The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-03-29

ignate officers to meet any officers you may
name for the same purpose at any point
agreeable to you, for the purpose of arrang-
ing definitely the terms upon which the sur
render of the Army of Northern Virginia will
be received.
The next letter from Lee read as follows:
General received at late hour your
note of today. In mine yesterday did not
intend TO propose the surrender Of the Army
of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms
of your proposition. To be frank, I do not
think the emergency has arisen to call for
the surrender Of this army; but, the
toration of peace should be the sole object
of all, desire TO know whether your pro-
posals would lead to that end. I can not
therefore meet you with view to surrender
the Army of Northern Virginia; but, as far
your proposal may affect the Confederate
States forces under my command, and tend
to the restoration of peace / should be
pleased to meet you at ten a. m, tomorrow,
on the old stage road to Richmond, between
the picket lines of the two armies
In the meantime Lee was pushing on toward
Appomattox Court House where Gordon attempt
ing to open the way for retreat. had broken
through the cavalry forces barring his road only
to find himself confronted by force of infan-
try so far superior to his wearied and starving
command that an attack would have been suicide
So he sent word to Lee that it was impossible to
advance farther and upon receiving this news
the commander-in-chief, accompanied by Colonel
Marshall, his aide-de-camp, started down the
Lynchburg road the next morning, confident that
Grant would meet him even though he had not
yet received reply from the Union commander
to his last letter.
Halted by skirmish of Union troops, Marshall
went forward under white flag and was met
BY Lieutenant Colonel Whittier who gave him
Grants reply to Lees letter of the previous day.
1t read
General,-Your note Of yesterday received.
I have no authority TO treat on the subject
of peace. The meeting for ten a. m. today
would lead to no good. will state, however,
General, that am equally anxious for peace
with yourself; and the whole North enter
tains the same feeling. The terms upon
which peace can be had are well understood.
By the South laying down their arms, they
will hasten that most desirable event. save
thousands of human lives, and hundreds of
millions of property not yet destroyed. Seri-
ously hoping that all our difficulties may be
settled without the loss of another life,
subscribe myself, ETC.,
Lee then directed Marshall to write to the
Union commander, asking for an interview, and
to deliver it to Whittier, which was done. Sitting
on his horse and hastily tearing leaf from his
notebook, Grant dashed of note telling the
Southern commander that he would push for
ward to the front for the purpose of meeting
you"
When Colonel Babcock of Grants staff arrived
TO deliver this note, Lee, fatigued from being In
the saddle all night long, was lying some
blankets that had been spread by members of
his staff for him under apple tree at the
foot of a hill, on the other side Of which stood
Appomattox Court House. This the basis
for the familiar legend that Lees surrender
took place under apple ree-one of the many
yarns growing out of that historic occasion which
had only the slightest basis of fact. Babcock
was conducted to the Confederate commander
who rose and talked with him about the plans
for the interview with Grant.
Then occurred the incident which thrust fame
upon an obscure citizen of Virginia named VIII
mer Mclean and made his house one of the most
famous in American history. 1t is an incident
which also illustrates the strange workings of
Fate, as shown by this passage from MarshaFs
book:
-. We started off-General Lee, Colonel
Babcock Colonel Babcock's orderly one of our
orderlies and myself. We struck up the hill
towards Appomattox. There was man named
Mclean who used to live the first battle field
of Manassas (Bull RUM. at a house about a
mile from Manassas Junction He didn't like the
war; and having seen the first battle of Manassas
he thought he would get away where there
wouldn't be any more fighting. so he moved down
20 Appomattox Court House. General Lee told
me to go forward and find q house where he