepted the invitation
Of your mountain lassie chum and that
your beautiful eyes and loving. tender
heart have been spared the horrors Of war
which this battle must have poured into
sad Richmond. Three hundred and nifty
of your soldiers brigade. i, 100 strong. were
killed or wounded, and all fought a. vir-
ginians should. fighting az they did for the
right. for love, honor. home and state.
principles which they had been taught
from the mothers knees. the schoolroom
and the pulpit.
Under orders from Old Peter General
Lonsstreet) we marched at daylight and
reported to d. B. Hill. near Seven Pines.
Hin directed me to ride over and commu-
nicate with Hood started at once with
Charlie and Archer of my stan to obey
this order. but had gone only q short dis
tance when We met part OF the Louisi-
ana zouaves in panic. l managed to seizc
and detain one fellow mounted on mule
that seemed to have imbibed his riders
fear and haste. The man dropped his
plumber and. SELLING his carbine. threat
ened to kill me unless I released him at
once. saying that the Yankees were upon
his heels.