The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1961-04-07

demonstration of genuine affection for
Grant and tribute to his leadership
which had brought the men so near to
the victorious conclusion of a hard war.
Grant stood on the porch, and reviewed
the informal. but spontaneously happy pas
sage of Wrights Corps.
On the March April
April was passing before the Confed-
crates left their positions. which appear
to have been quite strong, on the Cumber-
land hills While there, one of the Confed-
crate gunners took a shot at the Ran
dolph House now the Prince Edward Ho-
tell where Grant was staying. The Fed
eral commander was on the upstairs
porch, when the shot came. II came peri
ously near. grazing the building next to
the hotel now occupied by Whitfield j. H.
Whitfield Company; the scar yet remains.
Grant did not return to the porch during
his BRIT stay here.
Another incident of interest occurred
while the Confederates held the hills to
the north of the town. To General Lee,
lying at the root Of pine, General Pen
dleton. of the artillery, close friend TO
the General and later his rector. came
with the suggestion of surrender Pendle-
ton, Gordon, and Longstreet had talked it
over had agreed that further resistance
was useless and out of sympathy for Cen
eral Lees position and in an effort TO
tighten his responsibility, suggested that
the war be stopped and negotiations for
surrender be begun. Longstreet at first
was unwilling that Lee be approached but
later, according to Pendleton. assented to
sion that he never agreed to it,. Lee
thanked Pendleton, but expressed the de-
termination to fight to the DEATH any Of
fer to surrender would reveal to Grant
Confederate weakness and would lead him
to demand unconditional surrender. Ne
EQUATIONS. however, opened shortly there
after, on Grants initiative From the Ran
dolph House, he wrote Lee suggesting sur
render, to prevent further bloodshed and
IN view of the extremities of Lees po-
sition. Lee replied, concurring in the de-
sire to avoid needless effusion of blood"
but disagreeing about any extremities of
position; before considering any PROPOSE
ton. he would have to know the terms
The grand old warrior was protecting his
men to the last! Grant replied stating that
one condition would be that officers and
men would not take up arms against the
toI f,o
a meeting of designated officers Long
street, at Farnvllle, was ordered from
his forward position to post a rear guard.
He had the road clear at HOO pm, and
at his right the First Corps marched. The
march April was quiet, the way unmo-
Tested the left but little annoyed.
At the hotel, Grant was met on the
morning Of April by a Confederate
colonel. the proprietor, Richard A. Booker.
Booker who had gone into Confederate
service in 1861 as captain Of the Farm
vile Guard had during the latter part
OF the War. commanded regiment OF
Home Guards. whose last service to the
Confederacy was in guarding the Rich
mond and Danville Bridge over the Staun-
ton River Colonel Booker offered to sur
render himself but Grant told HIM to
stay in his tavern and he would not be
molested
Grants proposal to Lee for surrender
was not made without knowledge that
some high Confederate officers saw the
futillty Of further resistance He mentions
conversation between General Ewell.