Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-05-02
The Last Hours of the Con-
federacy.

Colonel Charles Marshall, the
only Confederate who was actu-
ally present with General Lee
when the articles of capitulation at
Appomattox were signed by
Generals Lee and Grant, was
General Lees chief of staff. Col
onel Marshall died in Baltimore OH
April 10Th, but he left an interest
ing account of that episode. He
says:
General Lee, Colonel Bah
cock of General Grants staff
and myself sat in the parlor for
about half an hour, when a large
party of mounted men arrived, and
in few minutes General Grant
came into the room accompanied
by his staff and a number of
Federal officers of rank, among
whom was General Ord and Gen
eral Sheridan.
General Grant greeted General
Lee very civilly, and they engaged
in conversation about their former
acquaintance during the Mexican
War.
Some other Federal officers took
part in the conversation, which
was terminated by General Lee
saying to General Grant that he
had come to discuss the terms of
the surrender of his army, as
indicated in his note of that morn
ing, and he suggested to General
Grant to reduce his proposition
to writing.
General Grant assented and
Colonel Parker, of 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 General Lee, who remained
seated.
General Lee read the letter
and called General Grants atten-
ton to the fact that he required
the surrender of the horses of the
cavalry as if they were public.
He told General Grant that Con-
federate cavalrymen owned their
horses, and that they would need
them for plantinga spring crop.
General Grant at once accepted
tbs suggestion and interlined the
provision allowing the retention
by the men of the horses that be-
longed to them.
"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 his ac-
ceptance.
Colonel Parker took the light
table upon which General Grant
had been writing to the opposite
corner of the room, and | ac-
him. There was an
in the room, but the ink
was so thick that it was of no use.
[ had a small lockwood inkstand
which | always carried, and | gave
it, with my pen, to Colonel
Parker, who proceeded to copy
General Grants letter.
while he was so engaged | sat
near the end of the sofa on which
General Sheridan was sitting, and
VIC entered into conversation. In
he midst of it General Grant, who
sat nearly diagonally across the
Dom and was talking with General
Lee, turned to General Sheridan
md said:
General Sheridan, General
lee tells me that he has some
200 of our people prisoners, who :
ire sharing with his men, and that
zone of them have anything to eat.
low many rations can you spare?
General Sheridan replied: {
About $4,000
General Grant turned to
General Lee and said, General,
viii that be enough?'
General Lee replied: More than
nough.'
"Thereupon General Grant said
0 General Sheridan: Direct your
ommissary to send $4,000 rations
D General Lees commissary.'
General Sheridan at once sent
n officer to give the necess AIRY
riders. 4.
When General Grant had signed
he copy of his letter made by I
'Olonel Parker and General Lee
ad signed the answer, Colonel =.
'arker handed to me General :
rants letter and l handed to {
i'm General Lees reply and the t
'ork was done.
General Lee hal prep ared
imself for the meeting with more h
IAN usual care, and was in full !,
inform, wearing a very handsome - :,
word and sash. This was doubt ;
,ss the reason of General Grants b
eference to himself.
cat last General Lee took leave q