Chapter XXXII

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."