The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1890-04-24
CAMPFIRE STORIES.
LEES APPLE TREE.
Only One Northerner Secured n Genuine
Appomattox Relic.

only One Northerner Secured n Genuine
Appomattox Relic.
A recent article in the Atlanta Consti-
tuition said all the published statements
that numerous persons in the North had
relics from the famous Appomattox APP
pie tree were absolutely false. Itstated,
upon the authority of Confederate Gem
erals who we're present at tho surrender
Of General Lee, that only one man con-
nected 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 tho master of transportation of
the Union army, who, at General Lee S
request, supplied the Confederate army
with rations was only able to secure the
last remaining portion of the tree and
that 1t 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 pos
SCISSOR of piece of this historical tree
north Of Mason and Dixon's line was
! NolOlOl DdJcS now OF IDllducIDnla.
The writer ascertaincd that tho per-
son referred to was George II. Bates, at
| present proprietor of the Oriental Hotel
in Market street, 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 yesterday,
| 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 persons
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 transpor
tation in the army of tho Potomac. I'M
mcdiately upon General Grants return
after his meeting with General Lee,
who had surrendered, in compliance
with General 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
enemy's lines and report to General
Lee.
"a speedily gathered nineteen wagon
loads OF rations passed through our lines
and passed along the road near the IA
nous tree under which Lee had waited
| for General Grant. | inquired for the
| Confederate Generals headquarters and
was answered two or three times by be-
brief time was speht pieasane,y i tn -uf'ae"
some prime applejack was produced OF
which we all took nip. Then ] asked
some Confederates standing around tc
unload the wagons, but they refused
being Southrons, who esteemed manual
labor evidently degrading, whercupon
ordered my subordinates to dismoun
and unload, which they did grudgingly
as they doubtless thought if we were
good enough to bring food to the enemy
the latter might at least be willing Il
carry it away.
''Well, about 4:30 or five p. IN. W.
started with the empty wagons back t.
our lines. On the way l saw Confcder
hCe SOlulcrS LdChiHS away aV VIZ SVuhi
of the tree which few hours prcviou
had sheltered General Lee from tn
sun $ rays, In reply to my inquiry tn
relic-seekors said they wanted souvenir
to keep Of the tree under which thci
General had surrendered. Then ther
was nothing left but the root. immo
diately took a jack-knife and cut out
piece, which l have preserved to tn
present time, and another piece which
handed to my carpenter, who carved on
a ring with heart on it, which | hay
also kept. l was given a pass by Ger
eral Lee s Adjutant-General to go in an
out OF the lines at will. Ihave also pre-
served that. Here it is"
The document was then shown tn
writer, signed by General Lee and cour
tersigned, bearing date April 0, 1865.
Mr.. Bates continued his story by say
ing that on his next visit into til
enemy's lines not the slightest vestiE
of any portion of that tree, branch,
root, remained, and with the eXceptio
of General Grant and his two sta
officers, General Rawlings and Colono
Leete, no Union officers or soldier
passed the lines until forty-cight houl
later. He therefore feels convinced tha
the statement made by the Souther
journal is correct that only Confede
ates, with the exception of himself, o
, tanned any portion of that histories
tree.
There were other apple trees at di
| tance but still in the vicinity of Il
: place of surrender, which the UniC
, relic-hunters speedily laid under tri
, ute.
: Mr.. Bates showed the writer the picc
he obtained-the root, which is 3
inches in Dimensions, and the ring wi
, the heart craven on it.-Philadelph