This sudden cessation was the signal of truce, that the terms already proffered by Grant might be accepted and the useless slaughter of men cease. Of the correspondence and its concurrent circumstances, Grant reported: "Feeling now that General Lee's chance of escape was utterly hopeless, I addressed him the following communication from Farmville: "April 7, 1865. rumble of distant cannon sounded in front. Pres- "GENERAL-The result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this 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 Confederate States "U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. "General R. E. LEE.' "Early on the morning of the 8th, before leaving, I received, at Farmville, the following: Though not entertaining the opinion you express on the hope"GENERAL-I have received your note of this date. lessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and, therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition of its "R. E. LEE, General. surrender. "Lieutenant-General U. S. GRANT.' "Early in the morning of the 9th, Gordon's corps was ordered to the front through Appomattox Court-house, passing the entire wagon and artillery train of the army. Lee's army had at this time dwindled down to eight thousand men with muskets in their hands. Gordon was thrown out with about two thousand men in front; the wreck of Longstreet's command covered the rear; and between these thin lines was the remnant of the wagon train, and clinging to these thousands of unarmed strag glers, many of them famishing and too weak to carry their muskets. Such was the condition and disposition of General Lee's forces when Gordon attempted the last desperate task of cutting his way through Sheridan's lines. The Confederate cavalry was drawn up in mass in the village. The fields, gardens and streets were strewn with troops bivouacking in line of battle. In the early light of you, or will designate officers to meet any officers you may morning Gordon's corps marched through and to the west of the village. "After reconnoitering, it was discovered that the enemy in front was dismounted cavalry in heavy force. Dispositions were made for attack, and about ten o'clock Gordon's line was ordered forward. The enemy's cavalry was easily driven back; it seemed that an exit would be secured, until it was discovered that the cavalry were falling back upon large masses of infantry, which were hastening forward and just forming to advance. It was the turn of the Confederates to fall back. Just as his divisions had formed anew to resist a flank movement of Sheridan, while the skirmishers were engaged, while the Richmond Howitzers (who had fired the first gun at Bethel), having already dis "April 8, 1865, "GENERAL-Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of the same date, asking the conditions on which I will receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply, I would say that peace being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon namely: that the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, "General R. E. LEE.' 64 Early on the morning of the 8th the pursuit was resumed. General Meade followed north of the Appomattox, and General Sheridan, with all the cavalry, pushed straight for the Appomattox Station, followed by General Ord's command and the 5th Corps. During the day General Meade's advance had considerable fighting with the enemy's rear guard, but was unable to bring on a general engagement. Late in the evening General Sheridan struck the railroad at Appomattox Station, drove the enemy from there, and captured twenty-five pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and four trains The Surrender. of cars loaded with supplies for Lee's army. During this day I accompanied Meade's column, and about midnight received the following communication from General Lee: "April 8, 1865. * GENERAL—I received at a late hour your note of to-day. In mine of yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank, I do not think the emergency las arisen to call for the surrender of this army, but as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I desire to know whether your proposals would lead to that end. I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia, but as far as your proposal may affect the Confederate States forces under my command, and tend to the restoration of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at ten A. M. to-morrow, on the old stage road to Richmond, between the picket lines of the two armics. "R. E. LEE, General. "Lieutenant-General U. S. GRANT.' "Early on the morning of the 9th I returned him an answer as follows, and immediately started to join the column south of the Appomattox: "April 9, 1865. "GENERAL-Your note of yesterday is received. I have no authority to treat on the subject of peace; the meeting proposed for ten A. M. to-day could lead to no good. I will state, however, General, that I am equally anxious for peace with yourself, and the whole North entertains the same feeling The terms upon