Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1913-04-04


Mclean House, Where Grant and Lee
Met.
to 60 and see General Grant" General
Lee had said.
ooh. general" came the protest or
his lieutenants, what will the world
say of the surrender of your army In
the ield!"
Yes, they will say bard things OF
us, | know. They will not understand
how we were overwhelmed by num-
bers. But that is not thequestion. The
question is, Is it right to surrender?
If it is right then will take all the re-
sponsibility.'
The note brought under flag Of truce
to the Federal lines was General Lees
reply to an earlier communication from
General Grant. The proposition had
been made and accepted for suspen-
sion of hostilities pending negotiations
looking to the surrender of Lees army.
During the interval occupied by these
arrangements stately. gray bearded
Federal officer approached Colonel Ell
lingham, who had been sent by Cen
eral Gordon with the flag Of truce, and
drawing something-doubtless docu-
ment-from his side pocket said:
Colonel. have been requested while
waiting to extend to you the courtesies
of this side of the line'-at the same
time profferlng the supposed document,
which proved to be silver flask.
Then Colonel Ellingham recognized
General Haverill-the Mexican war
comrade of his father under the old
flag, and his own and Gertrule'S guar.
dian until the great sundering OF ri
cred ties by the awful outbreak Of civ!
strife that now had spent itself af;pi.
laying the country and It's homes atrl
industries desolate.
1--WE meet under difficult circun
stances. General HaveTlll. :" falterr,
Bob. "but-I trust there are no hnr..
feelings?"
"None, Robert. my boy-1uite ting
contrary. 1t Is time. God knows! How
are Gertrude and
"She and Kerchival were married
last Sunday" answered Bob. He SAW
the generals face alter strangely. and
his whole attitude stiffen, as if his
heart had suddenly frozen. So he has
tened to add, "But we have not been
able to locate Captain Heartsease. and
l hardly dare to speculate as to what
has become of him.
"On that point | can give you well
come news" said General Haverill, re-
covering his old cordially. He es-
capped while being transferred from
Danvil4e and came to us at Petersburg
to rejoin the corps. But he was in no
condition for campaigning, so l sent
him on to Washington, where l have
so doubt Miss Jenny Buckthorn will
succeed in nursing him to recovery"
In due time word was received from
General Grant that he was coming on
Immediately to discuss terms of sur
render with the southern commander.
General Grants courier found General
Lee near Appomattox Court House,
lying under an apple tree upon blan-
ket spread over some rails. whence
originated the report about Lees hav-
ing surrendered beneath the apple
tree Of Appomattox.
The historic meeting Of the two gen.
erals really took place at the house OF
Wilmer Mclean, Virsinian. who, be-
fore and during the first battle OF
Manassas. had resided at McLeans
ford. over Bull Run. and who had re-
moved thence to Appomattox express
ly In order 10 be out Of the wars way.
General Grant, accompanied by Cen
erals Sheridan and Ord and several
other officers. including General HaV-
GRILL, presented striking contrast to
General Lee, who. with a couple OF
staff officers. awaited him In the old
fashioned parIor of the Mclean resi-
dence
Grant forty-three years old. medium
sized and somewhat stoop shouidered,
wore no marks of rank except gen.
erals shoulder straps on his blue fan
mel blouse. His trousers were tucked
In his boots, and he had neither spurs
nor sword. Lee, a dozen years older
than his late adversary, had the stat
ure and bearing Of an old knight cru
sader. His hair and beard were silver
gray. He wore a plain but handsome !
uniform of Confederate gray, top boots !