memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第64章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ions　Mr。　Lincoln　was　full　and　frank　in　his　conversation；　assuring　me　that　in　his　mind　he　was　all　ready　for　the　civil　reorganization　of　affairs　at　the　South　as　soon　as　the　war　was　over；　and　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　as　citizens　of　a　common　country；　and　that　to　avoid　anarchy　the　State　governments　then　in　existence；　with　their　civil　functionaries；　would　be　recognized　by　him　as　the　government　de　facto　till　Congress　could　provide　others。

I　know；　when　I　left　him；　that　I　was　more　than　ever　impressed　by　his　kindly　nature；　his　deep　and　earnest　sympathy　with　the　afflictions　of　the　whole　people；　resulting　from　the　war；　and　by　the　march　of　hostile　armies　through　the　South；　and　that　his　earnest　desire　seemed　to　be　to　end　the　war　speedily；　without　more　bloodshed　or　devastation；　and　to　restore　all　the　men　of　both　sections　to　their　homes。　In　the　language　of　his　second　inaugural　address；　he　seemed　to　have　〃charity　for　all；　malice　toward　none；〃　and；　above　all；　an　absolute　faith　in　the　courage；　manliness；　and　integrity　of　the　armies　in　the　field。　　When　at　rest　or　listening；　his　legs　and　arms　seemed　to　hang　almost　lifeless；　and　his　face　was　care…worn　and　haggard；　but；　the　moment　he　began　to　talk；　his　face　lightened　up；　his　tall　form；　as　it　were；　unfolded；　and　he　was　the　very　impersonation　of　good…humor　and　fellowship。　　The　last　words　I　recall　as　addressed　to　me　were　that　he　would　feel　better　when　I　was　back　at　Goldsboro'。　　We　parted　at　the　gangway　of　the　River　Queen；　about　noon　of　March　28th；　and　I　never　saw　him　again。　　Of　all　the　men　I　ever　met；　he　seemed　to　possess　more　of　the　elements　of　greatness；　combined　with　goodness；　than　any　other。



ADMIRAL　PORTER'S　ACCOUNT　OF　THE　INTERVIEW　WITH　Mr。　LINCOLN。

The　day　of　General　Sherman's　arrival　at　City　Point　（I　think　the　27th　of　Marsh；　186G）；　I　accompanied　him　and　General　Grant　on　board　the　President's　flagship；　the　Queen；　where　the　President　received　us　in　the　upper　saloon；　no　one　but　ourselves　being　present。

The　President　was　in　an　exceedingly　pleasant　mood；　and　delighted　to　meet　General　Sherman；　whom　he　cordially　greeted。

It　seems　that　this　was　the　first　time　he　had　met　Sherman；　to　remember　him；　since　the　beginning　of　the　war；　and　did　not　remember　when　he　had　seen　him　before；　until　the　general　reminded　him　of　the　circumstances　of　their　first　meeting。

This　was　rather　singular　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Lincoln；　who　was；　I　think；　remarkable　for　remembering　people；　having　that　kingly　quality　in　an　eminent　degree。　　Indeed；　such　was　the　power　of　his　memory；　that　he　seemed　never　to　forget　the　moat　minute　circumstance。

The　conversation　soon　turned　on　the　events　of　Sherman's　campaign　through　the　South；　with　every　movement　of　which　the　President　seemed　familiar。

He　laughed　over　some　of　the　stories　Sherman　told　of　his　〃bummers；〃　and　told　others　in　return；　which　illustrated　in　a　striking　manner　the　ideas　he　wanted　to　convey。　　For　example；　be　would　often　express　his　wishes　by　telling　an　apt　story；　which　was　quite　a　habit　with　him；　and　one　that　I　think　he　adopted　to　prevent　his　committing　himself　seriously。

The　interview　between　the　two　generals　and　the　President　lasted　about　an　hour　and　a　half；　and；　as　it　was　a　remarkable　one；　I　jotted　down　what　I　remembered　of　the　conversation；　as　I　have　made　a　practice　of　doing　during　the　rebellion；　when　any　thing　interesting　occurred。

I　don't　regret　having　done　so；　as　circumstances　afterward　occurred　（Stanton's　ill　conduct　toward　Sherman）　which　tended　to　cast　odium　on　General　Sherman　for　allowing　such　liberal　terms　to　Jos。　Johnston。

Could　the　conversation　that　occurred　on　board　the　Queen；　between　the　President　and　General　Sherman；　have　been　known；　Sherman　would　not；　and　could　not；　have　been　censored。　　Mr。　Lincoln；　had　he　lived；　would　have　acquitted　the　general　of　any　blame；　for　he　was　only　carrying　out　the　President's　wishes。

