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THE NORTH ADAMS EVENING TRANSCRIPT. TUILEE’S SURRENDERAnniversary of Event Observed by C. D. Sanford Post With a Camp Fireoridc-is.»ietilt-COL. POTTER'S RECOLLECTIONSOf the Campaign Preceding the Surrender and the Long Forced March the Day Before. Long List of SpeakersC. D. Sanford post held a rousing’ oUl-ilme camp fir© in Grand Army hall lost evening-, it being- the anniversary of Luffs su: render to Grant. The attend-resoKlmurlyryiisatitIVance WHS large, and the speeches that f cd Uus supper were of a character to innu-twc not only every old soldier but every one who was present, winch included a large number of associate members. There were cTeleau-liutis present from Adams and Y/il-liamsbMvn. and the dining hall was crowded through the evening.The dining room was decorated with, bunting* and flags, and the well loaded tables were surrounded by veterans soon after S.,10. A bountiful supper \v!is served and all did justice to what as set before- them. About 0.10 cigars were passed, and soon the room was filled with smoke. The speaking was called for In the dining room, making the occasion more cheery than if adjournment had been taken to the hall above.Commander H. J. Millard was toastmaster, and he made a brief speech, speaking of the oocasion of the camp fire and the welcome which was extended to all the guests of the post.Col. A. Potter was then celled on for the chief address of the evening, an a.-count of the surrender of Lee to Grant, at which the colonel was present in command of a regiment.Colonel Potter frave a vivid description of the day before and the day of the surrender, after am account of the campaigning that^led up to it. One of his stories of most absorbing interest was an account of how he, when corns officer of the clay, was sent out to learn whether cir not the army at Richmond had heen withdrawn, leaving the trendies in guard only of colored troops. The fate of 20.000 union, men depended on his decision, and it was onlv the realization, of this fact that caused the colcinel to be sure of his observations. Climbing a tree overlooking the rebel lines lie at first came to the conclusion that the fir - lcid been vacated and loft in. the of untried colored troons-. He staitc1 report this fact when the thought came over him of the awful responsibility of hurling the entire union armv In destruction if he should have been mistaken. Returning to his Dolnt of vantage, he saw sdgns that caused him to change his decision, and he reported that the lines were still oceuoiecLTho day before Lee’s surrender, tbe union army marched 27 miles, although the men were so worn out that sometimes a whole regiment would fall to I he round exhausted. Then, the officers w'ould go among the men urging them to go on, and pointing out the ne-t ’F-fiy of it After a little-over an m *1 sleep that night, the troops were u » r.-fl r»n again, and after a few skir-'Trmed in fine of battle on a overlooking Appomattox. Thenmis h*.hill1a man, bareheaded and riding the traditional white horse, dashed down the line shouting, Hostilities are sus-p* iidecl.” '•'('* f, net Potter said that he had n *vrr seen men go crazy with joy be-fuicv hut all clow-1 the union fines the inor. v. ere dfiiv h S and shooting, hugging and kiss ms each other, and shbw-'j ,r.g every sign of the delirium of jov. • One man went to the colonel, and;erGo-Gcid,landa.man?h ',uted in his ear. “I'm glad I was bmn/’The lines then moved forward a short distance and rested. Colonel Potter saw the officers of the two commands into the famous house where theoes.asof*■»-1a©n» iiriI (rsoirhIn.fidBDsurrender was made, and waited with Lhc wh fie army almost sick with anxiety until the conference was over,a ml it was known that: Lee had surrendered.A few days afterwards a man who asked for n passthrough the lines told Colonel PotLer that the night before the surrender Lee had been advised to move his .army a few miles along the road inL.v the hills, where Ihev would be safe from the «mion army. General Lee considered the plan, and then said that his army was worn out, p.nd that ho would give them a night's sleep, moving in the morning, as there was not a Yankee within 20 miles.” While the reb^l army was sleeping, the union a-mv was making its forced march of miles, which was the real reason why Lee was forced L« surrender.Cc.’otvfl Potter’s ralk was greeted with much applause and was frequently referred to by the speakers wh i followed as being one of unusual irt^n Ft and value.Comrmivh-r Mole* of Saylos post of Adams was next csillcd on for a talk. 7}j expressed litg pleasure at being nr* •lt; nt. and in turn invited all the nvinb^rs of Sanford post to attend the ramp five that the veterans of Adams are soon to hold.Superintendent I. P. Hall spoke of tho result of the war in educatina! fines, saying that in some ways it had proved a better thing for the south t.lmn for the north.Chnplain C. M. Drown of Sanford post made nn interesting speech, with many incidents and stories that called for uni' h applause. He said that the chief dory of the war was in the way in which north and south had been cemented smdo, and spoke of the Spanish war as helping to complete this ur,! on.Rev. A. K. Hall of Will lams town, an associate member of*Hopkins ixast, told of bis recent trip through the south, in which hr visited many of the battle fields and cemeteries. He was impressed anew with the terrible cost of the .struggle, but was sure that it was worth all that it cost. The same sniriL of freedom and liberty that inspired the war Uvea today in the nation.Gemmandor Orosier of Hopkins post, formerly of Sanford post, spoke brieflyof his picasuje at being present, andtold u niimler of incidents.Comrnrle Dennett referred to his interest in Colonel Rotter’s talk, and the value of such accounts of the critical points In. the hisL-ry of the war.Captain John Mu In ny of the