grant them “unconditional forgiveness”

Posted on April 13, 2015 by SUMPTER
McLean's House, Appomattox, Va. Scene of Lee's surrender (by Timothy H. O'Sullivan, Appomattox Court House, Va., April 1865. Wilbur McLean house; LOC: LC-DIG-ppmsca-35137)

where General Grant was prudently kind (“McLean’s House, Appomattox, Va. Scene of Lee’s surrender” Library of Congress)

A publication in the Finger Lakes area of New York State pleaded for forgiveness and reconciliation for the returning rebels. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in April 1865:

The Amnesty.

The terms extended to the Confederate officers and troops under Gen. Lee, is a complete amnesty in its terms, for political as well as military offenses. This does not suit some of the more blood-thirsty of the Republican leaders, and the Washington correspondent of the Tribune says “the bribe of unconditional forgiveness offered by Mr. Lincoln to the rebels has already established a split in the Republican party.” Beast Butler represents the disaffected of the abolition camp, and in a speech at Washington, on Monday night, this marplot advocated the most extreme and diabolical measures towards all who have been engaged in the rebellion. In view of Butler’s exploits at Big Bethel, Big Ditch and Fort Fisher, he ought to hide his head in very shame at his impotence in war. – Butler never exposed his precious carcass to rebel bullets, and it is far to presume that he never will. His only capacity seems to be for mischief and plunder. But he is the representative of the New England element of the abolition party, whose sentiments he uttered at Washington on Monday night, hence we may look for anything but harmony among the friends of the administration, in the closing up of this most unnatural strife. But Gen. Grant has taken the initiative step, and the President must sustain him if he hopes to bring about a permanent and lasting peace.

From The New-York Times April 11, 1865:

NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.; GEN. BUTLER ON RECONSTRUCTION. THE DAY OF JUBILEE. REBEL PRISONERS. SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT.

Dispatches to the Associated Press.

Benjamin Butler by Alfred Waud ca. 1860-1865 (LOC - LC-DIG-ppmsca-20072)

Butler still taking it to the rebs?

WASHINGTON, Monday, April 10.

Among those who delivered speeches to-day was Maj.-Gen. BUTLER. His remarks were principally directed to the subject of the future disposition by the government of the participants in the rebellion. He recommended that all the leaders should be disfranchised and disqualified for holding any office under the government, but that the masses, including the negroes, should have the rights of citizenship. The address was loudly applauded, and at its conclusion the crowd dispersed.

Very little public business was transacted to-day, even the courts adjourned.

Within the past two weeks over twenty thousand rebel prisoners have been sent away from City Point, and a large number still remain there.

Several hundred persons gathered before the Executive mansion this afternoon at 5:30. Frequent calls were made for the President, who appeared merely to say: “If the company had assembled by appointment, some mistake had crept into their understanding. He had appeared before a larger audience than this one to-day, and he would repeat what he then said, namely, he supposed, owing to the great, good news, there would be some demonstration. He would prefer tomorrow evening, when he should be quite willing, and, he hoped, ready, to say something. He desired to be particular, because everything he said got into print. [Laughter.] Occupying the position he did, a mistake would produce harm, and, therefore, he wanted to be careful not to make a mistake [A VOICE — You have not made any yet.]

The President was greeted with cheers, and, after bidding the crowd good evening, retired.

 

Map of Appomattox Court House and vicinity. Showing the relative positions of the Confederate and Federal Armies at the time of General R. E. Lee's surrender, April 9th 1865. (http://www.loc.gov/item/99439220/)

“Map of Appomattox Court House and vicinity. Showing the relative positions of the Confederate and Federal Armies at the time of General R. E. Lee’s surrender, April 9th 1865. ” (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division)

_________________________________________________

Par for the course, Secretary of War Stanton telegraphed General Dix in New York City 150 years ago today; but there was no indication of a trumped-up Union victory in battle. Today the dreaded and despised draft was officially history.

