The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-16
CLOSE OF THE CONFEDERACY.
Judge John II. Reagan Talks oftheJohn-
ston-Sherman Terms of Surrender.
Che Agreement Was Drawn by the Former
aud Expanded by the Latter-Gen.
Joe Johnst0n's Recollections.

Congressman j. H Reagan, of Texas, VINO
was the confederate Postmaster general, con-
sented to-day to make statement for the diope-
Democrat about the part he took in the conven-
ton between Generals Sherman and Johnston,
In North Carolina Judge Reagans partlcipa-
zion in the negotiations was much more impor-
tant than is generally known by this generation.
he drew up the terms upon which, with slight
elder the war at an end.
After little preliminary talk to the effect that
he was not disposed to withhold any knowledge
which might add TO the truth of history or ena-
bic better understanding of the closing events
of the war the Judge took up the narrative: 1
s'When we were at Greensboro. N. Co." he
said, Mr. Davis sent to General Johnston, near
Chapel Hill, to come up and consult as to what
was best to be done, General Lee having sur
rendered and Richmond having been captured.
Johnston and Beauregard came up Mr. Davis
inquired about the strength of the forces they
had. They made report of the numbers
ABOUT fourteen thousand infantry and eight thou
sand cavalry, with pretty fair supply OF artil-
1ery. General Johnston gave the opinion, which
was concnrred in by Beanregard, that the force
was not strong enough to fight General Sherman.
tl1e stated that retreat would simply cause more
destruction of life and property and desolatlon
lin the country through which both armies might
march. After this statement made by Johnston,
mir. Davis notified the members of the Cabinet
to meet him the next morning at Colonel Woods
place. to determine what course we should pug
sue In view of the state of facts before u.s.
I'VE met next morning at 10 o'clock. At first
merely commonplace remarks were lnterchanged.
There was apparently a disincination to ap-
proach the subject we had met to discuss. After
we had been together little time / suggested
that if 1t was desirable to proceed as in council
of war, and for the youngest to speak first.
was prepared to give my opinion about what
should be done. l was requested by the Presl-
dent and the other members Of the Cabinet to
express my views. / suggested to them that
General Johnston be authorized TO enter into
terms with General Sherman stating about the
substance of those which have been published,
but going more into detail"
Judge Reagan glanced over the memoranda as
they appear IN print, and continued:
THAT was the substance of the terms which
then suggested to the President and Cabinet.
The terms were approved by all the members ex-
lcept Mr. Benjamin, who at the time was disin-
iclined to agree to abandon the struggle. Gen.
Johnston was thereupon directed by Mr.. Davis
ITO return to his headquarters and enter into nec
,essary negotiations with General Sherman. Mr..
Davis moved on in the direction of Charlotte. N.
&C. We had reached small place called Rich
mond, believe. some distance on the way from
tGreensboro to Charlotte, and had camped.
I'm the evening, about 10 o'clock, Mr. Davis
him to send some one back to assist in the nego-
ltiations. Mr.. Davis sent for myself and Gen.
fBreckinridge to see him at his tent. When we
Preached there he showed US the dispatch from
General Johnston, stating that he desired me to
60 back, because l had suggested the terms of
negotiation in our consultation at Greensboro.
and that he desired General Breckenridge to go,
as General Sherman and the federal authorities
might refuse to negotiate with any one acting in
amy other than military capacity To meet
that necessity he desired General Breckenridge,
who was Secretary Of War and would represent
the army, to return with me.
eve left that place within an hour. The rail
roads were broken up, the bridges destroyed,
the next day, and well into the second night.
Some time during that second night we reached
General Johnsson's headquarters, and found him
and General Hampton together We talked the
matter over until daylight, and then took break
fast
General Johnston said that it was necessary
ito meet General Sherman at an early hour, at
place designated. He proposed that he and Gen.
BRECKENRIDGE and General Hampton should go to
the place, and / should draw up the terms we
proposed to submit and send them down to them.
Il drew up the terms as specified in General
BoyntOns book and sent the draft'to them where
they met What occurred at that meeting was
not within my personal knowlede. l understood
from General Johnston and the gentlemen with
him that this paper presented in the consul
tation. and that General Sherman made some
notifications and additions. with perhaps some
transposition of the items, as one may infer from
a comparison of the two in Boyntons book. The
terms submitted by General Sherman were con
sented to and an armistce agreed upon.
From general order issued by General
Sherman, which came to our knowledge soon
afterwards. in which he spoke Of the war having
been terminated on terms alike honorable to both
parties, led to infer his negotiations
met with the approval of those high in authority.
Sometime afterwards, however, he notified Gen.
fJohnston that the terms were not approved by
the President, and gave notice of termination
lof the pending truce"
! 10 reply to a question, Judge Reagan said:
II do not know whether anything was said at
1.-The meeting whore the terms were agreed to
about slavery specifically. It was my purpose,
i'm framing the article, to preserve the autonomy
tof the States. the rights of property and persons
under the Constitution and laws of the
United States and States. My idea was to
preserve the institution of slavery as far as it
Icould be preserved under the Constitution. We
certainly understood the terms in that way"
In response to the inquiry if the question of
the payment of the confederate war debt was
considered in connection with the terms agreed
upon between Johnston and Sherman, Judge
Reagan said:
ut was never discussed in the Cabinet; moth
Ing was said about 1t In the council. But in Civ
ling my reasons in writing to Mr. Davis for ac-
ceptlng the terms agreed upon / used these
words Nothing is said in the agreement about
the public debt and the disposition of our public
property beyon the turning over of the arms to
the State arsenals. In the final adjustment we
should endeavor to secure provisions for the
auditing OF the debt of the confederacy and for
its payment In common with the war debt of
the United States. We may ask this on the
ground that We did not seek the war, but only
sought peaceful separation to secure our people
and States from the effects of unconstitutional
encroachment by the other States and because
on the principles of equity, allowing that both
parties had acted in good faith and gone to war
on misunderstanding which admitted of no
other solution, and now agree to a reconciliation
and to a burial of the past it would be unjust
ment of the war debt of the United States
md for them to refuse to allow such of
the revenues as we might contribute to
tbe applied to the payment of our creditors
uf it should be said that this is hberalitv never
extended by tie conquerer to the conquered the
answer is that il the object of the pacifcation is
TO restore the Union in good faith, and to recon