Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-04-10
Grant and Lee.

Gen. Jubal Early, stirred up by some
newspaper illusions to Gen. Grants hav-
ing refused to accept Lees sword, at APP
pomattox, twenty years ago, publishes
letter, to say that Gen. Lees sword was
not offered to the victor, for the reason
that the terms of capitulation provided
that officers should continue to wear their
side-arms. General Early farther quotes
authorities, with an evident wish to show
that Lee owed nothing to General Grants
magnanimity. On the other hand Ben
jamin Jeffries, of Des Moines, Iowa, says
that he was member of the 19lst Penn
sylvania, and was on guard on the Skin
mish line, about % yards from the spot
where Gen. Grant and Gen. Lee met, on
the afternoon of April 9th, 1865 and that
he witnessed the meeting and saw Gen.
Lee draw his sword and offer it to Gen.
Grant who declined it with wave of his
hand. His recollection of the sight, JEFF
fries says, is "as vivid as if it occurred
yesterday" But it is not possible that he
saw any such thing, and his statement at
best only shows how men sometimes let
their imaginations run away with them,
in reference to events long gone by. If
Jetfries saw any meeting, such as he de-
scrbes in much greater detail than we
have Indicated between Gen. Lee and Il
Federal officer, out of doors, and near the
skirmish line of the Union army on the
9th of April, 1865, it was probably the
meeting between Gen. Lee and Gen. Bah
cock of Grant staff, who had been sent
forward by Grant to arrange for the IN
terview which Gen. Lee had requested,
OF course Gen. Lee did not offer any
sword to BaDcock. Grant and Lee-as
Gen. Badeau, who was on Grants staff
and whose history of the transaction is
undoubtedly correct, describes their inter
view-first met on the threshold of the
Mclean farm house near AppomattoX
village, and passing into it, arranged the
terms of surrender in its little parlor.
While Grant was putting the terms OF
surrender, (Which Lee had accepted yer
bally) into writing, he noticed Lees hand
some sword the gift of the State of Vir-
ginia, by the side of the Confederate com
mander. 1.-The sight, says Badeau, ''sug
gested an alteration in the terms, and he
inserted the provision that officers should
be allowed to retain their side-arms
horses and personal property. Lee hat
accepted Grants conditions without this
stipulation and doubtless expected tC
surrender his sword. But this humilia
ton he and his gallant officers were
spared" Gen. Early is, therefore, righ
in saying that Lees sword was not offer
ed to his conqueror; but he is far from
right when he intimates that Gen. Lee
owed nothing to Gen. Grants magnani
NIFTY. Lees sword was not rendered
only because Gen. Grant had, in effect
already declined to receive it. Gen. LIE,
said the terms were magnanimous ant
they were made still more so, in practice
by Gen. Grant, for he allowed the rebe
cavalry and artillerymen to keep thei
horses. as well as the Confederate officers
This is confirmed by Col. Amos Web
ster, who was Il member of Genera
Grants staff, and present at General Leei
surrender. Referring to the statemen
that General Grant refused to receive
General Lees sword, he said to CORE
spondent of the Boston Traveller: "Ther'
is not one word of truth in it. Genera
Babcock rode ahead and greeted Genera
Lee. He was followed by General Gram
and staff. We dismounted. Genera
Grant shook General Lees hand and thu
two generals passed into the house where
the articles of surrender were signed
There was no reference made to the sworc
by General Grant, and therefore Genera
Lee didn't tender it, or was it refused.