which peace can be had are well understood. By the South laying down their arms they will hasten that most desirable event, save thousands of human lives and hundreds of millions of property not yet destroyed. Seriously hoping that all our difficulties may be settled without the loss of another life, I subscribe myself "U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. etc, "General R. E, LEE.' "On the morning of the 9th General Ord's command and the 5th Corps reached Appomattox Station just as the enemy was making a desperate effort to break through our cavalry. The infantry was at once thrown in. Soon after a white flag was received, requesting a suspension of hostilities pending negotiations of surrender. "Before reaching General Sheridan's headquarters, I received the following from General Lee: "April 9, 1865. "GENERAL-I received your note this morning on the picket line, whither I had come to meet you, and ascertain definitely what terms were embraced in your proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender of this army. I now ask an interview in accordance with the offer contained in your letter of yesterday for that purpose' "R. E. LEE, General. "Lieutenant-General U. S. GRANT' "The interview was held at Appomattox Courthouse, the result of which is set forth in the following correspondence: "APPOMATTOX COURT nouse, Va, April 9, 1865. terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be desig. nated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give th, ir individual parole not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the sile-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage! This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside "US. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. "General R. E. LEE.' "HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, April 9, 1865. "GENERAL-I received your letter of this date containing the terms of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by you. As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect. "R. E. LEE, Genera "Lieutenant-General U. S GRANT.' "The command of Major-General Gibbon, the 5th Army Corps under Griffin, and McKenzie's caralry, were designated to remain at Appomattox Court-house until the paroling of the surrendered army was completed, and to take charge of the public property. The remainder of the army immediately returned to the vicinity of Burkesville." The terms conceded were generous indeed --too much so, the incensed North thought, since the parole covered the paroled from all prosecution, so long as they refrained from hostile acts against the Government-equiv alent to amnesty for past offenses. But, it was a concession to brave men from brave men, and to generosity was added the motive of policy: it was politic to disarm the rebels by not driving them to desperation. Grant added, as confirming the propriety of the course pursued: "General Lee's great influence throughout the whole South caused his example to be followed, and to-day the result is that the armies lately under his leadership are at their homes, desiring peace and quiet, and their arms are in the hands of our ordnance officers." This parole covered only about eight thousand men in arms-large numbers having broken ranks and scattered as soon as the fact of surrender became known. The roll "GENERAL-In accordance with the substance of my lists, however, included twenty-six thousand letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the sur. render of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following names. Finale of Lee's Army. JEFF. DAVIS' LAST MANIFESTO. free. 501 Thus was dissolved the struggle. Relieved from the necessity of guarding Army of Northern Vir- particular points, our army will be free to move ginia, a history of whose trials, triumphs from point to point, to strike the enemy in detail and reverses embraces so much of the history far from his base. Let us but will it, and we are of the Confederacy that it may be said to have formed the National Guard of Secession, which, like the Old Guard at Waterloo, passed away only when their cause was irretrievably lost. Davis and his cabinet droped down into North Carolina, under the sheltering protection of Johnston's omnium gatherum of commands. To the abandonment of Virginia the Confederate Executive attached less importance than his generals in the field; for, on the 5th of April, he promulgated the following proclamation from Danville: "DANVILLE, Va., April 5, 1865. "The General-in-Chief found it necessary to make such movements of his troops as to uncover the capital. It would be unwise to conceal the moral and material injury to our cause resulting from the occupation of our capital by the enemy. It is equally unwise and unworthy of us to allow our own energies to falter, and our efforts to become relaxed under reverses, however calamitous they may be. For many months the largest and finest army of the Confederacy, under a leader whose presence inspires equal confidence in the troops and the