The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-09

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Old stage road 10 Richmond 10 meet
General Grant and while riding 10 the
rear for this purpose he received the mes
sage OF General Gordon tnat MS ADVANCE
was impossible without reinforcements-
We rode through the rear guard or the
army, composed Of the remnants OF Long
streets corps. They had thrown up SUD
stantial breastworks OF logs across the
roads leading to the rear and cheered
General Lee as he passed. IN the way they
had cheered many time before. lhelr
confidence and enthusiasm were not one
Whit abated by defeat. hunger and dan
ger. IL was lucky for the Secretary or
the Treasury that this rear guard was not
permitted to try its hand at increasing
the pension roll with which he is now
struggling. Those men made no fraudu-
lent pensioners When they were done
with "A man. ne or his representatives
had an indisputaDle claim TO a pension
under any kind of pension law. But
soon as General Lee received the report
OF General Gordon as TO the state OF az
fairs in front. he directed that officer 10
ask for a suspension Of hostiities and
proceeded al once 10 meet General Grant.
WITH FLAG OF TRUCE.
General Lee. with an orderly I'm front
bearing "A flag of truce. had proceeded
but a short distance after passing through
our rear guard when we came upon the
skirmish line OF the enemy advancing TO
the attack.
| went forward to meet Federal Off
GER who soon afterward made his APP
pearance. coming toward our party. This
officer proved 10 be Lieutenant Colonel
Whittier. OF the staff OF the late General
Humphreys. whose division was immedI-
ately I'm our rear. and Colonel Whittier
delivered to me General Grants reply to
the letter OF General Lee OF April Sth.
which | have read declining to meet
General Lee to discuss the terms OF a
general pacifcation on the ground that
General Grant possessed no authority to
deal with the subject.
April 3. 1865.
To General r. +. Lee, Commanding c. s.
A.
General,-Your note Of yesterday is re-
ceived AS ! have no authority 10 treat
on the subject of peace, the meeting
proposed for 10 A. NJ. to-day could lead 10
no good. | will state. however. General.
that | am equally anxious for peace
with yourself, and the whole North en-
tertains the same feeling. The terms upon
which peace can be had are well UNDER
stood. BY the South laying down their
arms they will hasten that most desira-
BILE event. save thousands OF human lives.
yet destroyed. la.
Sincerely hoping that all our difficulties
may be settled without loss of another
life i subscribe myself, very respectfully
your obedient servant
u. s, GRANT.
Northumberland
took this letter OF General Grant back
20 General Lee who was a short dis
lance from the spot where / met Colonel
Whittier, and General Lee at once die
tated the letter OF April 9Th 10 General
Grant. which l wrote and gave to Colo
mel Whittier. That letter is as follows:
Headquarters Army Northern virginia.
April 9. 1860.
aforementioned L. 5. Grant, Com
handing United States Armies:
General,-I received your note this
morning In the picket line. whittier |
| had come TO meet you and ascertain
definitely what terms were embraced In
your proposition OF yesterday with refer
| ence TO the surrender of this army.
/ now request an interview in az cord
ance with the offer contained in your let
| ter Of yesterday for that purpose.
Very respectfully, your obedient SER
want, r. l.. LEE,
General.
When / placed this letter in the hands
Of Colonel Whittier / saw indications that
the Federal troops in our immediate front
were advancing, and ! knew that IN a
few minutes they would meet the Skin
mishers of our rear guard. l knew that
II such a meeting occurred, TO use a
common expression 1.-THE Fat would De
in the fire." so far as suspension OF
hostllities was concerned.
therefore told Colonel Whittier the
! purport OF the letter / had given him.
and expressed the hope that hostilties
might be suspended until 1t could reach
General Grant. Colonel Whittier left me.
taking General Lees letter to General
Grant with him. saying that he would
answer my request for a suspension OF
hostlities as soon as ne could submit
il 10 his commanding officer.
He soon returned and told me mat ne
! had reported my request that hosulifles
be suspended pending the correspondence,
| but that he had been directed 10 say that
| an attack had been ordered, and that the
| officer in command Of the force in our
rear had no discretion. lie added that
| General Grant had left General Meade
I some time before and that General Lee 5
! letter could not reach him In time 10 re-
| ceiye orders as to the intended attack.
| expressed my regret and asked him
| 10 request the officer commanding the
! troops then moving to the attack TO read
| General Lees letter TO General Grant,
saving that perhaps that officer would
feel authorized under the circumstances
: TO suspend the movement and avoid the
useless sacrifice Of life.
| have said that as General Lee passed
| through his rear guard on MS way 10
| the place where the conference nave
mentioned took place the men cheered
| him as OF old. They were the flower OF
the old Army Of Northern Virginia and
/ felt quite sure that If the officer COM
! handing the advancing Federal troops
should consider himself bound by his
orders to refuse my request for a sus-
| pension OF hOstilities until General Lee
/ letter could reach General Grant, the rear
guard OF the Army OF Northern Virginia
would secure all the time necessary.
Colonel Whittier again returned 10 the
] Federal lines, and when he came back in
| formed me that General Meade had read
the letter of General Lee and had
agreed 10 suspend operations for one
hour.
ANOTHER FLAG OF TRUCE.
General Lee then returned TO the front
and with General Longstrcet proceeded
10 a small orchard on the foot of the
| hill on which the line OF battle was
formed. where ne awaited the reply OF
| General Grant He sent formal request
for a suspension of hostilities into the
Federal lines. AS he was much fatlgued
a rude couch was prepared under an
! apple tree. upon which he reclined unit
the approach OF a flag OF truce from the
Federal line In our front was announced
| Soon afterwards Colonel Babcock, oi
| General Grants stan. was conducted &c
the presence OF General Lee. and deliver
ed 10 him the following letter
Anrfl fseS