Year: 1865

Lee and Johnston, who depended On that road for sup


plies and as their ultimate line q retreat


He also details tho operations Of General Wilson with
his cavalry corps which also coopcrated cecualy in
carrying out the grand combination He received the
news Of the battles about Petersburg April 8. His
purpose had been TO rapidly northward fcigning
Raleigh and striking straight for Burkesvie thereby
interposing between Johnston and Lee; but the aus


pcious events in Virginia had changed the whole mill


tary problem, and, In the expressive language OF
Lieutenant General Grant, the Confederate ar


mies Of Lee and Johnston became the stra


tegic points. General Grant fully able to
take care OF tho former, and my task was 70 cap
ture or destroy the latter Johnston at that time
April chad his army well in hand about SIN thned, in


terposng between me and Raleigh estimated his In
fanry and artillery at thirty i've thousand and his


valry from six to ten thousand He superior to me
In cavalry; and then held General fitzpatrick in
at Mount Olive, with orders recruit his horses and be
ready to make sudden and rapid march the 10th Of
April


He then goes on and details his own movements and
those Of the enemy up to April H. These have already
been substantially published Johnstons army re-
treating rapidly the roads leading from Hsboro to
Greensboro, he himself being at Greensboro Although
out Of place as TO e here invite all military critics
who study the problems of war take their maps and
compare the positions Of my army on the 18th
and 18th of April with that Of General Haleck
about Burkesvie and Petersburg, Va on the 26th Of
April when according to his telegram TO Secretary STAN
ton, he offered to relieve of the task OF cutting OF
Johnston's retreat. Major General Stoneman at that
time was at Statesvlle and Johnsons eny line Of
reat bv Ealis md n ho that
General Halecks troops outmarch mine but there
Is nothing in their past history to show it; may be
that General Haleck inspire his troops with more
energy of action. doubt that also, and except in
this single instance when he knew the enemy ready
TO surrender or disperse, as advised by my letter
Of April 1s, addressed 10 him when chief of staff at
Washington city, and delivered into his hands on the
21st inst. by Major Hitchcock, of my staff.


We met Johnston on April II, as arranged. The inter
view frank and solderlike General Johnston gave
him TO understand that further on the part Of the
Confederate troops folly that the lost and
that every life sacrificed after the surrender Of Lees
army was the highest possible crime. Johnston ad-
mitted the terms conceded General Lee were magnani
nous and all he could ask but wanted
sions that would enable him TO aliay the natural
fears and anxieties Of his followers and enable him
to maintain his control them until they could be
got back TO their homes He also wanted to embrace in
the general proposition the fate Of all the Oonede
rate armies that renamed in existence any
concession as to his own army, or assumed TO deal
nnally and authorilatvely In regard to any other;
but II did seem to me that there was presented


chance for that might be deemed valuable tho
government Of the United States and at least worth
the few days there would be consumed in reference
thereto To push army whose commander had so
frankly and honestly confessed his inability cope with
me were cowardy, and unworthy the brave men led


They met again the 18th, and renewed the conver.
sation. He says:-"Inasmuch General Johnston did
not feel authorized to pledge his power armies
in Texas we adjourned to meet the next day at noon
returned to Raleigh, and conferred freely with all my
general officers, every Of whom urged
me TO conclude terms that might accomplish 30
plete and desirable an end All dreaded the weary
and laborous march after fugitive and dssoving army
back towards Georgia, almost the very country
where had toied long There but one opinion
expressed and II contrary were entertained they
were withheld INDUCED In only by that class
who shun the fight and the march, but are
loudest bravest and nercest, when danger Is
past again met General Johnston the 18th, and we
renewed the conversation He satisfied me then OF his
power to disband the rebel armies in Alabama Missis
sip Louisiana and Texas, well those in his imme
date command, namely-NOrth Carolina South Carolina,
Florida and Georgia The points which he expressed
especial solicude lest those States to be dis
membered and denied representation In Congress any
separate political existence whatever and that absolute
disarming Of his would leave the South poweress
and exposed to depredatons by wicked bands Of
sins and robbers


President Lincolns message OF 1884 his amnesty pro-
clamaton and General Grants terms to Gene
raj Lee, which substantially extending tho bene-
nts OF that proclamation to all officers above
the rank Of colonel and the invitation to the Virginia
legislature to reassemblc In Richmond by General
weitze with the approval OF Mr. Lincoln and General
Grant, then the spot firm belief that had been
fighting to establish the constitution Of the United
States; and last, and not least, the general
and universal desire close a any longer with
out organized resistance, tho leading facts that
induced mo 70 pen the memorandum" Of April Is,
signed by myself and General Johnston. II was
designed b be, and so expressed on Its face, as
a mere ''basis' for reference to the President OF
tho United States and constitutional Comma nder In
Chief TO enable him, II he chose, at one blow, TO
disspate the military power Of the confoderacy,
which had threatened the national safety for years 1t
admitted Of modification alterations and change It had
appearance Of ultimatum, and by false
ing II be construed into usurpation of power my
part have my opinions on the questions involved and
will stand by the memorandum. But this forms part
of military report


The Of President Lincolns assassination on the
14th OF April wrongly reported to me by telegraph
having occurred on the 11th, reached the 17h,
and was announced to my command the same day
In special field orders No. so. I duly i'm
pressed with lis horrible atrocty and probable effect
upon the country. But, when the property aud inter
csts Of millions still living involved, saw good
to change my course; but thought rather to
manifest real respect for his memory by follow
ing after his death that policy which, II liv-
ing felt certain he would have approved, or at
least not rejected with disdan. Up TO that hour had
received word OF instruction advice counsel
as TO tho plan policy OF the government looking 10
restoration Of peace the part Of the rebel States OF
the South. Whenever asked for opinion the points
involved had always evaded the subject Ny letter TO
the Mayor Of Atlanta he's been published TO the world
and was not ''rebuked by the War Department for H."


General Sherman then gives his ideas upon recon-
ttructon and refers to interviews with Mr Stanton in