Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-18

White Flag Sent by the Rebel General
from Under an Apple Tree to Prevent
an Impending Attack by Union
TrOOPs-The Real Scene and Circum.
stances Of the Surrender.

stances OF the surrender.
From the New York SUM-
AT the Chicago convention in 1880 Senator
Conklng began the speech with which he nom-
mated Gen. Grant for the Presidency with a
couplet which was then believed to be his own
composition:
II you ask us where he halls from. this our sole
That he halls from Appomattox and its famous apple
This was pronounced with the dramatic force
OF which the speaker was a master, and brought
about one of the most impressive scenes ever
witnessed in political gathering. The allu-
sion to the apple tree revived the recollection
OF the climax of Gen. Grants career. The
homely, and in fact, wholly Hypothetical incl
fed, the Appomattox apple tree, has gone into
history, with those other dramatic symbols
WITH which people epitomize the careers of
at em;" Sheridan's Winchester Twenty Miles
aaWay: and Sherman's Marching Through
e gr thu the only war war songs that
breath. Aside from his lacoDic utterances,
Gen; Grant had given the people no single dra-
matlc incident that could be seized upon TO
tell his story in a word, until this apple-tree
myth at the end of his military career. The
dlspatch that set the country on fire with its
simple announcement that Lee had render
ca to Grant was followed by another asserting
that the surrender had been made under an APP
pie tree, and the country made for itself pic
ture OF the two commanders beneath the
branches of a poisoning apple tree, the one ex-
tending and the other receiving a sword, and
When Gen. Grant was asked about it some
days later he said: "There apple tree
But his soldiers had selected one, had hewn it
into bits, body. branches, roots and ALL and
precious relics they are now, scattered through
out the country.
1t was the opportunity of the writer to meet
two gentlemen on the Appomattox field some
years ago, who, as civilians witnessed the his
toric events that took place there on April 8,
bly, the only civilians who We're eye witnesses
of those scenes. One was MIR. E. G. Hix, the
owner Of the Appomattox farm, and the other
Mr.. G. T. Peers, the clerk of the Appomattox
The Appomattox river threads valley, very
gently gent sioping: It's small and easily ford,
place where a level plain stretches westward, IS
the hamlet known as AppomattOx Court House.
country store, wheelwright's shop. ana a
brick house, then owned by Major McLane.
Between this hamlet and the Appomattox river
is the house OF Mr.. Peers. On the eaSterly slope
leading to the river are fields. and one of them
seven-acre lot, had at the time of the surren-
der shed on it near the road. In this lot was
an apple orchard The Richmond and Lynch
burg turnpike road ran through the village, and
|. a bridge over the Appomattox river was about
the apple orchard. On the morning of April s,
1863, the main body of Lees army appeared
on the Richmond road, about a mile east of the
AppOmattOX bridge. It went into camp there,
and the cavalry and skirmishers were thrown
rapidly forward through the village toward the
depot on the Petersburg and Lynchburg rail-
way, four miles to the west. They were feeling
for Sheridans advance forces, and they found
them. The night before, Sheridan, with Gus.
ters cavalry ahead, had reached the depot, and
during the night large body of infantry had
come up. Sheridan knew that he had headed
on Lees army, and sent out his cavalry to find
1t. The Sklrinishers met on the Lynchburg
road. about mile west Of Appomattax Court
House, and a very brisk skirmish followed.
Lees forces withdrew as did Sheridans, and
informed Union
were ahead of him and commanded the Lynch
burg road. The confederate generals last slim
hope was gone He could not reach Lynch
burg, and he knew, though his army did not
at that time, that in few hours all would
be over: Gen. Lee had already been in cor
and when he found that Sheridan had cut
him off he determined to surrender there at
Appomattox. The confederate pickets were
thrown out on the west side of AppomattOx
creek, crossing the road directly opposite Mr..
Peers house. Through some misunderstood
cavalry and Gen. Chamberlains brigade ad-
vanced toward Appomattox village to make an
attack, though 1t was not the intention of Gen.
Grant or of Gen. Lee that there should be any
fighting that day. Gen. Grant having ridden
pretty much all night had arrived before morn
Ing Of the 9th, and had made his headquarters
in grove Of pines just off the Lynchburg road
about a mile west of Appomattox Court
House. The spot is now the site of negro hut.
mile and a half east on the Richmond and
Lynchburg road, surprised that fighting was
being forced by the Union troops on his left,
decided to quit his tent and ride to the front.
He believed that Custer and Chamberlain must
have been mSinfOrmed about Gen. Grants
purposes or had failed allie to receive orders sqs.
uniform of a confederate colonel, and, calling
his staff. he mounted his iron-gray horse and
Appomattox river. He turned into the apple
orchard, probably thinking that the shed there
offered shelter for the horses, and because from
that field good view could be obtained of the
entire country. DismOunting, he with his staff
gathered under an apple tree, while the horses
were led to the shed. Gen. Lee swept the coun.
try with his field glass for moment, and then
he sat down on an improvised seat made from
fence rails by one of his orderlies. Here he saw
Gen. Chambe: lain's brigade coming through the
woods ready to attack his advance. He at once
perceived that there would be more bloodshed
unless something was done, and gave a hasty
order to one of his aids. That officer, with a
piece of linen, either a towel or a handkerchief,
fastened to stick, advanced at once to meet
Gen. Chamberlain. Thus from under that tree
went the white token of surrender, and Cham
berlains men supposed that there the surren-
der was made.
An hostilities at once ceased, and in few
moments the federal pickets were advanced
beyond the court house, and the confederate
pickets were withdrawn nearer the Appomat-
tox. Thus the house of Mr.. Peers stood on neu-
trail ground between the two picket lines Soon
after federal officer passed through both lines
Of pickets. 1t was Gen. gabcock bearing a
ing tor a preliminary meeting It was arranged
that the two commanders should meet within
the lines within an hour. AT the end OF that
time number of Union officers passed through
the federal picket line and rode slowly toward
the slope that stretches down to the Appomat-
tox river. In the highway, just opposite Mr..
Peers house, the mud was very deep, and the
Union officers turned into the vacant field ad-
Joining to avoid il Mr. IT., Peers saw one man;
wearing felt hat ride a little ahead of the rest
and then rein in his horse nearly under locust
tree, which was the only tree in the lot This
saw Gen. Lee riding slowly up. He knew the
confederate general but did not know Grant
Gen. Lees face was partially hidden by gray
felt hat. When within hailing distance of the
Union commander, Gen. Lees staff fell back,
and Lee slowly rode forward to meet his con-
then began short conversation. They appeared
to Mr.. Peers rs men who had met by chance
and were discussing some trivial matter. In
less than ten minutes they saluted, turned,
1t Is now known that at that conversation the
two generals agreed to meet an hour or two
later and sign the articles of capitulation. Gen.
Lee rode to his headquarters and dressed him
started with his staff for Appomattox village.
On his way there he met near the court house
Major McLane, whom he knew personally.
refining In his horse, he asked Major McLane if
he could tell him where he could find room
once led the general to his own house. Word
was sent to Gen. Grant that Major McLane had
offered his parlor for their convenience, and in
a few moments Gen. Grant arrived. He had no
sword and all, Gen. Grant at once explained the
seeming discourtesy of appearing in rough
clothes by saying that he had arrived ahead of
his effects, and had no other clothes with him.
After the articles Of capitulation were signed,
Grants consideration for the confederate SOL
d1ers, especially by Grants suggestion that the