memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第70部分

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　intrenchments　and　fight　us　on　equal　terms。

Both　General　Grant　and　myself　supposed　that　one　or　the　other　of　us　would　have　to　fight　one　more　bloody　battle；　and　that　it　would　be　the　last。　　Mr。　Lincoln　exclaimed；　more　than　once；　that　there　had　been　blood　enough　shed；　and　asked　us　if　another　battle　could　not　be　avoided。　　I　remember　well　to　have　said　that　we　could　not　control　that　event；　that　this　necessarily　rested　with　our　enemy；　and　I　inferred　that　both　Jeff。　Davis　and　General　Lee　would　be　forced　to　fight　one　more　desperate　and　bloody　battle。　　I　rather　supposed　it　would　fall　on　me；　somewhere　near　Raleigh；　and　General　Grant　added　that；　if　Lee　would　only　wait　a　few　more　days；　he　would　have　his　army　so　disposed　that　if　the　enemy　should　abandon　Richmond；　and　attempt　to　make　junction　with　General　Jos。　Johnston　in　North　Carolina；　he　（General　Grant）　would　be　on　his　heels。　　Mr。　Lincoln　more　than　once　expressed　uneasiness　that　I　was　not　with　my　army　at　Goldsboro'；　when　I　again　assured　him　that　General　Schofield　was　fully　competent　to　command　in　my　absence；　that　I　was　going　to　start　back　that　very　day；　and　that　Admiral　Porter　had　kindly　provided　for　me　the　steamer　Bat；　which　he　said　was　much　swifter　than　my　own　vessel；　the　Russia。　　During　this　interview　I　inquired　of　the　President　if　he　was　all　ready　for　the　end　of　the　war。　　What　was　to　be　done　with　the　rebel　armies　when　defeated？　　And　what　should　be　done　with　the　political　leaders；　such　as　Jeff。　Davis；　etc。？　　Should　we　allow　them　to　escape；　etc。？　　He　said　he　was　all　ready；　all　he　wanted　of　us　was　to　defeat　the　opposing　armies；　and　to　get　the　men　composing　the　Confederate　armies　back　to　their　homes；　at　work　on　their　farms　and　in　their　shops。　　As　to　Jeff。　Davis；　he　was　hardly　at　liberty　to　speak　his　mind　fully；　but　intimated　that　he　ought　to　clear　out；　〃escape　the　country；〃　only　it　would　not　do　for　him　to　say　so　openly。　　As　usual；　he　illustrated　his　meaning　by　a　story：

A　man　once　had　taken　the　total…abstinence　pledge。　When　visiting　a　friend；　he　was　invited　to　take　a　drink；　but　declined；　on　the　score　of　his　pledge；　when　his　friend　suggested　lemonade；　which　was　accepted。　　In　preparing　the　lemonade；　the　friend　pointed　to　the　brandy…bottle；　and　said　the　lemonade　would　be　more　palatable　if　he　were　to　pour　in　a　little　brandy；　when　his　guest　said；　if　he　could　do　so　I　unbeknown'　to　him；　he　would　not　object。〃　　From　which　illustration　I　inferred　that　Mr。　Lincoln　wanted　Davis　to　escape；　〃unbeknown〃　to　him。

I　made　no　notes　of　this　conversation　at　the　time；　but　Admiral　Porter；　who　was　present；　did；　and　in　1866　he　furnished　me　an　account　thereof；　which　I　insert　below；　but　the　admiral　describes　the　first　visit；　of　the　27th；　whereas　my　memory　puts　Admiral　Porter's　presence　on　the　following　day。　　Still　he　may　be　right；　and　he　may　have　been　with　us　the　day　before；　as　I　write　this　chiefly　from　memory。　　There　were　two　distinct　interviews；　the　first　was　late　in　the　afternoon　of　March　27th；　and　the　other　about　noon　of　the　28th；　both　in　the　after…cabin　of　the　steamer　River　Queen；　on　both　occasions　Mr。　Lincoln　was　full　and　frank　in　his　conversation；　assuring　me　that　in　his　mind　he　was　all　ready　for　the　civil　reorganization　of　affairs　at　the　South　as　soon　as　the　war　was　over；　and　he　distinctly　authorized　me　to　assure　Governor　Vance　and　the　people　of　North　Carolina　that；　as　soon　as　the　rebel　armies　laid　down　their　arms；　and　resumed　their　civil　pursuits；　they　would　at　once　be　guaranteed　all　their　rights　as　citizens　of　a　common　country；　and　that　to　avoid　anarchy　the　State　governments　then　in　existence；　with　their　civil　functionaries；　would　be　recognized　by　him　as　the　government　de　facto　till　Congress　could　provide　others。

