Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-16
Sheridan Gives His "reminiscences of
Lees Surrender


North American for September: In
the meantime, General Lee came over
TO McLean's house in the village of APP
pomattox Court House. | am not GER
tain whether General Babcock, of Gen
eral Grants staff, who had arrived in
advance of the general, had gone over
to see him or not. We had waited some
hours, and, | think, about l2Or | o'clock
General Grant arrived. General Ord,
myself, and many officers were in the
main road leading through the town, at
a point where Lees army was visible.
General Grant rode up and greeted me
with, sheridan, how are your" l re-
piled, 81 am very well, thank you" He
then said: Where is Lee?" | replied:
''There is his army down IN that valley;
he is over in that heuse (pointing to Nc
Lean's), waiting to surrender to YOU"
General Grant. still without dismount-
ing, said: Come, let us go over" He
then made the same request OF General
Ord and we all went to McLean's house.
Those who entered with General Grant
were, as nearly as | can recollect, Ord,
Rawlins. Seth Williams, ingalls,, Bah
cock. Parker and myself; the staff Off
GERS, or those whO accompanied, remain
ing outside on the porch steps and in
the yard. On entering the parlor We
IOunu IeUcTt LcC SuttHuluS III COll-
pany with Colonel Marshal, his aide-de-
camp. The first greeting was TO Cen
eral Seth Williams, who had been Lees
adjutant when he was superintendent
of the military academy. Genera Lee
was then presented to General Grant
and all present were introduced. Gen
eral Lee was dressed in a new gray I'M
form, evidently put OF for the occas,
| ion, and wore a handsome sword. He
had on his face the expression of relief
from Il heavy burden. General Grants
uniform was soiled with mud and SER
vice, and he wore no sword. After a
few words had beer spoken by those
who knew General Lee, all the officers
retired, except, perhaps, one staff officer
of General Grant and the one who was
with General Lee. We had not been
absent from the room longer thar about
five minutes when General Babcock
came to the door and said: The sur
render has taken place you can come
in again"
When we re-entered, General Grant
was writing on a little d clip
tical-shaped table purchased by me
from Mr.. Mclean and presented to Mrs.
G. A. CUSTER the conditions OF the sur
render. General Lee was sittlng, ms
hands resting on the hilt OF his sword,
| to the left of General Grant, with his
| back to a small handicapped table, on
which many books were piled. While
General Grant was writing, friendly
| conversation was engaged in by General
| Lee and his aid with the officers pres
emit. and he took from his breast pocket
| two dispatches, which had peel sent to
him by me during the forenoon, notify
ing him thai some of his cavalry in
front of Crook we're violating the agree
| ment entered into by withdrawing, l
| had not had time to make copies when
thew were sent, and had made a request
TO have them returned. He handed
| them to me with the remark: II an
sorry. 1t is possible my cavalry at that
noint of the line did not fully under
| stand the agreement"
About one hour was occupied in draw
ing up and signing the terms, when
General Lee retired from the house
with a cordial shake OF the hand with
General Grant, mounted his chunky
gray horse, and, lifting his hat, passed
through the gate and rode over the
crest of the hill to his army. On his
arrival there we heard wild cheering,
which seemed to be taken up pro-