ted, "I will go to Mexico
and join Maximilian. I will never submit to yankee rule; never."

I greatly enjoyed the young man's fervor and loyalty to his "cause" and,
in spite of his bitterness, we took quite a liking to each other and, on
parting, he was profuse in his expressions of regard and urged me
cordially not to forget him should fortune take me his way again.

A day or two later, I was ordered to Petersburg, and soon thereafter,
was in Richmond, Johnston having, in the meantime, surrendered. In the
evening of the day of my arrival, after having visited the points of
interest, Libby prison, the burnt district, the state house, etc., I was
in the office of the Spotswood hotel where were numbers of federal and
confederate soldiers chatting pleasantly together, when I was saluted
with a hearty:

"Hello; how are you, colonel!" and, on looking around, was surprised as
well as pleased to see my young friend of the Millwood conference.

I was mighty glad to meet him again and told him so, while he seemed to
reciprocate the feeling. There was a cordial shaking of hands and after
the first friendly greetings had been exchanged I said:

"But what does this mean? How about Mexico and Maximilian? Where is
Mosby? What has been going on in the valley? Tell me all about it."

"Mexico be blanked" said he. "Mosby has taken the parole and so have I.
The war is over and I am glad of it. I own up. I am subjugated."

The next day I met him again.

"I would be only too glad to invite you to our home and show you a
little hospitality," said he, "but your military governor has taken
possession of our house, father has run away, and mother is around among
the neighbors."

I assured him of my appreciation of both his good will and of the
situation and begged him to be at ease on my account. He very politely
accompanied me in a walk around the city and did all he could to make my
stay agreeable.

I never saw him afterwards. When in Yorktown in 1881, I made inquiry of
General Fitzhugh Lee about young Smith and learned that he was dead. I
hope that he rests in peace, for although a "rebel" and a "guerrilla,"
as we called them in those days, he was a whole-hearted, generous, and
courageous foe who, though but a boy in years, was ready to fight for
the cause he believed in and, in true chivalrous spirit, grasp the hand
of his former adversary in genuine kindness and good-fellowship.

One other incident of the Millwood interview is