memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第66章

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ion；　in　the　form　of　a　cipher…dispatch：

HEADQUARTERS　ARMIES　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES　WILSON'S　STATION；　April　5；　1865


Major…General　SHERMAN；　Goldsboro'；　North　Carolina：

All　indications　now　are　that　Lee　will　attempt　to　reach　Danville　with　the　remnant　of　his　force。　　Sheridan；　who　was　up　with　him　last　night；　reports　all　that　is　left　with　himhorse；　foot；　and　dragoonsat　twenty　thousand；　much　demoralized。　　We　hope　to　reduce　this　number　one…half。　　I　will　push　on　to　Burkesville；　and；　if　a　stand　is　made　at　Danville；　will；　in　a　very　few　days；　go　there。　　If　you　can　possibly　do　so；　push　on　from　where　you　are；　and　let　us　see　if　we　cannot　finish　the　job　with　Lee's　and　Johnston's　armies。　Whether　it　will　be　better　for　you　to　strike　for　Greensboro'　or　nearer　to　Danville；　you　will　be　better　able　to　judge　when　you　receive　this。　　Rebel　armies　now　are　the　only　strategic　points　to　strike　at。

U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。


I　answered　immediately　that　we　would　move　on　the　10th；　prepared　to　follow　Johnston　wherever　he　might　go。　　Promptly　on　Monday　morning；　April　10th；　the　army　moved　straight　on　Smithfield；　the　right　wing　making　a　circuit　by　the　right；　and　the　left　wing；　supported　by　the　centre；　moving　on　the　two　direct　roads　toward　Raleigh；　distant　fifty　miles。　　General　Terry's　and　General　Kilpatrick's　troops　moved　from　their　positions　on　the　south　or　west　bank　of　the　Neuse　River　in　the　same　general　direction；　by　Cox's　Bridge。　　On　the　11th　we　reached　Smithfield；　and　found　it　abandoned　by　Johnston's　army；　which　had　retreated　hastily　on　Raleigh；　burning　the　bridges。　　To　restore　these　consumed　the　remainder　of　the　day；　and　during　that　night　I　received　a　message　from　General　Grant；　at　Appomattox；　that　General　Lee　had　surrendered　to　him　his　whole　army；　which　I　at　once　announced　to　the　troops　in　orders：


＇Special　Field　Orders；　No。　　54＇

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　SMITHFIELD；　NORTH　CAROLINA；　April　12；　1865。

The　general　commanding　announces　to　the　army　that　he　has　official　notice　from　General　Grant　that　General　Lee　surrendered　to　him　his　entire　army；　on　the　9th　inst。；　at　Appomattox　Court…House；　Virginia。

Glory　to　God　and　our　country；　and　all　honor　to　our　comrades　in　arms；　toward　whom　we　are　marching！

A　little　more　labor；　a　little　more　toil　on　our　part；　the　great　race　is　won；　and　our　Government　stands　regenerated；　after　four　long　years　of　war。

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。


Of　course；　this　created　a　perfect　furore；　of　rejoicing；　and　we　all　regarded　the　war　as　over；　for　I　knew　well　that　General　Johnston　had　no　army　with　which　to　oppose　mine。　　So　that　the　only　questions　that　remained　were；　would　he　surrender　at　Raleigh？　　or　would　he　allow　his　army　to　disperse　into　guerrilla；　bands；　to　〃die　in　the　last　ditch；〃　and　entail　on　his　country　an　indefinite　and　prolonged　military　occupation；　and　of　consequent　desolation？　　I　knew　well　that　Johnston's　army　could　not　be　caught；　the　country　was　too　open；　and；　without　wagons；　the　men　could　escape　us；　disperse；　and　assemble　again　at　some　place　agreed　on；　and　thus　the　war　might　be　prolonged　indefinitely。

