The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-07
THE Lee SWORD INCIDENT
Colonel Marshall Says the Blade
Was Never rendered to Grant.
Re COrrcCts an Error Recently Made
by Mrs Jefferson Dayis-A Descrip-
ton OF the Historic Meeting IN
the Log House at APpOmsttON.

BALTIMORE. Aug The recent re-
vival of the controversy concerning the
point in connection with the surrender
AT AppomatoX as 10 whether General Lee
rendered his sword TO General Grant,
Col Charles Marshall. who was a mem
her Of the Confederate Chioftaiu's STAFF
and was present at the meeting between
Grant and Lee. declares over his own
signature that Lees sword was never
rendered to Grant. This is regarded as
tting beyond all question this disputed
point in history. Colonel Marshall is a
prominent citizen of this city and his
veTacity is regarded as absolutely uuim-
peachable in this or any other matter.
The Baltimore Sun" today prints the
following on the subject, explaining why
Colonial MarshalTs statement was made:
The following correspondence between
SpottswOod Bird. of Baltimore. a mem
Der Of Company F. Tweuty-f0urth Rogi-
ment. Virginia Cavalry. Confederate
States Army, and Col Charles Marshall,
of this city. Corrects a frequently repeat
ed misstatement connected with General
Lees surrender 20 General Grant at Ap-
pOmattox- The correspondence was ellie
tied by an interesting sketch written by
Mrs. jefferson Davis for the New York
Iy gave the error a fresh lease of life by
her distinguished endorsement, the state
ment being that General Lee offered his
sword 10 General Grant when he Surren-
dercd, which the latter. in the language
of Mrs. Davis. did not keep as q trophy,
but respectfully returned 20 the hand
which had made its fame as deafness as
( that of ExCalibur.'
ITO clear up a point of great historical
interest and TO correct finally and au-
thOritatiVely an error that was gaining
popular currency Mr. Bird in May last.
addressed the following letter To Colonel
Marshall. who was on General Lee. S stan
and was present during the interview be-
tween Lee and Grant
q. I know that 1 simply voice the senti-
ments Of our comrades when 4 say n Is
| time that this miserable perversi0n Of the
truth. this outrageous error, should be
exploded and settled for all time. and u IS
our opinion that no one living Is so well
qualified to do this, and let the plain and
simple facts 60 down 70 history, as your
/ self. You, who wrote the articles of
! agreemen as General Lees secretary and
We're personally present during the whole
time of his interview with General Grant
on that memorable occasion, can. win aU-
thority which will compel acceptance
/ even from our late enemies refute the
myth which has been so often repeated
I that il Is now being accepted as truth,
| that General Lee rendered his sword TO
/ General Grant, which the latter refused TO
/ "'As a matter of fact it should be known
/ 70 the world that General Lee was careful
/ in arranging the terms Of surrender with
/ General Grant to avoid any humiliation,
l but, on the contrary, 70 protect the dig
nifty OF himself and every officer in the
] Army OF Northern Virginia with the eX-
press provision that they should retain
their side arms. II follows, Of course,
| that neither General Lee himself nor
single one Of the Confederate officers ever
| thought for moment OF surreDderlnBt or
! Offering 10 surrender. his side arms, but
| after receiving their paroles marched out
| Of the Federal lines with their side arms
| buCklcd on. which the writer knows 10 be
| a fact from personal observation at the
| time.
In Justice 70 the peerless Lee
/ and the noble men who were stead
/ fast TO the last" I feel that you
! viii appreciate the duty you owe
| ment Of the facts on record so that
] our children and Childreu's children can,
/ whenever necessary, in the future appeal
| to your statement to yindIcate and cstab-
I lish the truth Our Confederate camps
\ can spread your statement on their rec
| OrdS and thus make Il accessible to their
| history committees and the survivors OF
/ our comrades when their voices shall all
/ be still. have been requested TO appeal
| 20 YOU for your written statement con-
/ corning this matter so dear 20 our hearts.
/ thus verifying the facts herein stated.
| which we feel confident VIII be TO YOU a
( labor Of love" The sword % Lee was
( drawn from motives as noble and lofty
/ as ever inspired human breast. IL was
| welded in a cause as righteous as ever
! enlisted patriot zeal; by reason of having
! been compelled TO yield 10 overwhelming
| numbers and resources" 10 was Sheathed
| in defeat-nOt surrendered in humiliation.
| " With sentiments Of highest esteem
believe me, dear SIR, very truly and sin
'sPOTTSwOOD BIRD.
" Late Private. Company r, Twenty
fourth Regiment. Virginia Cavalry, Ca
! Ty's Brigade. A n v
" Baltimore. June 5. 1901.
| " 'SpOttswOOd Bird, Esq, Late Private.
Company +. TWe1ty-fOUTth Regiment,
| Virginia Cavalry.
&" Dear Sir: I have received your COM
| muuiCatiOn of May . and HereWithin re-
! turn, as requested. my reply:
" The subject Of your letter is one that
/ IS entirely covered. ! think, by my add
dress delivered before the Society Of the
| Army and Navy Of the Confederate States
/ in the State Of Maryland on January 49,
1884,. which I enclose TO you and OF which
you may make such use as YOU deem
proper You viii perceive from the adj
dress that the circumstances attending
the meeting between General Grant and
General Lee on April Q. $50. did not call
for any demand on part Of General Grant
for the surrender Of General Lees sword
on that occasion and that any statement
however made and by whomSDeyeT made
TO the effect that General Lee made the
I tender Of the surrender Of his sword tC
I General Grant must be entirely IN conflict
/ with the views Of either. Neither Of them
/ ! am quite sure. was Influenced by any
Z theatrical ideas Of the surrender
I " You Will observe that by the very
terms Of the surrender demanded 10y Cen
I eral Grant IL was expressly provided that
B the officers OF the Confederate Army
. should retain their side arms. To have OF
. tered 20 surrender his sword would have
been an orfer on General Lees part u
I do more than had been demanded Of him
7 cannot, therefore, understand how Mrs
. Davis OF anyone else could have supposed
. that General Lee made that offer or how
. General Grant could have made such q
T demand.
90 This subject has been so much dwell
. upon 10y those who pretend 10 write about
/ the circumstances OF the surrender that
I II has become fatiguing. All the facts
! are, think, set forth IN the address
I send you This statement has been pre-.
/ pared with great care and has never beer
contradicted by any officer on either side
I 20 my knowledge
'Bclivc me. my dear sir, very trul,
yours. CHARLES MARSHALL -
BIr. Bird also writes the Sun as follows.
! General Grant himself fully corrobo-
| rates Colonel Marshall's statement IN ms
| book Personal Memoirs Of 4. y Grant
/ Volume II. chapter XNE, pages 3if-3i6
! quote General Grants own words:
" No couversation-nVt a wOrd-passed
! between General Lee and myself, either
! about private property, side arms, or kin
| rendering OF Lees sword and my handing
! IL back, this and much more that has
| been said about II. is the purcst romance
( The word sword or side arms was
| not mentioned by either OF us until
wrote 10 IN the terms. There was no pre-
| til the moment ] wrote II down II 1 had
| happened 10 omit IL and General 90 had