Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-27
LEES SURRENDER.
His Own Account Of II CofrectS
Several Big Mistakes.
TWO MYTHS EXPLODED.
Returning sceBes-Ali About
the Terms.

OF history and fully exploded once more
the myths OF 1.-The Appomattox apples
tree and Grant returning Lees sword"
and has very properly given General
Grants own account Of the scene, and
that OF Colonel Charles Marshall, who
accompanied General Lee as his military
secretary.
You might also have given General
Lees own account OF the scene. as given
to a company OF gentlemen at his own
house. in Lexington, and embodied in II
letter from Appomattox. which (under
the signature Of "Vlator'D wrote the
Dispatch several years after General
Lees death.
In that conversation General Lee said.
in answer TO a question; mo. sir! We
did not meet under an apple-troe, nor
near one"
In reporting this conversation, which
was wildly impressed upon my memory,
and OF which l made full notes soon
after ii occurred, was led into an error
as to the place Of the first meeting by
the statement OF Mr. George T. Peers,
so long the Clerk Of Appomattox county,
and an every way reliable gentleman.
THE EXACT SPOT
He pointed out to me the exact spot
where he saw Lee and Grant meet in an
open field near AppomattOx Courthouse.
and although my recollection at the time
was that General Lee stated that they
first met in the parlor OF the Mclean
house, upon this positive testimony Of
Mr.. Peers | stated that the meeting was
IN an open field near a hawthorn-tree,
and that I had gathered some OF the
thorns. which | proposed covering with
immortelles from Lees bier, which
should label "The thorns Of Appomattox
/ covered with the immortelles OF Lees
| last, great victory"
FIRST MEETING.
But soon after became satisfied that
! either | misunderstood Mr. Peers. or that
he was mistaken in supposing that the
meeting which he witnessed was the first
meeting between Lee and Grant. Their
Z first meeting was. as described by Colonel
Marshall AMI General Grant, in the par
/ lor Of the Mclean house. and the meet
ing which Mr.. Peers witnessed, and de-
scribed In my letter % the Dispatch. was
a second meeting. which was AZ General
Grants request. and took place the next
! day. the two Generals sitting on their
( horses AMI cOnversng for about an hour
In speaking OF the Historic apple-tree."
/ upon one occasion Colonel Marshall
quantity remarked: 1.-THE meeting was
in Mr. McLean's par.or. If there was an
apple-tree there, | dii not see IT," You
have stated correctly that the only his
t0ric interest connected with an apple
tree was that General Lee rested for
time under the shade OF apple-tree
while awaiting the return Of his messen-
ger 70 General Grant. Not only the
whole OF that tree, trunk. roots. and
branches. but all Of the trees Of the
orchard were carried off as relies, AMI
many Of the ragged boys in gray
made very advantageous trades with the
BOYS in blue" giving them pieces OF the
Historic appla-tree" for sugar, coffee,
AMI rations generally.
GREAT DEMAND.
AMI the demand Tor "AppOmat,oX APP
PIE" was 50 great that some Of our
/ gallant fellows determined TO supply ii,
AMI gathering ample material from the
orchards Of Chesterfield drove a prisN
AMI very profitable trade on their return
to Richmond WIKI the northern relic
hunters who swarmel into the city. 1t
would be curious 10 know how many
yyagon-l1als II the historic apple-tree'
were sc,tterei through tn. North and
I are carefully preserved 20 this day
when Or. John \. Broallus, the great
} scholar AM theologian. would have plea
/ SAINT discussions with his unc'e' tne
: v-rr5tre arI beloved Dr. william +.
2 B-os llus. upor the meaning or texts "i
/ S,rluturo. III. OH man would sometimes
! SAY. Il expect you ara right. John: but
! really cannot admit that Interpretation
I IL would spoil one Of my best sermons.
May Il not be that those historical
myths die - hard because their drstruc-
To-
rhetoric and paintings and s,atu2ry
/ which some Of our brethren az the Norin
have2 And certain Of the Younger orators
and writers at the South would suffer
In Ike manner
no SWORD SCENE.
/ The sword scene was, Of course, equally
a myth, as you have abundantly SHOWN
{ but It may be well to add the exact words
I OF General Lee IN the conversation 10
which | have referred.
one OF the gentlemen present asked:
/ General Grant returned you your sword.
aid ne not, General?" The old hero,
STRENGTHENING himself up replied IN
emphatic tones. mo, sir: he did not. lie
/ had no opportunity Of DOING 80. / was
! determined that the side-arrns OF officers
should be exempt by the terms Of the
surrender and, Of course, dld not oHer
him mine All that was said about
sword was that General Grant apOloglzed
10 me for not wearing his own sword
saying that 1t had gone on in his bag
gage and he was unable 10 get IL III
time" ..,,,,r,
NO DEMANDING TENDER.
General Lees word would. OF course.
setul the point, but you nave adueu
| General Grants statement In MS memolfs'
frfts al %
lowing correspondence, which you pub
uebaI sor,e wears ago, but which has
been lost sight OF In the lapse OF time:
"Br,FFAI.o LITHIA SPRINGS, VA,
March II, ISL.
General L. S. Grant. New York:
"slr-In n friendly discussion between
several gentlemen of north ana SOUTH
ern procliyities as 20 the truth OF MS
tory a question arose whether General
/ Lee. at the surrender, actually tendeFed
/ and you received his sword.
at was mutually agreed that you should
be written 20 for decision.
"There Is no idle curiosity or desire lot
/ notorlety In regard to this request anu
| a reply from you would be hlghiy ap-
/ preciated. Very respectfully
IT. D. JEFFREsS."
| General Grant rtplttu dS ANi'N''' N''
the bottom Of the same sheet Of paper:
General Badeaus book. now In the
| hands Of the printer will give the exact
/ truth OF the matter referred to in TINS
| letter. There was no demand made Tor
| General Lees sword. and No tender OF IL
/ offered. L. D rhANi'
| WOULD LEE HAVE SUBMITTED TO
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER?
But you must pardon me for taking is-
sue with you when you say. In your edi-
torial correcting certain northern papers,
What Lee expected TO do when he
went forward to meet Grant nobody
| knows. The scrupulous care with which
he dressed himself. and his precaution
to put on his sword and sash Indicate
that he wished to be prepared for an,
| contingency.
'If Grant had demanded a formal sur
render and Lee had accepted his terms.
| Lee would have swallowed the pill and
made the surrender of his sword to
| Grant"
Now, the proof is abundant that Gene
raj Lee dill not mean to surrender his
| In, h.. n =