Appomattox Quotes
The first Native American to become a General Officer. Appointed by President Grant in 1869. When Lee arrived there were many Black troops and he mistook General Parker for a Negro but then apologized saying that “I am glad to see one real American here.” This was Parker’s reply.
Instead Lee took Longstreet’s advice and surrendered at Appomattox.
These were the critical immediate events thst forced General Robert E. Lee to surrender at Appomatix. The surrender did not end the Civil War, but it made the end inevitable and close at hand.
Lee was trying to negotiate a peace treaty as a part of his his potential surrender. However, Grant would not be drawn into that, Lee was NOT the government of the Confederacy, and Grant had served with him earlier in the Mexican War and knew he was not a fanatic on teh subject of slavery and race as most of the Southern leaders were. They werenthe ones who would have to be captured or driven to surrender. Grant could have gotten authoirioty as he was in almost real time contact with President Lincoln by telegraph. However, neither wanted to negotiate peace with Lee. Instead, Grant gave Lee and his men incredibly gracious termsof surrender which he and Lincoln hoped would casue the avarage Southern soldiers to feel better about surrender for although Lee's was the largest Confederate Army, there were still others out there that had to be dealt with,
I don’t know if you want to include this but Grant had a cigar clamped in his mouth the entire time.
The first Native American to become a General Officer. Appointed by President Grant in 1869. When Kelly rendered the famous scene, the cigar is in Grant’s mouth. Kelly interviewed every Civil War Officer he sculpted and did so for over 80 Union Generals all of which are still exhibited throughout the country. Most historical artists and sculptors did not go into this historical detail.
