Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-08-07

LAY aasee as q volunteer. The troops were gath
erea IN chaotic mass, and the Governor
aho MS staff, were nearly distracted.
ueneral Grant presented himself to
Sae Governor with the remark that
ae mad been educated at West Point
ana had served in Mexico, and asked for
something to do. He was told to
can again, as there were no vacancies.
Grant returned to his hotel, and calling
agaln tne next day received the same re.
spouse. He called again and again with
no oetter success. Finally, his funds run
nnlng low and his board bill being due,
G Grant' as q last resort, asked for office
WORT This was given him, and he began
MMork, very much elated over his success.
from this subordinate place he was soon
transferred to the A%djntant- Generals Of
nee, and after making q tour of inspection
OF ING various military camps in the State
was rendered the Colonelcy of the Twenty
hrst Regiment of Infantry, a fine body of
men, but SO turbulent and unmanageable
ghat nobody cared for the command. He
drilled and marched some of the unneces-
sary spirit out of this regiment during the
nrst four weeks it was in his charge, and
a1ter marching it into Northern Missouri
ne was, on the 9th of August, 1851, through
VI Ills OlusUlu0 1IlGnO, NH, III,
d; w ashburne, 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 a 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
Brlgadier-G 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,
encounters which distinguished his con-
.nection with the Army of the Potomac, be-
long to q branch of history which it is for
eign to the purpose of this paper, at pres
emit, to consider. The surrender of Lees
army and the subsequent and consequent
OF the C~onfederacy were brilliant
kepisodes in his career.
After continuous efforts to c his en-.
Nonments, Lee at last realized that he
wss at Grants mercy, and he offered to
surrender. General Grant as usual was
simple and composed, and with none of the
grad air about him. No elation was visi-
pie ! his manner or appearance. His
traydno emotion. He spoke and acted as
plainly as if he we're transacting an ordi-
narytmatter of business. No one would
have suspected that he was about to re-
celv9the surrender Of an army, or that one
or tn most terrible wars of modern times
a een brought to a triumphant close by
the qliet man without a sword, who was
convFsing calmly, but rather grimly, with
the elaborate gentleman in gray and gold.
The conversation at first related to the
meeting of the two soldiers in earlier years
in Mexico, when Grant had been a subal-
tern ind Lee a staff officer of Scott. The
rebel General, however, soon adverted to
see .ypu, General Grant," he said, ssto as
certain upon what terms you would receive
the surrender of my army?" Grant re-
pl1edthat the officers and men must be-
comsprisoners of war, giving up, of course,
all ammunition, weapons and supplies, but
that}a parole would be accepted binding
them to go to their homes and remain there
untilexchanged or relieved by proper au-
thorty: Lee said he had expected some
suchthings as these, and made some other
remlrk not exactly relevant. W~hereupon
Graft inquired: "Do I understand, Cen
eraILee, that you accept these terms?'
.Yf," said Lee. land if you will put them
Giant then sat down to the little table
andwrote the following letter:
APP0MArTox CoURT-HousE, April 9, 1866
Getrdl r. q. Lee, Commencing C. S. All
acdsrdance with the substance, of my Letter
surrender of the Army Of Northern Virginia
onEhe following terms, to wit:
BOIL of all the officers and men to be madei IL
~dssignate'd by me, the other to be retained siI i!
such officers as you may designate.
The officers to give their individual parole
not mott, to 0r take arms aash against , the Uni United State
or regimental commander sign u like parOl
for the men of their commands. .
The arms, artillery and public property t
the officers appointed by rue to receive them
This will not embrace the side-arms of tn
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 lonl
as they observe their parole and the laws ii
force where they may reside. Very respect
fully, U. S. GRANT, Observation-Disclosures.
While Grant was writing he CHANGED tx
look up at Lee, who sat nearly opposite
and at that moment noticed the glitter o
his sword. The sight suggested ar altera'
ton in the terms, and he inserted the pro
vision that officers should be allowed tt
retain their side-arms, horses and persona
property. Lee had accepted Grants con
ditions without this stipulation, and doubt
less expected to surrender his sword. Blu
this humiliation he and his gallant officer
were spared. When the terms were writ
ten out Grant handed the papers to hi
greaG antagonist, VINO put on MS SpecGa
cles to read them. He was evidentl,
touched by their general clemency, ant
especially by the Interpolation which savee
so much to the feelings of a soldier. H
said at once that the conditions were mag
unanimous, and would nave a very good eff
feet upon his army.
He next attempted to gain a little more
The horses of his cavalry, he said, wer
the property of the soldiers. Could thes
men be permitted to retain their animals
Grant said the terms would not allow this
Lee took the paper again, and glancin.
over it again said: "No, you are right
The terms do not allow it," Whereupol
Grant replied: 81 believe the war is nov
over, and the surrender Of this army viii
be followed soon by that Of all tn
others. I know the men, and indee'
the whole South, are impoverished. Twill
not change the terms of surrender, Genera
Lee, but will instruct my officers who re
ceive the paroles to allow the cavalry an
artillery men to retain their horses an
take them home to work their littl
FARMS" Lee again expressed his acknowl
edgment and said this kindness woul
have the best possible effect.
He then wrote out his letter in thes
words:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIE
GINA. April 9, Neutrality-suspicious.,