Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 307, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1913 — WAR REMINISCENCES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR REMINISCENCES

INSIDE CONFEDERATE LINES Ttfo Curious Yankee Soldiers at Appomattox Saw Rebs Cutting Down Tree and Got a Twig. The morning of April 9, 1865, at Appomattox, our battalion (First Division, Fifth Corps) of sharpshooters was on the front line, a half mile or so from the McLean hbuse. A mounted orderly came down the line and informed us that a flag of truce had come in and the war was over, and for us to rest in place until further orders, or words to that effect. In our front, in a little valley, was a small body of the enemy and several army supply wagons. Having nothing else to do, and desiring to see a rebel camp, I, with Comrade Gardiner* on detached service from the 22d Mass., crossed to the enemy’s line and entered their camp after Gen. Lee 'had .gone .to the McLean house, writes Osgood P. Martin of Foxcraft, Maine, in the National Tribune. We were the first Union men inside, the lines at that point. We talked with the men and officers, but they did not seem to be in very good humor. I remembered an officer said; to me: “You have not whipped, only overpowered us, and inside of 20 years we will be at you again.” We noticed some of the Johnnies cutting an apple tree to pieces, which stood near the fence of a small orchard. We stood by until several had cut and split out quite large pieces of the tree. 1 heard one of them say, as he shouldered his portion: “Gen. Lee may surrender if he wants to, but he isn’t , going to surrender me.” Then he started off across the country and disappeared.

When the tree was nearly all cut up and distributed I asked an axman why they were doing that. He Irv formed me that Lee ant? his generals had sat under this tree and held a consultation before the surrender. I asked for the 1 ax and cut out several pieces for myself and comrade —partly roots, so nearly had the tree already disappeared. By this time it was wise that we were getting back inside our own lines, for two reasons—first, the enemy, who had gathered around in great numbers, looked and aicted as If we had no business there; second, we had gone inside their lines out of curiosity and without permission, and had been absent some time. We did not - see another Union man while we were Inside the lines/