United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
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
on to 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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