The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-02-23
(Lynchburg News.)

(Lynchburg News.)
Colonel Charles Marshall, who was
General Robert E. Lees chief oil
staff, contributes the following inter.
esting narrative to the Washington
Post:
l have frequently noticed that when
old soldiers and sailors meet for q
talk about the civil war they some.
times forget the reverence due the
divinity commonly spoken of as the
Goddess of Truth For my part,
have heard events that occurred
under my own eyes described in such
way that l failed to recognize them.
We do not yet know with certainty
the facts of the battle of Waterloo
and as to Charlottesville and Gettys-
burg, although l witnessed both,
sometimes think, in view of the ab-
solutely irreconcilable accounts we
have of these two engagements. a
Bishop Whately might readily create
historic doubts as to whether either
was in fact fought,
With the full knowledge of this
tendency to error l will give you as
accurately as | can an exact nara
tive of the circumstances attending
the surrender of General Lees army
at Appomattox, as they fell under nv
direct observation. l will exclude
everything not Immediately connect
ed with the great event, as | am con-
vinced it possesses sufficient interest
in itself to render comment unneces-
sary, if not inappropriate.
There is one very important matter
l wish settled at the outset, however.
1t is this: General Lee did not meet
General Grant in the Mclean house on
the morning of April 9th, 1865, for
the purpose of then and there effect
ing surrender of his army, On the
contrary it was simply for the pur-
pose of hearing Grants terms. As a
matter of fact, if they had not suited
General Lee he would not have &C
cepted them; but Grants offer was so
liberal, so magnanimous, and so chiv-
alrous that it was accepted forth
with. 1t is we'll to add that had Gen
eral Grants terms been less favorable
than those he made General Lee would
no- have accepted them, no matter
what the circumstances might have
been. We had become accustomed
somewhat to deal with desperate cir
cumstanceS.
CROSSED SWORDS WITH PORTER
l wish to have another matter un-
derstood before beginning a consecu-
tive narrative of the surrender. This
is in regard to General Horace Por-
ter's statement, made repeatedly, or
ally and in writing, that General
Lee offered his sword to Grant. Lee
never offered his sword to Grant and
with the great Southern chieftain
from the time he greeted Grant in the
Mclean house until he rode away,
and the only time the mention of a
sword was made was when Grant
apologized to Lee for his dress, ex-
planning that it was not possible for
him to get across to his baggage and
at the same time keep the appoint
ment. The terms Of capitulation
expressly excepted side arms, and in
view of that fact it would have been
most unusual procedure for Gen
eral Lee to have offered his sword to
Grant. These matters are unimpOr-
tant in themselves, but it is we'll for
the sake Of history to have them
cleared up.
After the disaster at Sailors Creek
in April, 1865, the army, reduced te
two corps, under the command of
General Longstreet and General Cor
don, moved through Farmville, where
rations were issued to some of the
starving troops. A close pursuit by
! the overwhelming army of Genera
Grant made it necessary to remove
the wagon trains before all the mer
could be supplied, and the remnan
of the great Army OF Northern Vir
ginia, exhausted by fight and starva
ton, moved in the road to Appomat
to1.
On the afternoon of 9TH of April
1865, General Grant wrote to Genera
Lee stating that the hopelessness o
further resistance was apparent, AM
asking surrender of the Army O
Northern Virginia.
When this letter was received thcr
was some difference of opinion anon;
the general officers as to the natur
of the reply to be made to Genera
Grants letter, some thinking it wa
not possible to save the remnant o
the army. Finally, however, Genera
Lee decided to meet Grant, and wa
directed to draw up communication
to that effect. This is the lette
General Lee signed:
April Z, 1863
General have received your note {
this date Though not entertaining tn
opinion you express OF the hopelessnes
of further resistance on the part Of tn
Army of Northern Virginia, reciprocal
your desire to avoid useless effusion {
blood, and, therefore, before cOnsiderin
your proposition, ask the terms you vii
offer on condition of surrender Very r,
spectfully, your obedient servant,
r. f. LEE, General.
1t was not until the next day tha
a reply was received to this letter
Grant stated that he would insis
upon but one condition; this was ths
the men and officers surrendere
should be disqualified to take u
arms against the United States unit
properly discharged.
HOPE NOT ABANDONED.
Even after this correspondent
General Lee did not abandon hope
. successfully extricating himself fro
the dilemma. The army had bee
in straits almost as deplorable.
The m arch was continued durin
April Sth, with little interruptio
from the enemy. In the evening v
, halted near Appomattox COURTEOUS
, General Lee intending to march
way of Campbell Courthouse. throug