Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-02-14
-zEr GIANT And LEE.
The Letters Tkst Passed Between Gran,
shd Lee at the Tilne Of the Surren-
der Of the cUnfederaey.

DER Of the Confectionery.
Rx-Confederase I'm Nashville American.
Long before the surrender of oul
armies Gen. Grant saw the end witt
clear vision. Behind this vision wa.
the indonitable will. In August 1856
he wrote these memorable words-sad
ones, too 10 us:
The rebels have now in their ranks
their last man. The little boys and
old men are guarding prisioners,guard
ing railroad bridges and forming 6
good part of their garrisons for en-
trenched positions. A man lost Il
them cannot be replaced. They have
robbed alike the cradle and the grave
to get their present force. The
end is not far distant.
And in this way the end came:
April. 7, 1885.
General X. Z. Lee, Commanding c. y. A
GESERAL-The result OF the last
week must convince you of the hope
lessness Of further resistance on the
part OF the army of Northern Virgin
Ia in this struggle. feel that il is so,
and feel it my duty to shift from my
self the responsibility Of any further
effusiOn of blood by asking you the.
surrender of that portion OF the Con.
federste States army known as the
army of Northern Virginia.
Very respectfully,
Your Obedient servant,
u. 5. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.,
Commanding Armies of the United
States.
APRIL 7. 1875.
To Lieut.. Gen. U. s. Grant, Commanding
Armies OF the United States:
GEEERAL-Ih have received your note
OF this date. Though not entirely Of
the opinion you express, Of the hope
lessness of further resistance on the
part of the army of Northern Vir-
ginia, | reciprocate your desire TO
avoid useless effusion of blood, and,
therefore. before considering your
proposition, l ask the terms you will
offer on condition OF its surrender.
r. E. LEE, General.
And this message, every word Of
which cost so much of heart and
brain, was replied to thus
April, s, 1855.
den. r. z Lee. Commanding, c. s. A.
GRSERAL-Your note of last even
ing, in reply to mine of same date,
asking conditions on which / will ac-
eept the surrender of the army OF
Northern Virginia, is received. In re-
ply l would say that peace being my
FIRST desire, there is but one condition
Insist upon, via: That the men sur
rendered shall be disqualified for tax
ing up arms against the government
OF the United States until properly
exchanged. will meet you, or desig-
nate officers 10 meet any officers you
may name for the same purpose, at
any point agreeable to you, for the
purpose, of arranging definitely the
terms upon which the surrender of
the army OF Northern Virginia will be
received. Very respectfully your obe-
dent servant, u. ). GRANT,
Lieutenant General,
Commanding Armies OF the United
States.
Now we approach the crisis.
APRIL, s, 1865.
General received at a late hour
your note to-day in answer to mine of
yesterday. did not propose the sur
render OF the army of Northern Vir-
ginis, but to ask the terms of your
proposition. To be frank, | do not
think the emergency has arisen to call
for the surrender of this army, but an
the restoration Of peace should be the
sole object of all, / desire to know
whether your proposal would tend TO
that end. l cannot therefore, meet
you with a view to surrender the army
I,,R
your proposition may effect the Con-
federate States forces under my COM
mand, and tend to the restoration of
peace, l should be pleased to meet you
nc 10 a. m. tomorrow, on the old stage
road to Richmond, between the picket |
lines of the two armies Very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
r f LEE, Gen1. G. s. A.
To Lieut. Gen. U. S. Grant, Command.
ing Armies u. 5. A.
And here General Grant folds his
arms and stands still, but writes, after
sleeping, as follows:
APRIL, 9.
Cen. r. +. Lee, Commanding C. 8. A.
General-Your note of yesterday is
Az have no authority to
.reat on the subject OF peace, the
meeting proposed for 10 q m to-day
>ould do no good. / will state, how
sver, General, that am equally anx-
Gus for peace with yourself, and the
whole North entertains the same feel !
ng.
The terms upon which peace could |
30 had are well understood. BY the
south laying down their arms they
will hasten that most desirable I
,vent save thousands Of human lives
md hundreds of millions of property |
lot yet destroyed. Sincerely hopeing
hat all our difficulties may be settled
Without the loss of another life, / sub
'cribe myself, very respectfully, your
,bcdient servant, ~. g. GRAar,
Lieut. Genl United States Army
There is . letter you may pick to
pieces word Tor word. and everywhere