Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-06-16

Government would not accept a proposition
for such negotiations, distinctly expressed
my conviction on that point, and presented
as an objection to such an effort that, SO fal
at it should excite delusve hopes and expec
tations, its failure would have demoralizin&
effect both on the troops and people. Meth
er of them had shown any disposition to sur
render, or had any reason to suppose tha
their government contemplated abandoning it
trust.
1t will thus be seen that my expectations
referred to above, caused adequate provision
to be made for the retreat of our army if thai
result should become necessary by the failure
of the attempt to open negotiations for an
honorable peace. had never contemplated
surrender, except on such terms as bellig'
erent might claim, as long as we were able
to keep the field, aud never expected Con
federate 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 rejected Grants demand, in the
face of overwhelming numbers, until he found
himself 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 armis'
tice the author insists that he had little hope
anything could be accomplished by it. He
says: .....- " -
The opinion I entertained in regard to
President Johnston and his venomous secre-
tary of var, Stanton, did not permit me to
expect that they would be less vindictive
after surrender of our army had been pro-
posed than when it was regarded as formid.
able body de6antly holding its position in
the field. Whatever hope others entertained
that the existing war was about to be peace.
fully terminated, was soon dispelled by the
rejection of the basis of agreement on the
part Of the Government of the United States,
and notice from Gen. Sherman Of termina-
ton of the armistice in forty eight hours
on the afternoon of the oath of April, 1865
Gen. Johnston communicated to me the
substance of the above information received
by him from Gen. Sherman, and asked for
instructions. I have neither his telegram
nor my reply, but can give it substantially
from memory. 1t was that he should retire
with his calvary and as many infantry as
could be mounted upon draught horses, and
some light artillery, the rest of the infantry
to be disbanded and place of rendezvous
appointed. 1t was unnecessary to say any
thing of the route, as that had been pre-.
viously agreed on and supplies placed on it
for bis retreating army. This order was dis.
obeyed, and he sought another interview with
Sherman, to renew his attempt to reach an
agreement for termination Of hostilities.
20. JoHNsroN's SURRENDER.
The end was soon reached, as described
in the following: .- ..r
On the 26th, the day on which the armis.
tice 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. Johnston's
troops, with the condition of their being pa.
rolled and the officers being permitted to re.
tain their sidearms, private horses and bag.
gage
1t is true that these were the terms accept
ed by Lee, but the condition of the two
armies was very different. Lees supplies
had been cut off. his men were exhausted by
fatigue and hunger, he had no reinforcements
in view. Notwithstanding the immense superi.
oity in numbers and equipments of the enemy
pursuing, he had from point to point fought
them in rear and on both fanks, and had,
the day before his line of retreat was closed,
rejected the demand for surrender, and only
yielded to it after his starving little army had
been surrounded by masses through which
he tried to, but could not cut his way.
Johnston's line Of retreat was open and
supplies had been placed upon it. His cav
airy was superior to that of the enemy, as
had been proved in every conflict between
them. Maury and Forrest and Taylor still
had armies in the feld-not large, but strong
enough to have collected around them the
men who had left Jobnstons army and gone
to their homes to escape surrendey as we'll
as those who under similar circumstances
had left Lee The show of continued resist
ance, I then believed, as I still do, would
have overcome the depression which was
spreading Ikea starless night over the coun.
try, and that the exhibition of a determina-
ton not to leave our political future at the
mercy of an enemy which had for four years
been striving to subjugate the States would
have led the United States authorities to do,
as Mr.. Lincoln had indicated-give any
terms which might be found necessary speedi-
ly to terminate the existing war.
Had Gen. Johnston obeyed the order sent
to him from Charlotte, and moved on the
route selected by himself with all his cavalry,
so much of the infantry as could be mount
ed, and the light artillery, he could not have
been successfully pursued by Gen. Sherman.
His force, united to that I had assembled at
Charlotte would, it was believed, have been
sufficient to vanquish any troops which the
enemy had between US and the Mississippi
River.
Had the cavalry with which l left Char
lotte been associated with force large enough
to inspire hope for the future, instead of be.
ing discouraged by the surrender in their
rear, it would probably have gone on, and,
when united with the forces of Maury, For
rest and Taylor in Alabama and Mississippi,
have constituted an army large enough to
attract stragglers and revive the dropping
spirits of the country. In the worst view OF
the case it should have been able to cross the
trans. Mississippi Department, and then uni
ting with the armies of E. K. Smith and Ma
gruder to form an army, which in the por
ton of that country abounding in supplies
and deficient in rivers and railroads, could
have continued the war until our enemy,
foiled in the purpose of subjugation, should,
in accordance with his repeated declaration,
have agreed on the basis of return to the
Union, to acknowledge the constitutional
rights Of the States and by u convention or