The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-11

along the Southside Railroad.
Have you any place where you con
template making a stand?" ventured tn
young messenger
NO." replied Gen. Lee. slowly ant
sadly. no; / shall have to be governed
by each days developments" Then
raising his voice he said. "A few NOR
Sailors Creeks and it will all be over
ended-just as have expected it woulc
end from the first"
"Blood ON Your Head"
After a brief rest young Wise saw
Gen. Lee again. in the light Of morning
Passing along the road with his father
Gen. Henry A. Wise, doughty old fight
er whose brigade had cut its way out o.
the encircling enemy the day before a
Sailors Creek. young Wise observed thai
the road and fields were filled with
stragglers. that Decentralization, panic
abandonment of all hope, appeared or
every hand"
Looking about him. the elder Wise ex.
claimed: This is the cnd,'' He ther
rode on to see Gen. Lee. at a roadside
house. whom he greeted thus:
Gen. Lee. my poor brave men are
lying on yonder hill more dead than
been lighting day and night. without
food and. by God sir. they shall not
move another step until somebody gives
them something to eat
Gen. Lee replied soothingly: Come In,
general They deserve something to eat
and shall have it: and meanwhile you
shall share my breakfast
In a few moments Gen. Lee asked the
elder Wise what he thought Of the stu
alton.
Situation" said the old man. There
is no situation, Nothing remains. Gen.
Lee, but to put your poor men on your
poor mules and send them home in time
for the spring powing. This army Is
hopelessly whipped. These men have
already endured more than I believed
flesh and blood could stand. and l say
to you. sir. emphatically. that to pro-
long the struggle is murder. and the
blood of every man who IL killed from
this time forth is on your head, Gen.
Lee"
''Burdens Heavy Enough
With a gesture of remonstrance Gen.
Lee said. ''Oh. general. do not talk so
wildly. My burdens are heavy enough.
What would the country think of me II
did what you suggest
Country be d" was Gen. Wise's
quick reply. There Is no country. You
are the country to these men. They
fought for you. They have shivered
through a long winter for you. II you
demand the sacrifice there are still thou.
sands who will die for you. You know
the game is desperate and that, II you so
no man or government or peo-
pie will gainsay your decision
Gen. Lee heard the old man out, stand
ing by An open window and looking out
on the disorganized throng surging past.
Then he wrote upon a piece OF paper a
few words to Jefferson Davis. telling Of
his situation, and handing this to young
Wiz. with explanations OF what route
to take to avoid the Federals. he turned
to Gen. Wise and with his usual stately
courtesy asked him to share his break
fast.
Generals Advise Surrender.
Later in the day a conference was held
by several Of Lees generals on the SUBJ
ject of surrender. Gen. Longstreet
when approached on the subject, sharply
told the others that people who advised
surrender should be shot. adding. IF
Gen. Lee doesn't know when to surren-
der until ] tell him. he will never know"
Gen. William N. Pendleton, chief Of
who stood close to Lee, was
chosen as spokesman for the generals,
to inform their chief that, in their opin-
lon. further resistance was useless. He
found Gen. Lee lying on the ground.
When Pendleton had stated his views.
Gen. Lee replied: "Oh. no. trust 1t has
not come to that. General. We have yet
too many bold men to think of laying
down our arms. II were to say
word to the Federal commander he
would regard 1t as such a confession of
weakness as to make 1t the condition Of
demanding unconditional surrender-a
proposal to which I will never listen"
Continuing. Gen. Lee REVEALED his in
her views on the war, as he had to
young Wise.
Il have never believed We could" he
said. against the gigantic combination
FOR our subjugation. make good in the
ong run our independence. unless for
,ign powers should. directly or indirect
-. assist US. But such considerations
-eally made with me no difference. We
had, l am satisfied. sacred principles to
maintain and rights to defend. for which
We are in duty bound TO do our best. II
We perish In the endeavor."
Retreating Men Strike Back.
The seizure of Farmville by the Fed
rails had the effect Of forcing Lees
lrmy away from the Southside Rail-
Dad. by which alone its supplies could
,e received. and upon roads north of
he railroad. leading westward. Lees
,roblem now was to strike the road
Lgain ahead of the Federals. This he
,oped to do at Appomattox Station ly-
ng about thirty miles west by the high |
way.
The entire effort of the day was direct |
ID therefore to making progress toward |
hat point. The route lay through pleas |
mt. rolling farming country. with many
tense groves between the cleared spaces
The air was sweet, the grass springing |
,reen in the meadows and the country
ide In places pink with the fresh bloom |
4 peach trees. Yet the harassed Con.
ederates saw little Of the beauties of |
ature. They were forced to look back |
ften As they marched. to see IL the |
nemy were upon them.
On the flank Of the marching columns |
odies of Federal cavalry appeared from
ime to time. making dashes at the
vagons, often with success. But the
over Of the Confederates to strike With
heir old fire was not entirly gone. Gen.
Lee. with q small force Of |
avalry. was protecting the trains. and |
,heu a dash was made at them by the
Il