This 32 year-old reminiscence of the closing moments of the Civil War, told from a Southern perspective, recall it all in the simplest terms - the letters exchanged between the commanders, the McLean House secured, agreeing to terms and Lee's exit. The journalist couldn't help but wax poetic concerning the resplendence of the loser:
"The casual observer would never have grasped the true state of affairs. From the demeanor of the two men he would have seen in Lee the victor and Grant the vanquished. The latter, not yet 43 years of age, was 5 feet 8 inches tall, slightly stooping shoulders, nut-brown hair and beard. He wore a dark blue flannel blouse, unbuttoned, showing vest beneath; ordinary top boots, trousers inside. The only marks of rank was his general shoulder-straps. He wore neither spurs nor sword, for which latter omission he apologized to general Lee. Lee was 58 rears old, 6 feet in height, hair and beard of gray; he had on a handsome new uniform, buttoned to the throat, with three stars on each side of the collar; fine top boots, handsome spurs, elegant new gauntlet. He looked every inch the descendant of King Robert Bruce, that he was."
Read General's farewell address to his troops...
