Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-24
OFFICIAL WAR BULLETIN.
Wku IMP prHur,.

"ASHlN1ToNs ~. u, Aprii 22-lU 7. NJ.
0oJ. Gen. Jfso. 4. Dix, New York:
Yesterday evening bearer OF espatches ar
rived from General Sherman. An agreement
for suspension of hostllities, and a memo.
randum Of what's called a basis for peace,
had been entered into on the 18th instant BY
General Sherman with the rebel General
Johnston, the re bel General Brec ckinridge being
present at the conference. A Cabinet meeting
was held at O'Clock in the evening, at which
the action Of General Sherman was disap-
proved by the President by the Secretary Of
War, by General Grant, and by every mem
ber OF the Cabinet General Sherman was
ordered to resume hostiiiies Immediately, an
he was directed that the instructions given by
the late President. in the following telegram,
which was penned by Mr. Lincoln himself at
the Capitol, ON the night Of the I'D OF March,
were approved by President Andrew John.
son, and were reiterated to govern the action
Of military commanders.
On the night OF the Sd OF March, while Pres.
ident Lincoln and his Cabinet were a. the
Capitol, telegraph from General Grant was
brought to the Secretary of War, informing
him that General Lee had requested an inter.
view or conference, to make an arrangement
for terms Of peace. The letter of General Lee
was published In message OF Davis 70 the
rebel Congress. General Grants telegram
was submitted to Mr Lincoln, who, after
pioneering few minutes, took up his pen and
wrote with his own hand the following repIy,
which he submitted to the Secretary OF State
and Secretary OF War. Ii wGs then dated, ad
dressed, and signed by the Secretary OF War,
and telegraphed to General Grant:
President Lincoln's Instructions.
"WAsHINGToN, March 3, 1855, Il PM
Lteutensnt General Grant :! The President di-
rects me to say to yon that he wishes you to
have no conference with General Lee, unless
it be for the capitulation OF General Lees
army, or on some minor and purely military
matter. He instructs me to say that You are
not to decide, discuss. confer upon any
political question. Ssch questions the Presi-
dent holds in his own hands, aad will sub
nit them TO no military conferences or CON.
ventions. Meantime you are 10 press to the
utmost military advantages
"EDwIN M. STANTON, Secretary OF War;
The orders OF General Sherman to General
S!oneman, to withdraw from Salisbury and
Join him, will probably open the way for
Davis to escape TO Mexico or Europe with his
plunder, which is reported to be very large.
including not only the plunder OF the Richmond
banks, but previous accumuIatlons des.
patch received by this Department saws:
"It is stated here by respectable parties tina,
the amount CT specie taken south by jeff
Davis and his partisans is very large incIud-
ING not only the pIupder OF the Richmond
banks, but previous accumulations. They
nope, IL Is salo, 70 inaHe terms Win General
Sherman or some other southern commander,
by which they will be permitted, with their
oTso,s inc,pdiup tho eo,a r,p,dar 90 en-
.1 H.n f' ~ "
MeAico VI coiop7' .'onHs'oAs negotiations
look 10 that end
o,c,ant star.ad for North C.ro,tna >. 49,.
i"' - '.. so. ~ ~, ~ ~ oaio'ina' " uieet
operations against Jonnstons army.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON, Secretary OF War.
Memsrdndua,, or Basis Of agreement, made Ais
eighteenth day of Aprii, H. D. 1865, near Dur
and bsfmeen General Joseph e. Johnston. COM.
mcndino Confederate -4rmy, and Major General
II IT Sherman, cefamandino Irmy of the
Tnited States, in the State OF North Carolina,