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“steadfast to the last,” I feel that you will appreciate the duty you owe them to place your unqualified statement of the facts on record, so that our children and children's children can, whenever necessary, in the future, appeal to your statement to vindicate and establish the truth.
Our Confederate camps can spread your statement on their records and thus make it accessible to their history committees and the survivors of our comrades when their voices shall all be still.
I have been requested to appeal to you for your written statement concerning this matter so dear to our hearts, thus verifying the facts herein stated, which we feel confident will be to you a “labor of love.”
The sword of Lee was drawn from motives as noble and lofty as ever inspired human breast; it was wielded in a cause as righteous as ever enlisted patriot zeal; by reason of having been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources' it was sheathed in defeat — not surrendered in humiliation.
With sentiments of highest esteem, believe me, dear sir,
Very truly and sincerely yours,
Spotswood Bird, Late private, Company F, 24th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry, Gary's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia.
Colonel Marshall's reply.
Baltimore, June 5, 1901.
Spotswood Bird, Esq., Late Private, Company F, Twenty-fourth Regiment, Virginia Cavalry:
dear Sir,—I have received your communication of May 23d, and herewith return, as requested, my reply.
The subject of your letter is one that is entirely covered, I think, by my address delivered before the Society of the Army and Navy of the Confederate States in the State of Maryland on January 19, 1894, which I inclose to you and of which you may make such use as you deem proper.
You will perceive from the address that the circumstances attending the meeting between General Grant and General Lee on April 9, 1865, did not call for any demand on the part of General Grant for the surrender of General Lee's sword on that occasion and that any statement, however made and by whomsoever made to the effect that General Lee made the tender of the surrender of his sword to General Grant must be entirely in conflict Spotswood Bird, Esq., Late Private, Company F, Twenty-fourth Regiment, Virginia Cavalry:
