Preparations to follow and capture them were far advanced, when, on the
4th of May, propositions were received from Commander Farrand,
commanding the rebel naval forces in the waters of Alabama, to surrender
all the vessels, officers, men, and property yet afloat and under
blockade on the Tombigbee. The basis of the terms of surrender, being
the same as those of General Lee, were accepted. On the 10th of May the
formal surrender took place, and the insurgent navy ceased to be an
organization. Four vessels were surrendered, and one hundred and twelve
officers, two hundred and eighty-five men and twenty-four marines were
paroled and permitted to return to their homes.
Sabine Pass and Galveston, the only remaining rebel fortified points on
the Gulf coast, soon capitulated.
EVACUATION OF RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG, VA. SURRENDER OF GENERAL LEE.
The great Union victory achieved at the battle of Five Forks, on the 1st
and 2d of April, 1865, decided the fate of the city of Richmond and the
city of Petersburg. Both places were immediately evacuated by the
rebels, and were entered and occupied by the National forces on the 3d
of April. Immense excitement and rejoicing was occasioned throughout the
North by the dispatches which announced this news to the country. The
newspapers were filled with letters, descriptive of the great victory
and the great triumph, and, on every hand, salutes and bonfires, and all
manner of demonstrations of gladness announced the conviction of the
people that the civil war was substantially ended. The cities of the
North were gaily decked with the glorious banner of the Republic. All
was enthusiasm and gratitude.
PETERSBURG.
SURRENDERED APRIL 3, 1865.
Petersburg before the war numbered a population of twenty thousand
people, and was the second city, in size and importance, in the State of
Virginia; but, during the war, its population was greatly reduced, there
not being more than five thousand whites left in the place at the time
of its capture.
General Ely’s brigade, of the Ninth army corps, was the first to enter
the city, on the morning of the 3d of April. This was at daylight; but,
at a quarter past six o’clock the city was formally surrendered to
Brigadier-General Edwards, of the Sixth corps. The retiring rebels had
burned some property in their flight. A good deal of tobacco had been
thus destroyed, together with some railroad rolling stock.
By six o’clock the town was awake and alive. Troops were pouring in from
all directions, shouting, singing, and cheering, but otherwise
preserving the most orderly and commendable bearing. There was no
straggling, no pillaging, no destruction of property or intrusion on
private residences. Guards were stationed thickly in all directions,
with imperative orders to keep the soldiers out of all buildings, public
or private, and protect all property from destruction. The citizens were
showing themselves in large numbers upon the door steps, in the doors
and at the windows of the houses, indicating that but few, if any, had
run away, while most of them manifested, in the expression of their
faces, a gladness at the National success. They seemed, indeed, to be
starved out. While there was plenty of food for the rebel army, it had
been carefully hoarded, and the resident population left to shift for
themselves as best they could. Perhaps it was on this account more than
any other that the citizens were so ready to abandon the rebel cause. On
the main business streets there was every appearance of thrift.
An army correspondent, who entered Petersburg with the Union forces,
alludes thus to the damage which the city had sustained from the
National bombardment: “I had much curiosity to see the effect of the
numerous shellings to which the town had been subjected, and rode
through that portion of the city most exposed. It was certainly
wonderful that so little damage had been done. Nearly every other
building in some localities had been struck; but, with the exception of
now and then a chimney knocked down, or a hole through the building that
a few dollars would repair, the injuries were scarcely perceptible. I
found the people living in the exposed localities, and was told that
they had been there throughout all the siege. But few people had been
killed by the cannonading in the town.”
In the course of the day General Grant entered Petersburg, and
established his headquarters there. But no halt was made by the army.
All day long, with banners flying and “music on the wind,” the soldiers
of the Union marched through Petersburg, in pursuit of the flying forces
of General Lee. The First division of the Ninth corps was, however, left
in the captured city, to do provost duty.
RICHMOND.
SURRENDERED APRIL 3, 1865.
Meanwhile, on the same memorable morning, the Mayor of Richmond, Mr.
Mayo, had surrendered the capital of the Confederacy to General Weitzel,
whose troops immediately marched in and took possession of the city. A
portion of it was found to be in flames, General Early having caused it
to be fired, on retreating during the night of the 2d instant. Major
Stevens directed the alarm bells to be sounded, and at once assumed
direction of the Fire Department of the city, consisting of a few men,
two steam fire engines, four worthless hand-engines, and a large amount
of hose, ruined by the retreating rebels. The efforts to subdue the
flames were arduous, but finally successful, and before night the city
was exceedingly quiet in all respects.
On personally arriving in the city, General Weitzel issued the following
order:—
“HEADQUARTERS, DETACHMENT ARMY OF THE JAMES, }
“RICHMOND, Va., April 3, 1865. }
“Major-General Godfrey Weitzel, commanding Detachment of the Army of
the James, announces the occupation of the city of Richmond, by the
armies of the United States, under command of Lieutenant-General
Grant. The people of Richmond are assured that we come to restore to
them the blessings of peace, prosperity and freedom, under the flag of
the Union.
“The citizens of Richmond are requested to remain for the present
quietly within their houses, and to avoid all public assemblages or
meetings in the public streets. An efficient provost guard will
immediately re-establish order and tranquillity within the city.
“Martial law is, for the present, proclaimed.
“Brigadier-General George F. Shepley, United States Volunteers, is
hereby appointed Military Governor of Richmond.
“Lieutenant-Colonel Fred. L. Manning, Provost-Marshal-General, Army of
the James, will act as Provost-Marshal of Richmond. Commanders of
detachments doing guard duty in the city will report to him for
instructions. By command of
“Major-General WEITZEL.
“D. D. WHEELER, Assistant Adjutant-General.”
The works in front of Richmond which were occupied by the rebels; and
wholly evacuated previous to the Union occupancy of the city, were found
to consist of three strong lines, strictly enveloping Richmond. The
outer ones were continuous lines; the inner one consisted of a series of
strong redoubts and bastion forts. These works mounted upwards of three
hundred heavy guns, all of which were captured.
General Weitzel also took one thousand prisoners, besides the wounded.
These numbered five thousand, in nine hospitals. He captured cannon, to
the number of at least five hundred pieces. Five thousand muskets were
found in one lot. Thirty locomotives and three hundred cars were also
seized.
The rebels had succeeded in destroying all their vessels of war; but the
well known Tredegar iron works were found to be unharmed. Libby Prison
and Castle Thunder were also captured, and were speedily filled with
rebel prisoners. It was ascertained that the rebels began the work of
destroying the city, by firing the Shockoe warehouse, filled with
tobacco, as well as the large granary establishment on Carey street,
near Twenty-third street. The fire was very destructive; and in addition
to destroying the War Department, the general Post Office, the Treasury
building, several churches, and many stores, likewise destroyed the
offices of the Richmond _Enquirer_, _Dispatch_ and _Examiner_; the
Virginia Bank, the Farmers’ Bank, and the Bank of Richmond. The United
States Custom House was saved, by reason of its being fireproof.
On the 4th of April President Lincoln visited Richmond, where he was
received with great enthusiasm. During his stay in the city, he
occupied, with General Weitzel, quarters in the house which, only a
little while before, had been the residence of the rebel President
Jefferson Davis.
SURRENDER OF GENERAL LEE, AND HIS ENTIRE ARMY.
APRIL 9, 1865.
On abandoning Petersburg and Richmond, General Lee betook himself in the
direction of Danville, which is just upon the border of the State of
Virginia, close to the North Carolina line. Here—or earlier, at
Burkesville—it was designed to make another stand. General Sheridan was
already in full pursuit, and aimed to cut off Lee’s army at Burkesville.
On the 6th of April, he sent the following dispatch:
“APRIL 6—11:15 P. M.
“Lieutenant-General GRANT:—
“I have the honor to report that the enemy made a stand at the
intersection of the Burkesville station road with the road upon which
they were retreating.
“I attacked them with two divisions of the Sixth army corps and routed
them handsomely, making a connection with the cavalry. I am still
pressing on with both cavalry and infantry. Up to the present time we
have captured Generals Ewell, Kershaw, Barton, Corse, De Bose and
Custis Lee, several thousand prisoners, fourteen pieces of artillery,
with caissons and a large number of wagons. If the thing is pressed, I
think Lee will surrender.
P. H. SHERIDAN,
“Major-General Commanding.”
On the receipt of this message, General Grant was already pushing on in
person, with his whole army, to join Sheridan and strike the deathblow
to the rebellion. But there was no need of further fighting. Sheridan
had captured a large part of the rebel army, and the rest was
demoralized. Lee’s headquarters at this time were near Amelia Court
House. On the afternoon of the 9th of April, finding all hope of success
to the rebel arms to be utterly empty and vain, the rebel commander
finally surrendered to General Grant the entire Army of Northern
Virginia. The letters which passed between the two commanders, upon this
occasion, and which telegraphed to the Northern press, created the
wildest enthusiasm throughout the land, are well worthy of preservation
in the pages of any History of the War for the Union—so graphic and
thorough in their narrative of the closing scene of rebel discomfiture
and national triumph.
GENERAL GRANT TO GENERAL LEE.
“April 7, 1865.
“General R. E. LEE, Commanding Confederate States Army:—
“GENERAL—The result of the last week must convince you of the
hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern
Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my
duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion
of blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the
Confederate States army, known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General, U. S. A.”
GENERAL LEE TO GENERAL GRANT.
“April 7, 1865.
“GENERAL—I have received your note of this date.
