exploding, and shells bursting when touched by the flames, dense columns of smoke ascending to heaven from the burning and exploding vehicles, exhausted men, worn-out mules and horses, lying down side by side—­gaunt Famine glaring hopelessly from sunken, lack-lustre eyes—­dead mules, dead horses, dead men everywhere—­death many times welcomed as God’s messenger in disguise—­who can wonder if many hearts, tried in the fiery furnace of four unparalleled years, and never hitherto found wanting, should have quailed in presence of starvation, fatigue, sleeplessness, misery, unintermitted for five or six days, and culminating in hopelessness?” It cannot, however, be said with truth, that any considerable portion of the Southern forces were greatly demoralized, to use the military phrase, as the fighting of the last two days, when the suffering of the retreat culminated, will show.  The men were almost entirely without food, and were glad to find a little corn to eat; but those who were not physically unable longer to carry their muskets—­and the number of these latter was large—­still marched and fought with soldierly cheerfulness and resolution.

General Lee’s spirits do not seem at any time to have flagged, and up to a late period of the retreat he had not seriously contemplated surrender.  The necessity for this painful course came home to his corps commanders first, and they requested General Pendleton, the efficient chief of artillery of the army, to inform General Lee that in their opinion further struggle was hopeless.  General Pendleton informed General Lee of this opinion of his officers, and it seemed to communicate something like a shock to him.

“Surrender!” he exclaimed with a flash of the eye, “I have too many good fighting-men for that!”

Nevertheless, the necessity of seriously contemplating this result was soon forced upon him.  Since the morning of the 7th, a correspondence had taken place between himself and General Grant; and, as these notes are interesting, we here present those which were exchanged up to the night of the 8th: 

April 7, 1865.

General R.E.  Lee, commanding C.S.A.: 

GENERAL:  The result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle.  I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate Southern Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

U.S.  GRANT,

Lieutenant-General commanding Armies of the United States.

April 7, 1865.

GENERAL:  I have received your note of this day.  Though not entirely of the opinion you express of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender.