The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-04-16
Letter from Con. shermnn-The Sur.
render OF j. Y. Johnston.

An interesting letter from Gen. Sherman,
relative to the terms originally proposed by
him to Gen. Johnston's army In North Caro-
lima, Is publlshed. Gen. Sherman assumes
the entire responsibility OF the agreement,
denying that It was dictated by the late
President Lincoln. He says: "Some friends
here think by silen ce may be construed to
throw of on Mr.. Lincoln the odlum Of those
terms. II there be any odlum, which
doubt, surely would not be willing that the
least show Of 1t should go to Mr.. Llneoln's
memory, which hold In too much venera-
ton to be stained by anything done or said
by me-"
Referring to the Interview between Mr..
Lincoln, Gen. Grant, Admiral Porter and
himself, he SAYS "The interview was In
March, nearly month before the final
catastrophe; aud II was my part Of the plan
of operations to move my army, reinforced
by Schofeld, then at Goldsboro', N. c., to
Burkesville, Va, when Lee would have been
forced to surrender at Richmond. The true
move left to him was hasty abandonment
Of Richmond, Join his force to Johnstou's,
and strike me In the open country. The
only question was: could sustain this Joint
attack till Gen. Grant came up In pursuit !
/ was confident i could; but at the very mo-
men: OF our conversation Gen. Grant was
moving Gen. sheridan's heavy force Of cav
airy to his extreme len, to prevent this very
contingency.
Nj. Lincoln, in hearing US speak of final
bloody battle, which then thought would
| fall on me near Raleigh, did not exclaim
more than once, that blood had been shed,
and he hoped that the war would end with
| out any more. We spoke Of what was TO be
done with Davis, other party leaders and the
rebel army, and he len me under the impress
sion that all he asked Of US was to
disslpate the armies and get tho soldiers
| back to their homes anyhow, the quicker
| the better, leaving him free to apply the
remedy and the restoration of ciyil law. He
impression warranted by Admiral Porter's
account. that he had long thought Of his
course of action when the rebel armies were
out Of his way, and that he wanted to get
| civil governments recognized At the South,
the quicker the better, and strictly conform
ing with our general system. | had been
absent so long that | presumed, of course,
that Congress had enacted all the laws ne
cessary to meet the event Of peace, so long
expected, and the near approach OF which
must then have been seen by the most OBJ
| tuse; and all aimed TO do was to remit the
| rebel army surrenderlng to me to the condl-
| lions Of the laws Of the country as they then
| existed.
At the time Of Johnston's surrender at
Durham, drew up the terms with my own
hand. Breckenridge had nothing at all to do
with them, more than to discuss their effect,
| and he knew they only applied to the MILL
tary; and he forthwith proceeded to make
his escape from the country-a course that |
believe Mr.. Lincoln wished that Mr.. Davis
should have succeeded In efecting, as well
| as all the other leading Southern politicians,
against whom public indignation always
turned with feeling far more intense than
against General Lee, Johnston, and other
purely military men.
repeat that, according to my memory,
Mr.. Lincoln did not expressly name an,
specific terms of surrender, but he was In
that kindly and gentle frame Of mind that
would have induced him to approve fully
what I did, excepting probably he woulC
have interlined some notifications, such a
recognizing his several proclamations ante
cedent, as well as the laws Of Congress, whlcl
would have been perfectly right aud accepta
bic TO me and to all parties.