Today in History:

851 Series I Volume XLVI-III Serial 97 - Appomattox Campaign Part III

Page 851 Chapter LVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.


HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, SIGNAL DEPARTMENT,
April 20, 1865.

Colonel GEORGE D. RUGGLES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

COLONEL: I have the honor to forward herewith the flag of the rebel gun-boat Nasemond, and a rebel signal flag captured by enlisted men of the signal corps of this army. The signal flag was taken by Second-Class Private Henry Greenwood on the morning of April 3, 1865, from one of the enemy's signal stations in their city of Petersburg, having probably been left by the in the haste of his departure. Lieutenant P. H. Niles, U. S. Signal Corps, says in reporting the capture of the flag of the gun-boat Nansemond:

On the 6th of April, 1865, near Jetersville, Va., in company with Captain Benyard, U. S. Engineers, and my already, Private Lane, and in advance of the army, we pursued and captured 7 rebels, viz 2 naval officers, 1 engineer, 1 acting signal officer (all of the rebel gun-boat Nansemond), and 3 enlisted men. The flag of the gun boat Nansemond was secured from one of these enlisted men by Second-Class Private Morgan D. Lane, U. S. Signal Corps.

I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. L. DAVIS,

Captain and Chief Signal Officer, Army of the Potomac.


HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
Washington, D. C., April 20, 1865.

Bvt. Colonel T. S. BOWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Armies of the United States:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, according to instructions received from headquarters Armies of the United States, I remained at Appomattox Court-House, Va., after the surrender of General R. E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, to received from the officers thereof their paroles and those of the men forming their late commands. The work was commenced as soon as a single roll was received from the officers of late rebel army, and was followed with all possible dispatch from daylight to a late hour each night until the 15th instant, when I was enabled to leave with the papers, and reported to you personally yesterday. The language of the parole, as submitted by me to the chief of staff and approved by him, was held; and inclosure A is the from signed by the officers, while inclosure B is a copy of a slip which was firmly attached to the several rolls of the men as furnished by the officers. The addition thereto, marked C, certifying that "the within-named men will not be disturbed by the U. S. authorities so

long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside." was appended by the officers composing the commission, and by their direction was signed by me as assistant provost-marshal-general. Inclosure D is a copy of the certificate of parole given by each rebel commissioned officer to his men, the senior office of each brigade, division, and corps, giving the same to his officers, and General Lee at his own request receiving one from the undersigned "by command of Lieutenant-General Grant." In order that these certificates of parole might be respected by officers and men of our army, Major-General Gibbon issued the inclosed order, marked E; but as many of those bearing such certificates have already passed and are still passing


Page 851 Chapter LVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.