Lee never signed a surrender. He wrote a letter accepting the terms.
Same thing? Maybe, but he felt he had no authority to sign a surrender on behalf of his government. He accepted terms for the Army of N Virginia.
Then Grant opened the Union commissary to Lee’s starving troops, allowed paroled Confederates who claimed to own a horse or mule to take it home, and exempted officers’ side arms from the general surrender of weapons.
Grant later wrote that he could not bear requiring Lee to hand over his saber, hence the proviso on sidearms.
9 April 1865
We, the undersigned Prisoners of War, belonging to the Army of Northern Virginia, having been this day surrendered by General Robert E. Lee, C.S.A., Commanding said Army to Lieut. Genl. U. S. Grant, Commanding Armies of United States, do hereby give our solemn parole of honor that we will not hereafter serve in the armies of the Confederate States or in any military capacity whatever, against the United States of America or under aid to the enemies of the latter, until properly exchanged in such manner as shall be mutually approved by the respective authorities.
Done at Appomattox Court
House, Va. this 9th day of
April, 1865.
R. E. Lee, Genl.
W. H. Taylor, Lt. Colonel
Charles S. Venaber, Lt. Col. adjutant
Charles Marshal, Lt. Col. & Inspector General
W. E. Pentin, Lt. Col.
Gilbert B. Cooke, Major
H. S. Young, Major
The within named men will not be disturbed by United States authorities, so long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside.