The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-11

confederate camp one of Longstreet's staff
| officers rode up to his chief and said:
There is flag Of truce along the line,
with Gen. Ord in charge, SIR"
1t was only few minutes before Gen.
Ord and Gen. Longstreet met at the latter's
tent. Our men, )" said Ord, ARE trading
sugar for tobacco, and coffee for other
things your men have. They are even play
ing games and running horses together
making picket service a pleasure time,
rather than an important duty. IL is de-
sirable that it be stopped"
Longstreet agreed that it should and that
settled IL. This incident brushed awav
which was really only to pave the way for
one OF the most remarkable conversations
that ever took place between opposing gem
erals In time OF war Gen. Ord told Long
street OF Gen. Grants plan for bringing
himself and Gen. Lee together that they
might discuss some plan looking toward
ending the war. The plan was that Mrs
LoDgstreet should come through the lines
for a social visit TO Mrs. Grant, staying az
long as she pleased. As many officers a
Longstreet thought desirable should com
with her and go about freely with the union
officers. Mrs. Grant would then become her
guest, accompanied by as many federal Off
GERS as Grant might select.
lt was his idea that in this social way sug-
gesttons about the cessation Of hostilities
would be natural, as the officers of the two
armies came to know each other better In
this way the commanders Of the hostile forces
could also be brought into contact in an I'M
official way and discuss methods to put a
stop to further bloodshed. Even il nothing
practical came Of it kindly aud humane
spirit would, at least, be shown to exist
among the men doing the fighting, all the
leaders of whom were anxious to stop fur
Their sacrifice OF human life.
GEN. LoNGsTREET WAS PLEASED.
81 was much pleased with the PROPOSE
tion," said Gen. Longstreet more than a
quarter OF century after this memorable
incident of the winter of 1865. But hav-
ing no authority to treat upon any such
matters, l agreed to place the important
subject at once before Gen. Lee. / did SO,
and he heartily favored it. At Richmond
the scheme was earnestly talked over and
approved. Mrs. Longstreet was anxious to
do her part in the plea for peace, and was
very soon ready to start upon her delicate,
but interesting errsnd. Gen. Lee gave her
letter to Gen. Grant, which was seen by
me. before she passed through the lines.
ut was direct request for a conference
Co consider definite articles of peace. /
knew that request, the moment read it,
would be fatal to the plan arranged by
Grant. He had no right to consider such
articles, and l knew him well enough to
know that he would never assume an au-
thority he did not have. I went promptly
to Gen. Lee and urged such a change in his
letter as would at least open the way for the
proposed exchange of visits between our
wives. The reply was characteristic:
"l am opposed TO subterfuge or d.
plomacy. and will give none but the real
reason for our meeting
THE WOMEN NEVER MET.
81 sent the letter 60 Gen. Grant as it was
written, and, as expected, he replied that
he had no power to accept Gen. Lees prop
osition. Thus the whole matter dropped,
hostiities soon began, and Appomattox was
reached not much sooner than was expected
The reuniting OF the old ties began at the
surrender, only a few weeks after the fail
ure OF the plan of peace am telling you
about. l was one of the confederate COM
nissioners 10 arrange the details of capitula-
tion. Grant acted as though nothing had
happened to mar the ties that had existed
between us before the war After the
formalities were over we stepped apart
from the rest for private chat. He put
his arm within mine as we walked away
and said, with the same affection as of old.
Pete, let's go back to the good old
times and play game Of brag as we used
tow