The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-06-21
THE BLUE and THE GRAY
4 Graphic Story Of The End Of The
Civil War.
As TOLD BY GENERAL HORACE PORTER
He Describes the r1emersb BILE Meeting
Of Generals Grant and lee NJ Ap.
pomatex Court House on sunday,
April o. 1895.

New York Times: The series OF ad.
dresses by union generals on the great
events Of the late civil war was closed
yesterday in All SOULS church, Brooklyn,
by General Horace Porter, who gave the
school children who composed his audi
ence brilliant and vivid description Of
the surrender OF General Lee TO General
Grant at Appomatox court house on Sun.
day, April 8, 1865.
General Porter was on General Grants
staff in those momentous final days Of
the tremendous struggle between the
north and the south, and he was an eye
witness OF the closing scenes. He was
present when the surrender OF Lee
took place, and 1t was he who handed
General Lee the pencil with which the
Confederate leader corrected the rough
draft Of the terms OF surrender handed to
him for his inspection by General Grant.
In order to give the children q most
realistic picture OF the surrender. General
Porter arranged the platform to CORES.
pond with the room in which the capitu-
lation took place. In the center was
table to show where General Grant sat
while be wrote the terms. In one corner
was a smaller table to show where Lee
sat, booted and spurred, and with his
diamond studded sword hanging by his
side. Three chairs were placed together
to represent the old-fashioned sofa at one
side Of the room, and the positions OF the
fireplace and of the windows and doors
were all marked.
To all intents and purposes General
Porter stood once more, after the lapse Of
many years, in that small room OF the
brick house at Appomatox where the
closing chapter OF the war was written by
the two chief actors, and, rs he def cribed,
without any show of oratory, but in an
easy. conversational style, the surrender
to it's minutest details, including the
small items Of the personal appearance,
the by-tslk and the manners OF those who
took part in the surrender, its dramatic
features were pictured before the eagerly
listening children in very effective and
realistic style.
The general held up in sight of his
audience, one after another, a piece of the
flag Of truce sent by General Lee to Gen
eral Grant, a slice OF the famous apple
tree and the identical pencil with which
Lee had corrected the draft Of the sur
render. He exhibited photographs Of the
two tables used by the generals.
"The pencil" said General Porter. "has
not been rewarded properly for the part it
has played. 1t should have been brevet-
ted into pen."
The flag Of truce, General Porter told
the children, was an impromptu affair,
and was, in actual point Of fact, the
cleaner of two towels which Confeder-
ate officer had shortly before bought for
$40 10 Confederate money.
THAT officer, said General Porter, twas
evidently bound to keep clean at any
cost"
There were other sallies OF humor
through the lecture.
~ will begin my story" General Por-
ter said, 1.-TWO days before the final eur
render, when General Grant reached the
village OF Farmville, on the Appomstox
river. 1t was there the correspon hence
opened between Grant and Lee.
"At noon on April 7 General Grant and
his staff took possession Of the comfort
able piazza OF the only hotel in Farmvllle.
An old army surgeon soon brought up
word from the Confederates OF q CONVEX
sation in which Lee had said that his re-
treat had become a rout; that it would
be wicked for him to shed the blood of
his men any longer, and that he felt he
ought 20 surrender.
THAT afternoon long, lean, lank Con-
federate came up to the porch OF the
hotel.
"'Who are your we asked.
"Im a Confederate he said, and l
reckon am the only portion Of my regi-
ment that has succeeded in holding to-
gether. own this hotel, and stopped
off 10 see how things we're getting along
"He probably never had so many
guests before - and at such reduced
rates."
General Porter described the memoir
able scene that night, when the union
soldiers, on their way to fight Lee across
the river, marched psst Grant, carrying
torches and singing John Browns
Body"
General Grant had slept that night in
the bed Lee had occupied the night be-
fore. At midnight the answer was re-
received from Lee to Grants letter adj
vising him to surrender. Lee wanted to
know the proposed terms.
"Grant answered the next morning."
said General Porter, "making the terms
liberal. Grant moved forward that
night the night Of April 8, in order TO
get closer to Lee. At midnight, while in
great pain from loss Of sleep and anxiety. |
another letter was received from Lee. He |
sat up on the lounge in the farm house
and read it by the light Of a candle. Lee
said he had not yet determined to sur
render, but would like to meet Grant at |
10 a. m. next day and discuss the terms
Of peace.
Grant was a military officer, and
could not do as Lee suggested. So, after
reading over Lees letter slowly, be said
General Lee still wants to eight. To-
morrow be shall have all he wants"
The school children broke out into loud
applause at this sentiment.
"a hout davhraak IN MIL O aaid