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Story
April 12, 1865
The West Virginia Journal
Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia
What is this article about?
Official bulletin announcing the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, including key correspondence, terms of surrender, and War Department thanksgiving and salute order.
Merged-components note: These two components are continuations of the same story detailing the surrender of Lee's army, including correspondence and official bulletins.
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THE JOURNAL
Charleston, West Va.,
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APR. 12.
SURRENDER OF LEE'S ARMY!
The Officers and Men Paroled.
Grand Official Bulletin.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
April 9 P. M.
Major General Dix, New York:
This Department has received the official
report of the surrender this day of General
Lee and his army to Lieut. General Grant,
on the terms proposed by General Grant.
[Signed,]
E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
HEAD QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE U. S.,
April 9th—4:30 P. M.
Hon. E. M. Stanton:
General Lee surrendered the Army of
Northern Virginia this afternoon upon the
terms proposed by myself. The accompany-
ing additional correspondence will show the
conditions fully.
[Signed,]
U. S. GRANT.
GEN. LEE TO GEN. GRANT.
APRIL 9th,
General: I received your note of this morn-
ing on the picket line, whither I had come to
meet you and ascertain definitely what terms
were embraced in your proposition of yester-
day, with reference to the surrender of this
army. I now request an interview in accor-
dance with the offer contained in yours of
yesterday, for that purpose,
Very Respect-
fully, Your Obdt Servt.
[Signed,]
R. E. LEE, Gen'l.
GEN. GRANT TO GEN. LEE.
APRIL 9th.
To Gen. R. E. Lee, Commd'g. C. S. A.:
Your note of this date is but this moment
(11:30 A. M.) received, in consequence of my
having passed from the Richmond and Lynch-
burg Road to the Farmville and Lynchburg
Road. I am at this writing about four miles
west of Walker's Church, and will push for-
ward 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. Very respectfully, your obdt servt.
U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-Gen'l.
GRANT'S TERMS OF SURRENDER.
APPOMATTOX, C. H., April 9.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.
General: In accordance with the substance of my let-
ter to you on the 8th, 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 officers designated by me,
the other to be retained by such officers as you
may designate; the officers to give their indi-
vidual parole, not to take arms against the
Government of the United States until properly exchanged; each company or regimental
commander to 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 officer 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 their homes, not to be disturbed by the United States authorities so long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside.
Very Respectfully,
U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.
LEE ACCEPTS GRANT'S TERMS.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
April 9th.
Lieut.-Gen. Grant, Comdg U. S. A.:
General: I have 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
inst., they are accepted. I will proceed to
designate the proper officers to carry the stip-
ulations into effect.
Very respectfully, your obdt servt.
R. E. LEE, Gen'l.
THE PRELIMINARY CORRESPONDENCE.
The following is the previous correspondence between Lieut.-Gen. Grant and General
Lee, referred to in the foregoing telegram to the Secretary of War.
GENERAL GRANT TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
CITY POINT, VA., April 9.
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War:
The following correspondence has taken
place between Gen. Lee and myself. There
has been no relaxation in the pursuit during its pendency.
[Signed,]
U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.
GRANT PROPOSES THAT LEE SURRENDER.
April 7, 1865.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.:
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 Confederate States Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
U. S. GRANT,
Commanding Armies of the U. S.
LEE ASKS THE CONDITIONS.
April 7.
General: I have received your note of this
date. Though not entirely of the opinion you
express of the hopelessness of the further re-
sistance 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 sur-
render.
[Signed,]
R. E. LEE, General.
To Lieut. Gen. U. S. Grant, Commanding
Armies of the U. S.
GRANT'S ONE CONDITION.
April 8, 1865.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.:
General: Your note of last evening in re-
ply to mine of the same date, asking the con-
ditions on which I will accept the surrender
of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just re-
ceived. In reply, I will say that peace being my first desire, there is but one condition I
insist upon, viz: that the men surrendered
shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the government of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet you,
or designate officers to meet you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT.
Lieut. Gen., Comdg A. U. S.
GRANT DECLINES PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
April 9, 1865.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.:
Your note of yesterday is received. As I
have no authority to treat on the subject of peace, the meeting proposed for 10 A. M. to-
day could not lead to any good. I will state,
however, General, that I am equally anxious
for peace with yourself, and the whole North
entertain 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.
Sincerely hoping that our difficulties may be
settled without the loss of another life, I
subscribe myself,
Very respectfully, your ob't servant,
U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen. U. S. A.
THANKSGIVING FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT
WAR DEPARTMENT, D. C.,
9:30 P. M., April 9th, 1865.
To Lieutenant-General Grant:
Thanks be to Almighty God for the great
victory with which He has this day crowned
you and the gallant army under your com-
mand. The thanks of this Department of the
Government and of the people of the United
States, their reverence and honor have been deserved and will be given to you and the
brave and gallant officers and soldiers of your army for all time.
[Signed,]
E. M. STANTON
Secretary of War
SALUTE OF 200 GUNS TO BE FIRED.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON.
10 P. M., April 9.
Ordered that a salute of two hundred guns
be fired at the headquarters of every army
and department, and at every post and arsenal in the United States, and at the Military
Academy at West Point, on the day of the
receipt of this order, in commemoration of the surrender of General Lee and the Army of
Northern Virginia to Lieutenant-General
Grant and the army under his command.
Report on the receipt and execution of this
order to be made to the Adjutant at Washington.
E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
Charleston, West Va.,
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APR. 12.
SURRENDER OF LEE'S ARMY!
The Officers and Men Paroled.
Grand Official Bulletin.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
April 9 P. M.
