The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-26
General Grants Account af 2aiie Sur
render aes .Appolnattax oarfsso ''lhst
and his Dpinion OF Zee. Jef ~ Devils.
stonrwala jackson, Albert sidney
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yohnston, Joe Johnsson, DC.
ss Icorrespondcnce Of sho New York Herald M
HAMBURG, tsERaAsY, July G, ST. have
soune memoranda OF odds and ends OF cons
yersations In idle moments while wander
inc about these old towns, and Il seems to
me that can do no better service to the
historian than to throw these memoranda
into some shape. There are few men more
willing to converse on any subject when ne
knows than the General, and although his
fame is that or silent man those who know
him at all know that In reality we have few
better takers In America. The charm OF the
Generaps talk is that 1t Is never about
ANYTHING he does not know, and what ne
does know he knows well. he is never
yindictive aud never gossipsnand when re-
ferring TO men and things In the great
events OF his career he is as passsionlesS and
Sust as historian. he never refers to the
war unless sou put the subject to him di-
rsctly. ] am afraid have been curious on
this uoiut, not that I ever wanted to trouble
General Grant, but because the judgments
and opinions of such man belong to his
tory. hope, therefore, that what gather
Up and send you from various table-talk
memoranda will have value to- the hlsto-
rian. DO not hope TO give you the Gen.
erals exact words, although as far as mem.
ory serves j do so.
THE SURRENDER OF LEE.
We were corversing one evening about
Lees surrender. The General told the story
OF the memorable event. "The night be-
fore Lee surrendered," he said, 81 had n
wretched Observation-Disclosures to which
have been subiect-nervous prostration. ia
tense personal suffering. But, suffer or not,
I had to keep moving. | saw clearly, espe-
cially after Sheridan had cut off the escape
to Danyi1le, that Lee must surrender or
break and run into the mountains
in ali directions and leave us dozen que
rilIa bands to fight. My campaign was not
Richmond, not The defeat OF Lee in actual
fight. but to remove him and bis army out
of the contest, and, il possible, to have him
use his influence In inducing the surrender
of Johnston and the other isolated armies.
You see the war was an enormous
strain upon the country. Rlch as we
were do not now see how we could bave
endured 1t another year even from Imam
cial point Of view. 50, with these views,
wrote Lee, and opened the correspondence
with which the world is familiar. Lee does
not appear well In that correspondence
not nearly 80 we'll as he did in our subse-
ouent interviews, where his whole bearing
was that Of patriotic and gallant soldier,
concerned alone for the welfare OF his army
and his State. received word that Lee
would meet me at q point within our lines
near Sheridan's headquarters. had to ride
quite distance through muddy country.
/ remember now that / was concerned
about my personal appearance. [ had an
cid suit on, without my sword, and without
any distinguishing mark OF rank except the
shoulder-straps Of acknowledgement on q
woollen blouse. Twas splashed with mud
in my long ride. was afraid Lee might
think meant to show him studied dis
courtesy by so coming-at least thought
80. But / had no other clothes within
reach, as Lees letter found me away from
nv base OF supplies. Kept on riding until
I met Sheridan. The General, who was one
of the heroes OF the campaign, and whose
pursuit OF Lee was perfect in IFS general
Ship and energy, told me where to find Lee.
/ remember that Sheridan was impatient
when / met him-anXlous and suspicious
about the whole business-feared there
might be plan to escape; that he had Lee
at his feet, and wanted to end the business
by going in and forcing an absolute surren-
der by capture. In fact, be had his troops
ready for such an assault when Lees
white flag came within his lines. /
went I'm to the" house where Lee was
waiting. found him in a fine, new, splen-
did uniform, which only recalled my anxiety
AS to nv own clothes while on my way
TO meet him. expressed my regret that /
was compelled to meet him in SO unceremo-
NOUS manner, and hereplied that the only
suit he had available was one which had
been sent him by some admirers in Balti-
more, and which he then wore for the first
time. We spoke OF old friends in the army.
how; Loo y1M
He was so much higher in rank than myself
at the time that supposed he had no recol-
lection of me. But he said he remembered
me very well. We talked of old times and
exchanged inquiries about friends. Lee
then preached the subject of our meeting.
I told him my terms, and Lee, listening at
tentiyely, asked me 10 write them down.
took out my manifold order-book and pen
ell and wrote them down. General Lee
nut on his glasses and read them over.
The conditions gave the officers their side
arms, private horses, and personal baggage.
I said to Lee that hoped and believed this
would be the close OF the war; that it was
most important that the men should go
home and 90 to work, aud the Government
would not throw any obstacles in the way.
Lee answered that it would have most
happy effect, and accepted the terms. l
handed over my penciled memorandum to
an aid to put into ink, and we resumed
our conversation about old times and
friends in the armies. Various officers
came in-Longstreet, Gordon Pickett,
from the South; Sheridan, Ord, and others
from our side. Some We're old. friends;
Longstreet and myself, for instance, and
we mad general talk. Lee, no doubt, eX.
pected me to ask for his sword, but did
not want his sword. 1t would only" said
the General smiling, s. !" have gone to
the Patent Office to be worsbipped
bv the Washington rebels" There
was another pause when he said that
most OF the animals in his cavalry and
artillery were owned by the privates, and
he would like to know, under the terms,
whether they would be regarded as private
property or the property OF the Govern
ment. / said under the terms OF surrender
they belonged to the Government. Gen.
eral Lee read over the letter and said that
was so. then said to the General that
believed and hoped this was the last battle
OF the war, and 4 saw the wisdom Of these
men getting home and to work as soon as
possible, and that i would give orders to
allow any soldier or officer claiming horse
or a mule to take it. General Lee showed
some emotion at this-a feeling which / also
shared-and said it would have most
happy effect. The interview ended, and I
gave orders for srationing his troops. The
next day met Lee on horseback and we
had q long talk. In that conversation +
urged upon Lee the wisdom of ending the
war BY the surrender OF the other armies.
/ asked him to use his influence with the
people OF the Sonth--an influence that
was suprenle-to bring the war to the. end.