NY Times 4-14-1865

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no rest for the winner

Posted on April 11, 2015 by SUMPTER
NY Times 4-12-1865

NY Times 4-12-1865

After the April 9th surrender of General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, President Lincoln sure wasn’t looking for any triumphal celebrations or even resting on his laurels. He told a crowd on April 10th he would deliver a speech the next day. He spent the rest of that day catching up on business after his recent time at City Point but mainly focused on reconstruction. He told his cabinet he didn’t have any time to celebrate because he now had the enormous job of putting nation back together again. “He had to build and restore the conquered South, maintain the loyalty of white Unionists there, protect Negro freedom, and contend with an increasingly hostile Congress.” His speech the next day was going to explain the problems and his plans for reconstruction.

On the night of April 11, hundred[s] of people assembled on the White House lawn, as Lincoln prepared to address them from an upstairs window. It was misty out, but even so one could see the new illuminated dome of the Capitol. Off in the distance, across the Potomac, Lee’s Arlington plantation was aflame with colored candles and exploding rockets, as hundreds of ex-slaves sang The Year of Jubilee.” With [Noah] Brooks holding a candle from behind a curtain, Lincoln stepped to the window and enrolled his speech. Stretched out below, Brooks noted, “was a vast sea of faces, illuminated by the lights that burned in the festal array of the White House.”

Here’s a bit from The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Seven:

LAST PUBLIC ADDRESS,
APRIL 11, 1865

FELLOW-CITIZENS—We meet this evening not in sorrow, but in gladness of heart. The evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond, and the surrender of the principal insurgent army, give hope of a righteous and speedy peace, whose joyous expression cannot be restrained. In the midst of this, however, He from whom blessings flow must not be forgotten.

by frank taylor

not a crowd-pleaser

A call for a national thanksgiving is being prepared, and will be duly promulgated. Nor must those whose harder part gives us the cause of rejoicing be overlooked. Their honors must not be parceled out with others. I myself was near the front, and had the pleasure of transmitting much of the good news to you. But no part of the honor for plan or execution is mine. To General Grant, his skillful officers, and brave men, all belongs. The gallant navy stood ready, but was not in reach to take active part. By these recent successes, the reinauguration of the national authority—reconstruction which has had a large share of thought from the first, is pressed much more closely upon our attention. It is fraught with great difficulty. Unlike a case of war between independent nations, there is no authorized organ for us to treat with—no one man has authority to give up the rebellion for any other man. We simply must begin with and mould from disorganized and discordant elements. Nor is it a small additional embarrassment that we, the loyal people, differ among ourselves as to the mode, manner, and measure of reconstruction. As a general rule, I abstain from reading the reports of attacks upon myself, Wishing not to be provoked by that to which I cannot properly offer an answer. In spite of this precaution, however, it comes to my knowledge that I am much censured for some supposed agency in setting up and seeking to sustain the new State government of Louisiana. … [Much about Louisiana’s readmission to the Union and a bit about voting rights for blacks]… Such exclusive and inflexible plan would surely become a new entanglement. Important principles may and must be inflexible. In the present situation as the phrase goes, it may be my duty to make some new announcement to the people of the South. I am considering, and shall not fail to act, when satisfied that action will be proper.

“There was patter of polite applause, but it was obvious that most of the audience was extremely disappointed in the speech.” They wanted a victory oration, not the technicalities of reconstruction. Some were annoyed about limited black suffrage. Many left during the speech.

I copied this from With Malice Toward None, and it squares pretty well with David Herbert Donald’s Lincoln. Mr. Donald added that during the speech as the President “finished each page, he dropped it to the floor, where Tad scrambled about, collecting them and, growing restless, importuned his father for ‘another.'”[1]

  1. [1]Oates, Stephen B. With Malice Toward None. New York: New American Library, 1977. Print. page 459-460; Donald, David H. Lincoln. London: Jonathan Cape, 1995. Print. pages 582.↩
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puppet show?

