The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-20
PEACE MISSION OF 1864.
ITS INSIDE HISTORY INFLATED BY
ONE or THE COMMISSIONERS.
A Delicate and Even Dangerous Journey
Through the Lines to an Interview with
Jefferson Davis.

iOuS negotiations peace could Dc con-
eluded with the south without sacriftce OF
complete dclUsion and one that threatened
great harm TO the Union cause FOR the
Democrats were certain 20 nominate a
pronounced 'peacc" candidate feE the
Presidency and were hot unlikely % elect
him. Under these circumstances ~ Was
deemed desirable to obtain. If possible,
from tbs Southern leaders. an authorita-
tive expression Of their real attitude, and
in July. 1861. Col. Jaqucss, OF the Scvcnty-
thru Illinois Regiment. ana myself set
out from Washi' gton 10 40 through tho
lines 20 Richmond t9r this purpose. HOW
We came TO hc the ambassadors Is IN IN
tcrestiug story which / cannot stop here
20 ten. ! had hau several interviews WltD
Mr.. Lincoln with reference 10 the matter,
and at the conclusion of The last OF utir
ne took ny hand ana said, God bless
and prosper you. Ny best WISHES be WIN
you. GooI-by.' Then Le ao1c4, sun
holding my hand. Have you looked
squarely ia the face that III YOU set mo
trouble can in no way help y0ut shali
De obliged 60 say that While l Rave CIV n
you the terms on which ana ltIsviid'lt
willing TO settle this thing, / nave iiut
authorized you TO offer these OF any
tcrms whatever
answered. Il think tho object sir IS
worth the risk. l shah tell Davis disuh. IT,
Is that have no authority. and only
desire TO open the door for Official nesoua-
tons" p..
well you had better 20 10 Gen. But
Ter. tell him the whole story, ana may l
say / cannot protect You, OUT "ii st"t
my eyes 10 anything he may 40 Say
This 10 Butler. but nothing TO PI"nt or
any one else. for if the feeling I'D lacn-
mond is as hostile TO as as IL Is sald 10
be. ycu'll need 10 keep as much IN the
dark as possible. NOW, gooi-ny. nope
10 see you again soon
IL was after midnight when / rccountcd
the interview to COL Jauuess, ana tOld
the following afternoon. IL Walttu sew
eral hours Of sunset ON the loloWins 94g
when tho boat rounded TO lun1ei tne
abrupt pr1mOntOry which bears the name
OF City Point. a large nag was nylhs
among the trees which crown. the higher
part OF the headland, anG making our way
10 ~ We asked for the headquarters OF
Gen. Grant
AT GIN. GRANTS HEADQUARTERS
"Yonder in that tent lie is sitting
there. you see replied am anJutan1l " ~. w.,
out more ceremony We passed down the
grassy avenue and presented ourselves oe,
fore him. He was seated on "a camp stoyi
smoking a cigar and listening 10 me itaN-
ing OF a newspaper by Gen. rawlings.
A few other officers sat near ana some,
thing which had lust been read appeared
to amuse them greatly. The General
looked up as wc approached. ana as ne
espied my companion he rose rather hast-
W. "Ah. Colonel" he said. extending ms
hand. Il am glad 20 see you. It's long
time since We met"
Not since Plttsburg Landing be
Eeve. General think We met there,
returned my COmpanlon.
yes / remember. ] remember the work
YOU dld there for the wounded. When
dld yOu leave sherman
about ten days ago. / brought des-
patches from him 20 the War Depart
Il have heard from him later. lie is
doing splendidly, handling his army
T1en he Colonel introduced ne 10 The
General aUd at this br ak ia the con-
vsrsatiOn ] said TO him. I'VE want Your
car. sir privat sly, for few moments.
Certainly. walk in TINS way, ana,
rising he lea us into his sleeping apart
ment a square tent with "a single strip
OF carpet On the ground, q low camp cot
in che corner. and portable DESK Cow
cred with open papers. M the otntr.
Handing INN then note OF intrOiuc-
ton / had with me. 1 briefly explained
our wishes.
vol" he answered "rhcy have not Az
syerel "a flag for month. However, l
viii send one. j shall rave 10 address
Gen. Lee. shall / say you want To- meet
Judge Ouid?" ne asked, drawing his stool
10 the desk.
eff YOU please.
The note finished. the conversation then
took general turn. and ma Il clear, simple
WV he explained the military sltIduOn,
expressing the opinion that the fall OF
Richmond and the defeat of Lee though
they might be delaye were ineFI'apie
events. .r
we met a number of officers just landed
from "a small steamer. Ois OF them,
though / had never seen h,h knew az
once TO be Gen. Butler. pueying sud
den impulse. / halted as ne came abreast
OF US and said 60 him.;
81 want TO take YOU by the hand; am
a live Yankee ana mentioned my nainr-
81 IH4If
'1m delighted To meet you. Come mp ana
see me Take the GaZeiie TO Point OF
Rocks-don't 20 20 Bermuda Come to-
then introduced the Colonel and the
General again urging us to visit him, We
promised TO DO 80.
Reporting our intended absence 10 Gen:
Grant. and requesting him 20 forward
Lees answer 10 us by telegraph we set
out on the following morning Tor tne
Headquarters of "Our Massachusetts, Cen
eraIf We found them about a mile dis
tant from the AppomattoN river. IN
,yorn-out tobacco Held. Ranked on two
sides by dense woods and hcmmcd i on
the others by moving banks of ifsihia
sand II was q dreary spot hut we Tor
got that the moment We entered the Htn-
erals tent and Doe accostcd us with;
"Im glad you've come. There are two
cots in the corner. IheN are yours.
sent your flag this morning IL may not
ZOE back for some days. ln Che mean time,
make yourselves at home. Go ana some
when YOU like. and do exactly as you
please"
GETTING a DISPATCH 10 Ire.
When we were seated ne said: 81 want
70 fell YOU Of a smart thing that was done
this morning by one of my aides. Lieut.
Col Greene. "A son 0f Nathaniel Greene,
the veteran editor of the Boston Post. on
account OF our dlsagretments as TO Tic
exchange of prisoners, the rebels have
FOR several weeks refused 10 hold any
communication with us, hut on receiving
Grants dispatch TO Lee about YOU, l sent
Greene down 20 the lines. armed with
flask of brandy and a box OF cigars. tell
INC MIN In rcf IL through somehow lie
sat his horse there for half an hour, the
rebels not dcigning 10 notice him. but
finally q Major on Lees staff whom
Gieen rad met before rode over 10 meet
him. He declined 10 receive The dispatch.
blt smoked Grecnc's cigars and drank his
brandy. aud finally agreed that II Greene
would open and -oad the dispatch 20 him.
he would give tho contents 20 lee orally.
Then Greene brought the dispatch 10 me
] opened 10 and sent him back with u.
and another flask OF brandy SO with
little Yankee cutcness We got the disuafch
70 Lee. who forwarded it to Jen DAVIS
We remained with the Genera nearly
three DAYS. Then one morning the fiae
OF truce came into camp with a dispatcb
from the War Department. dated Rob
mond Va. July , 1864. which announced
that Col Robert Culd. agent OF EXCHANGE
tor-Mrs. Growers house-on Thursday.
the 1tth 10 receive any communicative
we had 20 make The dispatch had been
forwarded 10 as by Gen. Grant, with a
request that we would report 10 him at
our early convenience at mis- headluar-
tiers.
GRANT REFUSES PASSAGE THROUGH THE Inns.
H.. a..