Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-13
K. /. LEU. S. GRANT
Inc Aee'inS at Appomatto1 as Described
BY the Latter.
FAMOUS APpLE.TREE FICTION.
Good Enough war.S,ory II II wer. True
Mutual observation-disclosures CONVEX
satton-Tho Terms and the Effect.
Correspondence Of tho p,sro,cs,

aesire to see the account written by Gem
FRA Grant Of the meeting between him
self ana General Lee at Appomattox ON
the 9th Of April. 1896. that ] copy the
account from Personal Memoirs OF L.
s. Grant" published by C. L. Webster
q Co.. New York. 1891. and send IT to
you for publication. The book has been
seldom seen IN Virginia. l omit the cor
r~espoIdence which resulted In the sur
render. as all are familiar with II.
After the place of meeting had been
designated by General Lee and General
Grant notified OF 1t. Grant says:
II found him at the house OF a Mr..
Mclean. at Appomattox Courthouse.
with Colonel Marshall. one OF his star
officers. awaiting my arrival. The head
OF his column was occupying a hill on a
portion OF which was an apple orchard.
beyond a little valley which separated
IL from that on the crest OF whicA. SEeri-
dan forces were drawn UP in line OF
battle 10 the south.
Before stating what took place be-
tween General Lee and myself. i win give
oil there is OF the story Of the famous
apple tree.
a WAR FICTION.
Wars produce many stories OF fiction,
some OF which are told until they are
believed 10 be true. The war of the re-
beil;on was no exception TO this rule.
and the story OF the apple tree is one
Of those fctions based on a slight founda-
ton OF fact. As / have said, there was
an apple orchard on the side OF the hill
occupied by the Confederate forces. Run
Ming nfarNnelfN' IN tho hil NraG n xyus1n
road. which, at one point. ran very near
n OF the trees. so that the wheels OF
vehicles had. on that side. cut off the
roots Of this tree. leaving a little en-
baniSment. General Babcock. Of my staff,
reported to me that when he first met
General Lee he was sitting upon this
omhankme1t with his feet In the road
below, and his back resting against the
tree. The story had no other foundation
than that. Like many other stories. 1t
would be very good if II was only true.
~ had known General Lee In the old
army, and had served with him in the
Mexican war: but did not suppose. owing
20 the difference IN age and rank. that
he would remember me: while | would
more naturally remember him distinctly
because he was the chief OF staff Of Gem
eral Scott in the Mexican war.
when l left camp that morning / had
H. tAEfNs-A w SSfu TIC itrAsit Alitt Wdo
then taking place. ard consequently was
IN rough garb. was wi,hou, q sword.
as i usually was when on horseback on
the field. and wore n soldiers blouse FOR
a coat. with the shoulder-straps of my
rank 10 indicate 10 the army who j was.
When l went into the house | found
General Lee. We greeted each other,
and after shaking hands took our seats.
] had my STAFF with me. a good portion
Of whom were in the room during the
whole interview.
ills FEELINGS.
What General Lees feelin - were l
do not know. As he was a man OF much
dignity. with an impossible face. L was
impossible to say whether he felt in
wardly glad that the end had finally
come. or felt sad over the result and
was too manly to show It. Whatever his
feelings. they were entirely conceded
from my observation; but my " feel
irgs. which had been quite iubilant on
the receipt OF his letter. were sad and
depressed. ] felt like anything rather
than rejoicing at the downfall OF a foe
who hai fought so long and valiantly,
and had suffered 50 much FOR a cause,
though that cause was. ! believe. one OF
the worst for which 4 people ever fought.
and one for which there was the least
excuse. ] DO no. question. however, the
sincerity of the great mass OF those who
were opposed 10 Us.
LEES SWORD.
General Lee was dressed In a full uni
form. which was entirely new. ana was
wearing q sword OF considerable value.
very likely the sword which had been
presented by the State OF Virginia; at all
events, !: was an entirely different sword
from TIE enc that would primarily be
worn on the field. In my Rough travel
ling suit. the uniform OF n private, win
the straps OF a Northumberland, l must
have contrasted very strangely with a
man so handsomely dressed. six feet high.
and OF faultless form. But this was not
n matter that / thought Of until after
wards.
PLEASANT CONVERSATION.
I'VE soon fell into q conversation about
old army times. He remarked that he
remembered me very well in the old
army: and l told him that as a matter
of course / remembered him perfectly.
but from the difference in our rank and
years l had thought II very likely that
] had not attracted his attention SUM-
GENTLY TO be remembered by him after
such n long interval. our conversation
grew so pleasant that l almost forgot the
object OF our meeting. After the con-
yersation had run on In this style for
some time. General Lee called my atten-
ton to the object OF our meeting. and
since that he had asked for this inter
view fer the purpose Of getting from me
the terms ] proposed 70 give his army,
j said that l meant merely that his
army should lay down their arms. not to
take them up again during the continu-
ence OF the war unless duly and properly
exchanged. lie said that he had so under
stood nay letter.
THE TERMS.
Then we gradually fell of again into
conversation about matters foreign TO the
subject which had brought us together.
This continued for some attle time. when
Genera! Leo again interrupted the course
OF the conversation by suggesting that
the terms ] proposed 10 give hts army
ought 20 be written out. I called 10
General Parker. secretary on my stan.
for writing materials and commenced
writing GU; the following terms:
EVAPORATION COURTHOUSE. VA.
April 9. 1866.
"'Generai X. i. Lee. Commanding Con-
federate States Army:
~"'General,-In accordance with the sub
stance Of my letter 10 you OF the 9Th IN
slant. ! propose 10 receive the surrender
OF the Army OF Northern Virginia on the
following terms-tO-wit: Rolls OF all the
officers and men TO be made In duplicate,
one copy to be given 20 an officer desig-
mated by me. the other 20 be retained
bv such officer or officers as you may
DESIGNATE. The officers to give their in
dlvidul parols not 70 take up arms
against the Government OF the United
States until properly exchanged. and each
COMPANY or reglmental commander 10
sign a like parole for the men OF their
commands. The arm. artillery. and public
property, 10 be packed and stacked and
turned over 10 the officer appointed by
me 70 receive them. This Will not en-
brace the side arms OF the officers. nor
their private horses or baggage. This
done, each officer and man viii be allowed
10 retwvn 10 their homes. not TO be dis
turbed by United States authority so long
ms they observe their paroles and tne
laws IN force where they yside.
"U. s. GRANT.
"Tieutenant-General.'
when I put my pen 10 the paper. l ala
not not know the first word that j should
make use OF in writing the terms. j only
knew what was IN my mind. and i wished
70 express II clearly. 30 that there could
be no nistaiSing II. AS / wrote on the
thcught occurred 10 me that the officers
had their own private horses and erects.