Year: 1879

PHIL SHERIDAN.


philadelphia Timcs.l
: had message from General Lee tell
ing me flag Of truce was in existence
leaving it to my discretion as to wha
course to pursue. Ny men were still
pushing their way on. | sent at once t
hear from General Longstreet, feeling thai
if he was marching towards me we might
still cut through and carry the army for.
ward learned that he was about two
miles off with his men faced just opposite
from mine, fighting for his life. | thu,
saw that the case was hopeless. The
| further each of us drove the enemy the
further we driited apart and the more ex-
posed we left our wagon trains and artil-
lery, which was parked between us. Ev-
cry time either of us broke only opened
the gap the wider. saw plainly that
the federals would soon rush in between
us, and then there would be no army.
therefore determined to send a flag of
truce | called Major Hunter of my staff
to me, and told him that | wanted him
that wanted him to carry flag of truce
forward He replied:


General, have no flag of truce"


told him to get one He replied:


General, we have no fag of truce in
our command.


Then said |: Then get your handker-
chief, put it on a stick and 60 forward"


Il have no handkerchief, General"


Then borrow one and 20 forward
with it."


He tried and reported to me that there
was no handkerchief in my staff.


Then, major, use your shirt"


"You see, general, that we all have on
flannel shirts


At last. | believe, we found a man
who had white shirt. He gave it
to us, and tore off the back and
tail, and rigging this to stick, Major
Hunter went out towards the enemys
lines. instructed him simply to say TO
General Sheridan that General Lee had
written me that flag OF truce had been
sent from his and Grants headquarters
and that he could act as he thought best
on this information. In few moments
he came back with Major -- Of Sheri-
dams staff. This officer said


"Ge-eral Sheridan requested me to
present his compliments to you and to de-
mand the unconditional surrender of your
army


Major, YOU will please return my COM
plimen;s to General Sheridan and say that
| will not surrender


"But, General, he will annihilate you.


IL am perfectly well aware of my sit
uation simply gave General some in
formation on which he may or may not
decide to act.


He went back to his lines and in a
short time General Sheridan came gallop-
ing forward on an immense horse and at
tended by very large staff. Just here
an incident occurred that came near hav-
ing serious ending. As General Shcri-
dan was approaching, noticed one Of
my sharp-shootcrs drawing his rifle down
upon him. AT once called TO him, Put
down your gun, sir; this IS flag Of
truce" But he simply settled it to his
shoulder and was drawing a bead on
Sheridan when | leaned forward and
jerkcd his gun. then loosed it, and he
started to aim again; when he turned his
stern, white face, all broken with grief
and streaming with tears, up to me and
said, well. General, then let him keep
his own side" The fight had continued
up TO this point. Indeed, after the flag
of truce. a regiment OF men who had
been fighting their way through towards
where we were and who did not know a
flag of truce, fired into some OF Sheridan ;
cavalry. This was speedily stopped, how
ever. | showed General Sheridan Gen
eral Lees note, and he determined TO
await events. He dismounted, and did
the same Then, for the first time, the
men seemed to understand what 1t meant.
And then the poor fellows broke down.
The men cried like children. Worn,
starved and bleeding as they were, they
would rather have died than have surren-
dered. At one word from me they would
have hurled themselves on the enemy and
have cut their way through or have fallen
to man with their guns in their hands.
But | could not permit it. The great
drama had been played to its end.