The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1915-05-29
LEES SURRENDER
Fl APPOMATT0X
Date Should L, / revocably Fixed In
The Minis Of The American
People.
By J. A. WATROUS,

L am writing on euneSQay, April
8, but thinking of April 8, fifty years
ago, when two powerful American
armies came together the last time to
fight after having fought for nearly
four years in score or more great
battles, not to mention many smaller
ones; the day upon which one of these
armies, that of the Army of Northern
Virginia, which hau 1een under the
command OF zen. Robert L. Lee ever
since June. 1862, surrendered TO Cen
era. U. S. Grant. commander of all the
armed forces of the Union.
1t was a great day for both armies,
and, for that matter, the whole nation,
the South as well as the. North, though
Lees army and the South did not look
upon it from that standpoint at the
time. | am one OF those who have al
ways maintained that the supremest
Kindness ever manifested toward
people was extended to the South
when, under the leadership of Mr.. Lin
coin, the rest Of the Union prevented
the South from leaving the Union to
build up a southern confederacy. That
is why | say, fifty years after the mo-
mentous event, it was great day for
both armies and the cation.
Many things happened at Appom-
attoX aside from the one overshadow-
ing event. One of them is the fact
that Grants soldiers and Lees SOL
diers began to frarernize as soon as
possible after the surrender.
For nearly four years they had
made it their business to kill. MAIN
and CAPTURE as many as possible of
each other.
Look at them row. q, Appornattox,
at the end OF the awful struggle. The
one dining and trying tc minimize the
embarr, ssment and humiliation of the
other.
Thoy lid mayched thousands of
miles hunting for o. trying to get
away from each other-they had met
on the plains of Bull Run, at Antie-
tam, Fredericksburg, charlottesville,
Gettysburg. in the Wilderness, at
Spottsyivania, Cold Earbor. Peters
burg and on score or more of other
battlefelds, and there they were at
Appomattox, or friendly terms, re-
specting each other, the Yankee with
the delight he did not try TO express
lest he wound his brother in a differ
ent Uniform. and the Johnny in the
gloom Of defeat. but making the best
of it. al his fellow soldier in blue
helping him to make the best of it.
Here is another happening at APP
pomattoX which it is wlll for US to re-
membe@-for all cases: The broad
humanity end timely generosity eX-
hibited by our silent but great brave
old leader, Grant He who had been
by far the most successful of the IN
ion commanders, who had inflicted the
severest blows the Corfederacy had
received, and had won the Unions
crowring victory by compelling the
surrender of the South's best general
and its most powerful! army. showed
himse to be d statesman of unusual
wisdom and penetration, and at the
same time a man OF great heart-the
very best type of manhood. ! do not
feel that | can do justice to the paint
ing, hence recall an interview Chap
lain George W Pepper had with Gen
eral Lee in 1868, in which the Con-
federate commander pictured the old
commander who died on Mount Nc
Gregor in 1859 in a way thar touches
the hearts of all who served under
Grant. The chaplain said:
Lee aCrert-d to the character Of
Grant, of whom he spoke 1T length in
the most enthusiastic terms. He as
crihed to MIN the po- 5essioM OF the
9randast attributes OF American man
mood and .aid that he possessed The
military { .c.ls requisite tor the or
aaaiZaGoa u armies. Al the generous
terms a.a "tet w. the impoverished
South. 81 N.uis. he 20. -eHcraI
times. Ora h2I Wo. for him self I'M
pcrshahie "enCtr.
"'t N.,h.' said lie. TO do simple
justice to ,cr-Hal Grant, when ! say
that his action tu"ar. ny army Is
withou. parallel in the annals OF ma
tons, When my poor so Tiers, with
nor r,.meat. hungry ana footsore,
render. it was then that General
crdc" tk@t 40 0ou ratigns should be
given them. And that was not all.
was giving orders to ore OF my Subor-
the list of things to be sure: Tered
tod him to include the horses. At
that very moment General Grant, who
seemed to be paying 70 attention to
what was going OIL, quickly rose from
the camp stool and said: "No. no,
Genera! Lee, no surrender of horses.
Not one, rot one. Keep them all.
Your poor people Will need them for
the spring crops" 1t was u scene
never to be forgotten
"As Lee spoke he paced the room.
a-d with tears streaming down his
cheeks repeated two or three times
the Incl let e H.. surrender.
l.