Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-08
GRANT AND LEE.
PRELIMINARlES OF THE MEETING At
APPOMATTOx COURT HOUSE.

Gen. Grant Almost Taken Prtsoner-A
/ Greeting to Phil Sheridan-Gen. Les
Under the Apple Tree-The Meeting at
aIcLean's House.
Mounting his horse again, Gen. Grant rode
on at trot towards Appomattox court
house When five or six miles from town
Col Newhau, Sheridan's adjutant general,
came riding up from the direction of Apo
mattox and handed the general a communi-
/ cation. This proved to be duplicate of the
/ letter from Lee which Lieut. Pease had
brought in from Meades lines Lee was so
/ closely pressed that he was anxious to COM
municate with Grant by the most direct
means, and as he could not tell with which
column Grant was moving, he sent in one
copy of his letter on Meade's front and one
on Sheridan's. Col Newhall Joined our
party, and after few minutes halt to read
the letter, we continued our ride towards
Appornattox. On the march | had asked the
general several times how he felt To the
same question now he said: 1.-THE pain in
my head seemed to leave NE the moment
got Lees letter"
The road was filled with men, animals and
wagons, and to avoid these and shorten the
distance, we turned slightly to the right and
began to ''cut across lots" but before going
far we spied men conspicuous in gray, and it
was seen that we were moving towards the
enemy's left flank and that a short ride
farther would take us into his lines It looked
for a moment as if a very awkward condi-
ton of things might possibly arise, and
NJ in 7 oo,c IN,
stead of Lee in his. Such circumstance
would have given rise to an important cross
entry in the system of campaign bookkeep-
ing There was only one remedy-to retrace
or steps and strike the right road, which
was done without serious discussion. About
o'clock the little village of Appomattox
Court House with its half dozen houses came
in sight, end soon we were entering its single
street. 1t is situated on some rising ground,
and beyond the country slopes down into a
broad valley. The enemy was seen with his
columns and wagon trains covering The low
ground. Our cavalry, the Fifth corps, and
part Of Ord's command were occupying the
high ground to the south and west of the
enemy, heading him off completely
GREETING PHIL SHERIDAN.
Gems. Sheridan and Ord. with a group OF
officers around them, were seen in the road,
and as our party came up, Gen. Grant said:
"How are you, Sheridaa!"
First rate, thank you, how are your
cried Sheridan, with a voice and lock that
seemed to indicate that on his part ne was
having things all his own way.
SIS Lee over thereg' asked Cen Grant,
pointing up the street, having heard rr-
NOR that Lee was in that vicinity
eyes, he is in that brick house." answered
Sheridan.
We'll, then, we'll go over" said Grant.
The general in chief now rode on. accom-
panied by Sheridan. Ord and some others.
and soon Col Babcock's orderly was seen sit
ting on his horse IN the street III front OF a
two story brick house, better in appearance
than the rest OF the houses. He said Gen.
Lee and Col. Babcock he'd gone into this
house a short time before, and he
was ordered to post himself in the
street and keep a lookout for Gen.
Grant, so as to let him know
where Gen Lee was Babcock told me after
ward that in carrying Gen. Grants last letter
he passed through the enemy's lines and
found Gen. Lee little more than half a mile
beyond Appomattox Court House. He was
lying down by the roadside on a blanket,
which had been spread over few fence rails
on the ground under an apple tree which vas
part of an orchard. This circumstance fur
nished the only ground for the widespread re-
port that the surrender occurred under an
apple tree. Babcock discounted upon COM
ing near, and as he approached on foot Lee
sat up, with his feet hanging over the roadside
The wheels Of the wagons in
passing: along the road had cut away the earth
Of this embankment and left the roots of the
tree projecting. Lees feet were partly resting
on these roots. One of his staff officers came
forward, took the dispatch which BabcoclS
handed him and gave it to Gen. Lee After
reading it the general rose and said be would
ride forward on the road on which Babcocl, |
had come, but was apprehensive that HOSTILE |
ties might begin in the meantime upon tn7
Of the temporary truce, and asked |
Babcock to write a line to Meade informing |
him of the situation. Babcock wrote accord |
inSly, requesting Meade TO maintain the |
truce until positive orders from Gen. Grant |
could be received
HUNTING A HOUSE.
To save time it was arranged that a Union |
officer. accompanied by one of Lees officers |