The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-29


be suspended until it could reach General
Grant.
He soon returned and told me that he had
reported my request that hOstilities be sus-
pended pending the cores ondence, but
that he had been directed 10 say that an
attack had been ordered, and that the ofh-
Ger in command OF the force had no dis
erection. lie added that General Grant had
left General Meade some time before, and
that General Lees letter could not reach
him in time 10 receive orders as 10 the in
tended attack.
expressed my regret. and asked him TO
request the officer commanding the troops
then moving TO the attack TO read General
Lees letter to General Grant, saying that
perhaps the officer would feel authorized,
under the circumstances, TO suspend the
movement and avoid the useless sacrifice OF
life.
1 have said that. as General Lee passed
through his rear guard on his way to the
place where the conference took place, the
men cheered him as Of old They were the
Hover OF the old Army Of Northern Vir-
GINA, and L felt quite that if the Off
Ger commanding the advancing Federal
troops should consider himself bound by his
orders TO refuse my request for a suspen-
sion of hosthties until General Lees letter
could reach General Grant, the rear guard
OF the Army of Northern Virginia would
secure all the time necessary.
Colonel Whittier again returned to the
Federal lines. and when ne came back in
formed me that General Meade had read
the letter OF General Lee, and had agreed
TO suspend operations for one hour.
General Lee then returned 10 the front,
and. with General LOngstreet, proceeded 10
a small orchard at the foot of the hill on
which the line of battle was formed where
he awaited the reply of General Grant
He sent into the Federal lines a formal
quest for the suspension of hostilities. AS
he was much fatigued, a rude couch was
prepared under an apple tree, upon which
he reclined until the approach of a flag
or truce from the Federal line in our front
was announced
Soon after. Colonel Babcock, OF General
N 10
ence of General Lee and delivered to him
the following letter:
April 9, 1865.
Gen. Robert E. Lee, commanding c. s.
Army:
Your note of this date is but this mo-
ment Q1:50 a. M received in consequence
Of my having passed from the Richmond
and Lynchburg road to the Farmvile and
Lynchburg road l am at this writing
and will push forward to the front for the
purpose Of meeting you. Notice sent TO
me on this road where you wish the in
tervlew to take place will meet me. Very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
~. s. GRANT,
Lieutenant General"
Colonel Babcock told General Lee that
he had been sent forward by General
Grant with instructions to make any
rangements for the meeting that General
Lee desired within the Federal or Confed-
crate lines
General Lee directed me to accompany
him, with one orderly, and Immediately
mounting his horse rode with Colonel Bah
cock toward Appomattox Courthouse.
We passed through an infantry force in
front OF the village, and General Lee di-
rected me to find suitable place for the
meeting. l rode forward and asked the
first citizen l met TO direct me to house
suitable for the purpose. learned after
ward that the citizen was Mr.. Mclean,
who had lived on the battlefield of Bull
Run, but had removed to Appomattox
Courthouse to get out Of the way of the
war. Mr.. Mclean conducted me to I'M
occupied and unfurnished house in a very
bad state of repair. l told him that it was
not suitable and ne then offered his own
house, to which he conducted me.
MEETING GRANT
I found a room suitable for the purpose
in view, and sent back the orderly who
had accompanied me to direct General Lee
and Colonel Babcock to the place They
came in presently, and Colonel Babcock
said that, as General Grant was approach
ing 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 1 sat
in the parlor for about half an hour, when
a large party of mounted men arrived, and
In few moments General Grant came
into the room, accompanied by his staff
and number of Federal officers of rank,
among whom were General Ord and Gen
eral Sheridan
civilly, and they engaged in conversation
for a short time about their former ac-
quaintance during the Mexican war.
Some other Federal officers took part in
the conversation, which terminated
by General Lee saying to General Grant
that he had come TO discuss the terms of
surrender of his army, as indicated in his
note of that morning, and he suggested
TO General Grant to reduce his proposition
TO writing. General Grant assented, and
Colonel Ely S. 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 let
ter in pencil he took it to General Lee, who
remained seated. General Lee read the
letter and called General Grants attention
to the fact that he required the surrender
of the horses of the cavalry, If they
were public horses. He told General Grant
that Confederate cavalrymen owned their
horses, and that they would need them
for planting a spring crop. General Grant
at once accepted the suggestion, and inter-
lined the provision, allowing the retention
by the men of the horses that belonged TO
them.
The terms of the letter having been
agreed to, General Grant directed Colonel
Parker to make a copy of il 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 L &C
cOmpanied him. There was an inkstand in
the room, but the ink was so thick that IL
was of no use. l had a small lockwood ink
stand which L always carried, and gave
it, with my pen, 10 Colonel Parker, who
proceeded 70 copy General Grants letter.
While he was so engaged l sat near the
end of the sofa which General Sheridan
was sitting, and we entered into conversa-
ton. In the midst of it General Grant, who
sat nearly diagonally across the room and
was talking with General Lee turned to
General Sheridan and said:
General Sheridan, General Lee tells me
that he has some l,200 of our people prison
ers, who sharing with his men, and
that none of them have anything to eat.
How many ratiOns can you spare?'
General Sheridan replied: about 5000"
General Grant turned 10 General Lee and
said: General Will that be enough?
General Lee replied: More than enough"
RATIONS ISSUED.
Thereupon General Grant said to General
Sheridan: Direct your commissary to
send $4,000 rations to General Lees COM
missary."
General Sheridan at once sent an officer
to give the necessary orders.
When Colonel Parker had concluded the
copying of General Grants letter 1 sat
down at the same table and wrote General
Lees answer.
1 have yet In my possession the original
draft of that answer. 1t began: Il have
the honor 10 acknowledge" General Lee
struck out those words, and made the
answer read as II now appears. His rea-
son was that the correspondence ought not
appear If he and General Grant were