Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-05
THE M'LEAN HOUSE,

"Gen. Lee and Col. Marshall dismounted on
the lawn close by the steps leading to the
park, handed their bride reins to a Servant or
soldier, and entered the house
Lee was riding his famous gray horse
Traveller Some time afterward Grant and
his staff rode up to the house; first Grant
entered and later on the different members of
his staff followed"
At Mr.. Peers invitation accompanied him
over the red clay road that leads to the old
brick house which has become historic. The
property has passed from the hands of the
Mclean family and is now occupied by Mrs
Raglan. the widow Of n. G.. Raglan. who pur-
chased it from Mr.. Mclean. / must confess to
some feeling OF awe as l walked up the steps
which had been trod by those two great gen.
erals who had led mighty opposing armies to
battle for many months, but who had not cast
eye on each other since they had fought side
by side in Mexico for a common country until
they met on that eventful Sunday to perform the
last act in the drama of the greatest war OF
modern times.
THE DAWN OF PEACE.
And when we entered the parlor on the left
Of the hall through the door over which hangs
the renowned engraving, entitled the Dawn
Of Peace" Of which the above outline sketch il
given, was impressed with the fact that not
one of the principal actors was left to celebrate
the twenty-ffth anniversary of that event.
The dawn that had been followed by a morning
OF anxiety and suspense to those upon whom
fortune frowned-a morning which, let us hope
will be followed by q MONDAY bright with
prosperity and fruitful in developing the
resources of the new south.
Years before l had visited the Office of Gen.
Lee at Washington and Lee University at Lex
lngton, Va, where every book and paper and
article Of furniture were sacredly preserved
just as the beloved leader of the cause so dear
to southern hearts had left it the last time that
he put pen to paper, in October, 1870.
had witnessed the immense procession al
Philadelphia that had been called together tC
welcome the victorious general and ex-Presi
dent home from his triumphal journey around
the world in December. 1879-ten years ago.
had seen the funeral cortege that accom-.
panied his remains climb Murray Hill anC
move up 9Th avenue. with all the pomp and
panoply of war, his coffin followed to the grave
by Presidents and statesmen, soldiers and
prominent citizens from every state.
i had helped applaud the dashing soldle,
whose name will live In poetry and drama as
he rode at the head of the great parade in
Philadelphia in honor of the completion of the
nations first century under the Constitution
| the gallant Sheridan, raised to the rank OF
general" on his death bed by special act OF
Congress for meritorious services rendered
during the closing months of that war.
had seen his hag-draped coftin-borne upon
an artillery caisson-on its way to his last rest
ing place at Arlington. And l had stood by his
| tomb, in sight of the manor house of the beau
tlful estate once owned by the family of the
vanquished commander of the southern armies
to whose surrender he was a witness.
ALAS, how few and short the years
His wreath of laurel the victor wears"
During the conference Gen. Lee requested
that the privates among the cavalry and artil-
lery be permitted to retain their horses, te
which Gen. Grant replied:
II take it that most of the men in the ranks
are small farmers, and as the country has beer
so raided by the two armies it is doubtful il
| they will be able to put in crop to carry them.
selves and their families through the next
winter without the aid of the horses they are
now riding, and will arrange it in this way:
will net change the terms as now written, but
will instruct the officers l shall appoint to re-
ceiye the paroles to let all the men who claim
| to own a horse or mule take the animals home
with them to work their little farms
This act of magnanimity on the part of Gen
Grant was highly appreciated by those who
were acquainted with the circumstances by
which it was brought about.
THE INTERVIEW.
As Mr.. Peers was not within he could give
me no description of what happened in the old
parlor save what he had learned from Others
The table used by Gen. Grant. of which there
is gold model in the National Museum. was
purchased from Mr. Mclean by Gen. Ord and
he small stand at which Gen. Lee sat was pre-