The army is refitted.

The railroads back to the sea-ports of Wilmington and Beaufort were quickly repaired. The army moved into camp to rest and receive the supplies and clothing it needed. The men had been working in rain and in water during a march of four hundred miles, and required clothing throughout.

Sherman, now leaving Schofield in command, went to City Point, and reached Grant's head-quarters on the evening of the 27th of March.

On the 10th of April the men were all reclad, the wag. ons reloaded, and forage accumulated ahead. Stoneman, who, as previously mentioned, had been in command of a division of cavalry operating in East Tennessee in connec tion with Thomas, now, under Sherman's orders, reached the railroad about Greensboro, North Carolina, pushed along it to Salisbury, destroying bridges, culverts, and dépôts. He extended the break on this railroad down to the Catawba Bridge-a severe blow to the armies of Lee and Johnston, who depended on it for supplies, and as their ultimate line of retreat.

It is ready to resume hostilities,

Johnston was at this time at Smithfield, intervening between Sherman and Raleigh. At daybreak on the 10th, all the heads of Sherman's columns were in motion against the enemy. Thereupon Johnston rapidly retreated across the Neuse River, and, having the railroad to lighten his trains, could retreat faster than Sherman could pursue. The rains had set in, making it necessary to corduroy the roads to pass even ambulances. Inspirited by the news which reached them of Grant's suc cess, the soldiers, in spite of the tempestuous weather and dreadful roads, pushed on, the Confederate army retreating rapidly from Hillsboro to Greensboro, intending to make

when a letter

received.

its way by Salisbury and Charlotte, when, from Johnston is on the 14th of April, Sherman received a let ter from Johnston, which was followed, as we shall find on a subsequent page, by very important events.

CHAPTER XC.

THE CAPTURE OF PETERSBURG AND RICHMOND BY THE ARMY

OF THE EAST.

In the spring of 1865 the condition of the Confederacy was evidently becoming desperate. Extraordinary measures were therefore taken to meet the crisis. General Lee was promoted to the command of all the Confederate forces, and, though it had denounced that policy when adopted by the national government, the Confederacy now determined to arm the slaves.

On the 29th of March General Grant resumed offensive operations, acting by his left. THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS was fought and won by Sheridan. The lines of Petersburg were assaulted and carried.

Richmond was instantly evacuated by the Confederate army. That city and Petersburg were entered by the national troops. The President of the Confederacy and

his Cabinet escaped. The city was set on fire by a Confederate general, and sacked by its own populace.

The flag of the United States was raised on the Capitol of the Confederacy.

Grant's spring

WINTER in those states that were the seat of war was now passing away; the season for reopening campaign, 1865. the campaign was at hand. Though Richmond was beleaguered on all sides, and, under Grant's re morseless strategy, the Confederate armies were disappearing, the inhabitants of that capital, from whom a knowl edge of the true state of affairs was sedulously concealed, still trusted in the valor of their troops and the strength of their fortifications. To them the danger did not seem more imminent than after the battle of Malvern Hill, and from that they had come forth with glory. Their journals supplied them with acceptable but fictitious news of the exhaustion and defeats of their enemies, and of resplendent Southern victories. A light was shining over the Confed eracy, but it was the corruption-gleam of death. Some minor affairs had taken place. On the night of the 23d of January the three Confederate ironclads Virginia, Richmond, and Freder icksburg attempted to destroy Grant's shipping in the

Minor antecedent affairs.

James, induced to this by the withdrawal of troops and ships for the attack on Wilmington; they were accompa nied by five steamers and three torpedo-boats. Two of the iron-clads ran aground, one of the steamers had to be blown up, and the expedition failed.

On the 5th of February Grant made an abortive attempt to turn the Confederate lines at Hatcher's Run. It cost him 2000 men, the Confederates losing about 1000. The only success gained was an extension of his line westward a short distance. At this time his lines reached Hatcher's Run, and the Weldon Railroad had been destroyed to Hicksford.

On February 9th, 1865, Lee was promoted from the command of the Army of Northern Virginia to that of all the military forces of the Confederacy. Things were obviously drawing to a close. On the 3d of March Grant addressed Stanton:

to Stanton.