I　then　remembered　Mr。　Lincoln's　repeated　expression　that　he　wanted　the　rebel　soldiers　not　only　defeated；　but　〃back　at　their　homes；　engaged　in　their　civil　pursuits。〃　　On　the　evening　of　the　12th　I　was　with　the　head　of　Slocum's　column；　at　Gulley's；　and　General　Kilpatrick's　cavalry　was　still　ahead；　fighting　Wade　Hampton's　rear…guard；　with　orders　to　push　it　through　Raleigh；　while　I　would　give　a　more　southerly　course　to　the　infantry　columns；　so　as；　if　possible；　to　prevent　a　retreat　southward。　　On　the　13th；　early；　I　entered　Raleigh；　and　ordered　the　several　heads　of　column　toward　Ashville　in　the　direction　of　Salisbury　or　Charlotte。　　Before　reaching　Raleigh；　a　locomotive　came　down　the　road　to　meet　me；　passing　through　both　Wade　Hampton's　and　Kilpatrick's　cavalry；　bringing　four　gentlemen；　with　a　letter　from　Governor　Vance　to　me；　asking　protection　for　the　citizens　of　Raleigh。　　These　gentlemen　were；　of　course；　dreadfully　excited　at　the　dangers　through　which　they　had　passed。　　Among　them　were　ex…Senator　Graham；　Mr。　Swain；　president　of　Chapel　Hill　University；　and　a　Surgeon　Warren；　of　the　Confederate　army。　　They　had　come　with　a　flag　of　truce；　to　which　they　were　not　entitled；　still；　in　the　interest　of　peace；　I　respected　it；　and　permitted　them　to　return　to　Raleigh　with　their　locomotive；　to　assure　the　Governor　and　the　people　that　the　war　was　substantially　over；　and　that　I　wanted　the　civil　authorities　to　remain　in　the　execution　of　their　office　till　the　pleasure　of　the　President　could　be　ascertained。　　On　reaching　Raleigh　I　found　these　same　gentlemen；　with　Messrs。　Badger；　Bragg；　Holden；　and　others；　but　Governor　Vance　had　fled；　and　could　not　be　prevailed　on　to　return；　because　he　feared　an　arrest　and　imprisonment。　　From　the　Raleigh　newspapers　of　the　10th　I　learned　that　General　Stoneman；　with　his　division　of　cavalry；　had　come　across　the　mountains　from　East　Tennessee；　had　destroyed　the　railroad　at　Salisbury；　and　was　then　supposed　to　be　approaching　Greensboro'。　　I　also　learned　that　General　Wilson's　cavalry　corps　was　〃smashing　things〃　down　about　Selma　and　Montgomery；　Alabama；　and　was　pushing　for　Columbus　and　Macon；　Georgia；　and　I　also　had　reason　to　expect　that　General　Sheridan　would　come　down　from　Appomattox　to　join　us　at　Raleigh　with　his　superb　cavalry　corps。　　I　needed　more　cavalry　to　check　Johnston's　retreat；　so　that　I　could　come　up　to　him　with　my　infantry；　and　therefore　had　good　reason　to　delay。　　I　ordered　the　railroad　to　be　finished　up　to　Raleigh；　so　that　I　could　operate　from　it　as　a　base；　and　then　made：


＇special　Field　Orders；　No。　　55＇


HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　RALEIGH；　NORTH　CAROLINA；　April　14；　1865。

The　next　movement　will　be　on　Ashboro'；　to　tern　the　position　of　the　enemy　at　the　〃Company's　Shops〃　in　rear　of　Haw　River　Bridge；　and　at　Greensboro'；　and　to　cut　off　his　only　available　line　of　retreat　by　Salisbury　and　Charlotte：

1。　　General　Kilpatrick　will　keep　up　a　show　of　pursuit　in　the　direction　of　Hillsboro'　and　Graham；　but　be　ready　to　cross　Haw　River　on　General　Howard's　bridge；　near　Pittsboro'；　and　thence　will　operate　toward　Greensboro'；　on　the　right　front　of　the　right　wing。

2。　　The　right　wing；　Major…General　Howard　commanding；　will　move　out　on　the　Chapel　Hill　road；　and　send　a　light　division　up　in　the　direction　of　Chapel　Hill　University　to　act　in　connection　with　the　cavalry；　but　the　main　columns　and　trains　will　move　via　Hackney's　Cross…Roads；　and　Trader's　Hill；　Pittsboro'；　St。　Lawrence；　etc。；　to　be　followed　by　the　cavalry　and　light　division；　as　soon　as　the　bridge　is　laid　over　Haw　River。

8。　　The　centre；　Major…General　Schofield　commanding；　will　move　via　Holly　Springs；　New　Hill；　Haywood；　and　Moffitt's　Mills。

4。　　The　left　wing；　Major…General　Slocum　commanding；　will　move　rapidly　by　the　Aven's　Ferry　road；　Carthage；　Caledonia；　and　Cox's　Mills。

5。　　All　the　troops　will　draw　well　out　on　the　roads　designated　during　today　and　to…morrow；　and　on　the　following　day　will　move　with　all　possible　rapidity　for　Ashboro'。　　No　further　destruction　of　railroads；　mills；　cotton；　and　produce；　will　be　made　without　the　specific　orders　of　an　army　commander；　and　the　inhabitants　will　be　dealt　with　kindly；　looking　to　an　early　reconciliation。　　The　troops　will　be　permitted；　however；　to　gather　forage　and　provisions　as　heretofore；　only　more　care　should　be　taken　not　to　strip　the　poorer　classes　too　closely。

