Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-05-06
The Conference between Sher-
man and Johnston.
Further Details of the Great BIunder
RALEIGH, n. c., April 20,
ana Washington ADril z


Grande, and hope soon to lead you to your
homes" were the cheering words in which
General She rman announced to his proud ar
NV the result of his two days conference
with General Johnston. The terms as they
we're understood in the army-unconditional
| submission TO the laws as they will be inter
preted by the civil courts of the Federal Gov
ernment-were received with perfect salts
faction.
) Strange as it may seem, the actual terms,
as they are this morning published by author
, ity from the War Department, were not
known, even to those very high in authority,
AZ the time your correspondent left that ar
nv. The terms, as understood, were believed
to be of General Sherman's own choosing
and declared by him to a conquered army,
+ and their acceptance by the Government was
not a question So firm was the belief that
absolute peace would be proclaimed from
! Washington, that General Shermans an
nouncement that he hoped soon to march bis
army homeward was accepted as certainty,
, and preparations we're accordingly made
The real condition upon which the surrender
was made, when known, will probably be as
; promptly rejected by the army as by Presi-
dent johnson and his Cabinet and General
Grant.
At the first meeting, at which General
Johnston only was present, no terms were
finally agreed upon. At the second meeting,
however. at which Breckenridge ofhciated,
conditions were finally accepted and papers
signed Johnston, on the first day, probably
learned what Sherman's terms were, and, al
ter full consultation with jeff Davis, who
| was at HillsbOro, concluded to accept them,
taking Breckenridge with him, however, to
draw up the papers. This important confer
enee was held at the solicitation of the rebel
General, who, on the 14th inst, sent by flag
of truce a request for cessation of HOSTILE
ties till Grant could be sent for. Sherman
answered Immediately by saying that if the
surrender of his (JOhnstons) army was the
object of such a truce, he was competent to
attend to such want; but if anything else
was desired, he wished to know it, when he
would decide whether or not it would be nee
essary to send for the Lieutenant General
Johnston was further informed that he (Gen-
eral Sherman) was ready to meet him at any
time, TO confer on the subject Of his wants.
This offer was promptly accepted, aud the
point of meeting agreed upon at Mr..
James Benefits, little hut on the left of the
Chapel Hill road, five miles from Dunham's
Station, and thirty from Raleigh.
The memorable meeting took place. Gen.
Sherman, accompanied by his right-hand
man, his able Chief Engineer, Colonel 0. u
| Poe, and General Barry, with others of ms
ston and Captain Champion, of his staff.
Both Generals were accompanied by their
cavalry Generals, Fitzpatrick and Wade Hamp-
ton.
After the more important questions had
been settled Generals Sherman and Johnston
cOnversed freely and frankly. General John
ston fairly admitted that the grand Army of
the Mississippi was the best that ever
marched why" said Johnston, my en-
| % thu ranpla of South
Caroline, all insisted upon it that no army
could ever penetrate the Salkehatehle
| swamps, and you not only marched your army
| through them, but cOrduroyed and bridged
| them for miles, and then drew after you your
immense supply train. The like could never
have been done by any other army"
Gen. Wade Hampton's action and conduct,
| in the light of such manly and candid ad-
mission, are doubly disgusting. He denied
that the South was conquered, or even worst
ed, and fully announced the theory that
Southern man could whip three Northern
men. We believe that four years of war have
at least reduced the odds, even in his opinion,
from FIVE TO three.
In speaking of the armies in the Southwest,
Sherman inquired where Gen. Wilson, with
his cavalry, was. g He is at Columbus, Ga"
replied Johnston, "and l wish, for Gods
| sake, that you would stop him, for he is raid
ing all through that country, tearing every
thing TO the devil"
Gen. Sherman then showed Johnston a dis
patch he had Just received from Gilmore, say
ing that Potter, with a force of infantry and
cavalry, was finishing the work of devasta-
ton in South Carolina. Sherman forestalled
Johnston's request TO have that stopped, by
saying that he thought it would not hurt that
| people to bear a still heavier burden. Let
| Potter burn a little longer" said he.
General Breckenridge was more reticent.
| He showed plainly how deep was his humili-
alton. He conversed, however, with those
who addressed him, and TO General Sherman,
in a discussion as to the slavery question,
made this remarkable confession: "The dis
| cussion of the slavery question is at an end.
| The amendment to the Constitution, forever
forbidding slavery, is perfectly fair, and will
be accepted in that spirit by the people of
the South"
| The news of the assassination of Mr.. Lin
coin was received by Gen. Sherman while at
| Kipatrick's headquarters, on the way to his
| first days meeting. We have it from Gen.
! Sherman himself, that Johnston was shocked,
I and manifested as much feeling and concern
as an intimate friend would have done and
well he might, for the exasperated soldiery of
the Union army would have desolated the
| land from the right to the left. The rebel
Il
at the unfortunate event, was told that i.
would be polite in him to publish disclaim-
| er of any connection or knowledge of the
| deed, or the conduct of our army could not
be answered for.
Johnston has been notified, ere this, that
the terms of surrender agreed upon cannot
be accepted, and that the truce, at the expir-
alton of the forty-eight hours, must end; but
we predict that there will be no fighting.
JOhnston's army is about Chapel Hill,
twenty-five miles from Raleigh, with his left
wing on the Haw river. His retreat has been
cut off by Stoneman, who is thought to be
now on his flank, aud has so destroyed the
road that il cannot be repaired. Sheridan is
near at hand, and, with Fitzpatrick and Stone
man, can alone handle JOhnston's army, which
does not now number over $4,000 men, de-
moralized and already beaten. Johnston can
/ do nothing, then, but surrender uneondition-
| ally. We think General Sherman has lost
nothing by his truce.
The mails having been detained, give
summary of the news from Raleigh. 1t was
occupied by Fitzpatrick on the 18th, the city
having been surrendered by Ex-Governor
/ Bragg and the Mayor of the city. The city
was at once thoroughly guarded, and not a
house was disturbed. 1t is now heavily guard
ed by troops from Major General Corses
corps, lest the exasperated soldiery should
seek their vengeance for the Presidents as
sassination upon the city. The citizens held