Delta chief., 1885-04-22
R.u,p,.o.nees Of Lees Surrender.

RemIniscences Of Lees Surrender. !
Leer. Globe Democrat.
GANsvILLE, Georgia, April s-Meny
things have been said OF late toucn!ng
the surrender of General Lee at AP.
pomattox, and the magnaninity oI
Grant upon that occasion: WIN tne
, view of throwing as much light as pos
sible upon the events OF those Gays,
your correspondent to-day PAID q WISH
10 the home of General Longstreet,
vho was a member Of Lees historic
council of war, held on the night OF
April 8, 1865. Arriving about 4
O'CLOCK. he soon found himself in the
presence of the gray old General whose
bravery was the pride Of the men who
followed him.
UGeneral, YOU know that Grant is ly-
ing on his death bed, and newspapers
are having a great deal to say about
his generosity to General Lee when he
surrendered at Appomattox, some
claiming that Grant was very magnan-
imous, others--smong them General
Early-holding that Lee virtually
forced him to honorable terms. Do
you mind giving your own recollec-
tions for printP" ,
General Longstreet replied: "On the
eighth of April, 1865, Just twenty years
ago to-day, we found ourselves almost
completely surrounded bv the Federals.
So critical was the situation that Cen
eral Lee called council Of war to meet
that night" .,,,
"Who composed that council'"
"Generals Lee, Gordon. Ettzhugh
Lee, Pendleton and myself.
..At that meeting. was 1t supposed
that the surrender was so near?'
"No. We fully expected to pass
through AppomattoS-
.Dtd YOU expect to fight through. or
cut through AS they say?"
"So. Gordon said there would be no
trouble about il. He said he could get
through all right. and was instructed to
do SO by Lee. The plan was for him to
pass Appomattox long before daylight
on the morning OF the 9th. ! thought
that he had succeeded, until the news
that he had failed to do so. and that
General Lee had surrendered"
you brought up the rear in tie line
OF march, did you notp"
Eyes, and would have carried my
command through IL Gordon had done
what he thought he could do"
..How was II that Gordon failed?"
..There seemed to be some delay in
moving the cavalry which l could not
understand"
..It was not then thought in the
council tha, ycn woul d have to ssrrsn-
der and you we're not ordered to cut
through the lines either before or after
the parley between Leo and Grant3
II was not ordered to cut through at
All but was simply to follow Gordon.
who had no doubt about getting
through"
..What induced General Lee TO first
sue for pcnce2"
Tho simple fact that when Gordon
was stopped We were completely sur
rounded and could not hope to ho'd
out longer"
slow long were Lee and Grant en-
gagged in discussing the terms OF sur
rendere"
mot over twenty minutes. Grant
simply stated the terms and Lee accept
cd them. We all knew beforehand ex-
nctly what Grant would ask, and we
knew nothing was left Lee but TO accept
his terms. Grant asked nothing more
than what he was compelled to. and
none OF us fslt that he ought TO have
asked less"
"What about Grant declining TO ask
for General Lees sword"
'Oh, well. that custom Of surrender
ing the sword belonged to the old days.
I don't suppose Lee or Grant thought
of it,"
"Then you wore not ordered by Lee
to hold yourself in readiness TO cut
through the Federal lines in the event
that Grants terms were not favorable
onough3" :,
"No; received no such orders"
..You do not think that any order OF
General Lees had any influence upon
General Grant in proposing the terms
OF surrender"
81 do not"
Thanking the General for his kind
ness. your correspondent withdrew.