The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-11-04

! MOSiuS III W w dSuLuSlOu. Jus
at that time the financial pani.
! came On and the project was post
poned. but it is certain that it will
now be successfully carried out
Prior to the dismantling Of thu
place, Col. Dunlap had series O
photographs taken, as we'll as 8
great many blue prints showing
the exact appearance of the rooms
and each bit of boarding is mum
bered, so that the house will be as
J it was before it was torn down
!, Even the plastering has been pre-
served and stored in barrels SC
that it can be again mixed and
used in mortaring the bricks
These bricks now lie in a heap,
but are closely guarded, so as to
prevent the depredStions of relic.
hunters.
When brought to Washington
the house will be rebuilt exactly
as it was OH the day OH which the
articles of surrender were signed.
| Much of the old furniture has
been secured, aud as far rs posi-.
bic the rooms will look just rs
they did thirty years ago. Nego.
tiations have been opened with
Mr. Gunther looking to the bring
ing on of his famous collection of
war relics and the storing Of them
IN the house, 50 as to make a most
interesting museum If this is
accomplished most Of the furDi-
ture will be restored to it's old
chambers, and the table on which
the terms Of agreement were drawn
up, which is owned by Mr.. Gun
Their, will be placed on the very
spot it occupied in April; 1865.
The house was owned at the
time of the surrender by a Mr..
Wilmer Mclean, who used to boast
that the war opened and closed Oh
his premises. While living at
Manassas the battle of Bull Run
was fought almost on his farm, and
it was to get out Of the theater Of
active hostilities that he moved
his family down to Appomattox,
thinking that the tide Of conflict
would not dow so far south. But
by strange coincidence, the yer,
last act in the drama was in his
parlor.
SCENE OF LEES SURRENDER.
The Confederate Army, about
10000 strong, reached Apponat
tox at dawn on the morning of
the 9th Of April, and after an inef
fectual attempt to break through
the slowly contracting lines of the
enemy, gave up in despair. Lee
decided that it wtuld be useless
waste of life to prolong the strug-
gle, so arrangements were matte
that the two Commanding Gener
ala should meet in the village ai,,,
agree upon the terms Of capitn q.
ton. 1t was near II in the morn.
ing when Grant and Lee met in
the rosd, aud, as there was no
convenient place where writing
could be done, the party went t.
the house Of Mr. Mclean aud oc.
cupied his parlor. nere the terms
were discussed and the hnal ai.
portion OF the Southern tro;.os
agreed upon. AS there Was no ink.
At hand, Col. Charles Marshall, OF
Lees staff, who carried both pen
and lax in his pocket, furnished
tue necessary implements, after
wards retaining them As priceless,
treasures. The table on which
the papers were signed passed into
the possession Of Mrs. Gen. Ord.
being afterward purchased BIZ
Gnnther.
The site of the Mclean house
will be the spot on which . euita-
BILE monument will be erected to
commemorate the settlement of
the difficulty between the States,
and it is proposed that the shaft
be = handsome one, on which Lee
and Grant will be represented
as shaking hands, while appro-
pirate inscriptions adorn the sides.
1t is thought that the necessary
steps toward its erection will be
among the first things done by
the coming Congress.
Col. Dunlap bought the house
aud the surrounding thirty acres,
twenty of which will be taken into
the grounds of the Peace monu-
ment. The extensive country iu
which the armies were encamped
ls full Of historic interest, such 50
the places where Grant and Lee
had their last headquarters in the
field, and it is hoped that the gov
eminent will purchase the lands
and turn them into y vast Nation
al Park.-[V. Stuart Mostly Cole
man, in Washington Post.
Note.-The number of Confpd.
crate troops present at Appomat-
tox is variously stated by differ.
emit historians, Gen. A.. Long, Civ.
ing 10000, and Gen. Horace Port.
er $4,000.