The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-06-26

perSe the army SnOulu SuEIeuuei Aiyoo"
General Grant, as the only proper course 1ol 7
one of my years and position. But am glad
to be able to tell you one thing for your COM
fort. General Grant will not demand an un-
conditional surrender but offers us most liber-
al terms. the paroling of the whole army not
to fight until exchanged" He then went on
to speak of the probable details of the terms
of surrender and to say that about 10 a. m. ne
was to meet General Grant in the rear OF the
army and would then accept the terms offered;
Sanguine as had been when he commenced
that he must acquiesce in my views, had not no
one word to reply when he had finished. lie
spoke slowly and deliberately, and with some
feeling, and the completeness of the considera-
tions he advanced, and which he dwelt on with
more detail than can now fully recall, speak
ing particularly of the women and children as
the greatest sufferers in the state OF anarchy
which a dispersion of the army would bring
about, and his reference as to what would be
his personal course if he did order such dis
persion, all indicated that the question was not
then presented to his mind for the first time. i,
A short time after this conversation General
Lee rode to the rear of the army to meet Cen
eral Grant and arrange the details OF the sur
render. He had started about half-hour
when General Fitz Lee sent word to General
Longstreet that he had broken through por-
ton of the enemy's line and that the whole
army might make its way through. General
Longstreet on hearing this directed Colonel
John c. Haskell, of the artillery, who was
very finely mounted, to ride after General Lee
at utmost speed, killing his horse if necessary,
and recall him before he could reach General
Grant. Colonel Haskell rode as directed, and
q short distance in rear of the army found
General Lee and some of his staff dismounted
by the roadside. AS he with difficulty checked
his horse General Lee came up quickly, asking
what was the matter, but without waiting tor
reply said: "Oh, Pm afraid you have killed
your beautiful mare. What did you ride her
so hard for?" On hearing General Longstreet's
message he asked some questions about the sit
uation and sent word to General Longstreet to
use his own discretion in making any move
ments; but he did not himself return, and in
short while another message was received
that the success of the cavalry under General
Fitz Lee was but temporary, and that there
was no such gap in the enemy's line as had
been supposed. Soon afterwards message
was brought from the enemys picket that
and would meet General Lee at Appomattox
Court House, and General Lee accordingly re-
turned.
Meanwhile, as the Confederate line under
General Gordon was slowly falling back from
Appomattox Court House, after as gallant
fight against overwhelming odds as it had ever
made capturing and bringing safely off with it
an entire battery of the enemy's, General Gus
tar, commanding division of Federal cavalry,
rode forward with flag of truce, and, the firing
having ceased on both sides, was conducted to
General Longstreet as commanding temporari-
" in General Lees absence. Custar demand
ed the surrender of the army to himself and
General Sheridan, to which General Longstreet
replied that General Lee was in communication
with General Grant upon that subject, and that
the issue would be determined between them.
Custar replied that he and Sheridan were inde-
pendent of Grant, and unless the surrender
was made to them they would "pitch in'' at
once. Longstreet's answer was peremptory
order to return at once to his own lines and
"try it if he liked" Custar was accordingly
escorted back, but fire was not reopened, and
both lines remained halted, the Confederate
about halfmile east of the Court House.
General Lee returning from the rear shortly
afterwards, halted in a small field adjoining
Sweenys house, little in rear of his skirmish
line, and awaited message from General
Grant, seated on some rails under an apple
tree. This apple tree was not only entirely
cut up for mementoes within two days after
wards, but its very roots were cut up and car
ried away under the false impression that the
surrender took place under it. About noon
Federal staff officer rode up and announced
that General Grant was at the Court House,
snd General Lee with one of his staff accom-
panied him back. AS he left the apple tree,
General Longstreet's last words to him we're:
'Unless he offers you liberal terms, General,
let us fight it out" ..
1t would be difficult task to convey to one
who was not present an idea of the feeling of
the Confederate army during the few hours
which so suddenly, and so unexpectedly to it,
terminated its existence, and with it all hopes
Of the Confederacy. Having been sharply en-
gagged that very morning, and its movements
arrested by the flag of truce while one portion
of it was actually fighting and nearly all the
rest, infantry and artillery, had just been
formed in line of battle in sight and range of
the enemy, and with guns unlimbered, it was
impossible to realize fully that the war, witt
all its hopes, its ambitions and its hardships,
was thus ended. There was comparatively very
little conversation, and men stood in groups
looking over the scene; but the groups were
unusually silent. 1t was not at first generally
known that surrender was inevitable, but
there was q remarkable preacquiescence in
whatever General Lee should determine, and
the warmest expressions of confidence in his
Judgment Ranks and discipline were main
tained as usual, and there is little doubt that
had General Lee decided to fight that after
noon the troops would not have disappointed
him. About four o'clock p. m. he returned
from the Court House, and after informing the
principal officers of the terms of the surrender,
started to ride back to his camp.
The universal desire to express to him the
unabated love and confidence of the army had
led to the formation of the gunners of few
battaions of artillery along the roadside with
oSders to take off their hats in silence as he
rode by. When he approached, however, the
men could not be restrained, but burst into the
widest cheering, which the adjacent infantry
lines took up, and breaking ranks, they all
crowded around him, cheering at the tops of
their voices. General Lee stopped his horse,
and after gaining silence, made the only speech