April 9, 1865 Appomattox Court House, The End of the Civil War

This 1865 event in Virginia had ties to many families in the Town of Covert and surrounding area.

For four long years, from the firing on Fort Sumner, South Carolina, April 12, 1861, through the battles, skirmishes, and long winters, two armies fought their way to an April afternoon in a small town in Virginia.

In the end, two generals met, one surrendering, the other accepting that surrender. A nation, torn in two, now looked to rebuild.

On April 16, 1865 Eugene Holton, from Covert, wrote to his sister back home from the camp near Burksville, VA. 

My Dear Sister,

I hasten to reply to your letter of the 7^th which I have just received and finished reading…General Lee’s army was surrendered to the Army of the Potomac on the 9^th of April sometime between 2 & 5 PM.

On the 2^nd of April our Brigade commander was wounded & we carried him to Grant’s railroad…Since that time Bernard McDougal has commanded the Brigade (he used to be an officer in the 75^th) & the army has been following Lee’s until the 9^th in the afternoon. The troops were halted & we [members of the Band] were ordered to the front on the skirmish lines to play.

After Lee surrendered we first played Hail to the Chief, then national airs. We was  [sic] the first Band to play on the occasion, quite an honor.

The “Band” Holton is referring to is the 3d Brigade Band, 5^th Division, 2d Army Corps. The band was under the leadership of Prof John M. Chadwick, and most of the men had been together since their enlistment in Company C, 126^th NY Volunteers.

The Band members were Charles Gilman, Charles Decker, John Ryno, Marc Andrus, Eugene K. Holton, George Babcock, Noyes S. Burlew, Alf Davis, Michael E. Stout, Francis M. Rappleye, Peter W. Rappleye, Charles Powers, George M. Chadwick, John Grant, Richard Lockhard, and Professor John M. Chadwick.

In recounting the events of that historic day, one local source notes, “An aide of General Miles brought the news and the band began to play. The Union batteries were awaiting this very signal and the moment the band began to play, the roar of cannon began as battery after battery joined in celebrating.”

In the years following the Civil War members of the band would recall that honor. April 11, 1896, The Farmer Review carried a lengthy article on “The Old Band.” In addition to telling some of the history prior to the end of the war, the author noted, “Never was wind jammed through horns louder, and greater vim than on this occasion.” In closing the article, he noted, “further honored by being called upon to give a concert at General Meade’s headquarters the same evening.” While the community may have known who “One of The Old Band” was, 120 years later we do not.

Third Brigade Band, taken in May 1863.
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #311

Band members standing left to right: Prof. John M. Chadwick, leader, Charles Gilman, Charles Decker, John L. Ryno, Marc Andrus, Eugene K. Holton, George Babcock, Noyes S. Burlew, Alf Davis. Front row: Michael e. Stout, Frnacis M. Rapleye, Peter W. Rappleye, Charles Powers, George M. Chadwick, John Grant and Richard Lockhart. The gentleman standing on the far “right had been a cook at General Lee’s Headquarter and deserted. He was ‘adopted’ by the Band,”[Patterson, Between the Lakes, 1976, page 135].

During the Civil War the band would march in the front of troops, therefore several of the horns were shaped to project the sound to the rear, notice Prof. Chadwick’s horn and that of Charles Gilman beside him, when raised the bell would face the men to the rear.

The last of the Band members, John Ryno died in 1939.

Dewitt’s Diary April 9, 1949 and 1950

Saturday, April 9, 1949 Temperature 32 cloudy. Windy from the north. Cool weather lately and too wet to plow. Cleaning up the north yard where we cut evergreen trees some time ago.

Went to Catherine creek with Bunny Haviland this afternoon. No fish. Clear tonight.

Sunday, April 9, 1950 A couple inches of snow for Easter Sunday in Rochester this morning. Temperature 28, sun out most of the time today. Came home at 4 o’clock from Rochester after having dinner with Lem and Alice. Temperature 24 tonight and clear. 

Coming this summer Plan to attend the July 29, 2017 Town of Covert Bicentennial Committee and Interlaken Historical Society sponsored Summer Social. In addition to music, food, games and fellowship you will be able to visit a Civil War company street, learn about the life of soliders and civilians and hear the roar of a 3" Ordinance Riffle (or some would say, a cannon).