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

of repair. told him it was not suit
able, and he then offered his own
house. to which he conducted ME.
found room suitable for the pur-
pose in view and sent back the order
ly who had accompanied me to direct
General Lee and Colonel Babcock TO
the house.
They came in presently and Col
onel Babcock said that. as General
Grant was approaching on the road
in front of the house, it would only
be necessary for him to leave an
orderly to direct him to the place of
meeting.
General Lee, Colonel Babcock and
myself sat in the parlor for about
half an hour, when large party Of
mounted men arrived, and i'll a few
minutes General Grant came into the
room, accompanied by his staff and 4
number of Federal officers of rank.
among whom were General Ord and
General Sheridan.
General Grant greeted General Lee
very civily, and they engaged in
conversation for short time about
their former acquaintance during the
Mexican war
Some other Federal officers took
part in the conversation, which was
terminated by General Lee saying
that he had come to discuss the terms
of surrender of his army, as indi
Gated in his note of that morning and
he suggested to General Grant that
he reduce his proposition to writing.
General Grant assented and Colonel
Parker, on his staff. moved a small
table from the opposite side of the
room and placed it by General Grant,
who sat facing General Lee.
When General Grant had written
his letter in pencil he took it to Gen
eral Lee, who remained seated. Gen
eral Lee read the letter and called
General Grants attention to the fact
that he required the surrender of the
cavalry as if they were public horses.
He told General Grant that Confed-
crate cavalrymen owned their horses,
and they would need them for plant
ing a spring crop. General Grant at
once accepted the suggestion.
DRAWING UP THE ARTICLES.
The terms of the letter having been
agreed to, General Grant directed
Colonel Parker to make a copy of it
in ink; and General Lee directed me
to write its acceptance.
Colonel Parker took the table upon
which General Grant had been writ
ing to the other side of the room and
l accompanied him, and after he had
finished copying the letter | sat down
at the same table and wrote General
Lees acceptance.
When General Grant had signed
the copy of his letter made by Colonel
Parker and General Lee had signed
the answer, Colonel Parker handed
to me General Grants letter, and !
handed to him General Lees reply,
and the work was done.
When General Lee returned to his
lines large number OF men gathered
around him, to whom he announced
what had taken place and the caueses
that had rendered the surrender
necessary. Great emotion was mani
tested by officers and men alike, but
Lee maintained admirably his self
control. Although the surrender
was a fearful blow to him, he did not
vince.
He was a noble, pure, good man. |
never heard him utter an oath, al
though at times there seemed to be
provocation. / never saw him lose
his temper. He was always the
same; never irritated or iustered.
Even in the rush, roar and rumble OF
battle he was cool and collected, and
gave his orders in quiet tone of
voice.
Here is an instance OF his self-con-
troll. The morning of the battle
of Charlottesville he was anxiously
waiting word from J. K. b. Stuart
and Jackson, who had made circuit
in order to get in the rear Of the
enemy. We were sitting on our
horses on the top of hill, and | saw
in the distance galloping horse
man. He was a courier from General
Stuart, announcing his success and
stating that he would attack at once.
AS we rode along. l reading the dis
patch aloud, bomb passed scream
ing between the letter and my face
scorching my glove. Naturally l
stopped reading, but while the shell
passed equally as close to General
Lee, he never WINGED. He quietly
said: "Go on, Colonel
He darby loved Jackson. and when
the announcement of his wound was
made Lee was much distressed. Jack
sons death was fearful blow to
him. He admired Jackson not only
as soldier and a statesman, but a.
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