I　know；　when　I　left　him；　that　I　was　more　than　ever　impressed　by　his　kindly　nature；　his　deep　and　earnest　sympathy　with　the　afflictions　of　the　whole　people；　resulting　from　the　war；　and　by　the　march　of　hostile　armies　through　the　South；　and　that　his　earnest　desire　seemed　to　be　to　end　the　war　speedily；　without　more　bloodshed　or　devastation；　and　to　restore　all　the　men　of　both　sections　to　their　homes。　In　the　language　of　his　second　inaugural　address；　he　seemed　to　have　〃charity　for　all；　malice　toward　none；〃　and；　above　all；　an　absolute　faith　in　the　courage；　manliness；　and　integrity　of　the　armies　in　the　field。　　When　at　rest　or　listening；　his　legs　and　arms　seemed　to　hang　almost　lifeless；　and　his　face　was　care…worn　and　haggard；　but；　the　moment　he　began　to　talk；　his　face　lightened　up；　his　tall　form；　as　it　were；　unfolded；　and　he　was　the　very　impersonation　of　good…humor　and　fellowship。　　The　last　words　I　recall　as　addressed　to　me　were　that　he　would　feel　better　when　I　was　back　at　Goldsboro'。　　We　parted　at　the　gangway　of　the　River　Queen；　about　noon　of　March　28th；　and　I　never　saw　him　again。　　Of　all　the　men　I　ever　met；　he　seemed　to　possess　more　of　the　elements　of　greatness；　combined　with　goodness；　than　any　other。



ADMIRAL　PORTER'S　ACCOUNT　OF　THE　INTERVIEW　WITH　Mr。　LINCOLN。

The　day　of　General　Sherman's　arrival　at　City　Point　（I　think　the　27th　of　Marsh；　186G）；　I　accompanied　him　and　General　Grant　on　board　the　President's　flagship；　the　Queen；　where　the　President　received　us　in　the　upper　saloon；　no　one　but　ourselves　being　present。

The　President　was　in　an　exceedingly　pleasant　mood；　and　delighted　to　meet　General　Sherman；　whom　he　cordially　greeted。

It　seems　that　this　was　the　first　time　he　had　met　Sherman；　to　remember　him；　since　the　beginning　of　the　war；　and　did　not　remember　when　he　had　seen　him　before；　until　the　general　reminded　him　of　the　circumstances　of　their　first　meeting。

This　was　rather　singular　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Lincoln；　who　was；　I　think；　remarkable　for　remembering　people；　having　that　kingly　quality　in　an　eminent　degree。　　Indeed；　such　was　the　power　of　his　memory；　that　he　seemed　never　to　forget　the　moat　minute　circumstance。

The　conversation　soon　turned　on　the　events　of　Sherman's　campaign　through　the　South；　with　every　movement　of　which　the　President　seemed　familiar。

He　laughed　over　some　of　the　stories　Sherman　told　of　his　〃bummers；〃　and　told　others　in　return；　which　illustrated　in　a　striking　manner　the　ideas　he　wanted　to　convey。　　For　example；　be　would　often　express　his　wishes　by　telling　an　apt　story；　which　was　quite　a　habit　with　him；　and　one　that　I　think　he　adopted　to　prevent　his　committing　himself　seriously。

The　interview　between　the　two　generals　and　the　President　lasted　about　an　hour　and　a　half；　and；　as　it　was　a　remarkable　one；　I　jotted　down　what　I　remembered　of　the　conversation；　as　I　have　made　a　practice　of　doing　during　the　rebellion；　when　any　thing　interesting　occurred。

I　don't　regret　having　done　so；　as　circumstances　afterward　occurred　（Stanton's　ill　conduct　toward　Sherman）　which　tended　to　cast　odium　on　General　Sherman　for　allowing　such　liberal　terms　to　Jos。　Johnston。

