Battles -- United States; United States -- History, Military -- To 1900
I cannot say exactly how long the conference between Generals Grant
and Lee lasted, but after quite a while, certainly more than two
hours, I became aware from the movement of chairs within that it was
about to break up. I had been sitting on the top step of the porch,
writing in my field note-book, but I closed it at once, and, stepping
back on the porch, leaned against the railing nearly opposite and
to the left of the door, and expectantly waited. As I did so the
inner door slowly opened, and General Lee stood before me. As he
paused for a few seconds, framed in by the doorway, ere he slowly
and deliberately stepped out upon the porch, I took my first and
last look at the great Confederate chieftain. This is what I saw: A
finely formed man, apparently about sixty years of age, well above the
average height, with a clear, ruddy complexion--just then suffused
by a deep-crimson flush that, rising from his neck, overspread his
face and even slightly tinged his broad forehead, which, bronzed
where it had been exposed to the weather, was clear and beautifully
white where it had been shielded by his hat--deep-brown eyes, a firm
but well-shaped Roman nose, abundant gray hair, silky and fine in
texture, with a full gray beard and mustache, neatly trimmed and
not over-long, but which, nevertheless, almost completely concealed
his mouth. A splendid uniform of Confederate gray cloth, that had
evidently seen but little service, was closely buttoned about him and
fitted him to perfection. An exquisitely mounted sword, attached to a
gold-embroidered Russia-leather belt, trailed loosely on the floor at
his side, and in his right hand he carried a broad-brimmed, soft, gray
felt hat, encircled by a golden cord, while in his left he held a pair
of buckskin gauntlets. Booted and spurred, still vigorous and erect,
he stood bareheaded, looking out of the open doorway, sad-faced and
weary--a soldier and a gentleman, bearing himself in defeat with an
all-unconscious dignity that sat well upon him.
The moment the open door revealed the Confederate commander, each
officer present sprang to his feet, and as General Lee stepped out
onto the porch every hand was raised in military salute. Placing his
hat on his head, he mechanically but courteously returned it, and
slowly crossed the porch to the head of the steps leading down to the
yard, meanwhile keeping his eyes intently fixed in the direction of
the little valley over beyond the Court-house in which his army lay.
Here he paused and slowly drew on his gauntlets, smiting his gloved
hands into each other several times after doing so, evidently utterly
oblivious of his surroundings. Then, apparently recalling his thoughts,
he glanced deliberately right and left, and, not seeing his horse, he
called, in a hoarse, half-choked voice, “Orderly! Orderly!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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