The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-02-18
The Truth of History-Johnston's Surren.
der to Sherman,

The whirlgig of time has brought about
some remarkable revenges during the last
seven years of our history. Many mil
itary bubble has been prcked; many
name which early in the war filled every
car has been deservcdly forgotten; and,
on the other hand, many really great
man has outlived SANDER and misconcep-
ton, and is honored with all tho more
hcartincss now, because time was when
we refused him the laurels he deserved.
1t is not so many years since Grant was
set down as an obstinate blunderer, and
at the turning-point Of his career it was
for Il while in doubt whether lie should
be sent back in disgrace to private life or
allowed to march forward in that glorious
path which lie discerned, but his snpcrl,
ors did not A more remarkable exam
pie, however, of the triumph OF truth
and Justice is afforded in the case of Sher-
man. He 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 needed in that
department men called him lunatic.
Costly experience convinced us that Sher
man was right, and we had to cali upon
him at last to do the work in which SO
many pet generals had failed. His ca
paciiy as a commander has been fully
vindicated; but there is another side to
his character which has been suffered to
remain in the shade, and this, too, is now
to BIZ cleared. 1t has been the fashion to
decrv his political sayacty. The terms
of surrender which he granted to john
ston excited clamor throughout the
Northern States. eff the agreement had
been carried OUT writes one of the latest
historians Of the war, sit would in effect
have instantly restored to all persons who
had been engaged in the rebellion every
right and privilege, political and social,
which they had enjoyed before they re-
belled, without any liability to punish
mcnt. 1t proposed practically an utter
forgetfulncss of tho events Of the war,
and made it hidcous farce, with the fea-
lures of dreadful tragedy. x
In his anxiety to end the war and re-
store the Union, Sherman, with the purest
motives and most earnest desire to do
right, made grave mistake. 1t occur
red at time when such q mistake could
hardly be excused by the loyal people.
4 The Memorandum was pub
lished. and created universal Indignation
and alarm. General Grant was
Immediately sent to Raleigh to declare
the rejection of the Memorandum ); to
relieve General Sherman of command if
he SHOULD think best to do so, and to di-
rect an immediate and general rcsump-
ton of hostilitics." General Grant, Of
course, WAS too wise and magnanInous,
and too sincere friend, to deprive of his
command Il general whom lie so highly
esteemed, and whose fault, at the very
worst, was nothing but an error OF jndg
mcnt. The agreement, however, was re-
vokcd and the loyal people, then in the
fever of their excitement over the assas-
snalion of Mr.. Lincoln, were SO nccnscd
with Sherman that his past services were
all but forgotten.
1t now falls to our lot 10 show that the
responsible author of the Sherman John
ston agreement was not General Sher
man, but President Lincoln. The facts
which we are about 10 relate were brought
to our knowledge during this last sum-
mcr, 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 objection now
to their being laid before the public, and
VIC are especially glad to have an oppor-
tunity of doing so, because this journal,
among others, was unjust to Sherman at
the time of the surrender
On the 9th of March, 1865, two or
three days before the final movement up
on Richmond. General Sherman, fresh
from his march to the sea, arrived ut
City Point for the purpose Of confcrrng
with the President and the General-in-
Chief Mr. Lincoln was then on board
tie gunboat Queen, and Oh that day an
interview took place on tho boat between
the President, General Grant, General
Sherman, and Admiral David d. Porter.
From one of the parties of this interview,
II gentleman connected with the Spirit of
tic Times obtained verbal narrative Of
what took place. There was no pledge
of secrecy, and VIC feel that VIC violate no
obligation in making public the substance
of it. "Mr. Lincoln" said the narrator,
chad come down to City Point with the
most liberal views towards the rebels,
and was willing that they should capitu
late on almost any terms Lis heart was
tenderness throughout, and so long as
the enemy laid down their arms, he did
not care how it was done. After hearing
from Sherman description of his posi-
tion, ho proposed that tho same terms
should be offered to Johnson that would
have been given to Lee. TO this General
Sherman strenuously objected, declaring
that he had Johnston cooped up where
he could not get away, and that he would
be compelled to surrender at all hazards,
whatever terms we proposed. l never
saw him moro energetic in my life than