Lieutenant Colonel Ely Parker made the formal ink copy of General Grant’s
letter that spelled out the terms of surrender. “Having finished it, I brought it to General Grant, who signed
it, sealed it and then handed it to General Lee.” Lt. Colonel Ely Parker
At the surrender meeting, seeing that Parker was an American Indian,
General Lee supposedly remarked to Parker, “I am glad to see one real American here.” Parker later
stated, “I shook his hand and said, We are all Americans.”
Among members of Grant’s Staff, Parker was known for his fine
handwriting, his knowledge of the law, his sense of humor, and as a good fellow to have around in a fight. Parker once described
himself as “a savage Jack Falstaff of 200 weight.”
Sources: National
Park Service; Appomattox Court House National Historic Park
