Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-06-14
WHERE LEE SURRENDERED
FACTS ABOUT A CONTRoyERTED POINT
> m HISTORY AND A NEW LIGHT UPON
IT,

mattox Courthouse, I bethought mi
Of an artist friend of mine who hat
been an eyewitness Of the scene ant
had designed sketch of the famous
locality and of the house where the
two afterwards consulted together up
ON the terms of surrender. A copy
of this was in my possession, and J
took a look at it. The two are repre-
sented on horseback, under what
bears a striking resemblance in the
picture to an ~apple-tree in genera.
contour. Grant is seated upon the
small black horse that he so delighted
to ride in the field. To his left real
are General Sheridan and Colonel
Lewis Merrill. General Lee is seated
upon his famous gray stallion; his
right hand is raised in a graceful
gesture. The ground gently slopes
away to the left of the picture, and
on this slope are halted Lees personal
staff and escort, while in the distance
there are camps with troops drawn up
in font of them, bivouac
fires showing here ard there, and ar
tillery and wagon parks.
McLean's house, in which the ar
ticles of surrender were signed, is a
two-story frame with wide verandas,
after the fashion of Southern houses,
and in the distance looks very like
the former headquarters of Major
Andre, the Leffets mansion in Brook
lyn. The following conversation con-
tains what my friend had to say on
the subject and will settle several
historical facts. | enclose his full
name and address for private refer
ence, but at his request shall simply
designate him as Mr.. X, promising
however, that he and his work are
well and favorably known in your
city.
Correspondence-Mr. K, there is a
paragraph going the rounds which
says that General Lee did not sur
render to Grant under an apple-tree.
Is that a fact?
Mr.. K.-My Recollection of the
circumstances attending the surren-
der of General Lee is about the same
it is in the main correct. | was on
the right of our line with the cavalry
when the flag of truce came in. After
the firing ceased we descended to the
bank of q small creek and ~conversed
with the opposing cavalry skirmishes.
They informed us that General Lee
had gone up to the town to meet
General Grant. They met at the
house of Mr.. Mclean. There were
no apple-trees e the house that l
could see-nothing bur locust, walnut
and willow trees. / made a sketch
Of the house, which 1 have nmy pos
session.
Cit might interest the readers
of the World to read your reccollec-
ton Of the events that followed.
Mr.. K.-The next morning, the
memorable 10th of April, 1875, /
was with those who went out to the
edge of town with General Grant to
meet Lee and make final arrange
ments in regard to the surrender. 1t
had been raining that morning, but
at the time they met it was not rain
ing. General Grant halted on the
level ground at the top of knoll.
General Lee advanced up the hill
from the direction of his camp, which
lay in the valley and on the th e hill
sides beyond. A little way down the
knoll, where his pickets were posted,
he left his staff officers and came on
alone. AS he reached the level,
General Grant stepped his horse out
briskly to meet him. Both generals
raised their hats in salute, and draw
ING near each other cOnversed for
more than an hour. Lee appeared
to do all the talking. Grant sat
perfectly still on his horse, with his
cloak thrown carelessly back and his
hands crossed on the pommel of his
saddle. / dismounted and made my
sketch, not more than twenty feet
from them at the time. The next
morning / finished the sketch by put
ting in the surroundings. Grant wore
the sugar-loaf shaped, stuff-rimmed
regulation hat, covered with oil-cloth
and had on q blue cloak. His panta-
looms were inside the boots. Lee had
on a white felt hat, with the rim turn
ed up fiat against the crown on both
sides. He wore a blue cloak or tai
ma, and his pahtaloons inside his
boots, and rode a gray horse. After
conversing some time they rode away,
accompanied by the staff Of each, to
the Mclean mansion.
C.-And it was not an apDle-tree
they met under!
Mr.. K.-The tree under which
they met, at the edge of the town,
was not an apple-tree.
C.-Was McLean's house q head
quarters?
Mr.. K.-I think not / under
stood the day before-the 9th-that
Lee was waiting at the house of Mr..
Mclean when Grant came up. /
have the original of the sketch in my
possession now.