Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-04-15
The Surrender ut ADpaniafiox.

arms in their hands nearly surrounded by
eighty thousand Federal soldiers already in
position. with rcln!orctments constantly arrlv-
ing: Gordon fell back through the village and
moved to meet an attack OF Sheridan on the
flank. while General Chambcrlaync led the ad
vance corps of the Army of the James into the
Court House. A battery Of the Richmond
Ilowitzers, which had been engaged at Big
Bethel In 1861, stationed in the yard OF Mr.
Peers on the extreme northeast corner of the
village, fired the last gun OF the day, and with
drew as the blue waves were cnclrclng 1t: The
Federal picket line was advanced beyond the
village, and that little band Of heroic spirits
scented abnu: to be inundated, when suddenly
the white flag was displayed, and the firing
ceased There have been published so many
sensational reports Of the mcctlng between the
| two cnnlnauders that am glad to be able to
rctutc them by giving
GEN. LEES OWN ACCOUNT OF WHAT OCCURRED,
| rs he gave it to some friends at his house, i'll
| Lexington, but few days bctulc his last il
| ness. lie said that he had for duty hat morn-
| ing not eight thousand men, and that when he
| learned from Gordon that there Was heavy
irtlntry force in his front, he decided TO see
General Grant and ascertain the terms upon
which he could end the contest But before &C.
| ing to meet him he left orders with Longstrect
| aud Gordon to hold their commands III readl-
ness, determined, as he was, to cut his way
through, or perish in the attempt, il such terms
we're not granted as he thought his army ell
titled to demand He met General Grant be-
tween the picket-lincs, in the open field, about
two hundred yards below ApponIattox Court
| House.
~ on met under an apple tree, did you not,
Generaly' asked a gentleman present mo,
sir' was the reply; eve did not meet under
an apple tree, and | saw no tree near. 1t was III
an open field not far from the main road. > This
cxplOdrs the ''historic apple tree, about which
50 much has been said. 4 gentleman who was
within few feet Of The two general, when they
met pointed out to mc tie exact spot. The apple
tree Which was cut to pieces, and even Inc roots
OF which were dug up and carried off by relic
hunters, was fully Il quarter Of Il ullr from the
place of meeting, and the only historic interest
that could be attached to it was that General
Lee rested under its shade Il tw minutes whllc
waiting for the return of his flag Of truce. The
only tree anywhere near the pac': OF meeting
was small locust thorn, which is still standing
about twenty yards from the spot!
TIE INTERVIEW BETWEEN LEE AND GRANT.
General Lee said that when he met General
Grant they exchanged polite salutatlulls, and
he stated to him at once that he desired a con-
ference 10 refer nee to The subject matter Uf their
correspondence Genera! Grant returned you
your sword, did he not, GENERALLY one Of the
company asked The old hero, Strengthening
himself up, replied in most emphatic tones !:
NO, sir he did not. He had no opportunity
of doing So | was determined that the side
arms OF officers should be exempt by the terms
of surrender, aud of course | did not offer HIM
| A II tbut ,p,s S,i3 uhont swords uaS that
General Grant apoiogized to me for not wear
ing his own sword saying that II had gore ott
in his baggage and he had been unable to get
it in time" General Lee stated in this con-
vcrsation that he was accompanied When he
met Grant only by Cnlone! Charles Marshall,
of his personal staff, who went with one Of
General Grants staff to find suitable room III
which to hold the conference; that they were
first shown to vacant house. and declining to
use that were conducted by Major Mclean to
his house and shown into his parlor. General
Grant was accompanied by several of his staff
officers, aud several Of his generals (among
them Sheridan and Orl) entered the room and
participated in the slight general conversation
that occurred. The two generals went aside
and sat at a table to confer together, when
General Lee opened the conversation by say
ing General, | deem it due to proper caudor
and iranknc>s to say at the very beginning OF
this interview that am not wiling even to
discuss any terms of surrender Inconsistent with
the honor of my army, which | am determined
to maintain to the last" Grant replied: II
have no idea Of proposing dshonorablc terms,
General, but | would be glad if you would state
what you consider honorable terms" General
Lee then briefly stated the terms upon which
he would be willing to surrender. Grant ex-
pressed himself as satisfied with them, and
Lee requested that he would formally reduce
the propositions to writing. Grant at once did
so with common lead-penci and handed the
paper to Lee, who read it carefully and with
out comment except to say that most OF the
horses were the private property of the men
riding them. General Grant replied that such
horses would be exempt from surrender, and
the paper was then handed to Colonel Badeau
| Grants secretary, and copies 10 ink made by
him and Colonel Marshall While this was
being done there were inquiries after the health
at mutual acquaiutances, but nothing bearing
on the surrender, except that General Ice said
that he had on his hands some two or three
thousand prisoners, for whom he had no IA
tons. Sheridan at once said: IL have rations
| for %, 600 men.
General Grant having signed his note Gene
raj Ice conferred with Colonel Marshall, who
wrote his brief note of acceptance Of the terms
of surrender offered, General Lee striking out
the sentence II have the honor to reply to your
communication, and substituting II have re-
celvcd your letter of this date. !"
This terminated the interview, and General
Lee rode back to his headquarters, which were
three quarters Ct mile northeast Of the Court
house.
have thus given the substance, and for the
most part the exact language, Of General Lees
own account Of the surrender
| have gathered number Of
| INCIDENTS OF TIE 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 Rum Beauregard
had his headquarters during the battle Of July
IS, 1861 Sheridan saked in and said, rudely
81 mean to have this chair taking up Que
Of the chairs in which the Generals had signed
terms of equalization, and exhibiting at the same
time 3. 50 gold pice. Major McClcao re,