XII INTRODUCTION.
in a small orchard * on the roadside. This proved to be General Forsythe, of General Sheridan's staff, who was sent by General Sheridan to say that, as he had doubt as to his authority to recog- nize the informal truce which had been agreed on between General Gordon and himself, he desired to communicate with General Meade on the subject, and wished permission to pass through our lines as the shortest route. I was assigned to the duty of escorting General Forsythe through our lines and back. This was scarcely accom- plished when General Babcock rode up and announced to General Lee that General Grant was prepared to meet him at the front.
"I shrank from this interview, and while I could not then and cannot now justify my conduct, I availed myself of the excuse of having taken the two rides through the extent of our lines, and to those of the enemy already mentioned, and did not accompany my chief in this trying ordeal, "f
To the communication of General Lee, asking an interview, Gen- eral Grant replied as follows :
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 roads 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.
General Horace Porter, of Grant's staff, writes : \ "About one o'clock the little village of Appomattox Courthouse, with its half dozen houses, came in sight, and soon we were entering its single street. It is situated on some rising ground, and beyond, the country slopes down into a broad valley. The enemy was seen with his columns and wagon trains covering the low ground. Our cavalry, the Fifth Corps, and part of Ord's command were occupying the high ground to the south and west of the enemy, heading him off completely.
"Generals Sheridan and Ord, with a group of officers around
- This circumstance furnished the only ground for the widespread report
that the surrender occurred under an apple tree.
f Four Years with General Lee, pages 151-3.
\ Article, "Grant's Last Campaign," in the Century Magazine, Novem ber, 1887.
