By the terms of the surrender, Lee’s men gave up their fire-arms, but all who had horses took them home, “to work their little farms.”
General Grant, it must be said, was most kind to General Lee and his men. He did not ask for General Lee’s sword, nor did Lee offer it to him; neither did he require Lee’s men to march up to stack their guns between ranks of Federals with flags flying and bands playing. Lee’s men simply went to places which were pointed out and stacked their guns. Their officers then signed a parole not to fight again against the United States. They were then free to go back to their homes, which, in some cases, were burnt—blight and want being on every side.
After all, Grant did not go to Lee’s camp or to Richmond to exult over the men who had so often met him in battle; but he mounted his horse, and, with his staff, rode to Washington. Before going, he sent to Lee twenty-five thousand rations; for, as I have told you, Lee’s men had nothing to eat but parched corn.
After the surrender, Lee rode out among his men, who pressed up to him, eager to “touch his person, or even his horse,” and tears fell down the powder-stained cheeks of the strong men. Slowly he said:
“Men, we have fought the war together; I have done my best for you; my heart is too full to say more.”
LEE LEAVING APPOMATTOX C. H.
“And then in silence, with lifted hat, he rode through the weeping army towards his home in Richmond.”
As General Lee rode on towards Richmond he was calm, and his thoughts dwelt much more on the state of the poor people at whose houses he stopped than upon his own bad fortune. When he found that all along the road the people were glad to see him and gave him gladly of what they had to eat, he said, “These good people are kind—too kind. They do too much—more than they are able to do—for us.”
At a house which he reached just at night, a poor woman gave him a nice bed; but, with a kind shake of the head, he spread his blanket and slept upon the floor.