Posted on April 10, 2015 by SUMPTER
Palmer's Uncle Tom's Cabin Co. (Buffalo, N.Y. : Courier Litho. Co., c1899.)

“Palmer’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin Co.” (Library of Congress)

From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in 1865 (in same column as the April 9, 1865 written communication between Generals Lee and Grant regarding surrender):

JAMES REDPATH, the abolition leader, now the Charleston correspondent of the New York Tribune, boasts that he induced a negro to break the bust of Calhoun in a Charleston office. The cowardly scoundrel, probably, didn’t have courage to face even the inanimate bust of the noble South Carolinian! Such a deed is in prefect [sic] keeping with the spirit of abolitionism. John C. Calhoun was a great and a good man – and once elevated to the office of Vice President of the United States. We never read of his making any such disgusting exhibition of himself as that which marked the debut of the besotted boor who now occupies that position. What a wonder it is that some of these latter day reformers do not break down the marble statue of the great Washington, who was as great a rebel as he was a slaveholder.

I haven’t found anything to confirm this particular story, but James Redpath was working in Charleston 150 years ago.

In February 1865, federal military authorities appointed him the first superintendent of public schools in the Charleston, South Carolina, region. He soon had more than 100 instructors at work teaching 3,500 students of both races. He also founded an orphan asylum. In May 1865 in Charleston, Redpath organized the first-ever Memorial Day service to honor buried Union Army dead there.

His reputation as a radical abolitionist and his tentative steps toward integrating South Carolina’s school caused worried military officials to replace Redpath and remove an irritation to Southern-born President Andrew Johnson. Ironically, Redpath served as the ghost writer of Jefferson Davis’s history of the Confederacy.

You can read about the beginnings of reconstruction in Charleston and James Redpath’s part in reopening the schools in the Richmond Daily Dispatch of March 14, 1865.

Grave of John C. Calhoun, Charleston, S.C (photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed between 1880 and 1889; LOC: LC-DIG-ppmsca-34942)

“Grave of John C. Calhoun, Charleston, S.C.” (Library of Congress)

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“a sad peace-offering for us all”

Posted on April 9, 2015 by SUMPTER
4-8&9 1865

4-8&9 1865

From Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (in chapters 66 and 67):

The head of Lee’s column came marching up there [near Appomattox Station] on the morning of the 9th, not dreaming, I suppose, that there were any Union soldiers near. The Confederates were surprised to find our cavalry had possession of the trains. However, they were desperate and at once assaulted, hoping to recover them. In the melee that ensued they succeeded in burning one of the trains, but not in getting anything from it. Custer then ordered the other trains run back on the road towards Farmville, and the fight continued.

So far, only our cavalry and the advance of Lee’s army were engaged. Soon, however, Lee’s men were brought up from the rear, no doubt expecting they had nothing to meet but our cavalry. But our infantry had pushed forward so rapidly that by the time the enemy got up they found Griffin’s corps and the Army of the James confronting them. A sharp engagement ensued, but Lee quickly set up a white flag.

NY Times 4-10-1865

NY Times 4-10-1865

From The Passing of the Armies by Joshua Chamberlain:

Suddenly rose to sight another form, close in our own front, — a soldierly young figure, a Confederate staff officer undoubtedly. Now I see the white flag earnestly borne, and its possible purport sweeps before my inner vision like a wraith of morning mist. He comes steadily on, the mysterious form in gray, my mood so whimsically sensitive that I could even smile at the material of the flag, — wondering where in either army was found a towel, and one so white. But it bore a mighty message, — that simple emblem of homely service, wafted hitherward above the dark and crimsoned streams that never can wash themselves away.

The messenger draws near, dismounts; with graceful salutation and hardly suppressed emotion delivers his message: “Sir, I am from General Gordon. General Lee desires a cessation of hostilities until he can hear from General Grant as to the proposed surrender.”

What word is this! so long so dearly fought for, so feverishly dreamed, but ever snatched away, held hidden and aloof; now smiting the senses with a dizzy flash! “Surrender”? We had no rumor of this from the messages that had been passing between Grant and Lee, for now these two days, behind us. “Surrender”? It takes a moment to gather one’s speech. “Sir,” I answer, “that matter exceeds my authority. I will send to my superior. General Lee is right. He can do no more.” All this with a forced calmness, covering a tumult of heart and brain. …

I was doubtful of my duty. The flag of truce was in, but I had no right to act upon it without orders. There was still some firing from various quarters, lulling a little where the white flag passed near. But I did not press things quite so hard. Just then a last cannon-shot from the edge of the town plunges through the breast of a gallant and dear young officer in my front line, — Lieutenant Clark, of the 185th New York, — the last man killed in the Army of the Potomac, if not the last in the Appomattox lines. Not a strange thing for war, — this swift stroke of the mortal; but coming after the truce was in, it seemed a cruel fate for one so deserving to share his country’s joy, and a sad peace-offering for us all.

I’m looking forward to Civil War Daily Gazette’s report on the surrender later this afternoon.

NY T 4-10-1865

NY T 4-10-1865

President Lincoln returned got back home from City Point 150 years ago this evening:

The River Queen reached Washington early on the evening of April 9, and Stanton greeted Lincoln with a momentous telegram from Grant: “General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia this morning,” at a place called Appomattox Courthouse. Lincoln and Stanton threw their arms around one another. and Stanton, “his iron mask torn off, was trotting about in exhilarated joy,” said an onlooker. Lincoln made his way through the torch-lit streets, already thronging with people, and called at Seward’s home. [and spoke with his bedridden Secretary of State, who had been severely injured in a carriage accident on April 5th.][1]

I’m not sure about the timing on when Lincoln got the word of surrender, and, as you can see in the Times clipping, Grant’s telegram mentioned an afternoon surrender. I don’t doubt that Secretary of War Stanton was joyful. Check out his order for 200 gun salutes to the left.

Hiram Clark - NY 185th Infantry

Hiram Clark – NY 185th Infantry

  1. [1]Oates, Stephen B. With Malice Toward None. New York: New American Library, 1977. Print. page 458.↩
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make love, and war

Posted on April 8, 2015 by SUMPTER

Spring’s not a bad time to celebrate the creative arts. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in April 1865:

A corporal of the 18th New Hampshire regiment was recently taken ill and sent to the hospital, and in a few hours afterwards presented her comrades with a fine, healthy “raw recruit.”

It is written that the the 18th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry was serving in the Appomattox campaign 150 years ago this month.

Unidentified woman sitting with her arm resting on a table (between 1860 and 1870; LOC: LC-DIG-ppmsca-36993)

“Unidentified woman sitting with her arm resting on a table” (Library of Congress)

Unidentified woman sitting with her arm resting on a table

and a few women just joined up

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dropped out at Farmsville

Posted on April 8, 2015 by SUMPTER
NY Times 4-9-1865

NY Times 4-9-1865

From Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (in chapter 66):

This [General Lee’s letter of April 7th] was not satisfactory, but I regarded it as deserving another letter and wrote him as follows:

April 8, 1865.

GENERAL R. E. LEE,
Commanding C. S. A.

Your note of last evening in reply to mine of same date, asking the condition 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 great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, namely: that the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet you, or will 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.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieut.-General.

Lee’s army was rapidly crumbling. Many of his soldiers had enlisted from that part of the State where they now were, and were continually dropping out of the ranks and going to their homes. I know that I occupied a hotel almost destitute of furniture at Farmville, which had probably been used as a Confederate hospital. The next morning when I came out I found a Confederate colonel there, who reported to me and said that he was the proprietor of that house, and that he was a colonel of a regiment that had been raised in that neighborhood. He said that when he came along past home, he found that he was the only man of the regiment remaining with Lee’s army, so he just dropped out, and now wanted to surrender himself. I told him to stay there and he would not be molested. That was one regiment which had been eliminated from Lee’s force by this crumbling process.

observed the "crumbling process" (Library of Congress, Music Division.)

observed the “crumbling process” (Library of Congress, Music Division.)

