Throughout the winter desertion had been a problem for Robert E. Lee's army due to the poor conditions and inadequate food along with the disheartening news from home of Yankees driving through the state. Men at home on furlough were enticed by Georgia Governor Joe Brown to stay there and form home defense units. The 35th GA remained along the Appomattox River north of Petersburg. Early in March they were detached from General Edward Thomas' Brigade and sent north to man the works along the Richmond, Fredericksburg, & Potomac Railroad. Later in March they rejoined the brigade southwest of Petersburg near Fort Gregg.
   Fort Stedman & Jones' Farm
   At 10 p.m. March 24 they were ordered northeast up the Boydton Plank Road on an overnight march so they could act as a reserve for General John B. Gordon's attack the next morning. Lee's last chance to break the siege of Petersburg was at Fort Steadman east of Petersburg on the James River. Gordon's attack began at 4:15 a.m. The 12th GA battalion was part of Clement Evans' Brigade and held the right flank. The Confederates were able to break through the initial line of forts but ran into stiff resistance and could not penetrate deep. They were driven back after four hours of fighting and the attack ultimately accomplished nothing. The 35th GA marched back that same morning to the area near Jones' Farm and arrived by the early afternoon. Union forces attacked mid-afternoon and overran the pickets but were counterattacked by Thomas' Brigade at 5 p.m. and driven back. Both sides retired with heavy losses. Thomas' Brigade held the leftmost position of Cadmus Wilcox's Division just south and west of Fort Gregg (itself 2 ½ miles south and west of Petersburg). Over the next few days they slowly shifted westward in response to Union movements and each of Thomas' men was now spaced 10 paces apart to extend the line.
   Fort Gregg (Third Battle of Petersburg)
   The last three days of March saw continuous rain. Shortly after midnight on April 2, Union soldiers began creeping forward under the protection of an artillery barrage and at 4:40 a.m. they attacked at several places along a 10-mile front. Despite the near darkness, by 5:15 they had overrun Wilcox's position and many men were captured. Those not captured fled to Fort Gregg. One soldier observed, "Line after line of Federal troops were seen as far as the eye could reach". The breakthrough became chaotic which gave Thomas and General James Lane time to rally their brigades but by 10 a.m. the Yankees had reorganized and were on the march to Petersburg. The two brigades were pushed back to Forts Gregg and Whitworth located about 1000 yards in front of the old Dimmock Line defenses and men from Nathaniel Harris' Mississippi Brigade soon joined them. Based on casualty reports it's not likely the 35th GA was in Fort Gregg when 4-5,000 Federal soldiers stormed it. Some 300 or so Confederates made a stand here for two hours. When Fort Gregg was finally overrun at 3 p.m., it was said that the dead lay in heaps greater than Fredericksburg or Spotsylvania. The defenders lost 50 dead and another 200 wounded but they had bought valuable time for reinforcements to arrive. The evening before the attack, the men of General Charles Field's Division (7th GA) boarded flatcars in Richmond and traveled south. They arrived before daybreak in thick fog and were manning the Dimmock line by early afternoon. General James Longstreet soon arrived from Richmond with the rest of his corps including Wofford's Brigade (16th GA, 24th GA, 3rd Battalion). Lee wrote that afternoon to President Jefferson Davis "I see no prospect of doing more than holding our position here until night. I am not certain I can do that. If I can I shall withdraw to-night north of the Appomattox".
   Retreat
   Lee's army blew up any munitions they couldn't carry with them and marched out that evening. Lee hoped to re-supply in Danville or Lynchburg and join Joe Johnston's army in North Carolina. General Longstreet, with Field's and Wilcox's divisions, led the column, moving west on the River road and used the pontoon bridge laid at Goode's bridge to cross the Appomattox River followed by the troops of Generals Gordon and Mahone. General Richard Ewell's command, with Wofford's Brigade crossed the James River at and below Richmond, and took the Genito road to where they crossed the Appomattox by the Danville Railroad bridge. The 9th GA Light Artillery was at Fort Gilmer and Fort Hoke on the James River. When the lines were finally broken they spiked their siege guns, blew up their magazines, and marched out with Ewell.
