On the 17th of April, the same day on which General Sherman was
negotiating with Johnston for the surrender of the rebel army then under
his command, we received the appalling news of the assassination of our
beloved president, Abraham Lincoln. It cast a gloom over us all, and to
say that our hearts were saddened by the news, would express the
sentiment that was felt in too meagre terms. We felt, individually, as
if we had lost a near and dear friend.
Our army was encamped, as we have before stated, on the southern bank of
the Neuse river, pending negotiations, of which we were all aware, of
the surrender of the army which we had followed so long, and to which we
had given battle on many a bloody field. But now, on that Sabbath
afternoon, all was still, no noise could be heard, and if one had not
known that a large army was encamped there, they never would have
suspected it; the silence was awful, men spoke to each other with bated
breath; the glitter of the eye, and the tension of the mouth, were
indications that were terrible to behold. What! after all our marching,
after all our fighting, after all the hardships and privations we had
endured, after the four long years of bloody war, during which time our
President had sat in the chair of State, and with a wisdom never
excelled, and but rarely equalled, had guided the Ship of State aright,
after all this, and now that the blood which had been shed, the treasure
that had been expended, the arduous labors which we had undergone, were
about to be rewarded with the crown of victory, was he not to welcome
his boys home again? We could hardly realize it. But the reaction came;
the news was true, and it was the feeling in every breast, that
vengeance on the people, who, by their mad actions had brought all this
trouble on us, must be executed. The Neuse river only lay between us and
Johnston's army, it would have been a matter in which our army would
have rejoiced, to cross the river and wipe those men from off the face
of the earth. They were the upholders of the cause that had brought, in
its bloody train, the assassination of our President, and blood could
only heal the sorrow it had caused. All that was needed to cause the
slumbering volcano to pour forth its streams of devastation and woe, was
some leading spirit to burst the restraints of discipline, and the
beautiful city of Raleigh would soon have been but a heap of blackened
ruins. Such were the feelings of General Sherman's army when that sad
news first fell upon us like a funeral pall. But for fear of an
outbreak, orders were issued denying the report, and it was so horrible,
we were willing to believe it, and the smothered rage cooled down to
unexecuted threats. At the appointed time on the 18th, negotiations were
resumed between Generals Sherman and Johnston. After the first meeting
General Sherman had conferred with his principal officers, all of whom
favored a treaty on the basis proposed by Johnston, and General Sherman
himself drew up the following memoranda or basis of agreement:
"Memoranda or basis of agreement made this 18th day of April, A. D.
1865, near Durham's station, in the State of North Carolina, by and
between General Joseph E. Johnston, commanding the Confederate army,
and Major General William T. Sherman, commanding the army of the
United States in North Carolina, both present.
First. The contending armies now in the field, to maintain their
_statu quo_ until notice is given by the commanding general of
either one to his opponent, and reasonable time, say forty-eight
hours, allowed.
Second. The confederate armies now in existence to be disbanded, and
conducted to the several state capitols, there to deposit their arms
and public property in the state arsenal, and each officer and man
to execute and file an agreement to cease from acts of war, and
abide the action of both state and federal authorities. The number
of arms and munitions of war to be reported to the Chief of
Ordnance, at Washington City, subject to future action of the
Congress of the United States, and in the mean time to be used
solely to maintain order within the borders of the states
respectively.
Third. The recognition by the Executive of the United States of the
several state governments, on their officers and legislatures taking
the oath prescribed by the Constitution of the United States, and
when conflicting state governments have resulted from the war, the
legitimacy of all shall be submitted to the Supreme Court of the
United States.
Fourth. The re-establishment of all Federal Courts in the several
states, with powers as defined by the Constitution and laws of
Congress.
Fifth. The people, and inhabitants of all the states to be
guaranteed, so far as the executive can, their political rights and
franchise, as well as their rights of person and property, as
defined by the Constitution of the United States, and states
respectively.
Sixth. The Executive authority of the Government of the United
States, not to disturb any of the people by reason of the late war,
so long as they live in peace and quiet, abstain from acts of armed
hostility, and obey laws in existence at any place of their
residence.
Seventh. In general terms, war to cease, and a general amnesty, so
far as the Executive power of the United States can command, or on
condition of disbandment of the Confederate armies, and the
distribution of arms, and resumption of peaceful pursuits by
officers and men as hitherto composing the said armies. Not being
fully empowered by our own respective principals to fulfill these
terms, we individually and officially pledge ourselves to promptly
obtain necessary authority, and to carry out the above programme.
(Signed) W. T. SHERMAN.
Maj. Gen. Comd'g Army of the U. S. in N. C.
(Signed) J. E. JOHNSTON.
General Comd'g C. S. Army in N. C."