Although Sheridan had been marching all day, his troops moved with alacrity and without any straggling. They began to see the end of what they had been fighting four years for. Nothing seemed to fatigue them. They were ready to move without rations and travel without rest until the end. Straggling had entirely ceased, and every man was now a rival for the front. The infantry marched about as rapidly as the cavalry could.

Sheridan sent Custer with his division to move south of Appomattox Station, which is about five miles south-west of the Court House, to get west of the trains and destroy the roads to the rear. They got there the night of the 8th, and succeeded partially; but some of the train men had just discovered the movement of our troops and succeeded in running off three of the trains. The other four were held by Custer.

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home and way

Posted on April 7, 2015 by SUMPTER
Hartwell Compson, Civil War Medal of Honor

with a Silver Watch from his Democratic friends

Apparently a Medal of Honor recipient from Seneca Falls, New York was home on furlough during at least some of the dramatic events in the first part of April 1865.

Two clippings from Seneca County, New York newspapers in April 1865:

AT HOME. – Major H.B. Compson of the 8th N.Y. Cavalry, of whom we spoke last week, as the bearer of dispatches and battle flags from Gen. Sheridan to the War Department, arrived home on Friday of last week. He will return to his regiment in the course of a few days.

Watch Presentation.

Maj. H.B. Compson, of the 8th N.Y. Cavalry, was the recipient of a beautiful Silver Watch, at the hands of his Democratic friends on Tuesday evening. The presentation took place at Carr’s Hotel and was a very pleasant affair. Gen. Miller, in a brief and appropriate speech, alluding to the position of parties, recounting the many battles and skirmishes through which the Major had passed, the hardships of war, and the heroic part which he had borne with the gallant Sheridan, made the presentation. The major responded, thanking his friends and neighbors for the beautiful gift, and for the many other acts of kindness at their hands, during his connection with the army. He had, as a soldier, performed his duty, and was happy to know that his services were appreciated by his Democratic friends. The Major concluded by inviting his friends to partake of a supper prepared by Mr. Carr for the occasion. The party numbering about forty, then sat down to an excellent repast, where an hour or two was spent in the most agreeable manner. Toasts were given and speeches made, appropriate to the occasion. Major Compson returned to his regiment on Wednesday morning.

Gen. Phil. Sheridan (LOC: LC-DIG-pga-04617)

“the gallant Sheridan”

Back at the rapidly moving front – From Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (in chapters 65 and 66):

I rode in to Farmville on the 7th, arriving there early in the day. Sheridan and Ord were pushing through, away to the south. Meade was back towards the High Bridge, and Humphreys confronting Lee as before stated. After having gone into bivouac at Prince Edward’s Court House, Sheridan learned that seven trains of provisions and forage were at Appomattox, and determined to start at once and capture them; and a forced march was necessary in order to get there before Lee’s army could secure them. He wrote me a note telling me this. This fact, together with the incident related the night before by Dr. Smith, gave me the idea of opening correspondence with General Lee on the subject of the surrender of his army. I therefore wrote to him on this day, as follows:

Farmville (Plan of the Battle of Cumberland Church, Va. ; LOC: http://www.loc.gov/item/gvhs01.vhs00192/)

“Plan of the Battle of Cumberland Church, Va. ” (Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division)

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE U. S.,
5 P.M., April 7, 1865.

GENERAL R. E. LEE
Commanding C. S. A.

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.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieut.-General.

Lee replied on the evening of the same day as follows:

April 7, 1865.

GENERAL: I have received your note of this day. Though not entertaining the opinion you express on 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.

LIEUT.-GENERAL U. S. GRANT,
Commanding Armies of the U. S.