“Though not entirely of the opinion you express of the hopelessness of
further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I
reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and
therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will
offer on condition of its surrender.
“R. E. LEE, General Commanding.”
GENERAL GRANT TO GENERAL LEE.
“April 8, 1865.
“GENERAL—Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of same date,
asking the conditions on which I will accept the surrender of the Army
of Northern Virginia is just received.
“In reply, I would say that, peace being my first desire, there is but
one condition that I insist upon, viz.:—
“That the men surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms
again, against the Government of the United States, until properly
exchanged.
“I will meet you or designate officers to meet any officers you may
name for the same purpose at any point agreeable to you, for the
purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of
the Army of Northern Virginia will be received.
“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General, U. S. A.”
GENERAL LEE TO GENERAL GRANT.
“April 8, 1865.
“GENERAL—I received at a late hour your note of to-day in answer to
mine of yesterday.
“I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern
Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank, I do
not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender.
“But as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I
desire to know whether your proposals would tend to that end.
“I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the army of
Northern Virginia; but as far as your proposition may affect the
Confederate States’ forces under my command and tend to the
restoration of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at ten A. M.
to-morrow, on the old stage road to Richmond, between the picket lines
of the two armies.
“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“R. E. LEE, General C. S. A.”
GENERAL GRANT TO GENERAL LEE.
“April 9, 1865.
“GENERAL—Your note of yesterday is received. As I have no authority to
treat on the subject of peace, the meeting proposed for ten A. M.
to-day, could lead to no good. I will state, however, General, that I
am equally anxious for peace with yourself; and the whole North
entertain the same feeling. The terms upon which peace can be had are
well understood. By the South laying down their arms they will hasten
that most desirable event, save thousands of human lives, and hundreds
of millions of property not yet destroyed.
“Sincerely hoping that all our difficulties may be settled without the
loss of another life, I subscribe myself,
“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General, U. S. A.”
GENERAL LEE TO GENERAL GRANT.
“April 9, 1865.
“GENERAL—I received your note of this morning on the picket line,
whither I had come to meet you and ascertain definitely what terms
were embraced in your proposition of yesterday with reference to the
surrender of this army.
“I now request an interview in accordance with the offer contained in
your letter of yesterday for that purpose.
“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“R. E. LEE, General.
“To Lieutenant-General GRANT, commanding United States armies.”
GENERAL GRANT TO GENERAL LEE.
“April 9, 1865.
“GENERAL—Your note of this date is but this moment (fifty minutes past
eleven A. M.) received.
“In consequence of my having passed from the Richmond and Lynchburg
road to the Farmville and Lynchburg road, I am, at this writing, about
four miles west of Walter’s Church, and will push forward to the front
for the purpose of meeting you.
“Notice sent to me, on this road, where you wish the interview to take
place, will meet me.
“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.”
GENERAL GRANT TO GENERAL LEE.
“APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE, }
APRIL 9, 1865. }
“In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th
inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern
Virginia on the following terms, to wit:—
“Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate; one copy
to be given to an officer designated by me, the other to be retained
by such officers as you may designate.
“The officers to give their individual paroles not to take arms
against the government of the United States until properly exchanged,
and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the
men of his command.
“The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked and
turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them.
“This will not embrace the side arms of the officers, nor their
private horses or baggage.
“This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their
homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they
observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside.
“Very respectfully,
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.”
GENERAL LEE TO GENERAL GRANT.
“HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, }
APRIL 9, 1865. }
“GENERAL—I have received your letter of this date, containing the
terms of surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by
you. As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your
letter of the 8th inst., they are accepted. I will proceed to
designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.
“Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
“R. E. LEE, General.”
* * * * *
The national rejoicing over the capture of Lee’s army was, as may well
be imagined, deep and general. Throughout the length and breadth of the
land, thanksgiving to the God of battles—as of Peace—went up from the
hearts of a whole people, happy in the rescue of the American Republic
from division, and from the plague of human slavery.
The following documents were issued from the war office, at Washington,
immediately after the great victory:
“WAR DEPARTMENT, }
“WASHINGTON, D. C., April 9—9:30 P. M. }
“Lieutenant-General GRANT:—
“Thanks be to Almighty God for the great victory with which he has
this day crowned you and the gallant armies under your command.
“The thanks of this Department, and of the government, and of the
people of the United States—their reverence and honor have been
deserved—will be rendered to you and the brave and gallant officers
and soldiers of your army for all time.
“EDWIN M. STANTON,
“Secretary of War.”
“WAR DEPARTMENT, }
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 9—10 P. M. }
“Ordered—That a salute of two hundred guns be fired at the
headquarters of every army and department, and at every post and
arsenal in the United States, and at the Military Academy at West
Point, on the day of the receipt of this order, in commemoration of
the surrender of General R. E. Lee and the army of Northern Virginia
to Lieutenant-General Grant and the army under his command; report of
the receipt and execution of this order to be made to the
Adjutant-General, Washington.
