South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-06-06
That Appomsttox Apple Tree

That Appomattox Apple Tree
A recent article in the Atlanta
Con stitution ssid all the publised sto
n that numerous persons In the
North had relics from the old Appo-
msttox apple tree we're absolutely
Ease. II stated upon the authority
OF Confederate generals WIN were
present at tie surrender of Genera,
Lee that only one man connected
with the Union force hal ever OBJ
tained any portion OF that tree and
that had only been q portion of the
root or trunk. L. explained that the
whole tree had been cut 10 pieces By
members of the Confederate army
before the Union forces came upon
the ground, aud tina, The master of
transportation OF tie Union army
who, at General Lees request, sup
piled the Confederate army with RAJ
lions, was only able to secure the las t
remaining portion OF the tree. and
that it was 43 hours after he appear.
ed before any other me mher Of The
Unicn force had access TO the
6eld. The article also added that
the sole possess"r Of q piece of this
historic tree north OF Mason and
Dixon's lice was Colonel Bates, now
of Philadelphia.
An Inquirer reporter ascertained
that the person referred to was Geo.
Ii. Bates. at present proprietor of a
hotel in this city, who was ct the
time Of the surrender OF Lees army
master OF transportation for The ar.
my Of the Potomac. Mr.. Bates,
when qnes' Toned upon the subject,
gave his statement Of the matter as
follows:
Yes, sir; the statement is correct,
and am the man referred to. When
l have heard and read accounts of
persons having canes and other ar,i-
eles made f:om that famous tree I
have been amused, for / know that I
am tho only man north of Mason d
Dixon's line that ever Obtained a,rel.
ic from that tree. This is VII at &C.
Cured on that memorable Apri! day
when Lee surren Tered. I was master
OF transportation in the army Of the
Potomac. Immedia' upon Gen.
Grants return frOm his meeting with
Gen. Lee. Who had SURRENDERED, in
compliance with Gen. Lees request
to have food sent to his g Starving
troops. l received orders to prepare a
train OF wagons with rations and TO
take them beyond ou- lines under tue
flag of truce into the enemy's lines
aud report TO Gen. Lee.
A speedily gathered nineteen.
wagon loaded train of Is,ions
passed through our lines and along
the road near the famous tree under
which Lee had waited for General
Grant. / inquired for the Confeder-
ate Generals headquarters, and f.
nally found it, where with Gen Lee
and his s'aff officers a brief time was
spent pleasantly. Then l asked
some Confederates sanding around
10 help unload the wagons, but they
refused, wbereupon l ordered my
subordinates to dismount and unload,
which they di grudgingly.
Well, about haIf-past four or Eve
p. ID. We started with the empty Wag.
ons back to our lines. On the Way
l saw Confederate soldiers hacking
away at the stump Of the tree which
had few hours previously sheltered
Gen. Lee from the suA's ravs. In
reply to our inquiries the reic-seek.
ers said they wanted souvenirs to
keep Of tue tree under which their
general had surrendered. Then there
was nothing left but the root. im~
medid'ely took jacs-kuife AMI cut
out piece, which / have preserved
until the present time and another
piece which | handed u my carpen.
ter, who carved cut a ring with
heart on t. which | have also kept.
| was given pass by Gen. Lees adj
jutant-g neral to 60 in and out at
will. have also preserved il. Here
it Is The document was then shown
to the reporter. ! was signed by
General Lee and coun'er-signed.
bearing date April ., 1868.
Mr.. Bates continued bis story by
saj ing that on his next visit TO the
enemJ's line not The slightest YES.
tige Of any Of that tree, branch or
root, remained, and with the ercep-
ton Of General Grent and his two
slof officers, Gen. Rawlings AMI Col.
Leete' no Union soldiers passed the
liues until forty. eight hours later.
He therefore feels convinced that the
slatemeut made by the sou hern
journal is correct, that only Cunied.
era es besides himself obtained any
portion of the historical tree.
MIR. Bates showed the writer n
pieces he obtained-the root, which Ia
three by six inches in dimensions,
and The ring with the heart craven
on it.-Ph,iadelphjo Inquirer.