According to the New York State Military Museum the 8th New York Cavalry was not directly engaged 150 years ago today; it would suffer its last casualties in battle on April 8th.

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gallant rebels in another ‘sad defeat’

Posted on April 6, 2015 by admin
NY Times 4-8-1865

NY Times 4-8-1865

150 years ago today the Union army defeated the Confederates at the Battle of Sailor’s Creek

From Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (in chapters 65 and 66):

I then started with a few of my staff and a very small escort of cavalry, going directly through the woods, to join Meade’s army. The distance was about sixteen miles; but the night being dark our progress was slow through the woods in the absence of direct roads. However, we got to the outposts about ten o’clock in the evening, and after some little parley convinced the sentinels of our identity and were conducted in to where Sheridan was bivouacked. We talked over the situation for some little time, Sheridan explaining to me what he thought Lee was trying to do, and that Meade’s orders, if carried out, moving to the right flank, would give him the coveted opportunity of escaping us and putting us in rear of him.

We then together visited Meade, reaching his headquarters about midnight. I explained to Meade that we did not want to follow the enemy; we wanted to get ahead of him, and that his orders would allow the enemy to escape, and besides that, I had no doubt that Lee was moving right then. Meade changed his orders at once. They were now given for an advance on Amelia Court House, at an early hour in the morning, as the army then lay; that is, the infantry being across the railroad, most of it to the west of the road, with the cavalry swung out still farther to the left.

The Appomattox, going westward, takes a long sweep to the south-west from the neighborhood of the Richmond and Danville Railroad bridge, and then trends north-westerly. Sailor’s Creek, an insignificant stream, running northward, empties into the Appomattox between the High Bridge and Jetersville. Near the High Bridge the stage road from Petersburg to Lynchburg crosses the Appomattox River, also on a bridge. The railroad runs on the north side of the river to Farmville, a few miles west, and from there, recrossing, continues on the south side of it. The roads coming up from the south-east to Farmville cross the Appomattox River there on a bridge and run on the north side, leaving the Lynchburg and Petersburg Railroad well to the left.

Lee, in pushing out from Amelia Court House, availed himself of all the roads between the Danville Road and Appomattox River to move upon, and never permitted the head of his columns to stop because of any fighting that might be going on in his rear. In this way he came very near succeeding in getting to his provision trains and eluding us with at least part of his army.

As expected, Lee’s troops had moved during the night before, and our army in moving upon Amelia Court House soon encountered them. There was a good deal of fighting before Sailor’s Creek was reached. Our cavalry charged in upon a body of theirs which was escorting a wagon train in order to get it past our left. A severe engagement ensued, in which we captured many prisoners, and many men also were killed and wounded. There was as much gallantry displayed by some of the Confederates in these little engagements as was displayed at any time during the war, notwithstanding the sad defeats of the past week.

The armies finally met on Sailor’s Creek, when a heavy engagement took place, in which infantry, artillery and cavalry were all brought into action. Our men on the right, as they were brought in against the enemy, came in on higher ground, and upon his flank, giving us every advantage to be derived from the lay of the country. Our firing was also very much more rapid, because the enemy commenced his retreat westward and in firing as he retreated had to turn around every time he fired. The enemy’s loss was very heavy, as well in killed and wounded as in captures. Some six general officers fell into our hands in this engagement, and seven thousand men were made prisoners. This engagement was commenced in the middle of the afternoon of the 6th, and the retreat and pursuit were continued until nightfall, when the armies bivouacked upon the ground where the night had overtaken them.

Shelby Foote[1] wrote about one of captured Confederate generals:

No wonder, then, that a Federal colonel visiting Sheridan’s headquarters that evening found Richard Ewell “sitting on the ground hugging his knees, with his face bent down between his arms.” Old Bald Head now bore little resemblance to the self he had been when he was Stonewall Jackson’s mainstay, two years ago in the Shenandoah Valley. “Our cause is lost. Lee should surrender before more lives are wasted,” he was reported to have told his captors. watching him, the colonel remarked that “if anything could add force to his words, the utter despondency of his air would do it.”

