Wichita eagle., 1890-03-02

Sherman reached Goldsboro in person
/ March 23. On the 35th he left Schotield iii
/ command of all the armies ard FASTENED up
! the coast to meet Grant at City Point, on the
/ James. near Richmond
| A melancholy interest attaches 70 this visit
/ of Sherman to City Point He describes in
! his memoirs his meeting with President Lin
coin, who was at City Point at the time
Lincoln listened attentively 70 Sherman's
stories of the long marches enjoying particu-
larly the ludicrouS incidents and the devices
of the ''bummers" to obtain food
Both Sherman aud Grant believed the war
was nearly over. But both thought there
would be at least one bloody battle more
before Lee was finally whipped. Il rather
thought it would fall on me, said Sherman,
somewhere near Raleigh" 1t was supposed
that Lee would u;ake a final effort TO join
Johnston in North Carolina, evacuating
Richmond. In that case Sherman would be
on his front and Grant close upon his heels
Another move, and he would be checkmated
Lincoln was very anxious to avoid the
shedding of more blood, and asked the gen.
erals repeatedly IL another battle could not
be avoided. At noon, March -, when Sher-
man parted from Lincoln. the president as
sured the general that he himself was all
ready for the civil reorganization of affairs
in the south the moment the war ended
Sherman says:
He distinctly authorized me to assure Governor
Vance and the people of North Carolina that, as
soon as the rebel armies laid down their arms and
resumed their civil pursuits, they would at once
be guaranteed all their rights citizens of com
mon country, and That, 20 avoid anarchy. the state
governments then N existence with their civil
tf4 l.
government de facto til congress could provide
others
1t was during these conversations at CITY
Point that Lincoln told the anecdote illus
tratiug what, in his opinion, might be done
with jefferson Davis. The story, as Sher-
man tells it, is this:
A man had taken The total abstinence ple1f-s
friend invited him 10 take drink but he declined
because Of his pledge. the friend suggested
lemonade, which was accepted. But while max
ing the lemonade the friend pointed TO the brandy
bottle and suggested that the mixture would be
more palat2ble if he were TO pour in a little
brandy, when his guest said If he could do so I'm
bebnown' to him be would not object From
which illustration l inferred that MIR Lincoln
wanted Davis to escape 'runbekuoHnr to him
In a little more than two weeks after this
talk. Lincoln was dead.
Sherman returned TO Goldsboro March 20
and reorganized his army for further work
April he issued special field order
beginning: "The next objective is to place
this army with its full equipmenn north Of
Roanoke river, facing west, with a base for
supplies at Norfolk and at Winton or Muir
freesboro on the Chowan. and in full cornrnu-
nication with tire Army Of the Potomac
about Petersburg, and also to do the enemy
as much harm as possible en- route"
This, briefly stated, was the plan Of cam
paign agreed On BY Grant and Sherman ct
City Point. Tie armies OF the east and yves,
were now ready TO cooperate.
Gen. Joseph Johnston, Saarman's old CD
popsut WIGS ID the vicinity Of Raleirt .-i-h /