At Appomattox Court House, Grant offered generous terms of surrender to the defeated Confederate army. Soldiers were required to turn over their rifles, but officers were allowed to keep their pistols. Soldiers who had horses could keep them. Grant knew that southerners would need the animals for spring plowing. Finally, ordered Grant, “each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by the United States authorities.”
As the Confederates surrendered, Union soldiers began to cheer. Grant ordered them to be silent. “The war is over,” he said. “The rebels are our countrymen again.”
Question
Use the passage to answer the question.
Why did Grant not want his troops to celebrate the surrender of the Confederate troops?
(1 point)
Responses
It could bring surprise attacks on the North.
It could bring surprise attacks on the North.
It would not help in unifying the nation again.
It would not help in unifying the nation again.
It would cause his troops to view Southerners as countrymen.
It would cause his troops to view Southerners as countrymen.
It could cause the South to revoke their surrender.
It could cause the South to revoke their surrender.
1 answer
The correct response is: It would not help in unifying the nation again.
Grant emphasized that the war was over and that the Confederates were now fellow countrymen, indicating that celebrating would undermine the efforts to promote unity after the conflict.
