The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-22
TIE SURRENDER.
The Popular Impression TINT Lee OF
tered His Sword to Grant.

The Popular Impression TINT Lee Of
Tered His Sword to Grnnt.
Editor Richmond Times Dispatch:
During my sojourn at the Yellow
Sulphur Springs, Virginia, last sum
mer. as resident physician. ] inter-
viewed a number of our Southern peo-
pie, both young and old. as well as a
few Northern and Western people, as
TO whether General Robert L. Lee Of
fered to surrender his sword to General
Z. S. Grant on the 9th day of April.
1866, at AppomattoX, Va. and have
been surprised to find that nine out
of ten. including some old Confederate
veterans, positively state that Lee did
offer his sword to Grant, and that the
latter was maEnanimous enough to re-
fuse it. The following, taken from the
Confederate Veterans. Vol. VIII. May,
1900, page 204. j. F. j. Caldwell, Of
Greenwood S. c., says:
II wish to call attention to the story
of General Grants refusal to accept
the surrender of General Lees sword
at AppomattoX. a story without par
ticle of foundation in fact and utterly
unreasonable, yet widely circulated by
Northern speakers and writers. and
credited by good many people in the
South.
The account of the ceremonies at
tending the return of the flag Of tho
Eighth Texas Cavalry. in the Veteran
of December. 1899. reports Governor
Sayers as saying: And finally Apo
mattoN came and General Lee surren-
dered; the great, heroic, masnanimous
Grant refused to take his sword
"Col. Charles Marshall. who was I
believe. the only officer accompanying
General Lee on the occasion, has dis
claimed that anything Of the kind oc-
CURED.
"Dr. j. William Jones. in Personal
"Reminiscences of Gen. Robert L. Lee
at page 302. reports General Lee as
making similar statement during a
conversation with a company Of
friends, as follows:
General Grant returned your sword.
did he not?' asked one of the COM
pany. Tho old hero Strengthened him
self up and replied: NO. sir, he did not.
| was determined that the sdc-arms
OF officers should be exempt by the
terms of the surrender, and, Of course,
/ did not offer him mine. All that
was said about swords was that Gem
eral Grant apologiZed to me for not
having his own sword, saying that it
had been taken off in his baggage. and
he had been unable to get it in time
General John b. Gordon. in his
"reminiscences of the Civil War page
80. says, In speaking Of General Grant:
In his Memoirs" he has given a
auietus to that widely circulated ro-
NANCE that he returned to Lee his
profered sword. do not doubt that
lie would have done SO; but there was
no occasion for Lees Offering 1t. no.
cause in the terms agreed upon 1t was
stipulated that the Confederate officers
retain their sidc-arms','
nave seen Northern history in
which Lee was represented as present.
ing MS sword to Grant. Correct his
tory is all we ask for-no preyaricat-
ing on either side. And ! would ash,
that our young people especially be
taught the truth of this matter.
Respectfully.
w. Z. CONWAY, NJ D..
Late Corporal Co. c., 4th Va. Cav.
Atlanta. Ga
Z. SIN Your Query Column OF last
sundays edition some one asked n
thcre was any law in the United States
against wearing button or boLra
or any organization to which the
wearer does not belong. Your answer
+, was, There is no such law as Won as,
about" :" 80"
| Would not the Confederate crosse of
honor come under that hcado Nh .
4 Georgia law forbids any ono wcarin,,
I 1t except the veteran to whom II ,s
| given. AZ n 80