The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-04-15


ending of the war is interestingly de-
scribed by Horace Porter, brevet brig
adler general, as follows:
ut was then about half-past one of
Sunday, the 9th of April. We entered,
and found General Grant sitting at a
handicapped table in the center of
the room, and Lee sitting beside a
small oval table near the front win
dow, in the corner opposite to the door
by which we entered, and facing Cen
eral Grant. Colonel Marshall, his
military secretary, was standing at
his left. We walked in softly and
ranged ourselves quietly about the
sides of the room, very much as the
people enter a sick-chamber when
they expect to find the patient dan
gerously i'll. Some found seats on
the sofa and the few chairs which con-
party stood.
1.-The contrast between the two
commanders was striking, and could
not fail to attract marked attention as
they sat ten feet apart, facing each
other. General Grant, then nearly
forty-three years of age, was five feet
eight inches in height, with shoulders
slightly stopped. His hair and full
beard were nut-brown, without trace
of gray in them. He had on a single
breasted blouse, made of dark-blue
flannel, unbuttoned in front, and show
ing a waistcoat underneath. He wore
an ordinary pair of top boots. with his
trousers inside, and was without
spurs. The boots and portions of his
clothes were spattered with mud. He
had had on a pair of thread gloves, OF
dark yellow color, which he had TAX
en- off on entering the room. His felt
sugar loaf stiff-brimmed hat was
thrown on the table beside him. He
had no sword, and pair of shoulder
straps was all there was about him to
designate his rank. In fact, aside
from these, his uniform was that of a
private soldier
Lees Fine Presence.
Lee, on the other hand, was fully
six feet in height and quite erect for
one of his age, for he was Grants
senior by sixteen years. His hair and
full beard were silver-gray and quite
thick, except that the hair had be-
come little thin in front. He wore
a new uniform of Confederate gray,
buttoned up at the throat, and at his
side he carried a long sword Of ex-
ceedingly fine workmanship, the hilt
studded with jewels. 1t was said to
be the sword thai had been presented
to him by the state of Virginia. His
top boots were comparatively new,
and seemed to have on them some or
namental stitching of red silk. Like
his uniform, they were singularly
clean and but little travel-stained: On
the boots were handsome spurs with
large rowels. A felt hat, which in
color matched pretty closely that OF
his uniform, and a pair of long buck
skin gauntletS lay beside him on the
table We asked Colonel Marshall
afterward how it was that both he and
his chief wore such fine toggery and
looked so much as if they had turned
out to go to church, while with us
our garb scarcely rose to the dignity
even of the 'shabby-genteel' He
Strengthened us out regarding the con-
trast by explaining that when their
headquarters wagons had been
pressed SO closely by our cavalry
few days before, and it was found
they would have to destroy all their
baggage, except the clothes they car
ried on their backs, each one, natural
ly, selected the newest suit he had,
and sought to propitiate the god of
destruction by a sacrifice of his Sec
ond-best."
Grant Writes the Terms.
After briefly discussing the condi-
tons, General Lee suggested that the
terms be put in writing. Grant called
for his order book, opened it on the
table and proceeded to do so.
While writing, he noticed the hand
some sword that Lee possessed, and
he afterwards said that this set him
to thinking that it would be an un-
necessary humiliation to require the
officers to surrender their swords
and a great hardship to deprive them
of their personal baggage and horses,
which caused him to add this SEN
tence:
This will not embrace the side arms
of the officers nor their private horses
nor baggage"
The terms as submitted by General
Grant were:
Gen. r. E. Lee. Commanding c. S. A.