Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-04-28
Sherman's Blunder.
SECRETARY STANTON TO CEN. DIX.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON Anil % 1861


WAsHNGToN. April %, 1865.
Major Gen. John A. Dix, New York
Yesterday evening bearer Of dispatches
arrived from General Sherman
An agreement for a suspension of hostIli-
ties. and a memorandum Of what il called a
basis for peace, had been entered into on the
18th instant by General Sherman with the
rebel General Johnston The rebel General
Breckenridge was present at the conference
Cabinet meeting was held at eight
O'Clock IN the evening, at which the action
of General Sherman was dIsapprOved by the
President, by the Secretary OF War. by Gen.
Grant, and by every member of the Cabinet.
General Sherman was ordered TO resume hos
tilities immediately, and was directed that the
instructions given nv the late President in
the following telegram, which was penned
by Mr.. Lincoln himself, at the Capitol. on
the night of the Sd Of March. were approved
BY President Andrew johnson, and were re-
iterated to govern the action Of military
commanders.
On the night of the 81 of March. while
President Lincoln and his Cabinet were AT
the Capitol, telegram from General Grant
was brought to the Secretary of War. in
forming him that General Lee had requested
an interview or conference to make an ar
rangement for terms Of peace The letter
of Gen. Lee was published in letter of
Davis to the rebel Congress. Gen Grants
telegram was submitted to Mr.. Lincoln, who,
after pondering few minutes, took up his
pen and wrote with his own hand the follow
ing reply. which he submitted to the S,cre.
tary of State and Secretary of War, Ii was
then dated, addressed and signed by the Sc
cretary of War, and telegraphed 20 General
Grant -
WASHINGTON, March 8, ls65-I2PM
Lieutenant General Grant
The President directs me to say to you that he |
wishes you to have no conference with General /
Lee, unless it be for tie cspitulation Of General
Lees army, or on some minor and purely mill |
tary matter. He instructs me TO say that YOU |
are not to decide, discuss or confer upon any DO
lticsl question. Such questions the President
holds in his own hands, and will submit them
to no military conferences or conventions Mean
time you are to press to the utmost your mill
tsry advantages.
EDWIN NJ STANTON.
Secretary Of War.
The orders Of General Sherman to General
Stoneman to withdraw from Salisbury and
join him will probably open the way for
DAVIS to escape to Mexico or Europe with
his plumber, which is reported to be very
large, including not only the plumber of the
Richmond banks, but previous accumula-
tons.
A dispatch received BY this Department
from Richmond, says -
1t is stated here by respectable parties that
the amount Of specie taken South BY jefferson
Davis and his partssns 10 very large, including
not only the plunder Of the Richmond banks,
but previous sccumulations They hope, il is
said, to make terms with General Sherman, or
some other Southern commander. by which they
VIII be permitted, with their effects. including
this gold plunder, to 20 to Mexico or Europe ,
Johnston's negotiations look to this end
After the Cabinet meeting last night Gen. =
Grant started for North Carolina to direct
operations against Johnston's army.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
Secretary of War s
The N. Y. Times says. " II transcript
Of this absolute injunction Tof the President
was not made, textuslly. for Shernan's 7
guidance, the injunction itself was perfectly
known TO him, and be was well aware that II
powers Of negotiation were not denied to the 2
10 be conceded 10 one If 8
his subordinates."
All of which only adds to the universal
surprise that Gen. Sherman, firm, sagacious, ;.
master hand with the =,
zen as well ss the field marshal's baton, as :,
,e has hitherto shown himself, could have =.
70 weakly agreed to compromise the honor d,
f the country and thrown away the advan- of
ages in his hand by consenting to an agree Il
aent, from which, as has been said, one b.
an hardly guess whether Johnston was to he
urrender to Sherman or Sherman to Jehn- vi
:on." In fact there was no surrender about
be case. ltwih be fortunate indeed if the
amage to Gen. Shermsn's high fame is not FL
70 of the least of the evil results of his th
nj kHadr. Z