Major General Dix, New York:
This Department has received the official
report of the surrender this day of General
Lee and his army to Lieut. General Grant,
on the terms proposed by General Grant.
[Signed,]
E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
HEAD QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE U. S.,
April 9th—4:30 P. M.
Hon. E. M. Stanton:
General Lee surrendered the Army of
Northern Virginia this afternoon upon the
terms proposed by myself. The accompany-
ing additional correspondence will show the
conditions fully.
[Signed,]
U. S. GRANT.
GEN. LEE TO GEN. GRANT.
APRIL 9th,
General: I received your note of this morn-
ing on the picket line, whither I had come to
meet you and ascertain definitely what terms
were embraced in your proposition of yester-
day, with reference to the surrender of this
army. I now request an interview in accor-
dance with the offer contained in yours of
yesterday, for that purpose,
Very Respect-
fully, Your Obdt Servt.
[Signed,]
R. E. LEE, Gen'l.
GEN. GRANT TO GEN. LEE.
APRIL 9th.
To Gen. R. E. Lee, Commd'g. C. S. A.:
Your note of this date is but this moment
(11:30 A. M.) received, in consequence of my
having passed from the Richmond and Lynch-
burg Road to the Farmville and Lynchburg
Road. I am at this writing about four miles
west of Walker's Church, and will push for-
ward 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. Very respectfully, your obdt servt.
U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-Gen'l.
GRANT'S TERMS OF SURRENDER.
APPOMATTOX, C. H., April 9.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.
General: In accordance with the substance of my let-
ter to you on the 8th, 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 officers designated by me,
the other to be retained by such officers as you
may designate; the officers to give their indi-
vidual parole, not to take arms against the
Government of the United States until properly exchanged; each company or regimental
commander to 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 officer 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 their homes, not to be disturbed by the United States authorities so long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside.
Very Respectfully,
U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.
LEE ACCEPTS GRANT'S TERMS.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
April 9th.
Lieut.-Gen. Grant, Comdg U. S. A.:
General: I have 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
inst., they are accepted. I will proceed to
designate the proper officers to carry the stip-
ulations into effect.
Very respectfully, your obdt servt.
R. E. LEE, Gen'l.
THE PRELIMINARY CORRESPONDENCE.
The following is the previous correspondence between Lieut.-Gen. Grant and General
Lee, referred to in the foregoing telegram to the Secretary of War.
GENERAL GRANT TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
CITY POINT, VA., April 9.
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War:
The following correspondence has taken
place between Gen. Lee and myself. There
has been no relaxation in the pursuit during its pendency.
[Signed,]
U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.
GRANT PROPOSES THAT LEE SURRENDER.
April 7, 1865.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.:
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 Confederate States Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
U. S. GRANT,
Commanding Armies of the U. S.
LEE ASKS THE CONDITIONS.
April 7.
General: I have received your note of this
date. Though not entirely of the opinion you
express of the hopelessness of the further re-
sistance 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 sur-
render.
[Signed,]
R. E. LEE, General.
To Lieut. Gen. U. S. Grant, Commanding
Armies of the U. S.
GRANT'S ONE CONDITION.
April 8, 1865.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.:
General: Your note of last evening in re-
ply to mine of the same date, asking the con-
ditions on which I will accept the surrender
of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just re-
ceived. In reply, I will say that peace being my first desire, there is but one condition I
insist upon, viz: that the men surrendered
shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the government of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet you,
or designate officers to meet you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT.
Lieut. Gen., Comdg A. U. S.
GRANT DECLINES PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
April 9, 1865.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.:
Your note of yesterday is received. As I
have no authority to treat on the subject of peace, the meeting proposed for 10 A. M. to-
day could not lead to any good. I will state,
however, General, that I am equally anxious
for peace with yourself, and the whole North
entertain 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.
Sincerely hoping that our difficulties may be
settled without the loss of another life, I
subscribe myself,
Very respectfully, your ob't servant,
U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen. U. S. A.
THANKSGIVING FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT
WAR DEPARTMENT, D. C.,
9:30 P. M., April 9th, 1865.
To Lieutenant-General Grant:
Thanks be to Almighty God for the great
victory with which He has this day crowned
you and the gallant army under your com-
mand. The thanks of this Department of the
Government and of the people of the United
States, their reverence and honor have been deserved and will be given to you and the
brave and gallant officers and soldiers of your army for all time.
[Signed,]
E. M. STANTON
Secretary of War
SALUTE OF 200 GUNS TO BE FIRED.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON.
10 P. M., April 9.
Ordered that a salute of two hundred guns
be fired at the headquarters of every army
and department, and at every post and arsenal in the United States, and at the Military
Academy at West Point, on the day of the
receipt of this order, in commemoration of the surrender of General Lee and the Army of
Northern Virginia to Lieutenant-General
Grant and the army under his command.
Report on the receipt and execution of this
order to be made to the Adjutant at Washington.
E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
Military Action
What themes does it cover?
Triumph
Providence Divine
What keywords are associated?
Lee Surrender
Grant Victory
Appomattox
Civil War
Army Of Northern Virginia
What entities or persons were involved?
R. E. Lee
U. S. Grant
E. M. Stanton
Where did it happen?
Appomattox, C. H., Virginia
Story Details
Key Persons
R. E. Lee
U. S. Grant
E. M. Stanton
Location
Appomattox, C. H., Virginia
Event Date
April 9, 1865
Story Details
General Robert E. Lee surrenders the Army of Northern Virginia to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, accepting terms that parole officers and men, allow them to retain side arms and private property, and permit return home without disturbance if paroled conditions are observed. Includes preliminary correspondence proposing and negotiating surrender, War Department thanksgiving, and order for 200-gun salute.