Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-11

1t is an astounding fact that among
the thousands of official documents
bearing upon the Civil War in the ma
tional archives at Washington there is
absolutely nothing dealing with one of
the most dramatic features of the
great four years internal struggle
the actual ceremonies attendant upon
the formal surrender of Gen. Lees
army of all Confederate property in
their possession at AppOmattox court
house 36 years ago.
Gen. Lee surrendered to Gen. Grant
on the 10th of April. 1865, and the war
was over the histories say; but of
the details of the surrender. the pa
thetic sadness on the one side. the
jubilant satisfaction on the other, and.
more particularly Of the precise ar
engagements. the mode of procedure
and the Northern army officer whose
duty it became to take charge of the
rebel arms and the rebel battleflags
as they were given up-of all this our
official war records tell not a word.
Why this is 50 the chief actor in the
closing scene of the bloody drama
Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain of Bruins
wick, Me-, ex-governor of Maine and
ex-president of Bowdoin College. set
forth in pithy sentence to a Boston
Sunday Journal writer the other night:
1.-The war was over when Lee signed
the terms of surrender on the 10th Of
April. in 1865, and with the closing of
the war all official record writing
ceased
And Just as it is true that there are
no official records bearing upon this
notable surrender scene, so also is it
true that there are no official records
describing the really remarkable dis
bandment of the Southern military
and it departure in fragments for
home. Only recently. in fact, has this
matter been treated of. and that by
a magazine almost four decades after
the event!
Truly some Of the most absorbing
history is. in the minting. slow quite
beyond belief. Passing strange 1t seems
almost that upon a writer of a genera
ton which has no intimate connection
with the Civil War should devOlve the
not unpleasant. nor in the light of
facts. ill-timed. task Of setting down in
complete detail that story which long
ago should have had full official tell
ing.
In that great national tragedy of the
Civil War there has been for years
much effort, always in a more or less
transformations and sccretiNc way, to
eliminate the merit which was due to
prominent actors. 1t has been said
recurrently that officers other than the
actual one commanded on the impress
sive occasion. and, to cite one case.
n general officer who. from 1863 was
never connected with the Army Of the
Potomac. was frequently banquetcd
and toasted as the soldier who re-
ceivcd the surrender Of Gen. Robert T..
Lee. This was. to be sure. an unfair
acceptance. but it was accepted in 81
lcnce, and even at later times asscntcd
to in subsequent remarks. But. be il
said. such prctcncc of merit deserves
and surely ought to receive the cen
sure of every loyal comrade.
The man who did command the
Union soldicry that stood immovable
for hours near Appomattox court
housc on that cvcntful day while rebel
arms and colors nodded Conquered
has never sounded in public or in priv
ate his own acclaim. Mai Gen
Joshua l.. Cha mbcrlain of Maine he
was in the old days. and sttli ne bears
that honorable title. though the years
If civil strife arc dead this long ago.