Sons of Veterans spoke in vdo'tuont praiseof the Grand Army organization, and said that the Sons were alwavs anxiouato uphold them In anything that was attempted, •Mr. Cross of Williams college spoke briefly but eloquently of our victory over tho southern heart as beln-ar of more importance than our victory over the southern arms.Past Commander Tower of Sanford post read a letter of greet ins/ from General John B. Gordon, who is now in Louisiana, wishing success to the oust and expressing the hope that he might moot them later.Sergeant Foy of the local branch of the recruiting station expressed his pleasure at being present, and said that he always enjoyed being at gatherings of veterans like this. C\ S. ColeWHliamstown, spoke of the high plane or such gatherings as this, when men learned that those who do arc? better than those who aio simply engaged in making money. In view of all that we have been through and all our struggles for liberty, we should be careful as a. nation to see that we do not assume that we have a right to dictate to other nations what sha.fi constitute their freedom. Mon of all cql^rs, bia“k or yellow* or brown have as much right to liberty as have we.Comrades JVlor Snyder and L. F. Amadou spoke briefly, and Commander Millard called on E. A. Wright to reo-rosMit the press. The lnttei spoke on-tiTiainingly. and was followed by Rev. W. R. Stocking and Rev. TC. O. Farwell of Williams town. W. H. Chase of this city was the last speaker of the overfill.It was nearly midnight when the camp fire broke up with the singing of America, and the veterans departed, satisfied with one of the most enjoyab.e and successful camp fires that have been held of recent years.^Historcal Hotel Torn DownThe old Berkshire house building on Summer street in Pittsfield, which is being razed to make room for the new hotel and ground flour theater, is nearly demolished, only a small portion of the lower story of the four being left- A number of interesting’ curios and relics have been found, reminders of the days when the building was comparatively new, and these Include coins, old tin-types, letters, etc. The original part of the Berkshire house was built in 1S40, the year before the Western railroad was opened, and was erected by the late Parker L. Kail. Since that th- house has been enlarged several times, and bus been in the possession of the Burbank family for many years. The original American house was built ten years before, also by Mr. Hall, and was j known as the Western hotel. It was a one and one-half story building, and nortions of it remained until it was ■ urn down some two years ago to make room for the present New American.How Delegates Will be SeatedPraise (or Hunter Machine CompanyFor Those Who Write to ParisAt the republican state headquarters, arrangements are being perfected for the state convention in Music ball, \pril 24, the last political convention that will ever be held in the present hall, as it is then to be remedied. Caucuses to choose delegates to the conventions must be held on the 1-th or lSth, and the congressional district conventions must be held between April 25 and May 5. The convention will be entitled to 1S4 delegates, who will be seated as follows: Plymouth and Norfolk county on the platiorm; Harnp den in the left balcony; Esses in the right; Suffolk in the rear, the Cape, Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester in the front on the floor, and Middlesex and Bristol in the rear. There arc very few contests apparently for the position of delegates, and where there are any they may be determined by the caucuses rather than by tbe conventions.From Fiber and Fabric, Boston: Extensive adIans ami improvements are to be made at the works of the James Hunter Machine company, North Adams. Mass. A new building 300x87 feet will be erected and equipped with all modern facilities for heavy iron work, including an electric traveling crane. A track will be laid tn the foundry from the Fitchburg railroad, and perh°rc fr'ini r« ‘ Boston Albany. The machine shop will be enlarged by the addition of the old foundry. The?*' additions will Pfivc the l-Iunter company a greater capacity and better facilities for building their fulling mills, washers, wool jscourors. dryers, caibnnizers, dusters, openers, feeds, shafting, pulleys and other specialties, which are so well known among textile manufacturers.A hint to those who are writimr to their friends in Paris is nut out lv the post office deoartxnent. Inasmuch, as them will be a large number of Americans in France this summer and their friends will be writing to them frequently, the department urges that care be taken* to see that postage on all letters or comumoat.ion.s is fullv prepaid. Even at present a large amount of mail matter sent to foreign countries is- deficient in postage. As a result, tho receivers of such letters are compelled to *iy double the usual rates of postage to make un Xor the delinquencies of iheir friends. Those writing letters who do nut wish to subject their foreign correspondents to unncecsary delays and expense, should be careful to err, if at all, on the side of excess postage.F, M. T. A, Goncart ProgramThe following concert program has been arranged by Director Monroe ofthe Ideal orchestra for the F. M. T. A.Easter Monday ball:March, The comedy king.” O. IT. Tftrst Overture, The ragged earl,’ J. (\ Hovg (From Andrew Mack’s popular drama.) Serenade, Love in idleness*,0Allen Macbeth (For viol ins J vEntr'acte, “Bonuto enenantrpsse,”Lauren dean Excerpts from The fortune teller,’'Victor Herbert Finale, The scar spangled banner/’Today, April 10.Is tho last Discount Day for Electricmul One Kill?*.
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North Adams Transcript
North Adams, Massachusetts, US
Tue, Apr 10, 1900
Page 8
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MA, USA 21 Apr 2019
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