Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-12
W York Evening Po.tD

, boom OF cannon. and rode as rapidly
as We could in the direction Of the fir
ing.
When we Joined the battery. we were
tod That just as they were going into
park for the night Sheridan had at
! lacked them and that they had opcned
ire and afterwards had continued tho
retreat. We retreatcd all that night.
! unlimberinE and firing. when the busle
! sounded the charge, liinbering UP and
Fetreating when We dared to
AS the sun rose. we stopped at M,
tie stream TO let the men make coffee
| heard some firing to our left and
front. mounted my horse and rode 10
! the top OF the hill. not far on While
sitting there on my horse and watchir,.
Gordon's last fight on the morning OF
that very memorable 9Th OF April. 1855
Captain Martin gallopcd UP to me and
said:
Nash. NC have just received word
from General Lee that lie Ia going TO
surrender. that we are cut on from
him, and that VIC are no, included g.,
TINS cartel. He does not undertake. to
say what We shall dove must make
our own choice. We have spiked the
guns thrown the ammunition into the
stream. ana have given the horses to
the men and they have started home
what are YOU going TO do?"
am going to Johnston. Good
started right away
when | struck the main road we,
near the Red House. ] was I'm region
whcrc l was familiar with almost every
1901 OF ground. had ridden and fox
hunted over 1t all. My uncle. William
hannah. state Senator from that ais.
trici, lived within "a few miles. Gravel
i''i'' my nome, was about twelve miles
away.
My aunt had caught a rlimpsc Of m.
as | turned around tho carriage house
anu az rode up she came out on the
Porch 10 meet me. drew the reins
over tho horses head. and threw them
to the ground as disrnounted and ran
up the steps 10 greet her
Know IL is all true now she said
an no" often In after years has the
confidence in me by one who knew mo
expressed in these words come 70 ms
n'u !" the battle OF life, when lnisun-
dersiood and distrustcd by those vho
ana not know me- She had heard ruInors
OF Lees surrender. but she could not be
| iieTe IT, How fast does bad news travel,
! flad lett the scene OF the surrender he
ioFe inc smoke OF the last encounter
had cleared from the field had ridden
| without q stop at a steady gait In al
most direct line, and vet r,Imor had
beatcii me- Now my aunt believed II.
for she believed it impossible for me
TO be there unless il were true
remained at Gravel Hill tust twentv-
new servant, having left the old onr ar
APpoinattoX, and continued my Journey
10 johnston. During ms delay "A num-
Der or other officers had struggled in
80 'hht whcn we set out our party con-
sisted OF my cousin. George Il. Hannah
OF McCausland's staff: Maio NcCrau.
McCaus!and's chief OF artillery william,
woods, OF Charlotte County; CAPTAIN
Iordon McCabe. who had been aide 10
.enerai John Pesram. killed at Five
FORKS; my valet, and myself
when we reached Greensboro ~ q
! we reported to General Johnston, who
! SAD he had nothing for US to do lust
theh, nut that we could camp near his
he"dquarters and draw our rations. If
he needed us. he would call on us. John
ston asked us for information regarding
Lees situation before leaving Rich
mona and Petersburg. He listened very
attentiVciy as Gordon McCabe graphic
ally described it. His only comment
was: am surprised that he stayed
there as long as he did" \ few people
know why he did. and with what rcsir
nation he laid reputation and every
thing else on the altar OF what he CON
ceiVed to be his duty-obedicnce TO the
civil power
We remained there until April %.
when We were Informed by General
Johnston that he intended to surrender
ms army the next day. We mounted
our horses and started back for Gravel
hlli' where McGraw and McCabe were
my guests Tor Two or three weeks. Nc
cane mad fine voice and fund OF
cavalier songs. with which he enlivened
our journey.
Woods was full of dry humor. and
OFTEN cheered us with his innocent
jokes
anyway. we knew how to bear our
delcat with cheerful spirit. There was
no sulking. We had put up the best
f1ght we knew how, and that was the
eha Oh IT, Had the settlement been left
10 the soldiers, who fought out the
issues. instead of to the politicians.
complete reconciliation would have fol-
lowed almost Immediately. The term,
OF inc surrender. so honorable to Grant
ana sherman, and generous to Lee
and Johnston. went to the hearts of the
Southerhers. What world OF bitter
ness and strife would have been saved
the country had these terms been car
rcd out 10 tho letter!