The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-15
THE SURRENDER OF LEE.
Thirty-SccOnd Anniversary OF the
Surrender ut AppOmnttOX.

t Surrender ut AppOmattOX.
I At Appomattcx Court House, Va.
81 years ago tho 9th of April, Genera
Grant received the sword of ISOber
E. Lee as u token OF the full submis
sion to the arbtrament Of arms of ia,
veterans Of tho Army of Northern Vir
ginia. Although the 10000 troop
present with Lee at that time con
stituted less than a fth Of the organic
ed Confederate forces in the field, thei,
surrender was a signal to the sOldierN
and people Of the South that theil
cause was lost
General Lees retreat from Peters
burg was delayed the whole day OF the
Ith Of April, 1865, by the activity 0
the troops of the Second Federal corps
which harrassed his army along tho
AppomattoX route westward. During
the night he put his men in motion
for their last march to App0mnttoN
Court House. He reached it with the
advance about s o'clock in tho evening
Of the Sth, and soon afterward a dash
OF Federal cavalry from tho south
gave warning that Il force was across
his front and now plans were ncccs,
sary. Sheridan was on his front with
the cavalry divisions Of Generals Mer-
ritt and Crook. Generals Ord, Griffin
and Wright had three Federal CORPS
strung along the Lynchburg railroad
south OF him. and Humphreys corps
was closing up from the east.
Generals Grant and Leo had been in
correspondence for "a hours relative
! i the surrender. On the 7th Grant
had written to Lee asking "the sur
render Of that portion OF tho Confed-
] OPS, tn II =
| of Northern Virginia." That night
! Grant received a response from Lee
asking him what terms he would offer
on condition Of surrender. Grant re-
pIled on the Sth, naming no hard con-
dltlons and stating that peace was his
great desire.
The opposing armies we're then NOV
ing steadily to Appomattox Court
House on parallel routes. At dusk on
the Sth Lees second note reached
Grant. 1t stated that he (Lee) did not
intend to surrender the Army of
Northern Virginia, rs be did not think
the occasion called for it. He in.
timatcd that ho would treat for peace
Grant repli I'd on the morning Of the
9th that ne could not treat for peace.
Peace could only be had by the South
laying down its arms. Hostilities had
not been suspended, and the several
Federal corps took positions for battle.
Meantime events behind the scenes
had hastered Lees decision to go back
to Grants orr nal proposal and troat
for the surrender Of the Army Of
Northern Virginia. On tho evening
of the Sth he had called u council Of
corps commanders To consider Grants
terms, as stated in his letter of the
Sth. 1t was decided not to accept un-
loss it should be demonstrated that the
whole Federal army was up. Sheri-
dan, with his cavalry corps and Ord s
infantry command, had outmnrched
the ConfedcratcS and stood across theil
| pathway at Appomattox. Lee sent
forward his cavalry, under General
Fitz Hugh Lee and General John B
| Gordon's infantry, to fal! upon Sheri
dan at daylight on the 9th and open q
road toward Lynchburg, and, failing
| to do so, to send word to Lee, who
| wou d go back toward the picket lines
| with the expectation Of meeting Grant
to treat for peace. Gordon and Fi;2
Hugh Lee advanced at sunrise, strik.
ing and driving of two OF Shcridan's
brigalcs, with the loss of guns and
prisoners.
Three divisions of infantry were sent
to relieve Lhc c:.TA.:y, which was re-
~
formed, and the whole moved out al
double quick to be met at once by a
white fag. ThH boarcr nskcd for &
cessation Of h0otjiiti"s prnuing the
! negotiations btt"Ccn |. y AMI Grant
! l'ugics sounded a halt. Sheridan rode
! oil toward the left front, where Cor
don had passed the Federal outposts
and was forming for battle around Ap
pomnl!oX Court House. Sheridan sent
Gordon demand to surrender, and he
answered
"Givo my compliments to Genera
sheridan and say that will not sur
| NCndcr.'
" Bat General Sheridan will annihi.
/ late YOU" said the bearer Of tho sum
mons, with an expression OF alarm
tion," responded Gordon.
Information now became genera
THAI there was a truce and that CRAM
and Leo were In communication
| Sheridan asked of Gordon and Other
leaders an assurance that the negOtia
tlOns intended surrender, and this wa:
| given. 1T was arranged between
Sheridan and Gordon to await events
aud both dismountcd, and the mer
learned for the first time the cxac
state Of affairs.
| Grant nau naQ instructions tnrOuBE
Secretary Stanton to have no confer
cncc with Lee except for the capitula
tion Of his (Lees) army. and aftel
sending Lee the answer to this etfec
he had ridden off to the left and soutl
to get around to the head Of tho col
umn. On reading Grants last note
Lee, who had by this time heard from
Gordon and Fi,z Hugh Lee that The
Federal cavalry and infantry were
confronting them, sent another dis
patch to Grant asking for an inter
view to discusss his (Gr8nt's) origina
offer.
Lee wrote at 8 o'clock In tho morn
ing, and his note was sent ahead tt
ovcrtakc Grant. IIo was found abou
eigh: miles from the Court House, ant
he wrote at once that he would pusl
forward and meet Leo.
The generals met about l o'clock q
tho house Of William Mclean, in thl
village OF Appomattox, and the details
for the surrender Of the Army o
Northern Virginia wore arranged