Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-04-24

: empt from surrender, and the paper
was then handed to Colonel Badeau
Grants secretary and copies in ink
made by him and Colonel Marshall
While this was being done there were
| inquiries after the health Of mutual ac-
/ quaintances, but nothing bearing on
) the surrender, except that General Lee
said that he had on his hands some two
J or three thousand prisoners, for whom
r he had no rations. Sheridan at once
said: II have rations for 5000 men,"
General Grant having signed his
note, General Lee conferred with Col.
Marshall, who wrote bis brief note OF
acceptance of the terms Of surrender Of
fered, General Lee striking out the SEN
tence II have the honor to reply to
your communication" and substituting
81 have received your letter Of this
date"
This terminated the interview, and
General Lee rode back to his head
quarters, which were three-quarterS OF
a mile northeast of the Courthouse.
Ihave thus given the substance, and
for the most part the exact language, of
General Lees own account of the sur
render. 1t will appear from this that a
great deal that has been said about
GRANTS MAGNANDnTY"
in proposing terms of surrender, and
Lees "warm thanks for the liberal
terms accorded" originated simply in
the imagination Of the writers. The
truth is, Grant proposed the only terms
which Lee would have accepted; and
he knew too well the mettle of that
great captain and the heroic remnant
of the army which had so often defeat
ed him not to rejoice at an opportunity
Of covering himself with glory accept
ing almost any terms of surrender
| have gathered number Of Incl
dents of the surrender which interested
me and may be Of interest to your
readers. Soon after General Lee left
the Mclean House, owned by the
same gentleman at whose house. near
Bull Run, Beauregard had his head
quarters during the battle Of July Is,
1861, Sheridan stalked in and said,
II mean to have this chair"-taLing
up one of the chairs in which the Gen
erals had signed the terms Of captula-
ton, and exhibiting at the same time a
81, 80 gold-piece Major Mclean re-
piled, ''That chair is not for sale, Gen
era'. If You choose to take it you
havethe power to Go So" ~ mean to
have it," was the curt rejoinder; and
the "Great Baln-Bmner" gave another
proof of his skill in petit larceny. The
table and other chairs were in like
manner carried off by Federal officers
as S0aUentrs
AS soon as the flag of truce was
hoiSted on Gordon's lines the offensive
General Custar ("Miss Fannyf) came
riding furiously into General Gordon,
demanding in his own name "uncondi-
ticnal surrender" Gordon drew him
self up to his full height, and with
crushing dignity replied: | can have
no negotiations with yoa, sir; and if
the settlement of this matter rested
between us there could he no negotia-
tions bm by the saoord"
A showing the spirit Of the men who
participated in the brilliant action that
morning it may be mentioned that many
of them crowded around the bearer of
one of the flags of truce-a widely
known and loved chaplain whe, since
the capture of his regiment at Spotsyl-
vania Courthouse, had served with great
gallantry on General Gordon's staff
and eagerly asked if the enemy had sent
in to surrender their force on that road,
thinking that in hanking us Grant had
pushed a part Of his force too far
They had no dream that they were to
be surrendred. But gradually the truth
broke upon them, and great was their
chagrin when those high-mettied victors
in the last battle of the Army Ct North
ern Virginia learned that they must
"yield to overwhelming numbers and
resources"-that after all their marches,
battles, victories, hardships, and suffer
rings, the cause they loved better than
life itself must Succumb to brute force
Many boSoms heaved with emotion, and |
Something on the soldiers cheek
Washed off the stain of powder"
After the FLAG of truce was raised
AFEDERAL SCOUT WAS SHOT
through mistake by his own men, when |
trying to stop the firing, and New
York major, under the influence of
liquor, met his death by galloping up |
to Confederate battery and demand
ing its surrender.
The women and children Of Apo
mattox Courthouse had all left their
homes during the battle of the-moning,
and upon their return had to pass
through Custar' scayalry. miss Fanny
himself was very rude to them, and
permitted his men to kiss them as they
passed.
Per contra it affords me pleasure to
say that many of the Federal officers
and men were very courteous and con-
siderate. The citizens of the village
speak in especially high terms of Gene
raj Chamberlayne (since Governor Of
Maine), who was delicately considerate
Of the feelings of thepeople, gentlemanly
in bis bearing, and generous towards
the vanquished.
When the arms were being stacked
A GALLANT cOLoR-BEARER,
as he dilivered up the tattered remnant
of his flag, burst into tears and said to
the Federal soldiers who received it:
"BoyS, this is not the first time YOU have
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