Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-09
LINCOLN. GRANT AND SHERMAN.
A Hitherto Unpublished Letter of the Last
Named Hero.

In the NORTH American I;erielc fo- March ap-
pear some hitherto unpublished letters OF Gen.
sherman One OF them describes the WRIT paid
by him and Gen. Grant to President Lincoln on
board the Ocean Queen. near City Point, Va,
on Marcn q. 1865 After telling how and
where he found Gen. Grant, Gen. sherman
says:
I'VE had quite q long and friendly talk,
when he remarked that the President, Mr..
Lincoln, was near by, in steamer lying at the
dock, and he proposed that we should call at
once. We did so and found Mr.. Lincoln on
board the Ocean Queen. We had met in the
early part of the war. and lie recognized me
and received me with q warmth of manner and
expression that was most grateful We then
sat some time in the after cabin and MIR. Lin
coin made many inquiries about the events
that attended the march from Savannah to
GOldsboro and seemed to enjoy the numerous
stories about our bummers. of which he had
heard much When III lively conversation his
face frightened wonderfully; but if the con-
yersatiOn tagged his face assumed sad and
sorrowful expression Gen. Grant and / ex-
planned to him that nv next move from Colds
bor0 would bring my army-lncrcaSed to
$1,000 men by Soho fields and Terrys rein
forcemsnts-in close communication with Gen.
Grants army. then investing Lee in Richmond.
and that, unless Lee could effect his escape
and make junction with Johnston in North
Carolina, he would soon be shut up in Rich
mond. with no possibility of supply, and would
have to surrender.
Mr.. Lincoln was extremely interested in
this view of the case and when VIC explained
that Lees only chance to escape, join
Johnston and. being then between me IL North
Carolina and Grant in Virginia, he could choose
which TO fight Mr.. Lincoln seemed unusually
impressed with this, but Gen. Grant explained
that at the very moment of our conversation
Gen. Sheridan was passing his cavalry across
James river from the north to the south; that
he would with this cavalry so extend his left
below Petersburg as to reach the South shore
road. and that If Lee should let go his fortified
lines, he, Grant, would follow him so close that
he could not possibly fall on me alone in North
Carolina in like manner expressed the full
est confidence that my army in North Carolina
was willing to cope with Lee and Johnston COM
bined till Grant could come up. but we both
agreed that one more bloody battle was Likely
to occur before the close of the war.
Mr. Lincoln repeatedly inquired to Gen.
Schofields ability In my absence, and seemed
anxious that should return to North Carolina,
and more than once exclaimed: Must more
bio Id be shed? Cannot this last bloody battle
be avoided We explained that we had to pre-
sumo that Gen. Lee was a real general; that he
must see that Johnston alone was no barrier to
my progress; and that. il NV army of 80, 900
veterans should reach Burkesyille, he in Rich
mond was lost, and that were forced to be-
heve he would not wait that inevitable conclu-
sion. but make one more desperate effort. 1
think We were with Mr.. Lincoln an hour or
more and then returned to Gen. Grants
quarters, where Mrs Grant had prepared for
us some coffee or tea During this meal Mrs.
Grant inquired If we had seen Mrs. Lincoln.
answered no; did not know she was on board.
Now said Mrs. Grant, 'you are a pretty pair,
&c. and went on to explain that we had been
guilty of piece of objectionable rudeness
But the general said: Never mind. we will re-
peat the visit tomorrow, and can then see Mrs.
Lincoln"