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, whither I had come to meet you and 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 often 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 ment 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 officer as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not 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 received 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 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 NORTHERN 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 proposed by you. As they are 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.

The command of Major-General Gibbon, the Fifth Army Corps, under Griffin, and Mackenzie's cavalry, were designated to remain at Appomattox Court-House until the paroling of the surrendered army was completed, and to take charge of the public property. The remainder of the army immediately returned to the vicinity of Burkeville. General Lee's great influence throughout the whole South caused his example to be followed, and to-day the result is that the armies lately under his leadership are at their homes, desiring peace and quiet, and their arms are in the hands of our ordnance officers.*

On the receipt of my letter of the 5th, General Sherman, moved directly against Joe Johnston, who retreated rapidly on and through Raleigh, which place General Sherman occupied on the morning of the 13th. The day preceding news of the surrender of General Lee

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*Subordinate reports of the final operations against Lee's army will appear in Vol. XlVI.

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