212 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-’65.

tox Court House and could see troops engaged on the high
grounds beyond. Appomattox is just such a town as Ruther-
fordton, the main street running east and west instead of
north and south, with a large branch at the foot of the hill,
with the much talked of apple tree in the bottom to the right
of the road. There is no branch on the south side, but the
ground rises gradually into a long, high ridge, resembling the
ridge from Captain Bell’s school building to New Hope

Church and on to the right.

APPOMATTOX.

General Lee had divided his army into two wings after the
death of A. P. Hill, who was killed on 2 April, near Fort
Gregg, the Third Corps (Hill’s) being attached to Long-
street’s and the Second was under General Ewell; but he,
with a number of other officers, had been captured the day be-
fore. That wing of the army was under command of General
Gordon, who was then doing the fighting on the heights south
of the town. As we marched down the hill toward the town
we met two Confederate and one Federal officer coming in a
gallop, the Federal carrying a white flag, and from his dress
and long yellow ringlets, I recognized him as General Custer.
They were then on their way to General Longstreet to have
him stop the march. A very short time after they passed and
just as the Sixteenth had reached the branch and near the old
apple tree, an order came to right-about march. We imme-
diately turned and marched by the left flank a short distance
and then left the road, going up on just such a place as where
T. B. Justice’s residence stands, were halted and ordered to
stack arms and rest. A few minutes after we had stopped, as
I was lying down by a tree in rear of the line, a Confederate
officer rode down from the woods behind us, and approaching
me asked why the firing had ceased in front. I told him I
did not know, but there was a rumor and a suspicion that the
army was going to surrender. He asked: “What makes
you think so?’ I told him what I had seen, and pointing to
the hill on the opposite side of the road directed his attention
to the artillery coming off the field. He then asked where
the Colonel of the regiment was, and on Colonel Stowe being

SIXTEENTH REGIMENT. 213

pointed out he rode down to where he was, and leaning down
said something to him that I could not hear, but I heard the
Colonel say: “No! No!” He then put spurs to his horse
and dashed back through the woods and was soon out of sight.
We soon heard a number of carbines crack and followed by
the last rebel yell I ever heard—then all was quiet. I learned
afterwards that it was General Rosser of the cavalry, and he
with General Mart Gary, of South Carolina, with a number of
others, cut their way out and did not surrender. A brother
of the writer, who was on the hill with the artillery, said he
never saw a more gallant charge during the war. After get-
ting through they struck Sheridan’s wagon train and burnt
about five miles of it, and that was stated as one reason why
they did not give us any rations but kept us there four days
without a mouthful to eat and sent us away without anything.

A few hours after we had gone back to the hill General
Lee rode back from the front, and as he passed the men all
ran down to the road and surrounded him, everyone trying
to shake hands with him, many of them in tears. He took off
his hat and made a little speech in which he said: “Boys, I
have done the best I could for you. Go home now and if
you make as good citizens as you have soldiers, you will do
well, and I shall always be proud of you. Goodbye, and God
bless you all.” He seemed so full that he could say no more,
but with tears in his eyes he gave Traveler the rein and rode

off in the direction of his headquarters, and that was the last
we ever saw of him.

PAROLES.

The same day the officers of the different commands were
ordered to sign the following parole, viz. :

“We, the undersigned prisoners of war, belonging to the
Army of Northern Virginia, having this day been surren-
dered by General R. E. Lee, commanding said army, to Lieu-
tenant-General Grant, commanding the Armies of the United

States, do hereby give our solemn parole of honor that we

will not hereafter serve in the armies of the Confederate
States, or in any military capacity whatever against the
United States of America, or render aid to the enemies of