The Nevada picayune., 1885-04-23
Grant and the Confederate Surrend.

LAKEWOOD, GA., Aprll S.-USn. John B. Gordon, the dashinG young officer upon whom the eyes of the Confederacy were cast as the Napoleon of the four years civil war, resides in a maglticient residence in this place.
 Your correspondent, as instruc- ted, today called Gen. Gordon's attention to a recent publication by Gen. Jubal Farly, where that officer states that:
 Gen. Lees sword was never ten. dered to Gen. Grant, and the hter therefore had no opportunity to de cline to receive it or return 1t af- ter it had been surrendered. The correspondence between Grant and Lee refutes the idea that Gen. Lee eyer contemplated making an unconditional surrender of his army, or that he was indebted to the magnsnimity of Grant for the terms of the surrender. Zen Lee sais scefore going to meet Gen. Grant he left orders with Long stre ct and Gordon to hold their commands in readiness, as he was determined to cut his way through or perish in the attempt if such terms were not granted as he thought his as,ny entitled tc de. mana. It was not, therefore, to Grants magnanimity that Gen. Lee was fN Ndebted for the privilege of retaining his sword, or for the terms gran+ed to his army, but to his own resolutc will and the anxi- ety of Grant to obtain the surrend. CT of an adversary who had thwaiAtes him so long.
 "In reply to tbese remarkable statements" said Gen. Gordon, I can do no better than give you a copy of letter which I had just written upon the question, and which l was just about ts send out for publfcation.'
 The letter was in the following terms:
 HARDWOOD NEAR ATLANTA, GA. April s, lSS5.-I wish to give my recollectlom. S some of the cir cnmstanccs attending the surron der of Gen. Lees army to Gen Grant at Appomattox court house Va. The fact that the struggle could not be prolonged by Gen. Lee beyond . &w days with any organized army had been evident for at least fOrty-eisht hours pre- ceding tho final engagements on the morning of the 9th of April The continued embarrassment and constant delays incident to re- tiring army, by reason of the ne cessity for keeping the wagon trains in advance Of the troops, while the pursuing army is, in large measure freed from such em. barrassment because its trains may be left in the rear; the want of ra- tions for the men and forage fol horses; the number of Confeder atcs who daily and hourly fell on the line of march from aheer e1 haustion, as well as in the con stantly recurring bottlos; exceed ingly small numbers under Gen. Lee command as compared with the army of Gen. Grant. left little ground for hope to the CoMeder' ate Generals of escaping speedy surrsSAsr. On the night of the sth of April the last council of war was held at Gen. Lees bivouac' near appomattox Court House At this council it was decided that an effort, though desperate, should be made the next morning to cut through the lines of Gen Grant ,and, if possible to pursue the re- treat toward Lynchburg. Gen Longstreet commanded ono wing of Gen. Lees army, while l com manded the other. Gen. Lees or ders were that the infantry and ar tillery under my eampand, with the cavalry, should assail the line, thrown across our front, and t&N Cen. Longstreet should check tl' heavy forces which pressed on ou1 rear, and, if possible, co-operate a the same time in aa efltrt to force our way out, while the wagor trains with the ammunition (w' l.could not be sad to have at tha t:me provisional were to.move.ifpo sibie. between Cen. Longstrset'i