The 150th anniversary of the end of the ACW

[Grey Ghost]

is soon upon us. I've enjoyed reading the correspondence between the leaders of each army. I'll post some of it in this thread for a couple of days.

Grant proposed surrender and Lee considered it.

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,

April 7, 1865-5 p. m.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding C. S. Army:

GENERAL: The result 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 C. S. Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding Armies of the United States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APRIL 7, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Armies of the United States:

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.

[Grey Ghost]

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of same date, asking the condition 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 again 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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APRIL 8, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

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 desire 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 C. S.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 stage road to Richmond, between the picket-line of the two armies.

R. E. LEE,

General.

[Sea Six]

ACW

WoNE

[DukeAllen]

If Lee knew what we know, he'd have kept fighting...

[Olustee bus]

Originally Posted by DukeAllen

If Lee knew what we know, he'd have kept fighting...

What would North America be like now. What would the world be like?

[DukeAllen]

Originally Posted by Olustee bus

What would North America be like now. What would the world be like?

Somewhat less inclined to be caught between learning Spanish and Farsi.

[Truck Guy]

Originally Posted by Sea Six

WoNE

You Sons of the South sure can hold a grudge for a long time.

If I can remind you that the war started on April 12, 1861 by the CSA firing on Ft. Sumter.

So I guess it should be a WoSE

P.S. Don't make us burn down Atlanta again...

[Olustee bus]

Originally Posted by Truck Guy

You Sons of the South sure can hold a grudge for a long time.

If I can remind you that the war started on April 12, 1861 by the CSA firing on Ft. Sumter.

So I guess it should be a WoSE

P.S. Don't make us burn down Atlanta again...

I think you can go ahead and burn down Atlanta again. Stay in the city limits and I think you would be fine.

[Truck Guy]

Originally Posted by Olustee bus

I think you can go ahead and burn down Atlanta again. Stay in the city limits and I think you would be fine.

Same with Chicago...

[Kerrmudgeon]

Swor woosas.......

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Truck Guy

You Sons of the South sure can hold a grudge for a long time.

If I can remind you that the war started on April 12, 1861 by the CSA firing on Ft. Sumter.

So I guess it should be a WoSE

P.S. Don't make us burn down Atlanta again...

Please, please burn down Atlanta. And New Orleans, Chicago, NYC, L.A., San Francisco, D.C., St. Louis and East St. Louis, and Memphis. That's Stage 1.

[Grey Ghost]

APRIL 9, 1865.

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: Your note of yesterday is received. I have no 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, general, that I am equally anxious 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 will 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, &c.,

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

On the morning of the 9th General Ord's command and the Fifth Corps reached Appomattox Station just as the enemy was making a desperate effort to break through our cavalry. The infantry was at once thrown in. Soon after a white flag was received, requesting a suspension of hostilities pending negotiations for a surrender. Before reaching General Sheridan's headquarters I received the following from General Lee:

APRIL 9, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I received your note of this morning on the picket-line, wither 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.

The interview was held at Appomattox Court-House, the result of which is set forth in the following correspondence:

APPOMATTOX COURT-HOUSE, VA., April 9, 1865.

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men, to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by U. S.authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHER VIRGINIA, April 9, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I received your letter of this date containing the terms of surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as propose by you. As they substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.

R. E. LEE,

General.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Kerrmudgeon

Swor woosas.......

[Grey Ghost]

[island14]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Please, please burn down Atlanta. And New Orleans, Chicago, NYC, L.A., San Francisco, D.C., St. Louis and East St. Louis, and Memphis. That's Stage 1.

Nice list.. but you left out Detroit..

[island14]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

APRIL 9, 1865.

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: Your note of yesterday is received. I have no 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, general, that I am equally anxious 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 will 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, &c.,

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

On the morning of the 9th General Ord's command and the Fifth Corps reached Appomattox Station just as the enemy was making a desperate effort to break through our cavalry. The infantry was at once thrown in. Soon after a white flag was received, requesting a suspension of hostilities pending negotiations for a surrender. Before reaching General Sheridan's headquarters I received the following from General Lee:

APRIL 9, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I received your note of this morning on the picket-line, wither 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.

The interview was held at Appomattox Court-House, the result of which is set forth in the following correspondence:

APPOMATTOX COURT-HOUSE, VA., April 9, 1865.

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men, to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by U. S.authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHER VIRGINIA, April 9, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I received your letter of this date containing the terms of surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as propose by you. As they substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.

R. E. LEE,

General.

Great thread, and interesting history here that you posted.

Thanks for sharing this.

[Grey Ghost]

Originally Posted by island14

Great thread, and interesting history here that you posted.

Thanks for sharing this.

The details are really cool - Lee only surrendered the ANV on that day. Many other surrenders had to come in the following days. Lee arrived with only one other Confed. officer. Lee was dressed in a clean uniform. Grant arrived in a muddy uniform with a staff of officers. One was Lincoln's son. Grant brought along the officer that had the best penmanship of the entire army to write out the terms. He was full native American and had no ink to write out the terms. Lee's officer supplied the ink. They needed two copies and Lee brought no paper along. Grant's people supplied the paper. Grant and Lee had met before in the Mexican war. Grant was pretty generous on terms. He supplied rations to feed the starving ANV. They also supplied passes for free travel on trains, etc...to help them get back home.

This is really ironic -

Wilmer McLean (May 3, 1814 – June 5, 1882) was a wholesale grocer from Virginia. It is said that the American Civil War "started in his front yard and ended in his front parlor".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmer_McLean

[DukeAllen]

You learn something new every day. I didn't know the story about the paper and ink.

[Grey Ghost]

The boys of '61

How the last American Civil War veterans lived, loved and died

[LT4fun]

There were a few programs on CSpan3 this week discussing the week leading up to Appomattox that I watched. There was a discussion about the condition of Richmond after it was evacuated with many pictures. The Battle at Sailor's Creek and the last battles at Appomattox Court House and Appomattox Station were discussed too. These were recorded last month at Longwood College I believe.

They also showed the ceremonies marking the 150th anniversary of Lee's surrender at Appomattox yesterday. It looks like it will come on again tomorrow at 6 pm and 10 pm EDT.

It was interesting, but I wished it had more reenactment scenes.

There's also supposed to be another live show at 1:00 EDT Sunday too showing a reenactment of the formal surrender of arms.