The fortunate few in the army ate the last of their rations. More was hoped for at Amelia Court House but when they arrived the morning of April 4, hungry, sleepy, and sore from a sedentary life in the trenches, they found that the promised supplies and forage were not there. After a windy, rainy night, they set off once again the next afternoon. They followed the railroad tracks southwest but were cut off by Federal cavalry and turned west to Farmville. Many men dropped out exhausted and much equipment was abandoned in the mud.

"Stragglers are found scattered all along the line of march, and as the troops pass they come in and surrender themselves, expressing their determination to fight no longer, as they consider the rebellion as good as over."
William Downs MacGregor
The Associated Press

   Sailor/Sayler's Creek [1]
   After a rainy morning on April 6, the corps of both Richard Anderson and Ewell turned to fight the pursuing Federals near Marshall's Crossroads behind Sailor's Creek. Ewell's men were to the east in a semi-circle that curved south to Anderson's position. Fighting started late in the afternoon but when the pressure from Union cavalry became too much, Anderson's men broke. This allowed Ewell's corps to be surrounded and the men were forced to surrender. The loss of Ewell's and half of Anderson's corps included eight generals and almost 8,000 men - nearly one quarter of Lee's army. For the 16th and 24th GA the war was over.
That same morning Longstreet's Corps arrived at Rice's Station four miles southwest. He ordered the men to dig in and, when Federal troops found them later in the day, there was some light skirmishing. After news reached him of the disaster at Sailor's Creek, he withdrew during the night to Farmville, seven miles away, where the men found two days worth of rations - their first food in five days. They crossed the Appomattox River, burned the bridges behind them, and marched three miles north to Cumberland Church where they entrenched on the high ground and ate. The Confederate defenders numbered approximately 12,000 when an equal number of Union II Corps troops plus various other units attacked. The Confederate line was a fishhook that curved west to east then ran due south. Wilcox's Division held the right flank and Field's Division was next in line. Fighting lasted through much of the afternoon and the Union almost broke through until a timely counterattack around the left flank by G. T. Anderson's Brigade (7th GA) broke them and stabilized the line. Facing the prospect of overwhelming Federal reinforcements arriving the next day, Lee started his men on another night march at midnight for Appomattox Court House 25 miles west.
   Appomattox
   The battle at Cumberland Church delayed Lee and allowed Federal cavalry to get ahead of him and destroy the desperately needed supplies waiting at Appomattox Station. Out of food and now surrounded by the Union army, after a last brief skirmish in the morning under a cloudless blue sky, Lee surrendered his army April 9. For the 35th GA, of the 200 or so men who joined up from Gwinnett, 1 officer and 29 men remained. Grant's terms were extremely generous and he provided the starving men with rations. At 11 a.m. April 13 they marched out of the parole camp for home.

   Union general William T. Sherman continued his march through the Carolinas. His goal was now Goldsboro with a view to linking up with Ulysses S. Grant at Petersburg. Goldsboro was important because it was the rail junction for the lines bringing supplies up from Wilmington, New Bern, and Charlotte into Petersburg. Confederate commander Joe Johnston had a similar idea. He hoped to delay Sherman long enough that he could rendezvous with Robert E. Lee and combine their armies.
   Battle of Kinston/Wyse Fork
   After taking Wilmington, North Carolina, Union general Jacob D. Cox's Provisional Corps sailed up the coast to New Bern and began following the railroad inland. On March 7 they met Confederate general Braxton Bragg's army, which had retreated out of Wilmington and was now dug in along Southwest Creek east of Kinston. Marcellus Stovall's Brigade (42nd GA) of Clayton's Division under the command of General D.H. Hill left Charlotte on March 4. They traveled by train to Salisbury that evening and left again the same night, arrived in Lexington the next morning, then to Greensboro, Smithfield, Goldsboro, and finally arrived at Kinston two hours before dawn on March 8. Now reinforced, Bragg attacked and the battle went well for the Confederates with them capturing an entire regiment of Yankees. The next day was mostly skirmishing and the following day Bragg attacked again but the Federals had themselves received reinforcements especially of artillery and he was repulsed. Bragg withdrew his army that night and the 42nd left the line of battle at 9pm and marched three miles beyond Kinston and camped on the railroad. Over the next week the 42nd marched to Goldsboro, Smithfield, and toward Raleigh then back toward Smithfield on March 17.
