The Indianapolis journal., 1894-01-23
AT APPOMATTOX In '65
General Lees Chief Aid Tells the
Story OF the Surrender.
Last Move of the Rebel Army-Negotia-
ti0ns and Meeting Between Lee and
Grant-The Closing Scene.

ceding the surrender of Lee and of the
surrender itself. He said:
After the disaster OF Sailors Creek the
army, reduced 10 two corps under the
command OF General Longstreet and Gen.
Gordon, moved through Farmville. where
rations were issued TO some of the starving
troops. The close pursuit OF the over
whelming army of General Grant made IL
necessary to remove the wagon trains be-
fore all the men could be supplied, and the
remnant Of the great army OF northern
Virginia, exhausted by fighting and starva-
ton. moved on the road to Appomattox
ION the afternoon Of April 7. 1865. the ne
gotiations opened for the surrender; Gen.
Grant sent General Lee letter advising
him of the hopeleSSneSS of further struggle
and the uSeleSsneSS OF more bloodshed, ana
asking him to surrender. General Lee re-
avoiding further bloodshed and asked the
terms of surrender. In reply to this letter
a meeting was arranged between Generals
When the army halted on the night OF
April 8 General Lee and his staff turned
out of the road into dense wood to seek
some rest The General had conference
with some of the principal officers, at which
It was determined to try to force our way
don. supported by the cavalry under Gen.
Fitzhugh Lee. the command OF Longstreet
Of the staff and staff officers Of General
Longstreet and General Gordon sought
little much-needed repose. We lay upon
the ground near the road, with our saddles
for pillows, our horses pcketed near by.
eating the bark from the trees for want of
better provender, our faces covered WIN
the capeS of our overcoatS to keep out tie
"Soon after 1 o'clock I was aroused by
the sound of column of infantry marching
along the road We were so completely
surrounded by the swarming forces of Gen:
Grant that at first when 1 awoke l thought
the passing column might be federal sol
diers. / raised my head and listened in
tently. Ny doubts were quickly dispeiied.
1 recalled the order to resume the marcn
at that early Sour and knew that the troops
heard were saving forward to endeavor
TO force our was through the lines at Ap-
pomattox Courthoul,sN / soon knew that
the command that wss passing consisted,
in part at least, of Hoods old Texas
brigade
"Soon after they passed we were all astir
and our bivouac was at an end. We made
our simple toilet, consisting mainly Of put
ting on our caps and saddling our horses
The memorable meeting of Generals Grant
and Lee took place in the house of man
named Mclean at Appomattox Courthouse.
piuei Grants in Which he Consented to meet Gen.
Lee. 1t read: Your note Of this date Is
but this moment Ql:59 a NO. received In
Richmond and Lynchburg road to the Farm
vile and Lynchburg road l am at this
Church, and will push forward to the front
for the purpose of meeting you. Notice
sent sen to- me on 70 fhs 1ae WIRE WIFI meet sep @sh
MEETING TO SUIT GEN. LEE.
Colonel Babcock told General Lee that
he had been sent forward by General Grant
with instructions to make any arrange
ments for the meeting that General Lee
desired within the federal or confederate
lines.
General Lee directed me to accompany
him, with one orderly, and, Immediately
mounting his horse, rode with Colonel Bah
cock towards Appomattox Courthouse
I'VE passed through an infantry force in
front of the village. and General Lee direct
ed me to find a suitable place for the meet
ing 1 rode forward and asked the first
citizen 1 met to direct me to a house suita-
that the citizen was Mr.. Mclean, who had
lived on the battlefield of Bull Run, but had
removed to Appomattox Courthouse to get
out of the way of the war: Mr.. Mclean
conducted me to an unoccupied and unfur-
nished house in very bad state or repair
| told him that 1T was not suitable, ana ne
then offered his own house, to which he
conducted me.
II found a room suitable for the pur-
pose, and sent back the orderly who had
| accompanied me to direct General Lee and
| Colonel Babcock to the house. They came
| in presently, and Colonel Babcock said that
| as General Grant was at present In front
| of the house it would only be necessary
for him to have an orderly to direct him
| - .GeneraI Ger | Lee. Colonel Babcock and my
| self sat in the parlor for about half an
| hour when a large party of mounted men
4 GSl.
| came into the room, accompanied by his
| staff and number of federal officers OF
| rank among whom were General Ord and
| General Grant greeted General Lee very
| civilly and they engaged for short time
aeoualntsnee In Curing 0G the Mexican War
| Some other federal officers took part in
| the conversation, which was terminated by
| he come to discuss the terms of the sur
| render of his army, as indicated in his
note of that morning. and he suggested to to
| General Grant TO reduce his proposition to
General Grant assented. and Colonel
| Parker, of his staff, moved a small table
| from the opposite side Of the room and
| placed 1t by General Grant, who sat facing
| General Lee: When General Grant had
| written his letter IN pencil he took 1t to
| General Lee who remained seated. Gen.
Lee read the letter and called General
| Quired the surrender Of the horses of the
| cavalry as IL they were public horses. He
told General Grant that confederate caval-
| rymen owned their horses, and that they
would need them for planting a spring
| crop. General Grant at once accepted the
suggestion and interlined the provision al
| lowing the retention by the men Of the
| horses that belonged to them.
| THE terms of the letter having been
| agreed to, General Grant directed Colonel
Parker, to make copy of it in ink. and
| General Lee directed me to write his ac-
| ceptance
| Colonel Parker took the light table upon
| which General Grant had been writing to
| the opposite corner of the ROOM and
| accompanied him. There an ink-stand
| In the room, but the ink thick that
| 1t was of no use / had a small lockwood
| ink-stand which l always carried, and
| gave 1t, with my pen to Colonel Parker,
| who proceeded 10 copy General Grants let
| ter.
RATIONS FOR PRISONERS.
| while he was so engaged / sat near the
end of the sofa on which General Sheridan
| was sitting, and entered into conversa-
ton. In the midst OF it General Grant,
who sat nearly diagonally across the room
| and was talking with General Lee turned
to General Sheridan and said: General
| Sheridan, General Lee tells me that he
has some 1,200 of our people prisoners, who
| are sharing with his men. and that none
of them has anything TO eat. How many
rations can you sDare?"
| General Sheridan replied: About 25 OOO
General Grant turned TO General Lee
and said: General. will that be enough :?
| General Lee replied, More than enough
| Thereupon General Grant said 10 General
| Sheridan, Direct your commissary TO send
| 25,U00 rations to General Lees commissary
| General Sheridan at once sent an office,
| TO give the necessary orders.
| when Colonel Parker had completed the
| copying of General Grants letter I sat
| down at the same little table and wrote
| General Lees answer.
| When General Grant had signed tbs
copy OF his letter made by Colonel Parker
| Colonel Parker handed TO me Genera
Grants letter. and handed to him Genera
| Lees reply, and the work was done som,
further conversation OF "a general natur,