Toward the last, his men were in rags and
practically starving, but there was no murmuring so long as their
beloved "Marse Robert" was with them.
On the ninth day of April, 1865, six days after the fall of Richmond,
Lee found himself surrounded at Appomattox Courthouse by a vastly
superior force under General Grant. To have fought would have meant a
useless waste of human life. Lee chose the braver and harder course, and
surrendered. He knew that there could be but one end to the struggle,
and he was brave enough to admit defeat. On that occasion, Grant rose to
the full stature of a hero. He treated his conquered foe with every
courtesy; granted terms whose liberality was afterwards sharply
criticised by the clique in control of Congress, but which Grant
insisted should be carried out to the letter; sent the rations of his
own army to the starving Confederates, and permitted them to retain
their horses in order that they might get home, and have some means of
earning a livelihood.
[Illustration: LEE]
When Lee rode back to his army, it was to be surrounded by his ragged
soldiers, who could not believe that the end had come, who were ready to
keep on fighting, and who broke down and sobbed like children when
they learned the truth. The next day, he issued an address to his army,
a dignified and worthy composition, which is still treasured in many a
southern home; and then, mounting his faithful horse, Traveller, which
had carried him through the war, he rode slowly away to Richmond.
Pages:
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312