Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-04-28
a}listellaneuus 8eadins.
THE SURRENDER GROUND.
A Visit to Appomattox Where the Con-
federates Laid Down Arms.
To be Continued.


A Visit to Appomattox Where the Con-
federates Laid Down Arms.
An American must recall brave
memories as he looks upon the red
clap fields and pine grown lands where
the Army of Northern Virginia laid
down it's arms, or stands on the spot
where the terms of surrender were
agreed upon and signed. There must
come to his memory these words Of
Grant: II regard it as my duty to shift
from myself the responsibility of any
further effusion of blood by asking of
you the surrender of that portion of
the Confederate States army known as
the Army Of Northern Virginia" Also
there comes to mind these words Of
Lee: after four years arduous strug-
gle the Army of Northern Virginia
has been compelled to yield to over
whelming numbers and resources
1t is impressive to visit the surren-
der ground of AppomattoX. Today it
is a ruined hamlet where a few drOw-
sy persons dwell. The court house
was burned fifteen years ago and
around the desolate court house
square, numbered with ashes, charred
plaster and shattered brick, half
dozen tottering dwellings cling. Some
are tenanted, but others are too near
collapse for even this faint distinction.
These old and feeble houses. with fall
en- porches and falling roofs stare out
in the muddy deeply rutted roads
through broken windows and door
ways in which there are no doors.
The surrender house." the home
Of Wilmer Mclean, in the parlor OF
which Grant and Lee met, is no more.
The site and garden of this house Is
heaped with piles of brick and rotting
lumber, which once was the house.
About 1892 the Mclean house was
taken down for the purpose of remov-
al to and reconstruction at the Colum-
bian exposition at Chicago, but the ex-
ecution of this was carried no further
wartime garden with its big trees, is
ruined, and a growth Of saplings is
springing up. At the present rate OF
decay the debris of the historic house
will soon be wOrmwood.
There were two AppomattoX towns
in 1865, and there are two in 1908.
1t was at AppomattoX Station on
the line of railway between Peters
burg and Lynchburg that Sheridan's
cavalry captured a train of supplies
from Lynchburg intended for Lees
army. These supplies stood between
Lees men and starvation. Appomat-
tox Court House-the county seat of
|Appomattox county-was three miles
northward. Today AppOmattox Court
House occupies the site of Appomat-
tox station and is a brisk village. Old
IAppomattox Court House-the Apo
mattox of history, the Appomattox
where the expiring hopes of the south
were crushed, this is the hopeless VIII
lage the Star man tells of.
.he armies is now covered with tall,
thick pines. In a particular dark
stretch of pines the traveller comes
upon the North Carolina monument,
the most-in fact, the only-imposing
marker on the fields of AppOmattox.
The inscription on the monument,
which gives glorious praise to the SOL
diers of North Carolina, has caused
tense discussion. The accuracy of the
statements cut on the stone has been
denied. The inscription follows:
AT this place the North Carolina
brigade of Brigadier General w. r.
Cox of Grimes division fired the last
volley April 8, 1865.
Major General Bryan Grimes Of
North Carolina planned the last battle
fought by the Army Of Northern Vir-
ginia and commanded the infantry en-
gagged therein, the greater part of
whom were North Carolinians
This stone is erected by the author
ity of the General Assembly of North
Carolina in grateful and perpetual
memory of the ValOr, endurance and
patriotism of her sons, who followed
with unshaken fidelity the fortunes of
the Confederacy to this closing scene,
faithful to the end.
Erected April 9, 1905.
North Carolina AppomattoX COM
mission-H. A. London, chairman; f..
j. Holt, w. n. Jenkins Cyrus S. Wat
son, A. d. McGill.'
On the opposite face of the monu-
mcnt is this inscription:
North Carolina
First at Bethel
FartheSt to the front at GettyS-
burg and Chickamauga
Last at AppOmattoX."
, There are a number of simple mark
ers in the country round about, but
the authority for and accuracy of sew
eral of these might be questioned. In
an open field may be seen crudely
| painted signbOard with this legend:
General Grant and General Lee met
| here" 1t is safe to say that Grant
and Lee did not meet there.
The spot where General Grant 5
letter bearer, Colonel Orville f.. Bah
cock, found Lee reclining by the road
side under an apple tree. is marked
This was the only foundation for the
Appomattox apple tree. Lee and Grant
did not meet until they saw each 9th
er in the parlOr of the Mclean house.
The conference lasted from l.3O until
o'clock, and it is not recorded that
Lee and Grant met again at Appo-
mattox. The site of Grants tent be-
tween the time of the surrender and
the parole of the Confederate troops
is marked by a tulip poplar tree and
| tha site Of .pp'S hp1 1nnHrterS is mark
ed by a small SignbOard.- Washing
tnn