The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-30
THE APpoMATTox APPLE TREE.
Only ooe Northern Man who Got Por.
tJn,, NJ tLa E.r,ous Relic

Only Ooe Northern Man Who Got Por-
tIon of the Famous Relic.
A recent article in The Atlanta Con-
stitution said all the published state
ments that numerous persons in the
north had relics from the Appomattox
apple tree were absolutely false. 1t
stated, upon the authority Of Confed-
crate generals who were present at the
surrender of Gen. Lee, that only one
man connected with the Union force
had ever obtained any portion of that
tree and that he had only portion OF
the root or trunk. 1t explained that
the whole tree had been cut to pieces
by members of the Confederate army
before the Union forces came upon the
ground, and that the master OF trans
portation of the Union army who, at
Gen. Lees request, supplied the Con-
federate army with rations, was only
able to secure the last remaining por-
ton of the tree, and that it was forty
eight hours after he appeared before
any other member of the Union forces
had access to the field The article also
added that the sole possessor of piece
of this historical tree north of Mason
and Dixon's line was Coo Bates, now
of Philadelphia.
The writer OF The Inquirer ascertain
ed that the person referred to was
George II. Bates, at present proprietor
of the Oriental hotel in this city, who
was at the time of the surrender OF
Lees army master of transportation OF
the army Of the Potomac Mr. Bates
when questioned upon the subject
gave his statement of the matter as fol
| lows:
yes, sir. The statement is correct,
and am the man referred to. When
/ have heard and read accounts of per-
sons having canes and other articles
made from that famous tree | have
been amused, because know that am
the only man north of Mason and Dix
on's line who ever obtained relic
from that tree This is What occurred
on that memorable April day when
Lee surrendered. / WAS master Of
transportation in the Army of the Pc
tomac. Immediately upon Gen.
Grants return after his meeting with
Gen. Lee, who had surrendered, III
compliance with Gen. Lees request to
have food sent to his starving troops
/ received orders to prepare train OF
wagons with rations and to take them
beyond our lines under the flag Of
truce into the cncmy's lines and report
TO Gen. Lee.
"a speedily gathered nineteen wag.
on loaded train of rations passed
through our lines and passed along
the road near the famous tree under
which Lee had waited for Gen. Grant.
I inquired for the Confederate geacr-
ais headquarters and finally ! fond
it. where with Gen. Lee and his staff
officers q brief time was spent pleasant
". Then | asked some Confeder ties
standing around TO unload the wagons,
but they refused, whcreupon L ordered
my suboriinatcs to dismount and IN.
load, which they did grudgingly.
'Well, about half pastt or ) p. IN.
We started with the empty wagons
back to our lines. On the way | saw
Confederate soldiers hacking away at
the stump of the tree which a lew
hours previously had sheltered c IN.
Lee from the suns rays. Inreply to
my inquiry the relic seekers said they
wanted souvenirs to keep of the zee
under which their general had sur
rendered Then there was nothing
LETT but the root. l Immediately took
a jack knife and cut outa piece, vi .cb
l have preserved to the present time.
and another piece which handed to
my carpenter, who carved out a hing
with heart on ii, which l have also
kept. 1 was given u pass by Gen. Les
adjutant general to go in and out OF
the lines at will. have also preserved
that. Here it is" The document "as
then shown to the writer, signed by
Gen. Lee and coun:ersigncd, bearing
date April 0, 1868.
Mr.. Bates continued his story BY
saying that on his next visit to the
enemy's lines not the slightest vestige
of any portion Of that tree, brancl. or
root remained, and with the exception
of Gen. Grant and his two staff OIL
GERS, Gen. Rawlings and Col. Leete,
no Union officers or soldiers passed the
lines until forty-eight hours later. de
therefore feels convinced that the
statement made by the southern jour
nal is correct, that only Confederates,
with the exception of himself, obtain
ed any portion of that historical tree.
There were other apple trees at a
distance, bat still i'll the vicinity Of
the place of surrender, which the
Union relic hunters speedily laid IN
der tribute.
Mr.. Bates showed the writer the
pieces he obtaincd-the root, which Is
three by six in dimensions, and the
ring with the heart craven on it
Philadelphia Inquirer