The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1904-08-25
Sunshine Saved the Swords.


"YOu remember, perhaps" remarked
veteran army officer to New York
Post writer, "the terms Of surrender
which Grant prepared for Lee to sign?
They were notable, first for their terse-
ness, as they crowded into a dozen
lines what almost any one else would
have spread over as many pages, but
still more for the fact that they were
written In Grants own hand-as, in
deed, was substantially every one of
his papers of the whole war-and
while the party sat at the rendezvous.
Horace Porter, our present ambassador
to France. was there as aid to the gen.
eral. He tells me that at McLean's
house Grant. after GREETING Lee and his
secretary and exchanging a few SEN
tences Of conversation with them, mo-
toned them to chairs opposite the CEN
ter table and then seated himself and
began to write. II he had been send
ing casual note inviting brother Of
ficer to dinner he could not have been
less agitated. outwardly at least, and
yet he was bringing to an end war
of four years duration, one Of the
stubbornest and blOOdiest in modern
history, and one which, but for his
success. might have changed the whole
current of human civilization.
HE had just closed a sentence. as
shown by the momentary cessation of
the scratching on the paper, when a
little ray Of light broke through an
opening between him and the confed-
crate officers and fell on Lees sword
hilt. Ordinarily nothing would have
resulted from this, for at that stage Of
the war the field uniforms and arms
were in pretty battered condition on
both sides. So in preparing for the cul-
ing Lee and his secretary had discard
ed their old t0ggery and dressed them
selves in the best they had, including
a jeweled presentation sword which
Lee probably never had out Of its case
before. The light falling upon its or
namented hilt was reflected with a
piercing flash which struck Grant full
in the eyes. He had just raised them
for an instant. Responsive to the fash,
they sought the details Of Lees attire,
and down they went upon the written
sheet again. while there flowed from
the nib Of his pen the provision that
the confederates should be allowed to
wear home their side aels. 1t was n
fine illustration Of the power Of mo-
mentary suggestion.
when It was all over and Lee was
riding of in the direction Of his head
quarters, Grant issued few routine
orders and then summoned ingalls, by
a nod and silently mounted his horse
and rode away in the opposite direc-
ton. Ingalls, had ridden over with
him that morning, and they had been
engaged on the way in "reminiscences
Of the men and adventures they had
both known in the Mexican war. Por-
ter. youthful and full Of enthusiasm,
believing that the first ttterance Of
his chief after this magnificent days
work would be of historic significance,
hastily mounted and rode after the
pair. Grant did not open his lips for
some minutes. Then. taking up the
thread Of the mornings chat. and with
faint smile creeping over his sun
burnt face, he said:
by the way. ingalls,, do you remefl-
Der the fellow who drove that shave
tailed mule in the baggage train of the
-th infantry the morning we went out
to relieve Jones?"