When quiet was restored Gordon remarked:  “General Lee asks for a suspension of hostilities pending the negotiations which he is having with General Grant.”  I rejoined:  “I have been constantly informed of the progress of the negotiations, and think it singular that while such discussions are going on, General Lee should have continued his march and attempted to break through my lines this morning.  I will entertain no terms except that General Lee shall surrender to General Grant on his arrival here.  If these terms are not accepted we will renew hostilities.”  Gordon replied:  “General Lee’s army is exhausted.  There is no doubt of his surrender to General Grant.”

It was then that General Ord joined us, and after shaking hands all around, I related the situation to him, and Gordon went away agreeing to meet us again in half an hour.  When the time was up he came back accompanied by General Longstreet, who brought with him a despatch, the duplicate of one that had been sent General Grant through General Meade’s lines back on the road over which Lee had been retreating.

General Longstreet renewed the assurances that already had been given by Gordon, and I sent Colonel Newhall with the despatch to find General Grant and bring him to the front.  When Newhall started, everything on our side of the Appomattox Court House was quiet, for inevitable surrender was at hand, but Longstreet feared that Meade, in ignorance of the new conditions on my front might attack the Confederate rearguard.  To prevent this I offered to send Colonel J. W. Forsyth through the enemy’s lines to let Meade know of my agreement, for he too was suspicious that by a renewed correspondence Lee was endeavoring to gain time for escape.  My offer being accepted, Forsyth set out accompanied by Colonel Fairfax, of Longstreet’s staff, and had no difficulty in accomplishing his mission.

About five or six miles from Appomattox, on the road toward Prospect Station near its intersection with the Walker’s Church road, my adjutant-general, Colonel Newhall, met General Grant, he having started from north of the Appomattox River for my front the morning of April 9, in consequence of the following despatches which had been sent him the night before, after we had captured Appomattox Station and established a line intercepting Lee: 

“Cavalry headquarters, April 8, 1865—­9:20 P. M.

“Lieutenant-general U. S. Grant,
“Commanding Armies of the U. S.

“General:  I marched early this morning from Buffalo Creek and Prospect Station on Appomattox Station, where my scouts had reported trains of cars with supplies for Lee’s army.  A short time before dark General Custer, who had the advance, made a dash at the station, capturing four trains of supplies with locomotives.  One of the trains was burned and the others were run back toward Farmville for security.  Custer then pushed on toward Appomattox