   Battle of Monroe's Crossroads
   General Wade Hampton's Confederate cavalry (Cobb's Legion) was operating ahead of and on the flank of Sherman's advancing armies. Union general Judson Kilpatrick was screening the Federal left and set up his headquarters at Monroe's Cross Roads, 14 miles northwest of Fayetteville, where he blocked Johnston's men marching from Charlotte and Hampton's troopers from crossing the Cape Fear River. A captured Yankee patrol revealed where Kilpatrick was and Hampton spent the latter half of March 9 scouting the camp. As the men slowly advanced on the camp before daylight, the rain of the previous two days gave way to dense fog that limited visibility. One side of the camp bordered a swamp and Cobb's Legion circled around it so they could attack from the north with Company B in the lead. Most of the camp was still asleep when it was hit and turned into a Yankee rout. Kilpatrick himself fled his mistress' bed in just his nightshirt and hid in the swamp. Thus this became known both North and South as "Kilpatrick's Shirttail Skedaddle". But because Joe Wheeler's men stopped to loot the camp instead of pursuing the enemy, Kilpatrick was able to organize his men for a counterattack which Cobb's Legion bore the brunt of before falling back against the Yankees' superior numbers and seven-shot Spencer rifles. Despite being outnumbered five to one, Hampton's men captured 500 Yankees and wounded another 500 while recovering about 175 Confederate prisoners. Unfortunately Wheeler's failure meant that they couldn't carry away the captured enemy artillery. The next day they crossed the Cape Fear River in Fayetteville and, after Johnston's infantry had crossed, burned the bridges. Besides skirmishing at Love's bridge March 8, Cobb's Legion also saw action on the Goldsboro Road near the Black River March 12 and at Benson's Cross Roads March 17. The next day Hampton found a location suited to Johnston's plan to isolate and attack General Henry Slocum's wing of Sherman's army. It was the crest of a wooded hill that overlooked open fields and the east-west running Goldsboro-Fayetteville Road.
   Bentonville
   Johnston now had Bragg's troops from Wilmington and William Hardee's from Charleston together with most of the Army of Tennessee. He put half of his army on both sides of the road facing west and the other half in the woods on the north side of the road facing south parallel to the road (42nd GA). When Slocum arrived he thought he was only facing cavalry so he disregarded caution and attacked. The Confederates north of the road launched their own attack on the Federal left flank around 3 p.m. but it was disorganized because many of the men could not get into place due to the thick undergrowth. Colonel Lovick P. Thomas wrote that the men of the 42nd GA had time to throw up temporary breastworks and "When the enemy was 40 or 50 paces [we] fired and charged. The surprise was so great that many of the enemy threw down their guns and ran: The attack drove the flank in but Slocum brought up more troops and fighting continued until nightfall when the Confederates broke it off and by midnight were back to their original positions. Both sides spent March 20 digging in and skirmishing occasionally. General Benjamin Cheatham arrived with his corps, which included Alfred Cummings' brigade (36th GA) whose total strength was now 250 men. In response to the Yankees moving troops around his left flank, Johnston wheeled the left half of his army around so that where it had been south of the right half and facing west, it now was north of the right half and facing east. The next day skirmishing resumed and the Union continued pushing around Johnston's left flank where the cavalry was stationed. Hampton's cavalry with the aid of Cummings' Brigade, which had been summoned to help, stopped an attack in the afternoon. With much of Sherman's army now on the field, Johnston chose to withdraw late that evening. Cummings' brigade was part of the rear guard that was last to leave the field. Once again Johnston's men had slipped from the field before the enemy realized it. They crossed Mill Creek and camped about two miles beyond. The federal cavalry began pursuit at daybreak but was turned back at Hannah's Creek by Hampton's men. Later that day they marched eight miles toward Smithfield. They rested here a day then marched through Smithfield to the railroad station and camped for three days. Moved three miles the next day and set up a new camp where they remained until April 10. It was during this final week that Johnston reorganized the army. Four years of war had taken such a toll that the 36th,and 42nd Georgia Regiments along with the 34th and 56th were all combined into a new 42nd (Consolidated) Regiment.
