The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-06-23

collected in the railroad depots and much
still remained to be placed at our dispo.
sal when needed by the army in North
Carolina"
The failure of several attempts to open
negotiations with the Federal Govern
ment, and notably the last by commits
sioners who met President Lincoln at
Hampton Roads, convinced me of the
hopelessness under existing circumstan-
ces to obtain better terms than were
offered. e., surrender at discretion.
My motive, therefore, in holding an in
terview with the senior generals of the
army in North Carolina was not to learn
their opinion as to what might be done
by negotiation with the United States
Government, but to derive from them in
formation in regard to the army under
sheir command, aud what it was feasible
and advisable to do as military prob.
lem.
".The members of my Cabinet were
already advised as to the object of the
meeting, and when the subject was in
troduced to the generals in that form,
Gen. Johnston was very reserved and
seemed far less than sanguine. His
first significant expression was that of q
desire to open correspondence with Gem
eral Sherman, to see if he would agree to
suspension of hostilities, the object
being to permit the civil authorities to
enter into the needful arrangements to
terminate the existing war. Confident
that the United States Government
would not accept proposition for such
negotiations, I distinctly expressed my
conviction on that point, and presented
as an objection to such an effort that, 80
far as it should excite delusiye hopes
and expectations, it's failure would have
a demoralizing effect both on the troops
and people. Neither of them had shown
any disposition to surrender, or had any
reason to suppose that their government
contemplated abandoning its trust.
at will thus be seen that my expecta-
tions, referred to above, caused adequate
provision to be made for the retreat Of
our army if that result should become
necessary by the failure ofthe attempt to
open negotiations for an honorable peace.
I had never contemplated surrender,
except on such terms as belligerent
might claim, as long as we were able to
keep the field, and never expected
Confederate army to surrender while it
was able either to fight or to retreat.
Lee had only surrendered his army when
it was impossible for him to do either
one or the other, and had proudly rejec-
ted Grants demand, in the face of over
whelming numbers, until he found him
self surrounded and his line OF retreat
blocked by force much larger than his
own"
Although he consented that Gen.
Johnston might apply to Gen. Sherman
for an armistice the author insists that
he had little hope anything could be &C
complished by it. He says:
"The opinion entertained in regard
to President Johnston and his venomous
secretary of war, Stanton, did not permit
me to expect that they would be less
vindictiye after surrender of our army
had been proposed than when it was re-
garded as formidable body dehantly
holding its position in the field. What
ever hope others entertained that the ex-
isting war was about to be peacefully ter
minated, was soon dispelled by the re-
lection of the basis of agreement on the
part of the Government of the United
States, and notice from Gen. Sherman
of termination of the armistice in for
ty.eight hours on the afternoon of the
oath of April, 1855.
"Gen. Johnston communicated to me
the substance of the above information
received by him from Gen. Sherman,
and asked for instructions. have nei-
ther his telegram nor my reply, but can
give it substantially from memory. 1t
was that be should retire with bis calvary
and as many infantry as could be noun
ted upon draught horses, aud some light
artillery, the rest of the infantry to be
disbanded and place of rendezvous ap-
pointed. 1t was unnecessary 10 say any
Thing of the route, as that had been pre-.
viously agreed on and supplies placed
on it tor his retreatipg army. This order
was disobeyed. and he sought another
interview with Sherman, to renew his
attempt to reach an agreement for ter
mination of hostilities.
10. JoHNsrON's SURRENDER.
The end was soon reached as describ-
ed in the following:
"On the 26th, the day on which the
armistice terminated, Gen. Johnston
again met Gen. Sherman, who offered the
same terms which had been made with
Gen. Lee, and he says, "Gen. Johnston,
without hesitation, agreed to, and we
executed the following" which was the
surrender Of Gen. John.ton's troops,
with the condition of their being paroled
and the officers being permitted to re.
tain their sidearms, private horses and
baggage; .,,4 .,,o.o ,u.ro .,o town.
accepted by Lee. but the condition Of
the two armies was very different. Lees
supplies had been cut of, his men were
exhausted by fatigue and hunger, he had
no reinforcements in view. Notwith-
standing the immense superiority in
numbers and equipments of the enemy
pursuing, he had from point to point
fought them in rear and on both danks,
and bad, the day before his line of
retreat was closed, rejected the demand
for surrender, and ouiy yielded to it
after his starving little army had been
surrounded by masses through which ne
tried to, but could not cut his way.
"Johnston's line of retreat was open
and supplies had been placed upon it.
His cavalry was superior TO that of the
enemy, as had been proved in every con-
fict between them. Maury and Forrest
and Taylor still had armies in the field
mot large, but strong enough to have
collected around them the men who had