people, has been greatly trammelled by the necessity of keeping constant watch over the approaches to the capital, and has thus been forced to forego more than one opportunity for promising enterprise. It is for us, my countrymen, to show by our bearing under reverses how wretched has been the self-deception of those who have believed us less able to endure misfortune with fortitude than to encounter dangers with courage. "Animated by that confidence in your spirit and fortitude which never yet failed me, I announce to you, fellow-countrymen, that it is my purpose to maintain your cause with my whole heart and soul; that I will never consent to abandon to the enemy one foot of the soil of any of the States of the Confederacy. That Virginia-noble State-whose ancient renown has been eclipsed by her still more glorious recent history; whose bosom has been bared to receive the main shock of this war; whose sons and daughters have exhibited heroism so sublime as to render her illustrious in all time to come -that Virginia, with the help of the people, and by the blessing of Providence, shall be held and defended, and no peace ever be made with the infamous invaders of her territory. "If by the stress of numbers we should ever be compelled to a temporary withdrawal from her limits, or those of any other border State, we will return, until the baffled and exhausted enemy shall abandon in despair his endless and impossible task of making slaves of a people resolved to be free. "Let us, then, not despond, my countrymen, but, relying on God, meet the foe with fresh defiance, and with unconquered and unconquerable hearts. "JEFFERSON DAVIS." and Testament. Hardly was it given to the This may be pronounced his Last Will winds when the prophet was a fugitive, making for the Florida Everglades, whence to pass over to Cuba, and thereafter to become the veritable Man without a Country-an honor or calamity which he never was des "We have now entered upon a new phase of the tined to bear. CHAPTER IV. SHERMAN'S PURSUIT OF JOHNSTON. THE TRUCE AND SURRENDER. The Pursuit. SHERMAN'S return to Goldsboro', on the night of March 30th, from the conference at City Point (March 27th-28th), was signalized by orders for haste in making ready for the field. At the conference April 10th was named as the earliest practicable moment for a movement. That movement was designed to have been, after feigning upon Raleigh, to move directly north, to Burkesville, to get in between Johnston and Lee, and on Lee's western line of communications. This arrangement, however, was frustrated by the necessity for an immediate movement of the armies operating against Lee. Beholding signs of Lee's immediate attempt to abandon Petersburg and Richmond, to join Johnston, and thus indefinitely to prolong the campaign, Grant, as we have seen, pressed his enemy at once, by the abandonment of his own strong lines, in a movement to place himself across the enemy's line of retreat. Lee ran on the night of April 2d. This compelled Sherman to await the issue. April 5th, Grant wrote him from Wilson's station: “GENERAL—All indications now are that Lee will attempt to reach Danville with the remnant of his force. Sheridan, who was up with him last night, reports all that is left-horse, foot and dragoonsat twenty thousand, much demoralized. We hope to reduce this number one-half. I shall push on to Burkesville, and if a stand is made at Danville, will in a very few days go there. If you can possibly do so, push on from where you are, and let us see if we can finish the job with Lee's and Johnston's perfectly in hand at Smithfield-his strength estimated at 35,000 infantry, and cavalry from 6000 to 10,000. At daybreak of the 10th the columns were in motion direct for Smithfield |--Slocum taking the two direct roads, followed by Schofield-Howard making a detour to the right, to dissemble to the enemy's cavalry. Terry's division and Kilpatrick's cavalry moved by the west side of the Neuse river. At ten A. M. the 11th Corps entered Smithfield, closely followed by the 20th Corps. Johnston had flown to Raleigh. Having a line of railway at his command he moved with celerity, but soon astounded by the sudden collapse of Confederate fortunes he prepared to retire to the southward by way of Hillsboro' to Charlotte-the design being to gather from the fragments of all commands a force sufficient to make another stand and to reorganize the scattered Government departments. Johnston evacuated Raleigh on the 12th, and marched for Greensboro' by way of Hillsboro'-using the railway to move his supplies. He was joined-en route-by Davis and his Cabinet, and such of the Government archives and personal property as in their hasty flight they had been able to bear away. Receiving news of Lee's surrender, on the 11th, while approaching Smithfield, the now jubilant army were ready for the quick march after Johnston. Divesting the columns of all impediments to rapid movement, the rapid march to Raleigh was ordered-Kilpatrick's cavalry and Walcott's division on the advance. April 12th a committee of Raleigh's leading citizens and town officials proceeded to meet Sherman, and, at Clayton's station, formally surrendered the place, Sherman givJohnston then (April 6th) had his army ing a promise of protection, which was most armies. Whether it will be better for you to strike for Greensboro' or nearer to Danville, you will be better able to judge when you receive this. Rebel armies are now the only strategic points to strike at." JOHNSTON'S SURRENDER. 