   Sherman spent the weeks after Bentonville preparing his army and finally left Goldsboro on April 10 but instead of moving north to join Grant he turned west and pursued Johnston. The Confederate army marched 10 miles that day. The next day they marched through Raleigh and camped three miles beyond. April 13 they camped near Hillsboro and April 14 at the Company Shops [2]. By April 16 the army was within two miles of Greensboro when they learned of Lee's surrender. Cobb's Legion helped cover the retreat from Bentonville and fought at Hannah's Creek March 22 and Moccasin Creek March 24. They were detailed to guard forage wagons on March 29 at Gulley's Store 2. They camped on the railroad halfway between Goldsboro and Smithfield and operated here until the morning of April 2 when they left for Smithfield and two days later were in Raleigh. It was here that stragglers and parolees began drifting in telling of the fall of Petersburg and Richmond. With Sherman on the move, Cobb's Legion was ordered back to Smithfield to destroy the railroad and Cobb's men skirmished constantly with Sherman as he advanced on Raleigh. Cobb's Legion and the Jeff Davis Legion left camp at 3 a.m. April 12 and fought most of the day at an important crossing on Swift Creek before falling back up the railroad tracks. They marched and rode for three days until they arrived at Hillsboro where they too learned of the surrender in Virginia.
   Durham Station
   With most of the army camped near Greensboro, Johnston met with President Jefferson Davis and told him "Our people are tired of the war, feel themselves whipped, and will not fight. Our country is overrun, its military resources greatly diminished, while the enemy's military power and resources were never greater and may be increased to any extent desired. ... My small force is melting away like snow before the sun." Despite this, there were still many who hoped that their exchange would occur quickly so they could resume the fight elsewhere. On April 16 Johnston began talks with Sherman and signed an armistice the next day at the Bennett farm near Durham Station but terms weren't settled until April 26. On that day the army marched 14 miles toward Salisbury and camped near High Point. They remained here until paroles could be arranged and on May 3, the 42nd (Consolidated) Regiment began the long march home. They made their way through Salisbury, Concorde, Charlotte, and on into South Carolina by way of York, Jonesville, Rogers Bridge on the Tyger River, and Anderson. Most of the men were back home by mid-May. At Hillsboro, Hampton's men heard rumours of an unconditional surrender and made plans to slip out of camp and go home but were persuaded to wait. Gib Wright, the brigade commander, had the men saddle up the evening of April 27 and ride overnight to Company Shops where he informed the men that he had wagons ready and they now had a head start on Kilpatrick's cavalry if anyone wanted him to lead them to the Trans-Mississippi and continue the fight. Hampton caught up with them and marched them to Greensboro where he told them that while he didn't believe his cavalry had been licked and that he would leads them anywhere, they had been surrendered and the honorable thing to do was to participate in the surrender ceremony. The men did so and on May 2 collected their Paroles and began the journey home with $1.75 in their pockets.

   On April 20, General Howell Cobb surrendered Macon along with four generals and 3500 men of the Georgia Reserve Corps. Members of the 16th GA Cavalry Battalion were present when General W. J. Palmer captured Athens May 8. Finally, on May 12, General William T. Wofford surrendered the Department of North Georgia and 6,000 men at Kingston, Georgia. With the close of hostilities the release of prisoners began early in June and continued throughout July.

Thomas Maguire (Promised Land)
Mar 1 "cloudy and raining a little … nothing to do but read surely we have had enough of rain for some time to come"
Mar 2 "raining this morning and likely to continue all day"
Mar 3 "a Mr Clements staid here all night going to the circle … Report say that Lee whiped the Yankees a Sherlotta [sic] in North Carolina. if this be so it is good news and particularly at this time as a victory now would cheer us up so much and be a great check on the onward course of the Yankees … it would pay for the loss of Charleston and Columbia in South Carolina …it will also save Richmond and be the means of making peace in a short time from now. this would be glorious news to all and every one"
Mar 4 "rained nearly all night and the wind blowing hard … Mr Tugle and Dr Bond came here with horses and mules to sell. I bought one horse paid for him $1200 … so my money is nearly all gone. I have 3 horses and one mule that will work and I think I can make out very well with what I now have if somebody does not steal some of them from me"
Mar 5 "Sunday pleasant weather has come at last … had 3 men to stay here last night going to Atlanta. 2 from Va they gave a good [?] of matters & things about Richmond and have no fears of the city."
Mar 6 "no news of interest from the Army lots of soldiers coming home some on Furlow others on parole got a peck of irish potatoes from Mr Humphries paid $4 for them."