"General Ord met General Longstreet a few days ago, at the reLetter of Grant quest of the latter, to arrange for the exchange of citizen prisoners and prisoners of war improperly captured. He had my authority to do so, and to arrange it definitely for such as were confined in his department. A general conversation ensued on the subject of the war. It has induced the [following] letter. I have not returned any reply, but promised to do so at 12 M. to-morrow. I respectfully request instructions."

The letter here referred to is from General Lee. It is dated March 2d:

Letter of Lee to Grant.

"GENERAL,-Lieutenant General Longstreet has informed me that, in a recent conversation between himself and Major General Ord as to the possibility of arriving at a satisfactory adjustment of the present unhappy difficulties by means of a military convention, General Ord stated that if I desired to have an interview with you you would not decline, provided I had authority to act. Sincerely desiring to leave nothing untried which may put an end to the calamities of war, I propose to meet you at such time and place as you may designate, with the hope that, upon an interchange of views, it may be found practicable to submit the subjects of controversy between the belligerents to a convention of the kind mentioned.

III-N N

"In such event, I am authorized to do whatever the result of the proposed interview may render necessary or advisable.

"Should you accede to this proposition, I would suggest that, if agreeable to you, we meet at the place selected by Generals Ord and Longstreet for their interview at 11 A.M. on Monday next."

To Grant's letter the Secretary of War replied:

Letter of Stanton to Grant.

"The President directs me to say to you that he wishes you to have no conference with General Lee, unless it be for the capitulation of Lee's army, or on solely minor and purely military matters.

"He instructs me to say that you are not to decide, discuss, or confer upon any political question. Such questions the President holds in his own hands, and will submit them to no military conferences or conventions. Meantime you are to press to the utmost your military advantages."

Lee and Stanton.

Grant therefore replied courteously to Lee, declining the Letters of Grant to interview, on the ground that authority to act in the matter was vested in the President of the United States alone. He also addressed a letter to the Secretary of War, which it is proper here to quote, as it throws light on his subsequent action in the negotiations between Sherman and Johnston. It is dated March 4th:

"I can assure you that no act of the enemy will prevent me from pressing all the advantages gained to the utmost of my ability; neither will I, under any circumstances, exceed my authority, or in any way embarrass the government.

"It was because I had no right to meet General Lee on the subject proposed by him that I referred the matter for instruction.

"I have written a letter to General Lee, a copy of which will be sent you by to-morrow's mail."

In the beginning of March Lee had determined to evacState of affairs in uate Petersburg and Richmond, and to join the Confederacy. Johnston's army. From all directions troops were converging upon him. His strength was daily dimin ishing, and it was not possible for him to conceal from himself that the last hour of the Confederacy was approaching. The territory controlled by Davis had shrunk into small dimensions-a part of Virginia and a part of North Caro

lina; there was not meat enough in that territory to sus tain the army. The capture of Wilmington had closed the avenue from Nassau, and cut off all foreign sources of supply. Should Grant succeed, as now appeared to be inevitable, in breaking the Danville Railroad, it would bring affairs instantly to a crisis. Davis made convulsive efforts to escape the impending doom. A tax bill provided that agriculturists must pay in kind one tenth of their produce. All property, real and personal, must pay 8 per cent.; specie, bullion, and bills of exchange, 20 per cent. A tax of 25 per cent. was imposed on all coin held by banks or individuals in excess of two hundred dollars. It was also determined to arm the slaves. We have seen It is resolved to arm the slaves. (vol. iii., p. 485) the circumstances under which this policy had been adopted. Again and again we have remarked how bitterly such a course in the national government had been denounced by the Confederate. It was this that had led to the massacre of Fort Pillow, and to the barbarities of Andersonville; it was this that had stopped the exchange of prisoners. Now, notwithstanding all that had been said, the Confederates resolved to make soldiers of their slaves. But every one felt that the object for which the war had ostensibly been entered upon the interests of slavery was sacrificed. As it was, the arming of the slaves was conceded too late. Before it could be carried into effect the Confederacy had ceased to exist. Yet it was well that the measure was adopted; it showed the Southern people the insincerity, the duplicity of their political guides.

If Lee remained in Petersburg, his destruction became unavoidable as soon as Sherman crossed the Roanoke, a movement which Johnston could not prevent. If Lee, joined by Johnston while Sherman's army was refitting, should make an attack on Grant behind his intrenchments, there was no hope that they could be successful. Grant could hold them at bay until Sherman came up, when there