Headquarters Army Of The Potomac,
Appomattox Court House, April 10, 1865.
The telegram will have announced to you the surrender of Lee
and the Army of Northern Virginia. This I consider virtually ends the war. I
have been to-day in the rebel camp; saw Lee, Longstreet, and many others, among
them Mr. Wise.1 They were all affable and cordial, and uniformly
said that, if any conciliatory policy was extended to the South, peace would be
at once made. Mr. Wise looked old and feeble, said he was very sick, and had
not a mouthful to eat. I secured him the privilege of an ambulance to go home
in, and on my return to camp immediately despatched George2 with an
ambulance load of provisions to him. He enquired very affectionately after
yourself, your mother and all the family.
The officers and men are to be paroled and allowed to go to
their homes, where they all say they mean to stay. Lee's army was reduced to a
force of less than ten thousand effective armed men. We had at least fifty
thousand around him, so that nothing but madness would have justified further
resistance.
I have been quite sick, but I hope now, with a little rest
and quiet, to get well again. I have had a malarious catarrh, which has given
me a great deal of trouble. I have seen but few newspapers since this movement
commenced, and I don't want to see any more, for they are full of falsehood and
of undue and exaggerated praise of certain individuals who take pains to be on
the right side of the reporters. Don't worry yourself about this; treat it with
contempt. It cannot be remedied, and we should be resigned. I don't believe the
truth ever will be known, and I have a great contempt for History. Only let the
war be finished, and I returned to you and the dear children, and I will be
satisfied.
Our casualties have been quite insignificant in comparison
with the results. I don't believe in all the operations since we commenced on
the 29th that we have lost as many men as we did on that unfortunate day, the
31st July, the day of the Petersburg mine.
_______________
1 Hemy A. Wise, brother-in-law of Mrs. Meade.
2 Son of General Meade.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 270-1
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