The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-06-30

when hnlShed went 10 Tue nOtel. JUST
after walking into the corridor Colonel
of one of the regiments came up and
said, General, these people say waving
his hand toward the crowd, that the
Cabinet have been discussing with you
all day the reasons for your failure to
capture Washington after the battle oi
Bull Rum This early experience, per-
haps, illustrates the reason why did not
always 80 promptly disclose to Mr.. Davis
by telegraph my plans, as he seems to
have desired"
"Mr. Davis says in his book that your
answer to his telegram whether you
would surrender Atlanta without fight
vas not only evasive, but indicated the
contingency of the surrender Of Atlanta
on the ground that the. Governor of the
State had not furnished, as expected,
sufficient State troops to defend the city
while the army was giving battle out
side."
"This is absurd and utterly without
truth. I never had any intention OF sur
rendering Atlanta without fight, as all
my statements to General Hood will
show"
IN THE LAST DITCH.
"When were you called to the COM
mand of the army Of which you were
relieved again?"
ttNot until the war was virtually over
and after Columbia, South Carolina, had
been captured"
'sMr. Davis claims that you did not,
after again assuming command of the
army, retreat to some portion of the
South, gathering reinforcements as you
progressed and making stand some.
where in the Southwest, and thus pro-
long the war"
General Johnston seemed very much
amused at this proposition, and said with
much spirit: "That is ridiculous. The
idea of falling back through the country
to Texas is absurd. The war was really
ended before General Grant compelled
the surrender of General Lee, and, there
was nothing left for US but to accept the
best terms that We could get. Mr.. Davis
was not in a position to understand or
appreciate the situation. 1 was satisfied
that the war was virtually ended when
Hood vacated Atlanta and was afterward
destroyed near Nashville.
THE SURRENDER.
"When I took command of the army
after Columbia fell all that was to be
done was to confer with General Sher-
man upon some military basis of peace
thet would be equitable to both contend
ing forces. 1t was not alone the surren-
der of the army, but the basis of peace
that was most important"
"Where did you first meet General
Sherman to treat for peace 2"
"About. twenty-five miles west of Raj.
eigh, North Carolina. We were alone,
in little room in a wretched hovel,
when we talked over the basis of surren-
der. I never shall forget that meeting.
Before we proceeded to the discussion Of
the terms Of capitulation General Sher-
man handed me dispatch from Mr..
Stanton, then Secretary of War, stating
that Mr.. Lincoln had been assassinated.
I was greatly shocked at the announce.
ment, as was General Sherman, for it
seemed to us both to bear with great force
upon the important events that called he
and together. General Sherman at
that time told me that he had been called
to City Point not many days before to
confer with Mr.. Lincoln upon the terms
of surrender which should be offered to
me-"
OUR TALK WAS FULL AND FREE.
"The basis of surrender and peace
which were agreedupon between General
Sherman and myself at the time were
such that General Sherman understood
Mr.. Lincoln himself had suggested to
him. The question how his death would
affect them was discussed, and both
thought, as President johnson retained
Mr.. Lincoln's Cabinet, that it would
carry out Mr.. Lincoln's plans for my
surrender, as stated by MIR. Lincoln him
SELF"