The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-02-01
HENDERSON, N. c., THURSDAY FEBRUARY L. 1894.

HEND-
took part in the conversation which
was terminated by Gen. Lee ying to
Gen. Grant that he had come to dis
cuss the terms Of the surrender of his
army, as indicated in his note of that
morning, and he suggested to Gen.
Grant to reduce his proposition to
writing.
CEN. GRANT WROTE IN PENCIL.
Gen. Grant assented, and Col.
Parker, Of his staff, moved a small
table from the opposite side of the
room and placed it by Gen. Grant,
who sat facing Gen. Lee. When Gen.
Grant had written his letter in pencil,
he took it to Gen Lee, who remained
seated. Gen. Lee read the letter
and called Gen. Grants attention to
the fact that he required the surrender
of the horses Of the cavalry as if they
were public horses. He told Gen.
Grant that Confederate cavalrymen
owned their horses and that they
would need them for planting a spring
crop. Gen Grant at once accepted
the suggestion and interlined the
provision allowing the retention by
the men of the horses that belonged
| to them.
The terms of the letter having been
agreed to, Gen. Grant directed Col.
Parker to make a copy of it in ink,
and Gen. Lee directed me to write his
acceptance.
Col. Parker took the light table
upon which Gen. Grant had been
writing to the opposite corner of the
room, and l accompanied him. There
was an inkstand in the room, but
the ink was so thick that it was of
no use. l had a small boxwood ink
stand which l always carried, and
gave it, with my pen, to Col. Parker,
who proceeded to copy Gen. Grant S
letter.
RATIONs FOR PRISONERS.
While he was SO engaged sat near
the end of the sofa on which Gen.
Sheridan was sitting, and we entered
into conversation. In the midst of it
Gen. Grant, who sat nearly diagonally
across the room and was talking with
Gen. Lee, turned to Gen. Sheridan
and said "Gen. Sheridan, Gen.
Lee tells me that he has some 1900
of our people prisoners, who are shar-
ing with his men, and that none of
them have anything to eat. How
many rations can you spare7'
Gen. Sheridan replied, "About
$4,000"
Gen. Grant turned to Gen. Lee and
said General, will that be enough ?"
Gen. Lee replied, "More than
enough"
Thereupon Gen. Grant said to Gen.
Sheridan, "Direct your commissary
to send $4,000 ratiors to Gen. Lees
commissary."
Gen. Sheridan at once sent an officer
to give the necessary orders.
When Col. Parker had completed
the copying of Gen. Grants letter, l
sat down at the same little table and
wrote Gen. Lees answer.
When Gen. Grant had signed the
copy of his letter made by Col. Parker
and Gen. Lee had signed the answer,
Col. Parker handed to me Gen.
Grants letter and l handed to him
Gen. Lees reply, and the work was
done. Some further conversation of
general nature took place, in the
course of which Gen. Grant said to
Gen. Lee that he had come to the
meeting as he was and without his
sword because he did not wish. to
detain Gen. Lee until he could send
back to his wagons, which were several
miles away.
This was the only reference made
by any one to the subject of dress on
that occasion.
Gen. Lee had prepared himself for
the meeting, with more than usual
care, and was in full uniform, wearing
very handsome sword and sash. This
was doubtless the reason of Grants
reference to himself.
At last Gen. Lee took leave of Gen.
Grant, saying that he would return to
headquarters and designate the officers
who were to act on our side in ar
ranging the details of the surrender.
We mounted our horses, which the or
derly was holding in the yard, and
rode away, number of Federal off,
GERS standing on the porch in front of
the house looking at US.
TEARS FOR THE LOST CAUSE.
"When Gen. Lee returned to his
lines large number of men gathered
around him to whom he announced
what had taken place and the causes
that had rendered the surrender nee
cessary. Great emotion was mani
tested by officers and men, hnt love
and sympathy for their Commander
mastered every other feeling.
According to the report of the chief
of ordnance, 5000 men surrendered,
exclusive OF the cavalry. Others who
were present were unarmed, being
unable TO carry their arms from
exhaustion and hunger. Many had
fallen from the ranks during the
orduous march, and unarmed men
continued TO arrive for several days
after the surrender, swelling the
number Of parolled prisoners greatly
beyond the actual effective force.
have thus given you an axact
narrative of the circumstances attend
ing the surrender of Gen. Lees army,
as far as they fell under my observa-
tion.
Col. Marshall's speech was received
Il e