Grant’s Surrender Terms & Lee’s Reply (April 9, 1865)

Primary Source Comprehension • Approx. Lexile 950 • Tabs: Main Idea & Details, Inference, Vocabulary
(reads both excerpts)
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Primary Source Text Appomattox Court House • Terms of Surrender & Acceptance

Ulysses S. Grant to Robert E. Lee — Terms of Surrender

“In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit:

1. Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate; one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer as you may designate.

2. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands.

3. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them.

This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage.

4. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside.”

U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General
Commanding Armies of the United States

Robert E. Lee’s Reply Accepting the Terms

“General:—I received your letter of this date containing the terms of surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by you.

As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th inst., they are accepted.

I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.

Very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
R. E. Lee, General
To Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant”

Comprehension Tabs
Questions in each tab may refer to either excerpt above.
1. What is the main purpose of Grant’s letter to Lee?
Main purpose of Grant’s surrender letter.
2. According to Grant’s terms, what must the Confederate officers and men provide before returning home?
Detail about the requirement for paroles.
3. Which specific items are NOT required to be surrendered according to Grant’s letter?
Detail about what officers were allowed to keep.
4. What does Lee state in his reply about the surrender terms?
Key idea in Lee’s acceptance letter.
5. Why does Grant allow officers to keep their private horses and baggage?
Inference about Grant’s intentions in the terms.
6. What can you infer about Grant’s intentions from the final paragraph of his terms?
Inference from Grant’s promise that men may return home.
7. Lee writes, “I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.” What does this suggest about his attitude?
Inference about Lee’s response to the surrender terms.
8. What inference can be made about the tone between Grant and Lee based on both letters?
Inference about the tone of communication between the generals.
9. In Grant’s letter, the word “duplicate” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context from Grant’s first condition.
10. In the phrase “officers to give their individual paroles,” the word “parole” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context describing the officers’ promises.
11. In Grant’s letter, the phrase “public property” refers to
Vocabulary in context related to property being surrendered.
12. In Lee’s reply, the word “stipulations” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context from Lee’s acceptance letter.
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