  1. [1]Foote, Shelby. The Civil War, A Narrative. Vol. 3. Red River to Appomattox. New York: Random House, 1986. Print. page 919.↩
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“Our army is ruined, I fear”

Posted on April 6, 2015 by admin

From The New-York Times April 7, 1865:

THE REBEL ROUT.; Lee’s Retreat Cut off by Sheridan. BURKESVILLE IN OUR POSSESSION Lee’s Army at Amelia Court House, East of Burkesville. A Junction Between Lee’s Forces and Johnston’s Now Impossible. Sheridan Hopes to Capture the Whole Rebel Army. The Infantry Moving Rapidly to His Support. General Grant at Sheridan’s Headquarters. [OFFICIAL.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, April 6, 1865 — 12 o’clock noon.

Maj. Gen. Dix:

The following telegram announces the probable speedy destruction of Gen. LEE’s army if our troops get up to support SHERIDAN, who has headed off the enemy.

EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

JUNCTION SOUTHSIDE AND DANVILLE RAILROAD, BURKESVILLE, VA., April 5 — 10 o’clock P.M.

Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War:

Lieut. Gen. GRANT received the following dispatch at 6:30 P.M., while on his way to this point, and at once proceeded to Gen. SHERIDAN’s headquarters. Gen. GRANT desired me to transmit the dispatch to you, on the opening of the telegraph at this place, and to say that the Sixth Corps, without doubt, reached Gen. SHERIDAN’s position within an hour or two after the dispatch was written. Two divisions of the Twenty-fourth Corps will encamp here to-night, and one division of the Twenty-fifth Army Corps at Black’s and White’s Station, Southside Railroad.

S. WILLIAMS, Brig.-Gen.

DISPATCH FROM GEN. SHERIDAN,

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY, JETTERSVILLE, April 5-3 P.M.

To Lieut. U.S. Grant:

GENERAL: I send you the enclosed letter, which will give you an idea of the condition of the enemy and their whereabouts. I sent Gen. DAVIES’ brigade this morning around on my left flank. He captured, at Fame’s Cross Roads, five pieces artillery, about two hundred wagons and eight or nine battle-flags, and a number of prisoners. The Second Army Corps is now coming up. I wish you were here yourself. I feel confident of capturing the army of Northern Vir-Virginia if we exert ourselves. I see no escape for LEE. I will put all my cavalry out on our left flank, except MCKENZIE, who is now on the right.

(Signed,) P.H. SHERIDAN, Major-General.

THE LETTER.

AMELIA COURT-HOUSE, April 5, 1865.

DEAR MAMMA: Our army is ruined, I fear. We are all safe as yet. SHYRON left us sick; JOHN TAYLOR is well; saw him yesterday. We are in line of battle this evening. Gen. ROBERT LEE is in the field, near us. My trust is still in the justice of our cause and in God. Gen. HILL is killed. I saw MURRAY a few moments since. BERNARD TERRY, it is said, was taken prisoner, but managed to get out. I send this by a negro, I see passing up the railroad to Michlenburgh. Love to all.

Your devoted son,

W.B. TAYLOR, Colonel.

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“promenade in blue”

Posted on April 4, 2015 by SUMPTER
Union soldiers and band marching through a city street on their way to join the Civil War (Hartford, Ct. : Calhoun Show Print., [between 1880 and 1900]; LOC: LC-USZC4-1446)

“Union soldiers and band marching through a city street on their way to join the Civil War” (library of Congress)

The federal occupation of Richmond allowed President Lincoln to see it 150 years ago today. The fall of Richmond also increased volunteer recruits in New York City because it was believed that becoming a Union soldier suddenly was much less likely to be a ‘covenant with death’. Also, the busier the Provost Marshal’s office could be kept with the extreme paperwork of signing up a volunteer, the less time they would have to enforce the draft.

