The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19
HISTORIC APPROPRIATION.
srr,r or LYE,s SURRENDER TO
GRANT MARKED WIN TABLETS
nh. Interesting Work Undertaken by t""
War Department some mon'hs
AGO just Completed.

I
involving the marking Of the important
snots al and around old Appomattox
Courthouse connected with the sur
render Of Lee to Grant in 1866. During
the early summer 1t was suggested to
| Secretary Lamont by Mr.. Kirkley, one of
the members Of the board having in
charge the publication of the records OF
| the rebellion, that 1t was time now 20 marx
these spots II Il was ever 10 be done
| as the landmarks are fast being oDhteT-
| ated by the passage OF years. Inc sec
rotary saw the Importance Of TINS ana
Immediately gave orders 10 have the idea
carried out. Since then Major DAVIS, the
| head Of the board has been Worklns
hard. and has at last succeeded In having
ALI the points Of interest at AppomattoX
| marked in a permanent manner
This is done by means of cast-iron
tablets that are fastened to iron posts
five feet long. They are sunk into the
ground a sufficient depth TO secure sta
bility, and bear the tablets which are
| about three feet long by two high, in
slanting position. on a line with the eye.
| The letters are two and a quarter inches
| high and stand out in good relief so that
they can be read some distance of. A
| contrast In black and white paint gives
! them great legibiity
The tablets start at the station where
| the new courthouse is now located. There
| they are merely sign boards with arrows
| pointing IN the direction of the old court
| house, which stood about three miles from
the railroad. The road that connects II
| with the station is the old Lynchburg
turnpike and runs in a generally norther-
ly direction from the station. The troops
! Of each side were cncamped on botn
| sides Of the road. The preliminary tab
lets merely direct the visitor to the
courthouse.
About half way to the site Of the sur
render is the first marking tablet, an
nouncing:
ION this spot were established the
Headquarters Of Lieutenant General Ulys-
ses S. Grant, L. S. A, on the afternoon
Of April 0, 1865"
The next in order along the road 10
the most interesting reading thus:
This tablet marks the site Of the
house owned and occupied by Wilmer Nc
Lean, in which General u. S. Grant, L.
S. A.. and General Robert L. Lee, c. >.
A.. met and agreed upon the terms of
surrender Of the Army Of Northern Viz
pinia. on the afternoon Of Sunday, April
q 1865. The house was taken down and
removed to Washington, y. c.. In 1893
There is a curious anachronism In this
tablet that will be rectied later. Nhen
the Mclean house was taken down u
was thought that it would be taken TO
Chicago hut the plan Of the syndicate
that purchased the entire site Of the sur
render was changed and it was decided
10 remove the building to Washington.
tn to date, however, the material has
not been removed, though the house has
been taken down. Thus the tablet IS not
| quite correct. but If the material Is not
| taken away soon new tablet VIII De
| cast that will be accurate.
| A few rods further up the road the
visitor comes upon the site Of the Oh
| Courthouse the story Of which Is toiu
| i'm the third tablet, thus;
"Here stood Appomattox Courthouse
! built 1872 burned 1892"
! The ruins Of the old building are sun
| to be seen.
ON the morning following the meeting
| between the generals in the Mclean
! house. both OF them started out from ther
| respective headquarters and rode on morse
| back down the side Of the road. which
/ was very muddy for the purpose or a
further Interview They met about hah
| way. at a spot a little north Of the court
| house on the west side Of the road. Here
! is erected tablet to this effect:
| "On this spot Lieutenant-General
Ulysses s. Grant. Z. s. A., and General
| Robert +. Lee, G. S. A. met on the
morning of April 10, 1865"
| Then the lines of both sides are
narked. The line OF Union outposts on
| the morning Of Sunday, April 9. crossed
the road lust beyond the meeting place
| and that Of the Confederate outposts Is
noted about 200 yards further on.
| The surrender was consummated oy
| the Confederate troops marching down
| toward the South, from their encamp-
| mont I'M the road and passing I'm front OF
| line formed by the first division Of the
| Fifth corps of the Union army. As the
road had been terribly cut up by the
wheels of the artillery, and was sea
| of mud. the troops were drawn up on
/ the east side Of the road, In the held,
| facing West. so that the left flank was 10
| the South. The Confederates filed
through the space between the line and
| the road and stacked arms there AT
| noint inst I'm front Of Mr.. Peers house,
| and almost across the road from the
| meeting place of the two generals, Is
tablet as follows:
Near this point was establshed the
| left fanlf OF the first division Of the
Fifth corps Army OF the potomac on me
morning of April II, 1865, 10 receive the
surrender Of the arms of the infantry OF
| the Army OF Northern Virginia"
| similar tablet marking the location
| NJ the right flank Of the division is
| rIanted about 200 yards farther North.
The interesting question Of the spot
from which was fired the last shot OF
this remarkable campaign, Is settled by
the location Of a tablet ct point east
| from the road, about a hundred yards
distant. and half as far behind the Peers
house, which reads:
prom this spot was fred the last shot
from the artillery of the Army Of North
ern Virginia. on the morning OF April
9, 1865"
| Immediately after the surrender the
famous apple tree that figured so large
ly in the transaction was dug up by SOL
diers who saw its immense value as a
relic. They went down several feet in
order to secure the roots intact. The
site of this tree is therefore all that
can be marked to-day. 1t stood a few
wards west Of the road. and 400 yards or
so north Of the courthouse. The tablet
that has been placed there bears this
inscription:
Near this spot stood the apple tree
under which General Robert f. Lee rest
ed while awaiting the return Of a flag
Of truce sent by him 70 General T. s.
Grant on the morning OF April O. 1865"
The records Of the War Department
were, OF course, Of incalcuable service
In placing these tablets. II is thought
that the scene OF the surrender. now that
il has been accurately marked, will be
the objective point Of many trips by
veterans Of the war, who take such
great interest in the geography Of the
scenes OF the great struggle.