Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 19.djvu/276

 270 Southern Historical Society Papers.

And now I hope I may be pardoned in placing upon record a few items in the history of that time. Friday, April 7, (preceding the surrender on Sunday, April 9,) Sorrel's brigade, Georgia Troops, (formerly Wright's,) under command at the time of Colonel G. E. Tayloe, formed a part of the rear guard of Lee's army. Before noon near Farmville, Va., the enemy pressed us closely, deployed into line of battle for attack, and our brigade was quickly deployed to resist it. From noon till night we maintained our line, driving back two heavy assaults, inflicting much loss upon the enemy and ourselves sustaining great damage. About dusk, in front of the Second Georgia battalion (which comprised four companies, the Macon Volunteers and Floyd Rifles of Macon, the Spaulding Grays of Griffin, and the City Light Guards of Columbus,) a flag of truce was observed by G. J. Peacock, lieutenant commanding City Light Guards, and its approach reported to Major C. J. Moffett, commanding Second Georgia battalion, and he advanced to the front probably thirty paces and called out the inquiry, "What is wanted?" The an- swer was given, "Important dispatches from General Grant to General Lee." Major Moffett replied: "Stand where you are till I communicate."

A messenger was sent quickly to Colonel Tayloe, commanding brigade, and A. H. Perry, A. A. General of the brigade, came soon to our line, and with Major Moffett, went out to the flag of truce, and received the dispatch which was hurried to brigade headquarters and thence to General Lee. This dispatch, it was afterward developed, was the demand from General Grant to General Lee, for the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.

About midnight our brigade, according to orders, silently left our line of battle and marched in column toward Appomattox Courthouse, and on Sunday morning, April 9, 1865, while deployed to the left of the road, the right of our battalion (Second Georgia) resting on the road, General Lee passed to our front to meet General Grant and negotiate the terms of surrender. Thus the fact appears that through the lines of the Second Georgia battalion passed the demand for the surrender of Lee's army, Friday, April 7 (about night), and Sunday, April 9 (about noon), General Lee passed to the front by the same command for negotiating terms of surrender.

Many particulars of this eventful day can be found in "Southern Historical Papers," Volume XV, obtainable of the publishers, Richmond, Va. Yours truly,

G. J. PEACOCK.