From The New-York Times

THE DRAFT.; Recruiting Very Brisk A Fair Prospect of no more Drafting The Drawing Finished in the Twenty-first Ward. Drafted Men Twenty-first Ward.

The aspect of the drafting question, yesterday, was far less unpromising than on any previous day. The victories in Virginia induce a notion, by no means without reason, that enlistment now is much more like an engagement to take promenade in blue at a very fair rate of wages, and much less like a covenent with death than heretofore. The one year plan of the County Committee is also a good one, and largely economizes the funds. The subscriptions to the county loan continue to come in, though to be sure, not without some effort. The repayment from the State of bounty money, advanced by the county, is, if not formally agreed in, yet reasonably sure to be made within a few days. The efforts of the ward organizations are kept up with considerable effect.

NY Times 4-5-1865

NY Times 4-5-1865

In consequence of all these causes together, there was in fact no drafting whatever in the city yesterday, except to complete it in the Twenty-first Ward, where it had already begun. There was, moreover, a supply of money at the office of each of the District Provost-Marshals, Supervisor BLUNT having furnished them with $3,000 each, and in one at least (the Seventh, Capt WAGNER’s,) money was also furnished by citizens of the ward. Thus, Capt. WAGNER enlisted in all, up to three o’clock, sixteen men, and rejected about as many; for about half of those who apply are unable to pass the Surgeon’s examination, or are mere boys. At the Park about sixty in all were enlisted.

The number enlisted in the city on Monday, the 3d inst., was in all 105; of whom 73 were volunteers and 32 substitutes. In the order of size of respective contributions the six districts stood thus: Fourth, 35 men; Sixth, 22; Seventh, 18; Eighth, 12; Fifth, 10; Ninth, 8.

As no less than twenty-two different papers must be made out and signed after the reception of a volunteer, the enlistment of an average of fifteen men a day gives constant employment to the attaches of District Provost-Marshal’s office, and prevents the immediate enforcement of the draft. Should the business prove less active to-day, the drafting will, however take place, and the quota of the Eleventh Ward be filled.

Yesterday was the appearance day for conscripts in the Fourth District, but there were, we believe, no compliances with the notice. It is understood that the examining and mustering of recruits is the first business of the Provost-Marshal, but that if this does not keep him occupied, Capt. ERHARDT has orders to go and look up the delinquents.

A noticeable resolution was introduced into the Board of Supervisors yesterday by Supervisor Fox, which will be found elsewhere reported, with the proceedings of that body, and which lies over for consideration. The resolution is in substance, that the enlisting which is done by the Committee at the Park is just so much work taken away from the Provost-Marshals, and consequently so much done towards securing a draft, by increasing the risk of their being left idle, and that as the men might just as well go to the various district headquarters, the Committee be directed for the present to simply oversee the expenditure of the money in their charge, and to let the district Provost-Marshals do all the enlisting.

The following is the list of names drawn yesterday in the Twenty-first Ward, completing the work there. The whole number drawn is 334, and it is claimed that credits justly due the ward reduce the actual demand upon it to only about 150:

[about 158 names]

This completed the draft in the Twenty-first Ward, and the announcement of the fact was received with cheers.

One of the major themes in the notebook of Civil War clippings at the Seneca Falls, New York public library was the draft. 150 years ago this month things were working out pretty well – the town would mostly be saved from conscription. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in April 1865:

Supervisor Burt is succeeding admirably in filling the quota of this town, and is entitled to the thanks of the entire community for his efforts in saving us from conscription. Only fourteen men were required on Thursday evening to fill our quota, and half this number will be secured before Saturday night. We shall have our compliment of men before the middle of next week.

[Richmond, Va. Crippled locomotive, Richmond & Petersburg Railroad depot] (1865; LOC: LC-DIG-cwpb-02704)

“Richmond, Va. Crippled locomotive, Richmond & Petersburg Railroad depot” – 1865 (Library of Congress)

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