“EDWIN M. STANTON,
“Secretary of War.”
SKETCH OF THE REBEL GENERAL LEE.
Robert E. Lee was born in Virginia about the year 1808. He entered West
Point, where he received the usual military education. He graduated
honorably in 1829, and received an appointment as Second Lieutenant of
Engineers. For eighteen years he served in the army, drawing the usual
pay from the government, and rising to the rank of Major and
Lieutenant-Colonel of cavalry. In the Mexican war he was further honored
by a brevet of Colonel, and on the appointment of Albert S. Johnston to
the command of the Utah expedition Lee succeeded him in command of the
Second cavalry. After filling this honorable and agreeable post in the
military service of his country for several years, he was tempted with
others, to desert his flag at the moment of his country’s sorest need.
When the Richmond politicians passed their Ordinance of Secession,
Robert E. Lee threw up his commission, and accepted the rank of General
in the rebel army.
[Illustration: ROBERT E. LEE.]
In Mexico, Lee had been Chief of General Scott’s Staff, and won high
praise for his skill. It was a common remark in our army, before the
war, that “Bob Lee” was the ablest strategist we had. His first
performances in the rebel array did not increase his reputation; he was
eclipsed for a time by both Beauregard and Johnston. After the latter
was wounded, however, at Fair Oaks, Lee took the whole command of the
rebel army in Virginia, and directed its operations during the seven
days’ battles before Richmond. He likewise led the rebels into Maryland,
and commanded them at Antietam, and subsequently at Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and all the other
battles incident to the closing campaign in Virginia.
ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
NIGHT OF APRIL 14, 1865.
A glorious sunburst parted the clouds over Abraham Lincoln’s head just
as he took the inauguration oath which made him President for a second
term—and from that period his life was one series of cheering events.
Was it a promise of redemption to the Nation, or the _halo_ of
martyrdom? The rebellion melted away like snow from that hour. Richmond
was taken; Lee surrendered his grand army. The brave blood which had
crimsoned the wilderness with a terrible rain, bore quick and glorious
fruit all over the land. Lincoln was a good man. Even his enemies said
this, when they found themselves a mere handful among millions that
loved him for his honesty, his simple truthfulness, and that genuine
patriotism which no man doubted and all men revered. Triumphant as a
President, happy in the bosom of a family that adored him, blessed with
an attached wife, a son of fine promise and faultless character, another
son whom he loved with intense affection, and who returned it with all
the touching ardor of early childhood, worshiped by many and respected
by all, the 14th of April found him a happy and triumphant man.
A box had been taken that night for the President and a select party at
Ford’s Theatre, a fashionable place of amusement in Washington, where
Thomas Taylor’s comedy of Our American Cousin was to be performed by
Miss Laura Keene and her company. A private box in the upper tier, on
the right of the audience, had been all that season so frequently used
by the President, that it was generally known as the “President’s box.”
That evening it was richly draped for his reception. The Stars and
Stripes glowed brightly above it, and easy chairs were placed for the
President’s occupancy. It had been announced that General Grant would
accompany the Presidential party and a brilliant audience had assembled,
eager to greet the two most popular men of The Nation.
The first act of the American Cousin had commenced, when President
Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris, and Major Rathbon entered the
theatre. General Grant was not of the party; he had left Washington a
few hours before. They seated themselves, with the National flags draped
above them, and the eyes of a brilliant audience turned that way. The
President was always deeply interested in the dramatic performances
before him, and sometimes, doubtless, sought the theatre as a refuge
from political cares. That night no premonition seemed to haunt him. He
was tranquil, silent, and interested. Usually, when he visited any place
of amusement, his youngest son might have been seen hanging about his
chair, whispering his observations in childish confidence, and sometimes
leaning for half an hour together upon his father’s knee. The devotion
and companionship which existed between Lincoln and this warm-hearted
lad was touching in its simple tenderness. No frown was ever seen on
that kindly face when the boy, in his ardent affection claimed what
might have been deemed untimely notice. Whatever thought harassed his
mind, those connected with the boy always brought smiles with them.
But, in mercy, this most ardently loving of sons was spared the horrors
of a scene that soon sent an awful shock through the audience, and threw
the whole nation into bitter mourning.
The play went pleasantly on, and nothing happened to disturb the
cheerfulness of the occasion, till, close on ten o’clock. Then John
Wilkes Booth was first seen in the audience.
This young man was a member of the profession, and had a free entrance
to all parts of the theatre, where he was a great favorite. The son of
perhaps the most talented tragedian known to our country, belonging to a
family of young men all rich in genius, accomplished and endowed with
wonderful physical beauty, he had found a respectable place even in the
best social life of Washington, during the three months that he had
spent in apparent idleness at one of the most fashionable hotels of the
city.