"At a little before 4 o'clock General Lee shook hands with General Grant... and with Colonel Marshall left the room.... Lee gazed sadly in the direction of the valley beyond where his army lay — now an army of prisoners....All [Union officers present] appreciated the sadness that overwhelmed him, and he had the personal sympathy of everyone who beheld him at this supreme moment of trial....General Grant... saluted him by raising his hat. He was followed in this act of courtesy by all our officers present; Lee raised his hat respectfully and rode off to break the sad news to the brave fellows whom he had so long commanded....The news of the surrender had reached the Union lines, and the firing of salutes began at several points, but the general sent orders at once to have them stopped, and used these words...: 'The war is over, the Rebels are our countrymen again, and the best sign of rejoicing after the victory will be to abstain from all demonstrations in the field.'"
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Gen. Horace Porter, account of the Confederate Surrender at Appomattox Court House (9 April 1865).
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/American_Civil_War
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
American Civil War
485 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by American Civil War →
Related Quotes
"The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states, …"
"The General Assembly shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves."
"I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interests of the South. So fully am I s…"
"There lies the most perfect ruler of men the world has ever seen. Now he belongs to the ages."
"If you surrender, you shall be treated as prisoners of war, but if I have to storm your works, you may expect no quar…"
"The General Assembly shall, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and every tenth year thereafter, c…"
"The river was dyed with the blood of the slaughtered for two hundred yards. The approximate loss was upward of five h…"
"As ensigns of an unholy cause the Confederate flags are, and of right ought to be, odious to the eyes of loyalty."
"War means fighting, and fighting means killing."
"No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be p…"