The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-06

General L. IL. sheridan, describing
In the North American Recie1C events
which occurred in the Virginia cam
paign between April 4, 1865, and the
scene at Appomattox Court House on
April 9. OF the actual surrender of
General Lee, negotiations looking to
which had been going on for day and
a night, General Sheridan says:
In the meantime General Lee came
over to McLean's house in the village
of AppomattoX Courthouse. l am
not certain whether General Babcock,
of General Grants staff, who had ar
rived in advance of the general, had
gone over to see him or not. We had
waited some hours. and, | think, about
II or l o'clock General Ord arrived.
General Ord. myself and many officers
were in the main road leading through
the town, at point where Lees army
was visible General Grant rode up
and greeted me with "Sheridan, how
are you?" L replied, Il am
very well, thank you" He
then said, "Where is Leep' L
replied, "There is his army down in
that valley; he is over in that house
(pointing out McLean's) waiting to
surrender to YOU General Grant,
still without dismounting, said, "Come,
let us go over" He then made the
same request t. General Ord, and we
all went to McLean's house. Those
who entered with General Grant were,
as nearly as l can recollect, Ord, Raw
Inns, Seth Williams, ingalls,, Babcock,
Parker and myself; the staff officers,
or those who accompanied, remaining
outside on the porch steps and in the
yard. On entering the parlor we found
General Lee standing in company with
Colonel Marshall, his aide-de-camp.
The first greeting was to General Seth
Williams, who had been Lees adjutant
when he was superintendent of the
military academy. General Lee was
then presented to General Grant, and
all present were introduced. General
Lee was dressed in a new gray uni
form, evidently put on for the occasion,
and wore handsome sword. He had
on his face the expression of relief
from heavy burden. General Grants
uniform was soiled with mud and SER
vice and he wore no sword. After a
few words had been spoken by
those who knew General Lee,
all the officers retired, except,
perhaps, one staff officer of General
Grants and the one who was with
General Lee. We had not been absent
from the room longer than five min
utes when General Babcock came to the
door and said, "The surrender has
taken place-yOu can come in again.
When we re entered General Grant was
writing on little wooden, elliptical
shaped table purchased by Inc from
Mr.. Mclean, and presented to Mrs. G.
A. CUSTER the conditions of the surren,
der. General Lee was sitting, his hand
resting on the hilt of his sword, to the
left of General Grant, with h s back to
a small handicapped table, on which
many books were piled. 4 About
one hour was occupied in drawing VI
and signing the terms, when Genera
Lee retired from the house with {
cordial shake of the hand with Genera
Grant, mounted his chunky, gray
horse, and lifting his hat passed
through the gate, and rode over the
crest of the hill to his army. On his
arrival there, we heard wild cheering
viii II seemed to be taken up pro
gre;sively by his troops, either for him
or because of satisfaci ion with his last
official act as soldier.