Could　the　conversation　that　occurred　on　board　the　Queen；　between　the　President　and　General　Sherman；　have　been　known；　Sherman　would　not；　and　could　not；　have　been　censored。　　Mr。　Lincoln；　had　he　lived；　would　have　acquitted　the　general　of　any　blame；　for　he　was　only　carrying　out　the　President's　wishes。

My　opinion　is；　that　Mr。　Lincoln　came　down　to　City　Point　with　the　most　liberal　views　toward　the　rebels。　　He　felt　confident　that　we　would　be　successful；　and　was　willing　that　the　enemy　should　capitulate　on　the　most　favorable　terms。

I　don't　know　what　the　President　would　have　done　had　he　been　left　to　himself；　and　had　our　army　been　unsuccessful；　but　he　was　than　wrought　up　to　a　high　state　of　excitement。　　He　wanted　peace　on　almost　any　terms；　and　there　is　no　knowing　what　proposals　he　might　have　been　willing　to　listen　to。　　His　heart　was　tenderness　throughout；　and；　as　long　as　the　rebels　laid　down　their　arms；　he　did　not　care　how　it　was　done。　　I　do　not　know　how　far　he　was　influenced　by　General　Grant；　but　I　presume；　from　their　long　conferences；　that　they　moat　have　understood　each　other　perfectly；　and　that　the　terms　given　to　Lee　after　his　surrender　were　authorized　by　Mr。　Lincoln。　　I　know　that　the　latter　was　delighted　when　he　heard　that　they　had　been　given；　and　exclaimed；　a　dozen　times；　〃Good！〃　　〃All　right！〃　〃Exactly　the　thing！〃　and　other　similar　expressions。　　Indeed；　the　President　more　than　once　told　me　what　he　supposed　the　terms　would　be：　if　Lee　and　Johnston　surrendered；　he　considered　the　war　ended；　and　that　all　the　other　rebel　forces　world　lay　down　their　arms　at　once。

In　this　he　proved　to　be　right。　　Grant　and　Sherman　were　both　of　the　same　opinion；　and　so　was　everyone　else　who　knew　anything　about　the　matter。

What　signified　the　terms　to　them；　so　long　as　we　obtained　the　actual　surrender　of　people　who　only　wanted　a　good　opportunity　to　give　up　gracefully？　　The　rebels　had　fought　〃to　the　last　ditch；〃　and　all　that　they　had　left　them　was　the　hope　of　being　handed　down　in　history　as　having　received　honorable　terms。

After　hearing　General　Sherman's　account　of　his　own　position；　and　that　of　Johnston；　at　that　time；　the　President　expressed　fears　that　the　rebel　general　would　escape　south　again　by　the　railroads；　and　that　General　Sherman　world　have　to　chase　him　anew；　over　the　same　ground；　but　the　general　pronounced　this　to　be　impracticable。　　He　remarked：　〃I　have　him　where　he　cannot　move　without　breaking　up　his　army；　which；　once　disbanded；　can　never　again　be　got　together；　and　I　have　destroyed　the　Southern　railroads；　so　that　they　cannot　be　used　again　for　a　long　time。〃　　General　Grant　remarked；　〃What　is　to　prevent　their　laying　the　rails　again？〃　　〃Why；〃　said　General　Sherman；　〃my　bummers　　don't　do　things　by　halves。　　Every　rail；　after　having　been　placed　over　a　hot　fire；　has　been　twisted　as　crooked　as　a　ram's…horn；　and　they　never　can　be　used　again。〃

This　was　the　only　remark　made　by　General　Grant　during　the　interview；　as　he　sat　smoking　a　short　distance　from　the　President；　intent；　no　doubt；　on　his　own　plans；　which　were　being　brought　to　a　successful　termination。

The　conversation　between　the　President　and　General　Sherman；　about　the　terms　of　surrender　to　be　allowed　Jos。　Johnston；　continued。　Sherman　energetically　insisted　that　he　could　command　his　own　terms；　and　that　Johnston　would　have　to　yield　to　his　demands；　but　the　President　was　very　decided　about　the　matter；　and　insisted　that　the　surrender　of　Johnston's　army　most　be　obtained　on　any　terms。

General　Grant