Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-07-30

men, but so turbulent and unmanageable
that nobody cared for the command. He
drilled and marched some of the unneceS-
sary spirit out of this regiment during the
first four weeks it was in his charge, and
after marching it into Northern Missouri
he was, on the 9th of August, 1861, through
the influence of his old-time friend, Mr.. E.
B. Washburne, of Galena, appointed Brig
adler General and put in command OF a
district composed of Southeast Missouri
and Southern Illinois, with headquarters
at Cairo. Here was begun military ca
reer which in less than four years gave
him a world wide fame.
1t is not the purpose of this review of
the career of the dead General to recount
the incidents that marked his rise from q
Brigadier General to General of the army.
The victories at Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort
Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga,
Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge in the
West, and the battles of the Wilderness,
the siege of Petersburg and the score OF
encounters which distinguished his con-
nection with the Army of the Potomac, be-
long to a branch of history which it is for
ign to the purpose of this paper, at pres
emit, to consider The surrender of Lees
army and the subsequent and consequent
collapse of the Confederacy were brilliant
episodes in his career.
After continuous efforts to escape his en-
vironments, Lee at last realized that he
was at Grants mercy, and he offered to
surrender. General Grant as usual was
grand air about him. No citation was visi-
BILE in his manner or appearance. His
voice was as calm as ever, and his eye be-
trayed no emotion. He spoke and acted as
plainly as if he were transacting an ordi-
nary matter of business. No one would
have suspected that he was about to re-
ceive the surrender of an army, that one
of the most terrible wars of modern times
had been brought TO a triumphant close by
the quiet man without a sword, who was
conyersing calmly, but rather grimly, with
the elaborate gentleman in gray and gold
The compensation at first related to the
meeting of the two soldiers in earlier years
in Mexico. when Grant had been subal-
tern and Lee staff officer of Scott. The
rebel General, however, soon adverted to
the object of the interview. 81 asked to
see you. General Grant," he said, ''to as
certain upon what terms you would receive
the surrender of my army" Grant re-
piled that the officers and men must be-
come prisoners fwar, giving up, of course,
all ammunition, weapons and supplies, but
that parole would be accepted binding
them to go to their homes and remain there
until exchanged or relieved by proper au-
thority. Lee said he. had expected some
such things as these, and made some other
Grant inquired: ''Do understand, Gen
eral Lee, that you accept these terms?"
eyes," said Lee, s'and if you will put them
into writing will sign them"
Grant then sat down to the little table
and wrote the following letter:
AFFIRMATION CoURT-HOUsE. April 9, 1866
General r. f.. Lee, Commanding c. s. An
accordance with the substance of my letter
to Of the 9Th 9Th as the
on the following terms, to wit:
Roll of all the officers and men to be made in
duplicate. one copy to be given to an officer
designated by me, the other to be retained by
such officers as you may designate.
The officers to give their individual paroles
mn f( 70 To ap111S ad rat n1
until properly exchanged and each company
or regimental commander sign like parole
for the men of their commands.
The arms. artillery and public property to
be packed and stacked, and turned over to
the officers appointed by me to receive them
officers, nor their private horses nor baggage.
This done, each officer and man will be al
lowed to return to their homes, not to be dis
turbed by the United States authority SO long
as they observe their parole and the laws in
force where they may reside. Very respect
fully, U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.
While Grant was writing he CHANGED to
look up at Lee, who sat nearly opposite,
and at that moment noticed the glitter of
his sword. The sight suggested an altera-
ton in the terms, and he inserted the pro-
vision that officers should be allowed to
retain their side arms, horses and personal
property. Lee had accepted Grants con-
ditions without this stipulation, and doubt
less expected to surrender his sword. But
this humiliation he and his gallant officers
ten out Grant handed the papers to his
great antagonist, who put on his specta-
cles to read them. He was evidently
touched by their general clemency, and
especially by the Interpolation which saved
so much to the feelings of a soldier. He
said at once that the conditions were mag
unanimous, and would have a very good eff
feet upon his army.
He next attempted to gain little more.
The horses of his cavalry, he said, were
q soldiers. these
men he permitted to retain their animals?
Grant said the terms would not allow this?
Lee took the paper again, and glancing
TSs terms it aga do nd allow gge
Grant replied: 81 believe the war is now
over, and the surrender of this army will
be followed soon by that of all the
others. 1 know the men, and indeed
the whole South, are impoverished. will
not change the terms of surrender, General
Lee, but will instruct my officers who re-
ceive the paroles to allow the cavalry and
artillery men to retain their horses and
farms" Lee again expressed his acknowl-
edgment and said this kindness would
have the best possible effect.
He then wrote out hrs letter in these
words
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN vIR-
GINA. April 9, 1s65.-LTEUTENANT-GENE
U. S. GRANT, Commanding U. 8. A: General:
7 have received your letter of this date, con.
Northern Virginia. as proposed by you; as
they are substantially the same as those ex-
accepted I will proceed to designate the
proper officers to carry the stipulations into
effect. Very respectfully, your obedient serv-
ant, K. T.. LEE, General
While the conditions were being copied
the various Union officers were presented
to Lee. He was collected and courteous,
bow1ng to each, but offered none his hand.
One, General Seth Williams, who had
served closely with him IN the old army,
attempted to revive old memories, but Lee
repealed the advance coldly. He was in
no mood to remember ancient friendships,
or to recall pleasantly his service in the
army of which he was now a prisoner.
or under that flag which he had
quest to make. His men were starv-
ing; they had lived, he said. on two ears of
corn day for several days. Would Grant
supply them with food? There was a
train of cars at Lynchburg loaded with ra-
tions which had come from Danville for
his army. Would Grant allow them to be
distributed among the prisoners? Grant,
however, told them that this train had
been captured the day before by Sheridan.
Thus, at the moment of his surrender Lee
upon his conqueror. Grant, of course, ac-
quiesced in the request and asked how
many rations Lee required. But the rebel
General declared that he could not answer
the question. He had no idea of his own
strength. No return of the hrigades had
been made for several days. Besides those.
lost in the battle-killed, captured and
wounded, or those left on the roadside-the
men had been deserving and struggling by
thousands, He could not tell what num-
Der he had Left. All his public and private
papers had been destroyed to prevent
their falling into the Federal hands. Grant
finally inquir ed if $1,000 rations would snf-
flee. and Lee replied he thought THAT NUM-
1. hon