The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-07
Lee FAILS In ATTEMPT TO
CONFER WITH GRANT.
March 3, 1865.

.
i March 3, 1865.
| Fifty years ago today Gen. Grant. at
! City Point, Va. received letter from
Gen. Robert F. Lee. which had been
| sent under flag of truce through the
| lines at Petersburg. asking for an inter
view for discussion OH the subjects OF
controversy in the war.
This was an effort on the part of Gen.
Lee to secure an armistice. or cessation
of hostilites. in order to pave the way
to negotiations for better terms than
| might be obtained by unconditional sur
| render.
| Grant submitted Gen. Lees letter to
| the government and President Lincoln.
| recognizing its purpose at once blocked
! Lees plan by ordering Grant not 10 con-
| fer with Lee except for the capitula-
| ton of Gen. Lees army. or on som"
| minor or purely military matter
The application of Con. Lee to Grant
| for an interview was an incident grow
4 ing out of general discussion in prog
| ross at the time among leading Confed-
crates on the necessity of trying To ar
range terms of peace.
| ton Roads conference. February :. that
there could he only one basis for peace.
namely the laying down of arms by tn"
Confcderates.
The pride of the South would not per
| NIT it to lay down its arms and sue for
peace even though il Was plain To all
| observers that its cause was lost. There
was a lingering hope, led by jefferson
| Davis. that some feat Of arms or some
I OF 70 nd
! of the dark hour Of surrender. Efforts
! at arranging conference were made
! with the hope that discussion might lead
TO some agreement that would enable
the South To cease fighting without loss
of dignity.
Asked for Discussion.
After the Hampton Roads conference.
in which three commissioners from
Richmond met the President. the idea OF
settlement by direct negotiation was
given up at Richmond TIL" delegates
! wcrc convinced that nothing could be
accomplished in that direction: Yet a
hope was cherished in some quarters
that a military convention might be
planned that would result in an armis-
tIce.
\ meeting between Gen. James Long
street, Of Lees army. and Cen. =. q. G.
ord. one of Grants corps commanders
relative TO exchange Of prisoners, ar
fordei the Confederates CherishinE this
hone a means Of exploiting their idea.
Gen. Ord appears to have suggested
that meeting might ne arranged he
tween Grant and lie" for the discussion
Of peace. Con. leo. who told Of the pro-
posal turned to Jefferson Davis for ad-
vice. NJ. Davis replied that il Con. Lee
considered such a Confercnc" ''Nrnhahlv
I,SeFiIl'. he might NroCpei with Nprir-
10 arrange a military convention 10 on
ter into such arrangement as will
cause At least temporary suspension Of
hostlitios.'
With the purpose or tho proposed moot
ing thus officially defined to him. Cen.
Leo on March . wrote Gen. Grant pro-
posing military convention. and adding
the following diplomatic phrases:
Sincerely desiring to leave nothing
uutried which may put an end to the
cslamities of war. propose to meet You
at such convenient time and plaC" as
YOU may designate. with tn" hope that
upon an Interchange Of views it may he
found practicable TO submit tho subjects
Of controversy between the belliEerents
to convention Of the kind mentioned.
In such event 7 am authorized to do
whatever tho result Of the proposed in
terview may render necessary or advis
able"
Lincoln's sharp Response.
Lees letter being telcgraphnd TO
Washington. Secretary of War Stanton
replied with Censurr for Con. Ord for
discussing political matters with the
enemy. and with the following order to
Gen. Grant written by Lincoln and
signed by tho Secretarv:
The President directs me to say that
he wishes you to have no conference
with Gen. Lee. unless it he for the capt.
ulation Of Gen. Lees army. or on some
minor and purely military matter. He
nstructs me to say that you are not to
decide discuss or confer upon any po-
litical question. Such questions tho
President holds in his own hands. and
will submit them to no military confer
enCes or conventions Meantime YOU
will press to the utmost your military
advantages.
Grant was lttl" ucttled at tho So
verify of this language. for he had no
intention OF falling into any trap set by
Gen. Lee: hut n" did not show his feel
ing. On March h" wrote Gen. Loo: II
have NO authority to aCcodc to YOUR pro-
posal for conference on the subject
proposed. Such authority is vested in
tho President Of TN" United States alone"
ON the day Grants letter was received
hy Gen. Lee tho Confederate commander
wont 20 Richmond. to inform jefferson
Davis nc must aha ndOn Petersburg asl
soon IS the roads wcrc firm enough for
him to move his army over them. lie
was also to urge upon prominent mem
her of the Confederate senate Or NJ. r.
Hunter. who was on the Hampton Roads
commission. the desirability of the SEN
ate taking tho initiative in efforts to
make TIE best terms possible with the
FcdcralS