Greetings Cosmic Americans!The scene - the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox on April 9, 1865 - we know it well. But what exactly did it take for Lee to finally agree to meet Grant and surrender his army...after four years of brutal war and the understanding that his army was clearly defeated? What happened as the clock inexorably wound down on this Rebel army?
The exchange of correspondence between the two generals over the proceeding two days shows the degree of formality undertaken in such a circumstance. For those of you who are unfamiliar with how this procedure takes place, take note - it is remarkable civil. Below is the verbatim correspondence closing one chapter of an epic struggle between nations. Not the end of the war, mind you...there were still Confederate armies in the field after April 9. Still - in terms of symbolic "ends" of things, most folks see this surrender as the Confederate finale.
(Grant to Lee) 5 P.M., April 7th, 1865.
The results of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate States army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
U.S. Grant, Lieutenant-General
(Lee to Grant) April 7th, 1865.
General: I have received your note of this date. Though not entertaining the opinion you express of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender.
R.E. Lee, General.
(Grant to Lee) April 8th, 1865.
General R.E. Lee, Commanding C.S.A.:
Your note of last evening in reply to mine of the same date, asking the conditions on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply I would say that, peace being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon,--namely, that the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet you, or will designate officers to meet any officers you may name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received.
U.S. Grant, Lieutenant-General
(Lee to Grant) April 8th, 1865.
General: I received at a late hour your note of to-day. In mine of yesterday I 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, as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that end. I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia; but as far as your proposal may affect the Confederate States forces under my command, and tend to the restoration of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at 10 A.M. to-morrow on the old state road to Richmond, between the picket-lines of the two armies.
R.E. Lee, General.
(Grant to Lee) April 9th, 1865.
General: Your note of yesterday is received. I have not authority to treat on the subject of peace. The meeting proposed for 10 A.M. to-day could lead to no good. I will state, however, that I am equally desirous for peace with yourself, and the whole North entertains the same feeling. The terms upon which peace can be had are well understood. By the South laying down their arms, they would hasten that most desirable event, save thousands of human lives, and hundreds of millions of property not yet destroyed. Seriously hoping that all our difficulties may be settled without the loss of another life, I subscribe myself, etc.,
U.S. Grant, Lieutenant-General
(Lee to Grant) April 9th, 1865.
General: I received your note of this morning on the picket-line, whither I had come to meet you and ascertain definitely what terms were embraced in your proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender of this army. I now ask an interview, in accordance with the offer contained in your letter of yesterday, for that purpose.
R.E. Lee, General.
(Grant to Lee) April 9th, 1865.
General R. E. Lee Commanding C. S. Army:
Your note of this date is but this moment (11:50 A.M.) received, in consequence of my having passed from the Richmond and Lynchburg road to the Farmville and Lynchburg road. I am at this writing about four miles west of Walker's Church, and will push forward to the front for the purpose of meeting you. Notice sent to me on this road where you wish the interview to take place will meet me.
U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General
The two generals went on to meet at the house of Wilmer McLean. General Lee was the first to arrive. There he waited in the sitting room where he soon met General Grant, who entered the room as his staff politely waited outside for a few moments. Stay tuned - Grant wrote a wonderful description of what followed in his memoirs. But that's for tomorrow.
Peace,
Keith
When I was a kid, the scenario that played out seemed inevitable. Only over time did I realize that rebel armies don't normally surrender and go home, they are more often massacred, or put on trial.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a fascinating story - no mass executions, no trials...even though plenty called for both. Ultimately it is a reconciliationist story - but one seeded with a great deal of contention. My book on the subject will be out before you know it.
ReplyDeletebtw - have you read Bill Blair's book about why Rebels were not hanged?
No. Any good.
ReplyDeleteAnd, we can't forget Sylvanus Cadwallader's wonderful eye-witness account of one of the moments of this exchange:
ReplyDelete(Lee to Grant) April 8th, 1865.
