McLean House questions. Surrender table questions.

[Mike Serpa]

A few photos.

• Title: McLean's House, Appomattox, Va., scene of General Lee's surrender
• Other Title: McLean's House, Appomattox Court-House (April 1865)
• Creator(s): O'Sullivan, Timothy H., 1840-1882, photographer
• Date Created/Published: photographed 1865, April, [printed between 1880 and 1889]
• Medium: 1 photograph : albumen print on card mount.
• Summary: Photograph shows the house in Appomattox where the terms of surrender between Generals Grant and Lee were signed April 8, 1865. The family of the owner of the house, Wilmer McLean, are seated on the steps.
• Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-ppmsca-35119 (digital file from original item) LC-B8184-7191 (b&w film copy neg.)

• Title: Richmond, Virginia. Gen. Edward O.C. Ord, wife and child at the residence of Jefferson Davis. In the doorway is the table on which the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee was signed
• Date Created/Published: 1865 Apr.
• Medium: 1 negative (2 plates) : glass, stereograph, wet collodion.
• Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-cwpb-02928

• Title: Major Planders at mansion formerly occupied by Jefferson Davis. In the doorway stands the table on which the surrender of Gen. Lee was signed
• Date Created/Published: [photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed later]
• Medium: 1 photographic print on card mount : gelatin silver.
• Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-ppmsca-35243

Q.#1 Who is Major Planders? (Photo 3)

Q.#2 Was the McLean house used by Jefferson Davis? (Photos 2, 3)

Q.#3 Was this table (Photos 2, 3) used by R.E. Lee and not given to Libbie Custer? She was given Grant's smaller table?

Q.#4 The three photos seem to have been taken at the same time. The doorway (Photos 2, 3) is not shuttered in Photo 1. Is there another doorway around the back of the house? Two different houses? Or, what happened to the shutters? (I'm guessing the table was moved to the doorway for the photos.) Thanks!

 

[Drew]

I don't know why they're associating the McLean House with Jeff Davis. The flower arrangement on the table is the same in #1 and #2 so definitely taken at the same time.

 

[theoldman]

Q#2: I think it simply some confusing wording. Both pictures 2 and 3 were taken in Richmond at the mansion "formerly occupied by Jefferson Davis", that is "The Richmond residences of Jefferson Davis."

 

[NFB22]

So photos 2 & 3 were taken at the Confederate "White House" I'm assuming since Ord did live there.

 

[ErnieMac]

Ord was present at Appomattox when Lee surrendered and purchased the table used by Lee as the terms were being negotiated. Phil Sheridan acquired the table used by Grant and presented it to Libby Custer at a later date. Ord used the Confederate White House in Richmond as his headquarters until he was reassigned later in 1865.

 

[Jamieva]

I've always seen the Ord photo as credited as taken at the White House of the Confederacy.

 

[ole]

Some confusion there. The first photo is of the McLean House near Appomattox Court House. The second and third were taken at the Davis Mansion, presumably in Richmond.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Thanks, everyone. So, two different locations. Maybe I made a connection that wasn't there. Where is the large table now? (The other furniture is in the Smithsonian.)

Replicas of the tables used by Lee and Grant in the McLean house for the surrender documents. wikipedia photo

Physical Description
Caned arm chair. Small spool-turned table. Leather backed rolling chair with inscription reading, "This is the chair in which Genl. U. S. Grant sat when he signed the Articles of Capitulation resulting in the surrender of the Confederate Army by Genl. R. E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9th, 1865."

Specific History
General Lee's cane chair was acquired by General E.W. Whitaker and remained in his possession until 3 November 1871 when he presented it to the Nathaniel Lyon Post, Grand Army of the Republic, to be awarded to the person selling the most tickets for a benefit performance. After selling ninety-six tickets, Captain Patrick O'Farrell became the owner. His widow donated the chair in 1915.

Lieutenant General Philip Sheridan presented the table to Elizabeth Custer, widow of Major General George Custer. In 1912 she lent the table to the Smithsonian and in 1936, according to her will, the loan became a bequest.

General Henry Capehart of the U.S.S. volunteers acquired Grant's chair. In 1893 he gave it to General Wilmont Blackmar who bequeathed it in his will.
http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=34