The Washington herald., 1914-04-03
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Man Who Saw Lees Surrender
at Appomattox.
(Written Expressly for The Herald.)
By DIR. f.. J. EDWARDS.

| N"rltten Expressly Tor Dhe Herald
By DIR. f. }. EDWARDS.
The recent death OF Joshua L. Cham
berlain brought to mind an incident in
his army career, really the last import
ant event in wnat was as brilliant and
heroic an army service as that Of any
man engaged on either side.
l was told in the summer of 1873 when
was in Maine, that sometimes he was
called Gov. Chamberlain, since he served
| three terms as governor. the first beIn9
shortly after the close OF the civil war,
and he was quite as often called Gen
Chamberlain. because his friends know
that he was promoted upon the field be-
fore Petersburg by Gen. Grant to q
brigadier-generalship.
One August say in 1851 visited the
town of Appomattox Court House II
was a place in which. II the day was
warm, drowsiness would be sure to over
take one. not disturbed by any sound of
human industry- II seemed Incredible
that this peaceful little hamlet, consist
ing of courthouse. a tavern and a few
dwellings. could have been the place
which tradition will always associate
with the last act Of the civil war.
There were at that time a few men liy-
ing in the town who were there in April.
1851. One of these was a tavernkeener
His name was Hicks. He was the owner
OF the apple orchard in which it has been
asserted that Gen. Lee surrendered to
Gen. Grant. Mr.. Hicks knew better. He
took me to a neighbOr. a man of scholarly
attainments. named Todd. who lived in a
red house at the top Of the hill about
halfway between the brick house where
Gen. Grant and Gen. Lee met and a
little creek which bordered the apple
orchard. Mr. Todd said:
From my doorstep, from the very
place where We are now standing to-
gether | saw the closing scene of the
war. The Confederates planted two
small cannon just in front OF these steps.
In those woods yonder / could see the
Federal army or a part of it" Mr.. Todd
indicated with wave Of his hand the
distant forest. not a very dense one,
perhaps three-quarteTs of a mile from
his doorstep.
Il saw the Union troops come out
from that forest and form the line OF
battle" he continued. Il saw their
commanding officer. not very distinctly,
but sufficiently so to make it clear to me
that he was preparing 10 give battle. so
that / thought my wiser part as a
civilian would ne 10 get into a place of
safety as soon a. possible. One OF the
guns planted by the Confederate artillery
in front of these steps was aimed and dis
to see the commanding officer lead a
charge. Suddenly he stopped. He was
giving the word Of command.
The Union troops stood In their places
and then l saw that a white hag-which
looked to me- ike a couple Of handker-
chiefs tied together-was being carried
forward rapidly from the Confederate
line. The next day the Confederate
troops Were drawn up in line right there
on the highway in front Of my house.
The line extended from a point just be-
yOnd my house ever the creek up to that
little cottage on the hills. which, by the
way, was the bOyhoOd home of a man
who gained srelt reputation as a negro
minstrel. Dan Sweeney.
by and by there rode W on hand
some horse an officer. accompanied by
troops and I realized that he was for
mally receiving the surrender Of what
was left Of Lees army. moments
glance showed me that he was the same
officer whom saw leading the troops
from out th- woods the day before in *
p"Ctatinn Of battle. I aftcrward asked
his name and found that h" was Gen.
Joshua L. Chamberlain. of Maine
Tomorrow: How Henry Winter Davis