My　opinion　is；　that　Mr。　Lincoln　came　down　to　City　Point　with　the　most　liberal　views　toward　the　rebels。　　He　felt　confident　that　we　would　be　successful；　and　was　willing　that　the　enemy　should　capitulate　on　the　most　favorable　terms。

I　don't　know　what　the　President　would　have　done　had　he　been　left　to　himself；　and　had　our　army　been　unsuccessful；　but　he　was　than　wrought　up　to　a　high　state　of　excitement。　　He　wanted　peace　on　almost　any　terms；　and　there　is　no　knowing　what　proposals　he　might　have　been　willing　to　listen　to。　　His　heart　was　tenderness　throughout；　and；　as　long　as　the　rebels　laid　down　their　arms；　he　did　not　care　how　it　was　done。　　I　do　not　know　how　far　he　was　influenced　by　General　Grant；　but　I　presume；　from　their　long　conferences；　that　they　moat　have　understood　each　other　perfectly；　and　that　the　terms　given　to　Lee　after　his　surrender　were　authorized　by　Mr。　Lincoln。　　I　know　that　the　latter　was　delighted　when　he　heard　that　they　had　been　given；　and　exclaimed；　a　dozen　times；　〃Good！〃　　〃All　right！〃　〃Exactly　the　thing！〃　and　other　similar　expressions。　　Indeed；　the　President　more　than　once　told　me　what　he　supposed　the　terms　would　be：　if　Lee　and　Johnston　surrendered；　he　considered　the　war　ended；　and　that　all　the　other　rebel　forces　world　lay　down　their　arms　at　once。

In　this　he　proved　to　be　right。　　Grant　and　Sherman　were　both　of　the　same　opinion；　and　so　was　everyone　else　who　knew　anything　about　the　matter。

What　signified　the　terms　to　them；　so　long　as　we　obtained　the　actual　surrender　of　people　who　only　wanted　a　good　opportunity　to　give　up　gracefully？　　The　rebels　had　fought　〃to　the　last　ditch；〃　and　all　that　they　had　left　them　was　the　hope　of　being　handed　down　in　history　as　having　received　honorable　terms。

After　hearing　General　Sherman's　account　of　his　own　position；　and　that　of　Johnston；　at　that　time；　the　President　expressed　fears　that　the　rebel　general　would　escape　south　again　by　the　railroads；　and　that　General　Sherman　world　have　to　chase　him　anew；　over　the　same　ground；　but　the　general　pronounced　this　to　be　impracticable。　　He　remarked：　〃I　have　him　where　he　cannot　move　without　breaking　up　his　army；　which；　once　disbanded；　can　never　again　be　got　together；　and　I　have　destroyed　the　Southern　railroads；　so　that　they　cannot　be　used　again　for　a　long　time。〃　　General　Grant　remarked；　〃What　is　to　prevent　their　laying　the　rails　again？〃　　〃Why；〃　said　General　Sherman；　〃my　bummers　　don't　do　things　by　halves。　　Every　rail；　after　having　been　placed　over　a　hot　fire；　has　been　twisted　as　crooked　as　a　ram's…horn；　and　they　never　can　be　used　again。〃

This　was　the　only　remark　made　by　General　Grant　during　the　interview；　as　he　sat　smoking　a　short　distance　from　the　President；　intent；　no　doubt；　on　his　own　plans；　which　were　being　brought　to　a　successful　termination。

The　conversation　between　the　President　and　General　Sherman；　about　the　terms　of　surrender　to　be　allowed　Jos。　Johnston；　continued。　Sherman　energetically　insisted　that　he　could　command　his　own　terms；　and　that　Johnston　would　have　to　yield　to　his　demands；　but　the　President　was　very　decided　about　the　matter；　and　insisted　that　the　surrender　of　Johnston's　army　most　be　obtained　on　any　terms。

General　Grant　was　evidently　of　the　same　way　of　thinking；　for；　although　he　did　not　join　in　the　conversation　to　any　extent；　yet　he　made　no　objections；　and　I　presume　had　made　up　his　mind　to　allow　the　best　terms　himself。

He　was　also　anxious　that　Johnston　should　not　be　driven　into　Richmond；　to　reenforce　the　rebels　there；　who；　from　behind　their　strong　intrenohments；　would　have　given　us　incalculable　trouble。

