Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-08-05
The Surrender at Appomattox.

The personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant,"
which will soon be published by Messers.
Charles L. Webster & Co.. contains the fol-
lowing account of the surrender of Gen. r.
Z. Lee:
II found Gen Lee had been brought into
our lines and conducted to house belong
ing to Mr.. Mclean, and was there with
one of his staff officers waiting my arrival.
The head of his column was occupying hill,
q portion of which was an apple orchard,
across the little valley from the courthouse.
Sheridan's forces were drawn up in line of
battle on the crest of the hill on the south
side of the same valley. Before stating what
TOOK place between Gen. Lee and myself I
will give all there is of the narrative of Gen.
Lee and the famous apple tree. Wars pro-
duce many stories of fiction, some of which
are told until they are believed. The war
of the rebellion was fruitful in the same way.
The story of the apple tree is one of those
fictions, with slight foundation of fact.
As have said, there was an apple orchard
on the side of the hill occupied by the Con-
federate forces. Running diagonally up the
hill was wagon-road which at one point
ran very near one of the trees, so that the
wheels on that side had cut off the roots of
the tree, which made little embankment
Gen. Babcock reported to me that when he
first met Gen. Lee he was sitting upon this
embankment, with his feet in the road and
leaning against the tree. 1t was then that
Lee was conducted into the house where l
first met him.
81 had known Gen. Lee in the old army
and had served with him in the Mexican
war, but did not suppose, owing to the diff
ference in our ages and rank, that he would
probably remember me, while would re-
member him more distinctly because he was.
the chief engineer on the staff of Gen. Scott
in the Mexican war. When had left camp
that morning had not expected the result
so soon that then was taking place, and
consequently was in rough garb, and, l be-
lieve, without sword, as I usually was,
when on horseback on the field, wearing
soldiers blouse for coat with shoulder
straps of my rank to indicate who I was to
the army. When I went into the house 1
found Gen. Lee. We greeted each other
and after shaking hands took our seats.
What his feelings were do not know
Being a man of much dignity and with an
impenetrable face, it was impossible to say
whether he felt inwardly glad that the end
had finally come, Or whether he felt sadly
over the result, and was too manly to show
it. Whatever his feelings were, they were
entirely concealed from observation; but my
own feelings, which had been quite apparent
on the receipt of his letter, were sad and de-
pressed. / felt like anything rather than
rejoicing at the downfall of a foe that had
fought so long and gallantly, and had suffer-
ed SO much for a cause which l believed to
be one of the worst for which people ever
fought, and for which there was not the
least pretext. l do not question, however,
the sincerity of the great mass of those who
were opposed to US. Gen. Lee was dressed
in full uniform, entirely new, and wearing
a sword of considerable value, very likely
the sword that had been presented by the
State of Virginia; at all events, it was an
entirely different sword from the one that
would ordinarily be worn in the field. In
my rough travelling suit, which was the
uniform of a private, with the straps of d
general, | must have contrasted very
strangely with a man so handsomely dress
ed, six feet high and of ffaultless form. But
this was not a matter that l thought of un-
til afierward.
"Gen. Lee and | soon fell into converse
ton about old army times. He remarked
that he remembered me very we'll in the old
army, and I told him, as matter of course,
/ remembered him perfectly, but owing to
the difference in years-there being about
sixteen years difference in our ages-and
our rank thought it very likely I had not
attracted his attention sufficiently to be re
membered after such long period. Our
conversation grew so pleasant that almost
forgot the object of our meeting General
Lee at that time was accompanied by one
of his staff officers, Col. Marshall. had
all of my staff with me, good portion of
whom were in the room during the whole
of the interview"