Mar 7 several soldiers staid here last night. 3 of them had been prisoners. all going to Atlanta. … got $35 from the soldiers this morning charged them $5 a piece the news from Richmond is good …planting Irish potatoes …we are getting on smoothly again"
Mar 8 "raining this morning …likely to rain all day …hands doing little or nothing"
Mar 9 "rained nearly all night …this is a bad time to get work done …Mr Bryant here to dinner"
Mar 11 "cold weather plenty of ice"
Mar 12 "Sunday pleasant weather … David got back from the Mountain no news no newspapers of a late date"
Mar 13 "…Several parowled soldiers here and passing to their homes"
Mar 14 "…raining and likely to rain lots some 12 soldiers stayed here & 3 others. Had a house full"
Mar 15 "Raining this morning all but 4 of the soldiers left before breakfast Dr Jefries and Miss Kichen[?] & a boy also staid all night on their way to Atlanta … had 8 Tennessee prisoner soldiers to stay all night all in good spirits"
Mar 16 "Raining this morning the Tenn soldiers left and 4 R Road hands called and got their breakfast they told me that James Mullin got home"
Mar 17 "Clear and pleasant 3 plows running … house full of soldiers. Several camped at the wood pile. Some in the yard. they are from different states. this is Patricks day"
Mar 18 "cool and pleasant 6 soldiers had breakfast all others gone…put out Spanish potatoes. Sent Will to Mr Livseys for a bushel of yams …expecting some more soldiers to come along hope we will have none to night 3 came 2 soldiers one from tenn and one from Louisana"
Mar 19 "Sunday quite pleasant this morning the 2 soldiers left and another Tenn called to get his breakfast… we have a report of Shareman [sic] getting a little whipping and is about to fall back on the coast"
Mar 20 "had 10 soldiers to stay all night they left before breakfast…Will beading out yams in the garden…13 soldiers stoped to stay all night. from different states I understand the carrs are running to Covington. if so we will not have so many soldiers this way"
Mar 21 "raining this morning Soldiers left before breakfast one did not pay his bill … report says that Gen Johnson gave Sherman a whipping…Pery Henry here all night no soldiers
Mar 23 "…Elizabeth gon to Davids to see John who is sick"
Mar 24 "clear and cool and a little frost …no soldiers here last night …Mr Nebhut & 3 others came to stay all night"
Mar 25 "frost this morning"
Mar 26 "light frost this morning …the news of Gen Johnson's whipping Sherman is confirmed the fight was this day was a week ago. the fighting was continued next day. we have no news from that days fight"
Mar 28 "last night mule stolen from the stable in the yard. this is a great loss to me if I do not find her. I do not know what to do money all gone cannot buy another. … Elizabeth not got home yet. Sargent James L Philips called here …on his way to Col Whiteheads. from there he will go to his aunts in Va … Davids child died to day …2 soldiers stop to stay all night"
Mar 29 "raining a little this morning after breakfast soldiers left sent Albert and Dick to dig grave. Elizabeth gon to show them where … buried davids child at 4 Oclock"
Mar 30 "rained all night …rain stopped about 8 Oclock. …Self fleshed 4 sheep hides and put them in lime"
Apr 1 "pleasant weather …self hairing hides. after dinner sent them to davids to be soaked my hands badly used up with the lime. in the evening david and I went to Dr Bonds in buggy … got the Dr to go with me tomorrow to atlanta to look after my mule. …at night made up the mail shaved and fixing for tomorrow Elizabeth cooked our rashins"
Apr 2 "… had a pleasant trip got to camps and stoped with Major McElvanney [3] all night. had good lodgins …saw the distruction of Atlanta Sherman's works"
Apr 3 "up early got breakfast then the Dr & I walked around all the camps but found no mule. then back to the City found John E. staid with him a little time then for home got … home after supper"
Apr 6 "cloudy … Mary Jane, Miss Ragsdale and Mrs Bond here to day"
Apr 7 "raining this morning Somebody trying to steal a horse last night from the stables must fix that place better"
Apr 8 "clear and cool this morning have not seen any frost"
Apr 11 "Cloudy last night 2 horses came here I suppose they were stolen set them to work this morning …Mr Hudgins came here and claims one of the horses. the other E. D. White claimed. had a large croud here a warrant made out for the 2 hudgins but Chupp & Whitlow declined going on with the suit they all went home"
Apr 13 "Rained last night and is at it this morning… sent Bartow to Mr Owens to be shod … It is said that Montgomery is gon up Cannon firing at Atlanta. do not know the cause."
