A Glimpse at History

Since my last blog ended with Custer at Appottomax…I thought it was appropriate to share the actual words of Grant when writing about what happened between the two Generals. Contained here are his actual words:

When I put my pen to the paper I did not know the first word that I should make use of in writing the terms. I only knew what was in my mind, and I wished to express it clearly, so that there could be no mistaking it. As I wrote on, the thought occurred to me that the officers had their own private horses and effects, which were important to them, but of no value to us; also that it would be an unnecessary humiliation to call upon them to deliver their side arms.

No conversation, not one word, passed between General Lee and myself, either about private property, side arms, or kindred subjects. He appeared to have no objections to the terms first proposed; or if he had a point to make against them he wished to wait until they were in writing to make it. When he read over that part of the terms about side arms, horses and private property of the officers, he remarked, with some feeling, I thought, that this would have a happy effect upon his army.

Then, after a little further conversation, General Lee remarked to me again that their army was organized a little differently from the army of the United States (still maintaining by implication that we were two countries); that in their army the cavalrymen and artillerists owned their own horses; and he asked if he was to understand that the men who so owned their horses were to be permitted to retain them. I told him that as the terms were written they would not; that only the officers were permitted to take their private property, He then, after reading over the terms a second time, remarked that that was clear.

I then said to him that I thought this would be about the last battle of the war–I sincerely hoped so; and I said further I took it that most of the men in the ranks were small farmers. The whole country had been so raided by the two armies that it was doubtful whether they would be able to put in a crop to carry themselves and their families through the next winter without the aid of the horses they were then riding. The Unites States did not want them and I would, therefore, instruct the officers I left behind to recieve the paroles of his troops to let every man of the Confederate army who claimed to own a horse or a mule take the animal to his home. Lee remarked again that this would have a happy effect.

I had not come across this before, and I felt it worth sharing, to give us all a small window into the moments shared by these two men.

Thanks to David of Co. F, 50th North Carolina Infantry for supplying me with this information.

Filed under: Civil War Blogs by Savannah Meade