The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-17
Grant and Lee Again.

Miss Grumpy. in New York Graphic.
On July 1, 1883. Mr.. Logan Murray, of New
York, related to me with great impressiveness
the story of a scene which had taken place the
previous week at the meeting Of the board of di-
rectors Of the United States National Bank, in
New York, which story I then put in writing, so
think it opportune to revive now. Mr.. Murray
was presiding at the board meeting, and General
Grant was present as one Of the directors when
the incident occurred. Mr.. Murray had been
reading an article, then recently published, by
General Sheridan. on Lees surrender, and when
General Grant entered, after all the members of
the board had assembled, Mr.. Murray asked him
If he would not crafty those present by giving
his own recollections Of that momentous occasion.
1t so CHANGED that General Grant was in the
mood to talk, and he talked so we'll for over an
hour, giving a clear, concise history of the days
preceding the the surrender and all the events
connected with 1t, that all present. were thrilled
by the recital, and the bank books were
closed, and the vice-president of the bank
declared the meeting adjourned to listen
to this chapter of history. General Grant him
self showed much emotion at times. He laid
great stress upon his reply when Lee said to him
when they met to arrange the surrender, "Gen.
Grant, we come here, each representing our own
country, to treat with each other Not So"
firmly answered General Grant, ''we do not rep
resent two countries, but one.' On this pointhe
insisted, whenever General Lee spoke of the two
countries, seeking, as General Grants auditors
understood, to convey to General Lee the idea
forcibly that it was not two foreign nations which
had warred against each other, but a paternal
government, which, having brought a refractory
child into submission, was willing to receive the
child again as a child on conciliatory terms,
General Grant said that he sat down at the table
and wrote out the terms of surrender and said
to General Lee, Let your officers and men
keep their horses; we don't want them,
and they will need them, for it will
soon be time for them to begin their
farming. and | want all of you to take your
horses home with YOU" He added that, on
hearing this, General Lees eyes filled with tears,
of the surrender: ''This will have a splendid
effect at the South" Then General Grant said
to him: Nov this war should be over. You,
with your influence at the South, should see to
it that not another gun is fired; not another life
lost. After this, a life lost in any fight would be
murder, and you can prevent it, General Lee
answered: We'll, / will speak to Mr.. Davis
about it." In telling the story, General Grant
added: 'if that had been Joe Johnston, instead
OF Lee, he would not have said that, but would
have himself assumed the responsibility Of de-
claring the war should be over ON his side as
did ON mine; but Lee did not like to take the
responsibility of making a pledge to stop the
fight until he had consulted with Davis" Gen.
Grant said that when he and Lee first met that
day, they shook hands as old comrades in the
army, and talked over their experiences at West
Point and elsewhere at military points in a mat
ter-of-course way, as if they had met under
ordinary circumstance.