The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-05-14
ALEXANDRIA, La. WEDNESDAY, MAY IA, 1873.

patel in the slight general conversation
that occurred. The two generals went
aside and Sat at Il table to confer togeth-
ert when Lee opened the conversation
by saving: general, deem it due to
froper eandor and %frankness to say at
the very beginning OF this interview
thar | am not willing even to discuss
any terms of surrender inconsistent
with
THE HONOR OF MY ARMY,
which I am determined TO maintain to
the last" G ant replied: II have no
lea Of proposing disionorabfe terms
G,neral-but | would be glatl if you
would state what you consider honor,-
bic terms General Lee then briefly
stated the terms upon. which he would
be willing 10 surren Ter. Grant express
ed hims If as satisfied with them. and
Lee requested that he would formally
reduce t il c proposition to writing.
Grant at once did so with a common
lead pencil, and handel the paper to
Lee, who real it carefully and without
commrnt. except to say that most OF the.
| horses were the private property OF the.
men riding them. Grant replied that
/ such hurseS would be ex 'Inpt from sur
render, and the paper WAS then hamlet
to Col. Buiem Grants secretary and
I copies in ink made by him aud Colonel
! Marshall. While this was being done
there were inquiries after the health OF
imutnn! arouAintanees, but nnthin .b"ar-
lug ~ the surrender. except that Lee
said that he hal on his hands some 1900
=. Dnnn 800. f>, ,riA,,, liz, Id ,,f,
! rations. Sheridan at,"ncr said: have
endAmh rationS for 23.0t0 men.
Grant having sigued his note, Lee
conferred with Colonel Mlrslall, who
wrote his brief nota OF a"cepta,l"e oftl,e
terms OF surrender Oiirred-Lee striking
out the sentence, 81 have the honor to
rerlvto your communicrtinn.;' ;nl sub
shutting, II have received your letter
OF this date
, This terminated the interviaw-anI
Lee rode back TO his heal-qulrters-
which We're three quarters of. a mile
7 northeast of the Colrt-honse. la.
| have thus given the substance, and
for ne most part the ex,ct language Of
Lees own account OF thu surrender. 1t
will appear from this that Il great deal
lkltt hsiN y.Nti Sti' 'Jt =EE- ~.
"oRANr's MAGNANIMNIry,'
in PROPOSING terms Of surrender, and
Lees. "warm thanks for til" iih"ral
terms accorded" originated simply in
, the imagination OF the writer's. The
truth is. Grant proposed the only terms
ri which 1t would have accepted: ami ne
: knew roo well the mattle Of that great
captain aud the heroic remnant of the
%arinv which had so often defeated hin,
t not t o rejoice at wn opportunity OF COW
erinm himself with glory by accepting
? almost any terms of surrender.
| / have gathered Il number Of ,
D INCIDENTS OF THE SURRENDER
3 which interested me and may DE of in
terest TO ronr rrat!erS. soon after Lee
:. left the Mclean House, owned by the
! san" gentleman at whose house, nea,
4 Bull Run, Bpaurpgarl had his head.
: ON rtprs during the hattie of July Is
= 1861, Sheridan stalked in and sail.rrde'
: ". Il mean to lave this clIair'-takina
ND one of the chairs in which the Grn'
erals had signed tile terms of capitula
ton, and exhibiting at the same time ;
50 50 COLL piece. MCLEAN replied "tht
: chair is NOT for sale, General. If vO'
: choose to take it YOU have the physl"a
power to do su.'' II mean to have it,
was the curt reply; AMI the great barr
burner" gave another proof Of his skill
!. in petit larceny. The table aud othe1
chairs were in like manner carried OF
by federal officers as souvenirs.
AS soon as the flag of tr1"e was hoist
ell OH Gou!on's lines the offensive Gus
tar ('Miss Fanny'') came riding FIJI
~riously into Gordon, demanding in hi
nwn nama .'unronlitional Surrender
Gordon drew Himself up to his FIJI
IS height. and with crushing dignity re
e plie,I: II can have no negotiations wit
It YOU, sir; aud If the settlement Of tht
e matter rested between us there could b
no negotiations but by the sword"
icl As showing the spirit of the me
> who participated in the Brilliant actio,
IS of that morning, it may be mentione
J. that many OF them crowded around til
,r bearer Of one of the flags Of truce
wilely-known and loved chaplain. who
y since the capture of his regiment /;
3 Spotsylvania Courthouse, had serve
'el with great gallantry on Gorlon's stat
is and eagerly asked If tile enemy had Sc,
81 in to surrender their force on that roa
thinking that in thinking us Grant liza
10 pushed a part OF his 'orce too far. The
IoEiad no dream that they were to be sal
III rendered. But gradually the tru~
st broke upon them, and great was tIei
,s cbagrin when these high-mettled viz
(; ,ora;n tho last hattie Of tiH Army (