The Press., 1885-06-18
LEES SURRENDER.
GEN. GRANTS OWN ACCOUNT OF IT


 Tn narrating Lees surrender at Appo- mattox, Gen. Grant remarks:
 s.I found Gen. Lee had been brought into our lines and conducted to n house belonging to a Mr. Mclean. and was there with one of his staff officers waiting my arrival. The head of his column was occupying hill, a portion of which was an apple orchard, across the little valley from the court house. 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 will give all there is of the narrative of Gen. Lee and the fa- nous apple tree. Wars produce 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 wilma slight foundation of fact
 ssAs have said, there was an apple or chard on the side of the hill occupied by Fthe confederate forces. Running diag- onally 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 8 little l embankment.
 1 'NT0n. DdDCOcK T6pOfUSO GO ul0 tLdb Wu0A he first met Gen. Lee he was sitting upon this embankment, with his feet inthe road and leaning against the tree. It was then that Lee was conducted into the house where first met him.
 ssI 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 ferences in our ages and rank that he would probably remember me, while I would remember him more distinctly because he was the chief engineer on the staff of Gen. Scott during the Mexican war. When I had left camp that morning had not ex- pected the result so soon (that then was taking plaee), and consequently was in rough garb and, I believe, without a sword, as I usually was when on horseback on the field, wearing soldiers blouse for a coat, with shoulder straps of my rank to indicate who was to the army. When went into the house I found Gen. Lee. We greeted each other, and, after shaking hands, took our seats. What his feelings 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 re suit and was too manly to show it. What ever his feelings were, they were entirely concealed from observation, but my owr feelings, which had been quite apparent or the receipt of his letter, were sad and de 3 pressed. I felt like anything rather thar rejoicing at the downfall of foe, that hal . fought so long and gallantly, and had suf !. fered so much for cause which believed if to be one of the worst for which peopl ever fought, and for which there was no the least pretext. I do not question, how ever, the sincerity of the great mass o those who were opposed to HIS. Genera Lee was dressed in full uniform, entirel
 new, and wearing sword of considerabl
 value, very likely the sword that had bee
 presented by the state of Virginia; at a
 events, it was an entirely different swor
 from the one that would ordinarily b
 suit, which was the uniform of a privat
 with the straps of general, I must hay
 entrusted very strangely with man s |. handsomely dressed, six feet high, and
 faultless form But this was not matte D. that thought of until afterward
 ''Gen. Lee and I soon fell into col
 versation about old army times. He r
 marked that e remembered me very we
 in the old army, and told him as a ma
 ter of course that I remembered him pc fectly, but owing to the difference in yea
 there being abont sixteen years diffe
 ence in our ages-and our rank, thohgl
 i, very likely had not attracted his a
 tention sufficiently to be remembered aft
 such long period. Our conversatie
 grew so pleasant that almost forgot u
 object of our meeting. Gen. Lee at tn
 time was accompanied by one of his sta e, officers, Col. Marshall. had all of n H- staff with me, good portion of who o' were in the room during the whole of u - interview