Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-11
THE TRUTH OF HISTORY.
Presiaent Lincoln the Responsible
Author OF the shermsn.JO hnstoz,
Agreement.

President Lincoln the Responsible
: Author or the Shermsn.JohnSto,
: Agreement.
From Wilkes Spirit of the Times.
The Whirligig Of time has brought abou
some remarkable revenges Turing the las
seven years of our history. Many
military bubble has been pricked man,
name which early in the war filed ever
ear has been deservedly forgotten; and
on the other hand, many really great
man has outlived SANDER and misconceo
ton, and is honored with all the more
heartiness now, because time was wher
we refused him the laurels he deserved
1t is not so many years since Grant was
set down as an obstinate blunderer, aud
at the turning point Of his career it was
for while in doubt whether he should
be sent back in disgrace to private life or
allowed to march forward in that glorious
path which he discerned, but his superiors
dld not. A more remarkable example,
however, Of the triumph of truth and
justice is afforded in the case of Sherman.
de perceived long before anybody else
the magnitude which the campaign in the
Mississippi valley must assume and
when he told the Government how large
an army would be .useded in that depart
ment men called him lunatic. Costly
experience convinced US that Sher-
man vas right, and we had to call
upon him at last to do tho work in which
so many pet Generals had failed. His
capacity as commander has been fully
indicated; but there is another side to
his character which has been suffered to
remain IN the shade, and this, too, is now
to be cleared. 1t has been the fashion to
decry his political sagacity. The terms
OF surrender which he granted to john
son excited elamor throughout the
Northern States. IF the agreement had
been carried out, writes one of the latest
historians of the war, 'it would in effect
have restored to all persons who had been
engaged In the rebellion every right and
privilege, political and social, which they
had enjoyed before they rebelled, with
out any liability to punishment. 1t pro-
posed practically an utter forgetfulness of
the events OF the war, and made it hide
Gus farce, with the features Of dreadful
tragedy. In his anxiety to end
the war and restore the Union, Sherman,
with the purest motives and most earnest
desire to do right, made grave mistake.
1t occurred at time when such mistake
could hardly be,excused by the loyal
people. The Memorandum
was published, and created universal in
dignation and alarm. Gen.
eral Grant was Immediately sent to
Raleigh to declare the rejection OF the
Memorandum : to relieve General Sher-
man of command if he should think best
to do SO, and to direct an immediate and !
general resumption Of hostilities. Gems |
eral Grant, was Of course, too wise and |
and too sincere friend,
to deprive of his command General |
whom he so highly esteemed, and whose
fault, at the very worst, was nothing but |
an error Of judgment. The agreement,
however was revoked and the loyal |
people, thea in the tervor Of their excite
ment over the assassination of Mr.. Lin
coin, were so insensed with Sherman that |
his past services were all but forgotten"
1t now falls to our lot to show that the |
author Of the Sherman Johns
ston agreement 1Oas not Gen. Sher.
man, but President Lincoln. The |
acts which we are about to relate were
brought to our knowledge during this
ast summer, and were committed to |
paper at the time. There were obvious |
reasons why they should be withheld |
until after the election /; but there is no |
now to their being laid before |
the public, and we are especially glad to |
have an opportunity Of doing so, because
his journal among others, was unjust to |
Sherman at the time of the surrender.
On the 9th of March, 1865, two or
hree days before the final movement
upon Richmond, Gen. Sherman, fresh
rom his march to the sea, arrived at City /
Point for the purpose of comforting with
he President and the General>in>C Chief.
dr. Lincoln was then on board the guns
BOAT Queen, and on that day an interview
ook place on the boat between the PresiS
lent, Gen. Grant, Gen. Sherman, and
dmiral David D. Porter. From one of
he parties Of this interview, gentleman
Connected with the SPIRIT Of the Times
Ibtsined verbal narrative of what took
lace. There was no pledge of secrecy,
nd we feel that we violate no obligation
n making public the substance Of
t. Mr.. Lincoln" said the narrator,
had come down to City Point with
he most liberal views towards
be Rebels, and was willing that
hey should capitulate on almost
ny terms. His heart was tenderness
and as long as the enemy
aid down their arms. he did not care
low it was done After hearing from
sherman description OF his position, he
proposed that the same terms should be
fered to Johnston that would have been
iTen to Lee. TO this Gen. Sherman
tren@ouSly objected, declaring that he
lad Johnston cooped up where he could
lot get away, and that he would be COM
'elled to surrender at all hazards, what
yer terms we proposed. never saw
i'm more energetic in my life than while
e was arguing this point; but Mr.. Lin
DIN leaned towards milder measures,
earring that the Confederate General
would escape South by the railroads, and
ave to be chased again. Sherman de-
Jared this to be impossible. 4 have
-ohuston,' said he, where he cannot
move without breaking up his army,
which, once disbanded, can never be gov
Ogether again. The Southern railroads
re all broken up. I have destroyed
hem so that they can not be used for a
ong time
"Gen. Grant asked What is to pre-
-ent their laying the rails again p
why said Sherman, my bummers
Ion't do things by halves. Every rail
las been placed over hot fire, and
visited as crooked as rams horn. They
lever can be used again till they have
,een through a rolling mill p