U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 15, 1864.

MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS,
Nashville, Tenn.

I was just on my way to Nashville, but receiving a dispatch from Van Duzer detailing your splendid success of to-day, I shall go no further.  Push the enemy now and give him no rest until he is entirely destroyed.  Your army will cheerfully suffer many privations to break up Hood’s army and render it useless for future operations.  Do not stop for trains or supplies, but take them from the country as the enemy have done.  Much is now expected.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

(42) See orders to Major-General Meade, Ord, and Sheridan, March 24th, Appendix.

(43) See Appendix.

(44) NOTE.—­The fac-simile of the terms of Lee’s surrender inserted at this place, was copied from the original document furnished the publishers through the courtesy of General Ely S. Parker, Military Secretary on General Grant’s staff at the time of the surrender.

Three pages of paper were prepared in General Grant’s manifold order book on which he wrote the terms, and the interlineations and erasures were added by General Parker at the suggestion of General Grant.  After such alteration it was handed to General Lee, who put on his glasses, read it, and handed it back to General Grant.  The original was then transcribed by General Parker upon official headed paper and a copy furnished General Lee.

The fac-simile herewith shows the color of the paper of the original document and all interlineations and erasures.

There is a popular error to the effect that Generals Grant and Lee each signed the articles of surrender.  The document in the form of a letter was signed only by General Grant, in the parlor of McLean’s house while General Lee was sitting in the room, and General Lee immediately wrote a letter accepting the terms and handed it to General Grant.