Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-04-18

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retain their side arms and their personal effects.
Gen. Lee aseented to the proposition and did
not ask for any modification OF the terms, which
we're then engrossed. The paper was signed by
Gen. Lee at half past three o'clock.
Afer be had affixed his signature, Gen. Le,
asked for Gen. Grants understanding Of the
term personal effects which had been given
in the instrument.
Many OF my cayalrymen own heir horses,
he said.
think that the horses must be turned oyel
10 the United Sates,' was the reply.
' conside in that opinion, was Lee 10 rejon
der.
But" said Gen. Grant, " will instruct tht
officers who are appointed to carry out the ca
pItuation to allow those who own horses 10 take
shem home, They will ne q them to 90 then
aprlng powlng and ~ ill their farms
Allow me to express my thanks for such
consideration and generosity on your part. II
cannot iad of having good effect" Genera
Lee replied with visible emotion at the magna
nimitj which Gen. Grant had displayed
After further conversation Gen. Lee expressed
hope that each soldier Of his army nlight bt
furnished with certificate or some other ev
dence OF parole, to prevent them from being
forced into farther service by Confederate con
scrptpg officers.
will order such certificates to be issued Il
every man. sali General Grant and as soon q,
the pfellminsres were settled, lle headquarter
printing press was put 10 work striking Of
blanks for that purpose
Gen. Lee said that he had not the slightes
idea OF the number Of men composing bis army
ss no returns had been made since the fight be-
gan on ilstchet's Run. The army had suffered
constant depletion IRON casualites loss OF priso
q r., deserters and stragglers. The estimates o
the force surrendered ranges from eight to TWEEN
ty thousand, bnI till the rolls are made out th'
number cannot be definitely determined.
GRAFT hearing that Lees sroOps wore short 0
provisions, at once ordered twenty-five thonsanl
ratlJns to be turned over to Lees commissaiies
Gen Grant had anticipated the surrender 0
Lee, and brought all tue energy Of the army t,
bring about the result. TIE question Of term
bad been discussed the evening previous around
Grants campfire. Gen. Grant said that b
wanted such u surrender as would break dow
the positions which France and England haC
taken, Recognizing the rebels as belligcrents
DE did not wish for humIiating terms. IL
would not require formal grounding 0
arms. The rebels were Americans We wer,
citizens Of common country and his object va
to restore them to the Union and not to degrade
them.
INTRODUCTION OF OFFICERS.
After the capitulation was completed Geuer
ais Ord, sheridan, Williams. Rawlins and Barn
ard, were presented to Gen. Lee, Also mem
beis OF Grant staff, Col. B,bcpck, Col Porter
Col. Parker, Col. Bedeau, Col. Dent, Col. Bowers
Col. Schsfner, Capt Hudson, Capt Lincoln
and others Gsneral Lees department wa
courtly and dlgnifed through the proceedings
His health is remarkably good. Ne alluaon
except in the necessary transaction Of busines
was made to what had transpired, but the con
versailon was upon ole times and upon subjecu
not connected with the war.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE IRxIRs.
The intelligence Of the capitulation was an
nsuneed to the army by bulletin As the new
few along the lines there was prolonged anl
voclferous cheering from divisions, brigades
regiments-cheer after cheer and wild demon
strations of delight, Their fighting wa, over
There WAS to be no more charging VI batteries
no more long watchngs in the trenches montl
after month, drenchei BY rains. parched BY
summer hean or numbed by the SHOWS OF win
ter no more exposure 10 shot and shell NJ
more scenes OF blood and carnage, of wastin,
away IN hospitals; no more giving up Of life OIL
Of friends
For the first time in four years the vsterau
Of the Army OF the Potomac, who had toiled VI
the peninsula, who had been beaten back iroG
the Chickahomny, from fredericksburg anC
Chanoellorsyille, who had stood like q wall o
adamant at Antie.am and Gettysburg, who hal
fought from the Wilderness to llatcher's Run, fol
the hfst time through oil the weary month
they were to have peaceful night. And il
the light OF the setting sun on that Sabbati
eve they could discern once more their ono
peaceful homes, wife and children, friends ant
all things dear, and better than oil, a REUNITED
country, and the honor of the nation vindicated
& race redeemed from slavery, and peace, swee
peace, dawnlng once more upon lhe land.
Lee returned to hi, army and stated the term
Of capltulaton, which were received with grea
SUBTRACTION by tho ofi,ers aud men, espe,lsll,
by those VINO owned horses. They cheero
loudly and no doubs heartily, The terms wer
such as they had not expected The newspaper
OF the Sou'h have perssten'ly represented tn
North as bloodthirsty and vndcIive-as van
dals, robbers and murdsrers capable OF dolng
the work OF hsnds, and the remarkable enienc
OF the terms surprised them. may here sa,
that they surpfis. not lew officers Of our owl
army, wnp remember that Gen. Pickett neye
has resigned his commission ~ the United State
service, but WHO took up arms without an
ioImaity, without c)mpaootiln ot conscience
tie was lost to sense OF honor.
lie IS, in fact, not only traitor, bu. deser
ter. A deserter in arms against the G)vr0
ment Tue private who deserts the ra ks
shot or hung. How many have been exccut,d ID
The Utmost leniency and olemency OF the EK,cu
ave toward them Is u long term OF imprison
ment 10 penltenuary, or o the Dry Tor,ugl,
Yet Geu. Pickett and his fellow traitors are VII
tually pardOned. lie II was who hung the Uu
on men OF North Carollns who enlsed IN
Udlon regimeal and were taken prisoners.
Ii was a cold blooded, cruel aci, aud filed ID
country with horror, but oil oil hi, treason
forgotten uOw-All of his blrblrity and lnhu
manity winked at, under the plea OF magnan
unity The soldiers rejlcs that tho hghti1
is over, but they don't want all their sacrifice
10 DO thrown away. Lee and all his officer
were in their power they had them surrounded
they could no. escape, rhere was no especm
call Tor such clemency as has bsen C1hbl,ed
There are thinking baJonets IN the Army Of III
Potomac, aud while General Grant Is idOliIs
,sa soldier and as great commander, the tern
Of the capitulaiiOu gwen to such Inen IS Picket
aud Ewell are freely erltized
SECOND urkTlSo OF LER AND GRANT.
On Monday, Gems. Gran. and Lee met o
horseback between the two armies, acCompanis
by their stats, aud had lreO conversation
G,u. Lee expressed desire Tor n total oesss Iio
CT hosulities, and indicated hi, intention to d
all in his power to accomplish that end
The stalf, OF blth Generals were introduced