Apr 15 "… rained several times before dinner a heavy shower after"
Apr 16 "Sunday clear and pleasant … paid John Owens five dollars for shoeing horse … our loss at Richmond is said to be 1500 and the Yankees 6000"
Apr 17 "…Self gon to Sneezer [4] gave in Confederate tax"
Apr 19 "…the report this morning is that Columbus is gone up and that the Yankees are at La Grange Ga … also that Grahams men are all captured … report says Robt Lee is captured with 35000 men"
Apr 21 "… after dinner John E and I went to Lithonia … Lithonia is a lively place several hospitals there tented all around … report says Lincoln was killed surrounded mortally wounded and his son skull cracked … Lees army is said to be all right nobody can tell where the Yankees are"
Apr 23 Sunday cool there may have been a light frost this morning I see nothing killed in the garden will go with John E to Lithonia after early dinner …the news at Lithonia is not good. that Gen Lee with 23000 of his men were captured this may be so and that Gen Lee was surrounded and no way to get out."
Apr 24 "frost this morning … pleasant weather a man from Gen Johnson's Army tells me that Gen Johnson was all right that there was no truth in his been surrounded"
Apr 25 …"roomers that France and England recognizes the Confederacy is every where"
May 3 "… John E came home this morning having sold his flour at Decature at $5 a hundred everything is now in confushion as regards Government"
May 5 "2 men here to stay all night a Mr Jones and his cousin the times are out of joint and what we will come to is now unknown I fear we will have bad times."
May 6 "dry weather … the Yankees have possession of Atlanta"
May 8 "Some 30 yanks passed at 11 Oclock on there way to Covington they left an Advertisement offering a reward of $100,000 in Gold for the aprehention of Jefferson Davis. I hope they will not find him …had a fine rain today"
May 9 "…several Yanks passed to day going to Atlanta"
May 10 " … Some yanks passed this morning. they wanted corn but got none"
May 11 "Some 300 Yanks came here and took what corn and fodder they wanted Col Betts commanding them. they left at 9 ½ Oclock for Marieta they gave me a Showing for 45 Bushells corn … they burned several rails from the Orchard field … Some 45 or 50 more Yanks came and camped and fed their horses from the crib took all our hams & shoulders & some midlings Some meal & flour took lots of Garden railing off and burned them took nearly all our onions and left without paying for any thing. This is a part of the Stonemans command commanded by a Capt Mason they are a sorry lot. … we are now in a bad fix and may be worse.. if they let us keep what corn we now have we may be able to make out but if they take any more corn from us we will see starvation at a short distance … Some 180 Yanks staid here last night and left after breakfast they took nearly all our corn and fodder broak open our smoak house and store room got what they wanted"
May 12 "…the yanks keep passing…A Dr Adalin of the 12th Ga [5] stoped all night on his way home to Whitfield Co. he says that Gen Wheeler was captured"
May 13 "…some fiew Yanks passing…Dr Adlin left after breakfast"
May 16 "… Several of our soldiers passed on their way home"
May 17 "…John E & James H.C. going to Atlanta to day to get passport or paroll … David Anderson here with reports that Andy Johnson is killed and that Kerby Smith has joined the Mexicans and will fight away"
May 18 "… John E brot home to days paper. from it we are back in the Union but how I do not know and do not much care"
May 23 "… nearly all of Mrs Johnsons Negroes left for the yanks Sunday night"
May 24 "pleasant weather … Mr Whitlow here he is in trouble as well as other people we have several rumors one that England and France has ordered Jefferson Davis to be liberated another that France and the United States is now at war … we yet have plenty to eat for which we are thankful"
May 25 "after early breakfast Mr Anderson and Mr Craft came here Mr Craft is a blacksmith went to work in the shop … fixed several plows and other things"
May 26 "a little rain last night Mr Craft at work"
May 27 "Mr Craft working for me to day fixed up hammers tongs and other work and left before 5 Oclock … have the shop in fine order"
May 28 "… would like to know the state of the country more particularly our situation as a people. whether we have a government or no … some think we will be treated kindly by the Yankee Government but I am not of this opinion …they have treated me so badly I can never forget their meanness and dishonest as a people. I look upon them as rogues & swindlers"