Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1883-09-28
Gen. Lees surren1er.

In an interesting AItiCic III tue
llvosth s3mky1eaa ReDitw for June, en-.
titled, 1.-The Last Days Of the Rebel.
liou," General Phil. H. Sheridan, de.
scrlbes the rclease,of Lieut.. Aliens by
Merri,,'s charge, in which the last gun
of the Virginia campaign was fired. It
was at this time that Gen. John B.
] Gordon visited Gen. Sheridan under a
flag Of truce. After the first sanitation
Gen. Gordon saic, General Lee asks
for suspension of hrstilities pending
the negotiations which he has been
having for the last day and night with
Gen. Grant. I" rejoined: al have
been constantly informed of the pro-
gress Of the negotiations, and think it
singular that while such negotiations
are going on, General Lee should have
continued his march and attempted to
break through my lines this morning
with the view Of escaping. can en-
terrain no terms except the condition
Ethat Gen. Lee will surrender to Gen.
Grant on his arrival here. / have sent
for him. If these terms are not ac-
cepted, we will renew hcstilities. y
Gen. Gordon replied "Gen. Lees
army is exhausted. There is no doubt
of his surrender to Gen. Grant ON his.
anival"
Gen. Wilcox, whom / knew well, he
having been captain Of the company to
which was attached as cadet at the
Military Academy. then stepped to his
horse. and taking hold of the saddle
bags. said in a jocular way: "Here,
Sheridan, take these saddle bags; they
have one solled shirt and pair or draw
ers. You have burned: everything else
I had in the world and think you are
entitled to these Also" He was alIud-.
ing, of course, to the destruction OF the
baggage trains which had been going,
on for some days.
When the terms above referred to
were settled, each army agreed TO re-
main in statu quo until the arrival Of,
Gen. Gram, whom Col. Newhall. my
adjutant general, had gone for. Gener.
ais Gordon and Wilcox then returned
to see Gen. Lee, and promised to come
Back in about thirty minutes, and dur
ing that time General Ord joined me
at the courthouse. At the end of
thirty. or forty minutes. Gen. Gordon
returned IN company 9TH Gen. Long
street. The latter, who commanded
Lees rear guard back on the Farm
vile road, seemed somewhat alarmed
lest Gen. Meade. who was followed up
from Farruville, might attack, not
knowing the condition Of affairs at the
front. To prevent this. l proposed to
send my chief of staff, Gen. ]. W. For
sytI,, accompanied by confederate
officer, back through the, confederate
army and inform Gen. Meade of the
existing state of affairs. He at once
started, accompanied by Col. Fairfax.
OF Gen. Longstreet's staff. met the adj
vance of the army Of the Potomac and
communicated the conditions.
In the meantime. Gen. Lee came
over to McLean's house in the village
OF Appomattox courthouse. l am
not certain whether Gen. Babcock, OF
General Grants staff. who had arrived
in advance of the general, had gone
over to see him or not. We had wait.
ed some hours, and. L think. about IL
or 1 O'Clock Gen. Grant arrived. Gen.
Ord, myself and many officers were IN
the main road leading through the
town, at point where Lees army was
visible, Gen. Grant rode up, and greet
ed me with, SHERIDAN, how are you 2"
l replied, 81 am very well. thank you"
He then said 'where is Lee2" l re-
Piled, There is his army down in that
valley; he is over in that house (point-
ing out McLean's), waiting to surren-
der to YOU" Gen. Grant, still without
dismounting, said, "Come, let us go
over" He then made the same re-
quest to Gen. Ord, and we all went to
McLean's house. Those who entered
with Gen. Grant were, as nearly as l
ian fecollect, Ord, Rawlins, Seth Viii
Jams. ingalls,, Babcock, Parker and
myself: the staff officers, or those who
accompanied, remaining outside on ,
he porch steps and in the yard, On |:
the parlor, We found Gen. Lee ;
tanding in company with Colo ell
Marshall. his aid-de-camp. The first
,reeting was to Gen. Seth Williams,
Who had been Lees adjutant when he
vas superintendent of the military
.cademy. Gen. Lee was then pre-
ented to Gen. Grant, and all present
1ere introduced. Gen. Lee was dress.
d in new gray uniform, evidently put
n for the occasion, and wore hand. I
ONE sword. He had on his face the
Expression Of relief from heavy bur- 8
en-. Gen. Grants uniform was soiled 1