If you have to surrender, do it to Americans

It was cold, that Virginia April 9th morning; the pickets had reported snow flurries two nights before. The cold was worsened by hunger and fatigue. Even though they had yesterday routed a brigade of the Army of the Potomac which had pursued them too closely, they had been hard-pressed in their retreat from Petersburg.

They had been pursued more closely than they knew. In fact, their retreat had been cut off. Brigadier General Seth Williams arrived under a flag of truce, with a letter for the commander.

General R. E. Lee,
Commanding C.S. Army,

General:
The results of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistence on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in the struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the C. S. Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U.S. Grant, Lieutenant General,
Commanding Armies of the United States

It was considerably warmer, that Philippines April 9th morning 77 years later, when another American army surrendered at Bataan. Instead of allowing the officers to retain their sidearms and horses, and providing 25,000 rations for the hungry rank and file, the Japanese captors started the prisoners on what would be known thereafter as the Bataan Death March.