By　order　of　General　W。　T。　Sherman；

L。　M。　DAYTON；　Assistant　Adjutant…General。


Thus　matters　stood；　when　on　the　morning　of　the　14th　General　Kilpatrick　reported　from　Durham's　Station；　twenty…six　miles　up　the　railroad　toward　Hillsboro'；　that　a　flag　of　truce　had　come　in　from　the　enemy　with　a　package　from　General　Johnston　addressed　to　me。　Taking　it　for　granted　that　this　was　preliminary　to　a　surrender；　I　ordered　the　message　to　be　sent　me　at　Raleigh；　and　on　the　14th　received　from　General　Johnston　a　letter　dated　April　13；　1865；　in　these　words：


The　results　of　the　recent　campaign　in　Virginia　have　changed　the　relative　military　condition　of　the　belligerents。　　I　am；　therefore；　induced　to　address　you　in　this　form　the　inquiry　whether；　to　stop　the　farther　effusion　of　blood　and　devastation　of　property；　you　are　willing　to　make　a　temporary　suspension　of　active　operations；　and　to　commnnicate　to　Lieutenant…General　Grant；　commanding　the　armies　of

the　United　States；　the　request　that　he　will　take　like　action　in　regard　to　other　armies；　the　object　being　to　permit　the　civil　authorities　to　enter　into　the　needful　arrangements　to　terminate　the　existing　war。


To　which　I　replied　as　follows：

HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　RALEIGH；　NORTH　CAROLINA；　April　14；　1865。

General　J。　E。　JOHNSTON；　commanding　Confederate　Army。

GENERAL：　I　have　this　moment　received　your　communication　of　this　date。　　I　am　fully　empowered　to　arrange　with　you　any　terms　for　the　suspension　of　farther　hostilities　between　the　armies　commanded　by　you　and　those　commanded　by　myself；　and　will　be　willing　to　confer　with　you　to　that　end。　　I　will　limit　the　advance　of　my　main　column；　to…morrow；　to　Morrisville；　and　the　cavalry　to　the　university；　and　expect　that　you　will　also　maintain　the　present　position　of　your　forces　until　each　has　notice　of　a　failure　to　agree。

That　a　basis　of　action　may　be　had；　I　undertake　to　abide　by　the　same　terms　and　conditions　as　were　made　by　Generals　Grant　and　Lee　at　Appomattox　Court…House；　on　the　9th　instant；　relative　to　our　two　armies；　and；　furthermore；　to　obtain　from　General　Grant　an　order　to　suspend　the　movements　of　any　troops　from　the　direction　of　Virginia。　General　Stoneman　is　under　my　command；　and　my　order　will　suspend　any　devastation　or　destruction　contemplated　by　him。　　I　will　add　that　I　really　desire　to　save　the　people　of　North　Carolina　the　damage　they　would　sustain　by　the　march　of　this　army　through　the　central　or　western　parts　of　the　State。

I　am；　with　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


I　sent　my　aide…de…camp；　Colonel　McCoy；　up　to　Durham's　Station　with　this　letter；　with　instructions　to　receive　the　answer；　to　telegraph　its　contents　back　to　me　at　Raleigh；　and　to　arrange　for　an　interview。　　On　the　16th　I　received　a　reply　from　General　Johnston；　agreeing　to　meet　me　the　next　day　at　a　point　midway　between　our　advance　at　Durham　and　his　rear　at　Hillsboro'。　　I　ordered　a　car　and　locomotive　to　be　prepared　to　convey　me　up　to　Durham's　at　eight　o'clock　of　the　morning　of　April　17th。　　Just　as　we　were　entering　the　car；　the　telegraph…operator；　whose　office　was　up…stairs　in　the　depot…building；　ran　down　to　me　and　said　that　he　was　at　that　instant　of　time　receiving　a　most　important　dispatch　in　cipher　from　Morehead　City；　which　I　ought　to　see。　　I　held　the　train　for　nearly　half　an　hour；　when　he　returned　with　the　message　translated　and　written　out。　It　was　from　Mr。　Stanton；　announcing　the　assassination　of　Mr。　Lincoln；　the　attempt　on　the　life　of　　Mr。　Seward　and　son；　and　a　suspicion　that　a　like　fate　was　designed　for　General　Grant　and　all　the　principal　officers　of　the　Government。　　Dreading　the　effect　of　such　a　message　at　that　critical　instant　of　time；　I　asked　the　operator　if　any　one　besides　himself　had　seen　it；　he　answered　No！　I　then　bade