This will have the best possible effect upon the men。 It will be very gratifying and do much toward conciliating our people。〃
While the documents were being written out for signature Grant introduced the generals and staff officers to Lee。 Then Lee once more led the conversation back to business by saying he wished to return his prisoners to Grant at the earliest possible moment because he had nothing more for them to eat。 〃I have； indeed； nothing for my own men；〃 he added。 They had been living on the scantiest supply of parched corn for several days； and this famine fare； combined with their utter lack of all other suppliesespecially medicine and clothingwas wearing them away faster than any 〃war of attrition〃 in the open field。 After heartily agreeing that the prisoners should immediately return Grant said： 〃I will take steps at once to have your army supplied with rations。 Suppose I send over twenty…five thousand； do you think that will be a sufficient supply？〃 〃I think it will be ample；〃 said Lee； who； after a pause； added： 〃and it will be a great relief； I assure you。〃
Then Lee rose； shook Grant warmly by the hand； bowed to the others； and left the room。 As he appeared on the porch all the Union officers in the grounds rose respectfully and saluted him。 While the Confederate orderly was bridling the horses Lee stood alone； gazing in unutterable grief across the valley to where the remnant of his army lay。 Then； as he mounted Traveler； every Union officer followed Grant's noble example by standing bareheaded till horse and rider had disappeared from view。
Grant next sent off the news to Washington and； true to his sterling worth； immediately stopped the salutes which some of his enthusiastic soldiers were already beginning to fire。 〃The war is over；〃 he told his staff； 〃the rebels are our countrymen again； and the best sign of rejoicing after the victory will be to abstain from all demonstrations in the field。〃
In the meantime Lee had returned to his own lines； along which he now rode for the last time。 The reserve with which he had steeled his heart during the surrender gave way completely when he came to bid his men farewell。 After a few simple words； advising his devoted veterans to become good citizens of their reunited country； the tears could no longer be kept back。 Then； as he rode slowly on； from the remnant of one old regiment to another； the men broke ranks； and； mostly silent with emotion； pressed round their loved commander； to take his hand； to touch his sword； or fondly stroke his splendid gray horse； Traveler； the same that had so often carried him victorious through the hard…fought day。
North and South had scarcely grasped the full significance of Lee's surrender； when； only five days later； Lincoln was assassinated。 〃It would be impossible for me；〃 said Grant； 〃to describe the feeling that overcame me at the news。 I knew his goodness of heart； and above all his desire to see all the people of the United States enter again upon the full privileges of citizenship with equality among all。 I felt that reconstruction had been set back； no telling how far。〃 〃Of all the men I ever met；〃 said Sherman； 〃he seemed to possess more of the elements of greatness； combined with goodness； than any other。〃
On the very day of the assassination Sherman had written to Johnston offering the same terms Grant had given Lee and Lincoln had most heartily approved。 Three days later； on the seventeenth； just as Sherman was entering the train for his meeting with Johnston； the operator handed him a telegram announcing the assassination。 Enjoining secrecy till he returned； Sherman took the telegram with him and showed it to Johnston； whom he watched intently。 〃The perspiration came out on his forehead；〃 Sherman wrote； 〃and he did not attempt to conceal his distress。 He denounced the act as a disgrace to the age and hoped I did not charge it to the Confederate Government。 I told him I could not believe that he or General Lee or the officers of the Confederate army could possibly be privy to acts of assassination。〃 When Sherman got back to Raleigh he published the news in general orders； and experienced the supreme satisfaction of finding that not one man in all that mournful army had to be restrained from a single act of revenge。
After much misunderstanding with Washington now in lesser hands； the surrender of Johnston's and the other Confederate armies was effected。 Each body of troops laid down its arms and quietly dispersed。 One day the bugles called； the camp fires burned； and comrades were together in the ranks。 The next； like morning mists； they disappeared； thenceforth to be remembered and admired only as the heroes of a hopeless cause。
It was a very different scene through which their rivals marched into lasting fame with all the pride； pomp； and circumstance of war。 On the twenty…third and twenty…fourth of May； in perfect weather； and in the stirring presence of a loyal； vast； enthusiastic throng； the Union armies were reviewed in Washington。 For over six full hours each day the troops marched pastthe very flower of those who had come back victorious。 The route was flagged from end to end with Stars and Stripes； and banked with friends of each and every regiment there。 Between these banks； and to the sound of thrilling martial music； the long blue column floweda living stream of men whose bayonets made its surface flash like burnished silver under the glorious sun。
Then； when the pageantry was finished； and the volunteers that formed the vast bulk of those magnificent Federal armies had again become American civilians in thought and word and deed； these steadfast men； whose arms had saved the Union in the field； were first in peace as they had been in war： first in the reconstruction of their country's interrupted life； first in recognizing all that was best in the splendid fighters with whom they had crossed swords； and firstincomparably firstin keeping one and indivisible the reunited home land of both North and South。
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Thousands of books have been written about the Civil War； and more about the armies than about the navies and the civil interests together。 Yet； even about the armies； there are very few that give a just idea of how every part of the war was correlated with every other part and with the very complex whole； while fewer still give any idea of how closely the navies were correlated with the armies throughout the long amphibious campaigns。
The only works mentioned here are either those containing the original evidence or those written by experts directly from the original evidence。 And of course there are a good many works belonging to both these classes for which no room can be found in a bibliography so very brief as the present one must be。
〃The War of the Rebellion： a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies〃； 128 vols。 （1880…1901）； and 〃Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion〃； 28 vols。 （1894…）； form two magnificent collections of original evidence published by the United States Government。 But they have some gaps which nothing else can fill。 〃Battles and Leaders of the Civil War〃（1887…89）； written by competent witnesses on both sides； gives the gist of the story in four volumes （published afterwards in eight）。 〃The Rebellion Record〃； 12 vols。 （1862…68）； edited by Frank Moore； forms an interesting collection of non…official documents。 〃The Story of the Civil War〃； 4 vols。 （1895…1913）； begun by J。C。 Ropes； and continued by W。R。 Livermore； is an historical work of real value。 〃Larned's Literature of American History〃 contains an excellent bibliography； but it needs supplementing by bibliographies of the present century。 Inquiring readers should consult the bibliographies in volumes 20 and 21 （by J。K。 Hosmer） in the American Nation series。
There are many works of a more special kind that deserve particular attention。 General E。P。 Alexander's 〃Military Memoirs of a Confederate〃 （1907）； the 〃Transactions of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts〃； Major John Bigelow's 〃The Campaign of Chancellorsville〃 （1910）； and J。D。 Cox's 〃Military Reminiscences〃； 2 vols。 （1900）； are admirable specimens of this very extensive class。
The two greatest generals on the Northern side have written their own memoirs； and written them exceedingly well： 〃Personal Memoirs of U。S。 Grant〃； 2 vols。 （1885…86）； and 〃Memoirs of General W。T。 Sherman〃； 2 vols。 （1886）。 But the two greatest on the Southern side wrote nothing themselves； and no one else has written a really great life of that very great commander； Robert Lee。 Fitzhugh Lee's enthusiastic sketch of his uncle； 〃General Lee〃 （1894）； is one of the several second…rate books on the subject。 Colonel G。F。R。 Henderson's 〃Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War〃； 2 vols。 （1898）； is； on the other hand； among the best of war biographies。 Henderson's strategical study of the Valley Campaign is a masterpiece。 Two good works of very different kinds are： 〃A History of the Civil War in the United States〃 （1905）； by W。 Birkbeck Wood and Major J。E。 Edmonds； and 〃A History of the United States f from the Compromise of 1850〃； 8 vols。 （1893…1919）； by James