Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-08-08
WITNESSED SURRENDER
OF LEE AT APP0MATT0X

III LIE AT ARPUMAIIUA
George w. Gill of Woodstock. Shen-
andoah County. Virginia, is visiting
his son, John w. Gill of Second
avenue. Mr.. Gill, who now is aged
about 50 years, served four years id
the Confederate army with the
Muhlenburg Rifles, Tenth Regiment
Infantry. being IS years Of age at en-
|listment. He was the "baby of the
company and today he is the last one
living; all the rest of 127 men have
answered the last roll call.
A Record reporter interviewed Mr..
Gill the other day and found him to
be very interesting old southern
gentlemen. Upon enlistment his COM
pany was ordered to Harper's Ferry to
protect the gun works located there
against the yankees" This plant
was afterwards moved to Richmond.
He said. 81 will never forget day at
Malvern Hill. The battle lasted seven
days, but this one day was the hardest
OF all. The Union forces would drive
US back and then we would get re
aforementioned we would drive
them back. This was kept up through
out the whole day. We lost lot Of
men that day, but saved Richmond.
Mr.. Gill also tells of an interesting
experience shortly before the close
of the war. General Lee with Majors
Ballard and Mercer rode up to the lines
and greeted the tired soldiers with
kind words and smile. General Lee
rode Traveller" the horse he loved
so well and kept throughout the war.
Major Ballard was astride an Arabian
horse for which the South was noted
at that time. Taking field glass from
his pocket and looking out over wide
expanse of country. general Lee saw a
troop of Yankee cavalrymen on hill
side several miles away. He said to
Mayor Ballard, 4 see bunch of
cavalrymen up there on the hill. You
had better be careful, or you will lose
that pretty horse Major Ballard
Let them come and get
him. They were ordered to move at
once and had gotten just under way
when the cavalry swept down upon
them and captured all but two of their
wagons. Major Ballard got away with
his horse.
Mr.. Gill witnessed the surrender of
General Lee at Appomattox April Is,
1865. He saw curier go through the
lines displaying flag of truce
Hostilities were ceased at once and
shortly afterwards General Grant and
Staff came up. At their approach
General Lee stripped himself of his /
sword and sidearms and offered
them to general Grant, Lee was in |
tears, as were most of the men who
witnessed this scene. Grant refused
to accept them from the old gray
grizzled warrior, who stood with head
erect but broken in body and in spirit.
The day has started out with success
10 Confederate forces. General Gordon
1ad driven the Union forces back
.hree miles when reinfor came
Up and drove Gordon back to his old
position. Then, Mr.. Gill says, SIT
seemed the whole Union army sur
'0unded us and we were cut off.
General Lee then saw that it was use
ess to sacrifice more men and he gave
ip."
Asked if there was much feeling
against the North in the South at this
ime, Mr.. Gill said, mot much. The
gettysburg Reunion a few years ago
lid more to establish pleasant rels. !
ions between us than did all the other
Efforts of reconciliation since the was
more than half century ago Thai
vas the happiest experience of my
life. had my picture taken with the |
Yankees, exchanged "reminiscences
With them and told them how much |
We Rebels suffered throughout the
var. We believed we were right and |
stood bravely on conviction of prin.
,iple. We lost but the South has fully |
recovered and is progressing under /
he folds of the Stars and Stripes.
There is no blue, no gray, only in
memory. A few more years and we
shall all bivouac with the the dead.
The above article is taken from The |!
Coraopolis Record, paper published |
1t Coraopoiis, Pa, where Mr.. aud Mrs.
Gill are spending some time with their |
children. The many Woodstock friends |
Of this brave Confederate Soldier will
be glad to read the interview, and
sorry to hear that Mrs. G. w. Gill is
suffering from fractured hip sustain |
ed two weeks ago in fall while as
cending stairway, at the home of her