The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-06-21


ambulance. Mounting his big gray horse
he joined Sheridan, and had worked biz
way to within eight miles Of Appomattox,
when be was met by q gslloping horse.
man with letter from Lee. saying thai
he had concluded to surrender. Grant
dismounted. and IRON . grassy bank BY
the roadside he told Lee TO meet him at
Appomsttox.
"As General Grant got on his horse I
asked him how bis pain was.
DO you know he said, that pain
left me the moment got that letter from
Lee"
Grant reached Appomattox at 10 o 'clock
In the forenoon, aud was at once directed
TO the house where Lee was waiting to re.
ceive him. General Porter gave q very
detailed description OF the incidents oil
the surrender, reproducing from his per.
sonal notes all Of the conversation be-
tween Grant and Lee in its exact Ian.
guage. He contrasted the appearance oil
the two generals.
Grant" said General Porter, "toox
off a pair Of dark thread gloves and
threw them and his hat on table in the
center OF the room. General Lee. who
was sitting at q table 10 the corner Of the
room, had removed a pair Of fine buck.
skin gloves. The two men now pre-
sented a singular contrast.
General Grant, only 43 years OF age,
was in the full vigor of life, Of medium
height, with no superiuous flesh. He
Was slightly stopped. He had on = pair
Of muddy, wrinkled top boots, and he
was actually dressed in the uniform Of q
private soldier. There was nothing to in.
dictate lis rank but the three stars on his
shoulder straps. He wore no sword, no
spurs, and was covered with mud.
General Lee was l6 years older than
Grant, and his beard and hair were sill
vered. He was dressed 10 handsome,
brand.new Confederate uniform. He
wore fine new boots, worked On the top
with figures OF crimson silk. He carried
a beautiful long, straight sword, studded
with jewels, which had been presented
to him by one Of the blockade runners.
ITO look at these two men . stranger
might have thought General Grant was
surrendering TO General Lee.
lice opened the conversation with a
reference to their meeting. years before.
in Mexico. lie was evidently in hurry
to have the formal details Of the surren-
der arranged, and had no great relish for
conversation. General Grant wrote q
hasty draft Of the terms Of surrender and
General Porter handed it to General Lee.
Lee" said General Porter, took out
large silk handkerchief and q pair Of
steel-rmmed spectacles, rubbed the spec
tacles with the handkerchief, and read the
rough draft with extreme elaboration.
He suggested an Interpolation Of one
word. Grant agreed, and made the inter
polation with my lead pencil, the very
one have here"
The children cheered as General Porter
held up the pencil. sharpened at both
ends, and about half the full length.
THAT was not the most expensive
pencil In the world" said General Porter,
"but it got in great deal Of fine work tina,
afternoon.
General Grant had no ink, so his sec.
rotary borrowed bottle from Lees sec.
rotary. and with it copied the draft loi
the surrender into its final and permanent
form.
General Lee had no paper, and so he
borrowed a sheet from Grant, with the
Union army letter head, and on. it his
secretary, Colonel Charles MARSHALL, wrote
the formal acceptance OF Grants terms
After the terms were agreed on, put 10
writing and signed, the party moved ont
in the front yard.
81 shall never forget how General Lee
looked as he stood with one foot on the
step about to mount his horse" said Gem
eral Porter. "He seemed oblivious to ev-
erything. He looked out blankly, and
did not recognize our salutes. He seemed
the absolute picture Of despair"