re: Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Ulysses S. Grant on this day 158 years ago...

quote:

---

...In memoirs written forty years after the event, Chamberlain described what happened next:

Gordon, at the head of the marching column, outdoes us in courtesy. He was riding with downcast eyes and more than pensive look; but at this clatter of arms he raises his eyes and instantly catching the significance, wheels his horse with that superb grace of which he is master, drops the point of his sword to his stirrup, gives a command, at which the great Confederate ensign following him is dipped and his decimated brigades, as they reach our right, respond to the 'carry.' All the while on our part not a sound of trumpet or drum, not a cheer, nor a word nor motion of man, but awful stillness as if it were the passing of the dead.

---

How these men, after four years of bitter, if not desperate fighting, were able to show each other respect and come together as a nation once again is one of the more remarkable aspects of our war between the states. There were some hard feelings for sure, but compared to what normally happens in these situations, our aftermath is pretty remarkable.

But now, some fools seem to want to act like they were personally wronged. The war's over, it's been over.