Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-06-09

gives way to winter. The early spring
comes. During all this time much
blood has been split. Outpost after
outpost fell. One southern regiment
after another surrendered. Battlehelds
became mere slaughter pens. Men Tell
like forest leaves; the army surgeons
grew sick at the spectacle. 1t seemed
more like murder than war. But Lee
would not yield, and Grant had but one
watchword, unconditional surrender
Without food, without equipment, with
out arms. southern soldiers began t."
desert by the thousands. Lees army
was reduced. The first army officer who
went upon a message of truce, found
Lee lying on an oil blanket. The mes
senger returned to say that Lee locked
like a brouze statue. al have never
seen nobIer or a sadder face. Sud-
denly Lee starts westward. Grant Is on
his heels. Finally, on April 8, 1865, at
Appomattox, Lee and Grant met. Grant
had on an old suit splashed with mud
aud without his sword; Lee wore a
splendid new uniform that had been
received from admirers at Baltimore
Lee asked upon what terms Grant
would receive the surrender of his army.
Grant replied the officers aud men
should give their parole not to take up
arms against the government of the
United States. The arms, artillery aud
public property to be surrendered. The
officers to be allowed to retain their side
arms, private horses and baggage. Each
officer and man would be allowed to re-
turn TO their homes. In the southern
army the cavalry men and artillerists
owned their own horses and Grant
agreed that every man who claimed to
own horse or mule should be allowed
TO take the animal home. Lees tina
request was for rations for his starving
heroes who had been living for some
days on parched corn. His request wa
granted. Lee and Grant shook hand
and parted. Thus Lee, the greatest de
fensive general since Washington, sur
rendered to Grant, the greatest offensive
general since Napoleon, and the War o
the Rebellion was over.
And now in closing, thought. Thes'
battlefield in the Southland are tn
priceless heritage of the nation. TIL
defeats OF the one and the victories o
3 the other are blended. Lee and Gran
are but types, high and heroic to b
sure, of a devotion to country uasul
, passed in the annals of the race. BE
hind them marched 100000 of tn
bravest men that ever trod the earth
The blue aud grey of their uniform
|, were merged again into the red, whit
aud blue of the flag of united country
General Grant lay dying. The her
. of Appomattox was fighting his last ba
tie. Reared in religious atmosphere
: Grauts nature was essentially mora
4 and religious. He possessed all the bi
virtues, honesty, justice, truth, homo
goodwill. lie loved the truth. He fe
he had done all he could for his countr,
One day he wrote on a tablet thes
7 words: al desire the goodwill OF a
men, whether heretofore friends or not
Southern soldiers aud generals brougl
TO his bedside messages of affection an
y good cheer. One morning his phys
'' clans found on a tablet these words
u 81 want TO CO.. At leugth he fe
asleep, beari, 6 away with him the 81
Il cere admiration aud affection of a
i men. The North aud the South alik
% His grave on Riverside drive, New Yor
y has become the Mecca for innumerab
y multitudes.
n To the end of time Lincoln will
d remembered as the Martyred Presiden
It the best loved of all our leaders, Il
B. great emancipation, the gentlest memo'
y in the world, and side by side wi
is Lincoln will stand Grant, the man
D. oak and rock, the man of iron will, wi
9 fought the war to successful issue, al
y will be known in history as the create
. soldier of the Republic.
a This is the story OF the relations
a Grant to Lincoln. These evidences
1t Grants and Lees great characteristi
70 ought to live in history as an inspirati
rs to future generations. They ought
20 live on pages at least as bright as the
a. which record their military ACHE,
ments. They ought to be inscribed
1t their tombs in characters as faultless
g, their fame.
Or Rev. F. ID. MILLER,