The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-07-14
Gen. Lees Surrender.

Gen. Lees Surrender.
In an interesting article in the
North american ReUietO for June, en-
titled 1.-THE Last Days of the Rebel
lion," Gen. Philip IL. Sheridan de-
scribes the release of Lieut.. Allen by
Merits charge, in which the last
gun of the Virginia campaign was
fired. 1t was at this time that Gen,
John b. Gordon visited Gen. Sheri-
dan under a flag of truce. After the
first salutatiOn Gen, Gordon said :
"Gen. Lee asks for "A suspension of
hostilities pending the negotiations
which he has been having for the
last day and night with Gen. Grant"
l rejoined :''I have been constantly
informed of the progress of the negO-
tiations, and think it singular that
while such negotiations are going on
Gen. Lee should haye continued his
marehand attempted tobreak through
my lines this morning with the view
of escaping. / can entertain no
terms except the condition that Gen.
Lee will surrender to Gen. Grant on
his arrival here. l haye sent for
him. Ifthese terms are not except
ed we will renew hostilities," Gen.
Gordon replied: "Gen. Lees army is
exhausted. There is no doubt of his
surrender to Gen. Grant on his arri-
val"
General 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 joe
uar way: Here, Sheridan, take
these saddle-bags; they have one
soiled shirt and pair of drawers.
You have burned everything else
had in the world, and ! think you
are entitled to these also" He was
alluding, 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
remain in statu quo until the arrival
Of Gen. Grant, whom Col, Newhall,
my Acknowledgement, had gone for.
Gems. Gordon and Wilcox then re-
turned TO see Gen. Lee, and prOmis-
ed to come back in about thirty min
utes, and during that time Gen. Ord
joined me at the courthouse. At the
end of thirty or forty minutes Gen.
Gordon returned in company with
Gen. Longstreet. The latter, who
commanded Lees rear guard back
on the FarmVille road, seemed some
what alarmed lest Gen. Meade, who
was following up from Farmville,
might attack, not knowing the con-
dition of affairs at the front. To pre-
vent this [ proposed to send my
chiefof staff, Gen, j. w. Forsyth. ac-
companied by a Confederate officer,
back through the Confederate army
and inform Gen. Meade of the exist
ing state of affairs. He at once start
ed, 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 General Lee came
over to McLean's house, in the village
of AppOmatoX Court House. l am
not certain whether General Babcock,
of General Grants staff, who had ar
ri ed in adyace of the general, mad
gone over to see him or not. We had
waited some hours, and think about
II or l O'Clock General Grant arrived.
General Ord, myself and many other
officers were in the main road leading
through the town at a point where
Lees army was visible. General
Grant rode up and greeted me with:
sheridan, how are you?" | replied:
81 am very well, thank you" He
then said : "Where is Lee? ?" / re-
piled: "There is his Army down in
that va ley. He is over in that house
(pointing out McLean's) waiting to
surrender TO you" Gen. Grant, still
without dismounting said: "Come,
let's go over" He then made the
same request to General Ord, and we
all went to McLean's house. Those
who entered with General Grant
were, as nearly as | can recollect,
Ord, Rawlins, Seth Williams, In
gals, Bahcock, Parker and myself,
the staff officers, or those who accom-
panied, remaining outside on the
porch steps and in the yard. On en-
tering the parlOr we found General
Lee standing in company with Col.
Marshall, his aide-de. camp. The first
greeting was to General Seth Will
liams, who had been Lees adjutant
when he was superintendent of the
military academy. General Lee was
then presented to General Grant, and