503 Surrender of Raleigh. faithfully kept. Kilpatrick rode into the capital, on the 13th, to the real joy of the people, for the robbers of Wheeler's command even then were still at their work of plunder and outrage. The cavalry leader's first work was to clear out the desperadoes, whose presence had, in fact, been a terror to every town which they visited.* Walcott's division (14th Corps) quickly followed Kilpatrick into the town. when the place was placed under provost guard, and perfect order maintained. The other division came rapidly forward and bivouacked around the place. The joy of the troops was unbounded. The rear divisions coming in on the 14th, a grand review was permitted; and, for eight hours during that day, the ranks marched by the Capitol building under the eye of their General. In the midst of this pageant a flag of truce was announced from Johnston, asking for an armistice, and a statement of the best terms which Sherman would extend for the sur render of his (Johnston's) command. General Sherman sent out Colonel McCoy on the 15th with his reply, which was as follows: "GENERAL-I have this moment received your communication of this date. I am fully empowered to arrange with you any time for the suspension of further hostilities as between the armies commanded by myself, and will be willing to confer with you to that end. I will limit the advance of my main column to-morrow to Morristown, and the cavalry to the University, and I expect you will maintain the present position of your forces until each has notice of a failure to agree. "Thus a basis of action may be had. I undertake to abide by the same terms and conditions as were made by Generals Grant and Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, of the 9th instant, relative to the two * Among the incidents of the day was this: After the city had been formally surrendered, and while Kilpatrick was marching through the town, an officer belonging to Wheeler's command, who, with some of his men, were engaged in plundering a store near the market house, rushed into the street and fired his revolver at Kilpatrick, who was riding at the head of the column; the ball fortunately missed Kilpatrick, but wounded one of his staff. Chase was instantly made, and the ruffian captured. In less than ten minutes he was swinging by his neck from a tree. General armies; and furthermore, to obtain from General plated by him. I will add that I really desire to After some two days' delay, during which General Johnston's efforts were somewhat embarrassed by the refractory and mutinous position of Wade Hampton, of South Carolina, a personal interview took place between the two chiefs of the opposing armies, at Bennett's house, five miles beyond Durham's station, on the North Carolina railroad, midway between the lines. The conference was strictly private, only Wade Hampton being present with General Johnston on the first day, Monday, April 17th, and John C. Breckenridge taking Hamp: on's place on the second day, Tuesday. The only members of the rebel staff present were Captains Johnston and Hampton, the latter a son of Wade Hampton. The Generals were treated with in their characters as commanders of the insurrectionary forces. The Southern Confederacy was not recognized, although Jefferson Davis was understood to be a party consenting to the surrender. These terms, which gave rise to a great deal of feeling in the North, and were severely censured by the authorities at Washington,* were as follows: In the alarm and excitement which succeeded Mr. Lincoln's assassination, the publie mind was greatly disturbed by the lenient treatment proposed by Sherman, to all who had participated in the rebellion; but, misconceptions existed both on Sherman's part of the Administration's wishes, and, on the people's part, of Sherman's motive in his "arrangement." As the General's letter to Grant, of April 25th explains his motives, we quote it: "GENERAL-I received your letter of April 21 with enclosures, yesterday, and was well pleased that you came along, as you must have observed that I held the military control, so as to adapt it to any phase the case might assumo. "It is but just that I should record the fact that I made my terms with General Johnston under the influence of the liberal terms you extended to the army of General Lee, at Appomattox Courthouse, on the 9th, and the seeming policy of our Government as evinced by the call of the Virginia Legislature and Governor back to Richmond under yours and President Lincoln's very eyes. It now appears this last act |