Sherman；　as　a　subordinate　officer；　yielded　his　views　to　those　of　the　President；　and　the　terms　of　capitulation　between　himself　and　Johnston　were　exactly　in　accordance　with　Mr。　Lincoln's　wishes。　　He　could　not　have　done　any　thing　which　would　have　pleased　the　President　better。

Mr。　Lincoln　did；　in　fact；　arrange　the　（so　considered）　liberal　terms　offered　General　Jos。　Johnston；　and；　whatever　may　have　been　General　Sherman's　private　views；　I　feel　sure　that　he　yielded　to　the　wishes　of　the　President　in　every　respect。　　It　was　Mr。　Lincoln's　policy　that　was　carried　out；　and；　had　he　lived　long　enough；　he　would　have　been　but　too　glad　to　have　acknowledged　it。　　Had　Mr。　Lincoln　lived；　Secretary　Stanton　would　have　issued　no　false　telegraphic　dispatches；　in　the　hope　of　killing　off　another　general　in　the　regular　army；　one　who　by　his　success　had　placed　himself　in　the　way　of　his　own　succession。

The　disbanding　of　Jos。　Johnston's　army　was　so　complete；　that　the　pens　and　ink　used　in　the　discussion　of　the　matter　were　all　wasted。

1t　was　asserted；　by　the　rabid　ones；　that　General　Sherman　had　given　up　all　that　we　had　been　fighting　for；　had　conceded　every　thing　to　Jos。　Johnston；　and　had；　as　the　boys　say；　〃knocked　the　fat　into　the　fire；〃　but　sober　reflection　soon　overruled　these　harsh　expressions；　and；　with　those　who　knew　General　Sherman；　and　appreciated　him；　he　was　still　the　great　soldier；　patriot；　and　gentleman。　　In　future　times　this　matter　will　be　looked　at　more　calmly　and　dispassionately。　　The　bitter　animosities　that　have　been　engendered　during　the　rebellion　will　have　died　out　for　want　of　food　on　which　to　live；　and　the　very　course　Grant；　Sherman；　and　others　pursued；　in　granting　liberal　terms　to　the　defeated　rebels；　will　be　applauded。　The　fact　is；　they　met　an　old　beggar　in　the　road；　whose　crutches　had　broken　from　under　him：　they　let　him　have　only　the　broken　crutches　to　get　home　with！

I　sent　General　Sherman　back　to　Newbern；　North　Carolina；　in　the　steamer　Bat。

While　he　was　absent　from　his　command　he　was　losing　no　time；　for　be　was　getting　his　army　fully　equipped　with　stores　and　clothing；　and；　when　he　returned；　he　had　a　rested　and　regenerated　army；　ready　to　swallow　up　Jos。　Johnston　and　all　his　ragamuffins。

Johnston　was　cornered；　could　not　move　without　leaving　every　thing　behind　him；　and　could　not　go　to　Richmond　without　bringing　on　a　famine　in　that　destitute　city。

I　was　with　Mr。　Lincoln　all　the　time　he　was　at　City　Point；　and　until　be　left　for　Washington。　　He　was　more　than　delighted　with　the　surrender　of　Lee；　and　with　the　terms　Grant　gave　the　rebel　general；　and　would　have　given　Jos。　Johnston　twice　as　much；　had　the　latter　asked　for　it；　and　could　be　have　been　certain　that　the　rebel　world　have　surrendered　without　a　fight。　　I　again　repeat　that；　had　Mr。　Lincoln　lived；　he　would　have　shouldered　all　the　responsibility。

One　thing　is　certain：　had　Jos。　Johnston　escaped　and　got　into　Richmond；　and　caused　a　larger　list　of　killed　and　wounded　than　we　had；　General　Sherman　would　have　been　blamed。　　Then　why　not　give　him　the　full　credit　of　capturing　on　the　best　terms　the　enemy's　last　important　army　and　its　best　general；　and　putting　an　end　to　the　rebellion

It　was　a　finale　worthy　of　Sherman's　great　march　through　the　swamps　and　deserts　of　the　South；　a　march　not　excelled　by　any　thing　we　read　of　in　modern　military　history。

D。　D。　PORTER；　Vice…Admiral。

（Written　by　the　admiral　in　1866；　at　the　United　States　Naval　Academy　at　Annapolis；　Md。；　and　mailed　to　General　Sherman　at　St。　Louis；　Mo。）


As　soon　as　possible；　I　arranged　with　General　Grant　for　certain　changes　in　the　organization　of　my　army；　and　the　general　also　undertook　to　send　to　North　Carolina　some　tug…boat　an