Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 255, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1911 — AROUND [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AROUND

INTERCHANGE GF GRIM WIT How General Sherman and Colonel Watte Exchanged Flowers and Newspapers at Vicksburg. - '. . -An interchange of grim Wit General Sherman and a Confederate colonel before the taking of Vicksburg, which surrendered July 4, 1863. is remembered in detail by one of the persons present at the interview. Cot Ji- H- Brinkerhoff, U. S. A., retired, and late military treasurer of Porto Rico, who was at that time a lieutenant in an Ohio volunteer regiment. The incident, which he tells as follows, took place on the Mississippi river a short distance above Vicksburg: “I received permission to accompany General Sherman to a meeting of the flags that had been arranged for a certain hour. Our vessel steamed rapidly down the river from young’s point, where our boats lay. We flew a great white flag at the masthead. The vessel soon reached a point almost opposite the upper shore batteries and I had begun to indulge the hope city, when suddenly a little cloud of white smoke curled up over one of the rebel batteries and directly afterward the boom of a heavy gun came thundering over the water. We stopped and a rowboat came out from shore, bringing our visitors. Colonel Watts, the Confederate assistant commissioner of exchange, and an artillery officer. “After some business conversation concerning the exchange of prisoners the entire party entered into general conversation. Colonel Watts and General Sherman discussed the probable results of the war. The discussion became heated and Colonel Watts changed the subject by opening a package that he had brought with him and exposing to view a magnificent bouquet of flowers. “‘There!’ he exclaimed. ‘General Pemberton told me to give you these flowers with his kind regards.* “General Sherman hastened to take' the bouquet and at -once made an immense ado over it and held it in his hand until the visitors had taken their departure. In return, a package of newspapers was given to the Confederate officer.. “ 'You are short of amusements ® the city, I suppose,' said the adjutant general. “ ‘Yes, rather so,* rephed the colonel. ‘However, we have a military hop every week and nightly performances at the theater.’ ‘“Good!* said the general. “What do they play for youT “‘Oh. dramas—comedies and tragedies.' replied the colonel “ ‘Well, well!’ said the general. ’l’m glad to hear it Keep it up, colonel,’ he continued. ‘Keep it up. Possibly I may come over some time to see tor

> ?' ‘ “ ' myself how well your folks can play.’ Then, after a pause, he added, emit Ing as he spoke, *l*ll bring all my Boys with me, colonel, when I come.* “ ‘Heaven forbid!’ exclaimed Ute colonel ‘We shall be awfully sorry to have you come that way—awfully sorry, I’m sure. But well do the beet we can to entertain you, general. We’ll play a tragedy for you when ycta “The visitors left, and we steamed back to Young's point From that place the movement of the Federal army presently began, endlug not long afterward tn the promised tragedy, with the battleground at the gatcaof the city as the stage” .-

To Give You These Flowers With His Regards.”