General: I received at a late hour your note of to-day. In mine of yesterday I 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, as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that end...
The reading of this cool disingenuous dispatch threw Gen. Rawlins [don't forget Rawlins started out as a frontier lawyer] into unusually bad temper, and he began at once: "He did not propose to surrender," he says. "Diplomatic but not true. He now tries to take advantage of a single word word used by you, as a reason for extending such easy terms. He now wants to entrap us into making a treaty of peace. You said nothing about that.
"You asked him to surrender. He replied by asking what terms you would give if he surrendered. You answered, by stating the terms. Now he wants to arrange for peace -- something beyond and above the surrender of his army -- something to embrace the whole Confederacy, if possible. No Sir! Why it is a positive insult; and an attempt in an underhanded way to change the whole terms of correspondence."
To this outburst Grant replied: that it amounted to the same thing. Lee was only trying to be let down easily. That he could meet him, as requested, in the morning, and settle the whole business in an hour.
But Rawlins was inexorable: and said it would be presumptuous to undertake to teach Gen. Lee the force of words, or the use of the English language. That [Lee] had purposely proposed to arrange terms of peace to gain time, and better terms. That the dispatch was cunningly worded to that end, and deserved no reply whatever. "He don't think the emergency has arisen! He don't think the emergency has arisen! That's cool, but another falsehood.
"That emergency has been staring him in the face for forty-eight hours. If he hasn't seen it yet, we will soon bring it to his comprehension! He has to surrender. He shall surrender. By the eternal, it shall be surrender, and nothing else."
Then came Grant's soft, moderate, persuasive, and apologetic voice: "Some allowance must be made for the trying position in which Gen. Lee is placed. He is compelled to defer somewhat to the wishes of his government, and his military associates. But it all means precisely the same thing. If I meet Lee, he will surrender before I leave."
Sylvanus Cadwallader - Three Years with Grant
... Major Pease rode up to Gen. Rawlins, saluted, and handed him the sealed envelope. Rawlins tore one end open slowly, withdrew the inclosure, and read it deliberately. He then handed it to Gen. Grant, without a word of comment. The staff were all expecting Lee to surrender, and searched the countenance of Gen. Rawlins eagerly for some clue to the contents of the package.
ReplyDeleteThere was no exultation manifested -- no sign of joy -- and instead of flushing from excitement, he clinched his teeth, compressed his lips, and became very pale. Grant read it through mechanically, and handed it back to Rawlins, saying in a common tone of voice: "You had better read it aloud General."
The immovable expression of countenance in these two prominent actors in the great drama drawing to a close, was rather discouraging to the onlookers. Rawlins showed nothing but extra paleness. There was no more expression in Grant's countenance than in last year's bird's nest. It was that of a Sphinx.
Rawlins drew a long breath, and in his deep sepulchral voice, a little tremulous by this time, read the following dispatch from Lee:
ReplyDelete9th April, 1865.
General: I received your not of this morning on the picket line, whither I had come to meet you, and ascertain definitely what terms were embraced in your proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender of this army. I now ask an interview, in accordance with the offer contained in your letter of yesterday, for that purpose.
R.E. Lee
A blank silence fell on everybody for a minute. No one looked his comrade in the face. Finally, Col. Duff, chief of Artillery, sprang upon a long, waved his hat, and proposed three cheers. A feeble hurrah came from a few throats, when all broke down into tears, and but little was said for several minutes. All felt that the war was over. Every heart was thinking of friends-family-home.
ReplyDeleteGrant turned to Rawlins with a smile and said: "How will that do, Rawlins?" to which the latter replied: "I think *that* will do!" laying strong emphasis on the word "that."
Gen. Ely S. Parker, Chief of the Six Nations, then military Secretary to Gen. Grant, was directed to write the following note to Gen Lee:
April 9th 1865,
Gen R.E. Lee: Your of this date is but this moment (fifty minutes past eleven) received...