Today in History:

58 Series I Volume XLVI-I Serial 95 - Appomattox Campaign Part I

Page 58 N.AND SE.VA., N. C., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.

he given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regiment commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to received 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 his home, not to be disturbed by U. S. authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, April 9, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: I have received your letter of this 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 instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.

R. E. LEE,
General.

The command of Major-General Gibbon, the Fifth Army Corps, under Griffin, and Mackenzie's cavalry were designated to remain at Appomattox Court-House until the paroling of the surrendered army was completed, and to take charge of the public property. The remainder of the army immediately returned to the vicinity of Burkeville. General Lee's great influence throughout the whole South caused his example to be followed, and to-day the result is that the armies lately under his leadership are at their homes, desiring peace and quiet, and their arms are in the hands of our ordnance officers.*

On the receipt of my letter of the 5th, General Sherman moved directly against Joe Johnston, who retreated rapidly on and through Raleigh, which place General Sherman occupied on the morning of the 13th. The day preceding news of the surrender of General Lee reached him at Smithfield. On the 14th a correspondence was opened between General Sherman and General Johnston, which resulted on the 18th in an agreement for suspension of hostilities ad a memorandum or basis for peace, subject to the approval of the President. This agreement was disapproved by the President on the 21st, which disapproval, together with your instructions, was communicated by General Sherman by me in person, on the morning of the 24th, at Relight, N. C., in obedience to your orders. Notice was at once given by him to General Johnston for the termination of the truce that had been entered into. On the 25th another meeting between them was agreed upon, to take place on the 26th, which terminated in the surrender and disbandment of Johnston's army upon substantially the same terms as were given to General Lee.+

The expedition under General Stoneman from East Tennessee got off on the 20th of March, moving by way of Bonne, N. C., and struck the railroad at Wytheville, Chambersburg, and Big Lick. The force striking it at Big Lick pushed on the within a few miles of Lynchburg, destroying the important bridges, while with the main force he effectually destroyed it between New River and Big Lick, and then turned for Greesborough, on the North Carolina railroad, struck that road, and

---------------

*For subordinate reports of the final operations against Lee's army, see p. 557.

+For subordinate deports of the final operations against Johnston's army, see Vol. XLVII, Part I.

---------------


Page 58 N.AND SE.VA., N. C., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.