United States until properly
exchanged.

I will meet you, or designate officers to meet any officers you may
name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, for the
purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of
the Army of Northern Virginia will he received.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

U.S. GRANT, _Lieutenant-General, commanding Armies of the United
States_.

_April_ 8, 1865.

GENERAL: I received, at a late hour, your note of to-day, in answer to
mine of yesterday.

I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern
Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank, I do
not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender.

But as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I
desire to know whether your proposals would tend to that end.

I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the Army of
Northern Virginia; but so far as your proposition may affect the
Confederate States forces under my command and tend to the restoration
of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at 10 A.M. to-morrow, on
the old stage-road to Richmond, between the picket-lines of the two
armies. Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

R.E. LEE, _General C.S.A._

To LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT,

_Commanding Armies of the United States_.

[Illustration: Last Council of War.]

No reply was received to this last communication from General Lee,
on the evening of the 8th, and that night there was held, around a
bivouac-fire in the woods, the last council of war of the Army of
Northern Virginia. The scene was a very picturesque one. The red glare
from the bivouac-fire lit up the group, and brought out the details
of each figure. None were present but General Lee and Generals
Longstreet, Gordon, and Fitz Lee, all corps commanders. Generals
Gordon and Fitz Lee half reclined upon an army-blanket near the fire;
Longstreet sat upon a log, smoking; and General Lee stood by the
fire, holding in his hand the correspondence which had passed between
himself and General Grant. The question what course it was advisable
to pursue, was then presented, in a few calm words, by General Lee
to his corps commanders, and an informal conversation ensued. It was
finally agreed that the army should advance, on the next morning,
beyond Appomattox Court-House, and, if only General Sheridan's cavalry
were found in front, brush that force from its