Entering Raleigh on the morning of the thirteenth, he turned his heads of column southwest, hoping to cut off Johnston’s southward march, but made no great haste, thinking Johnston’s cavalry superior to his own, and desiring Sheridan to join him before he pushed the Confederates to extremities.  While here, however, he received a communication from General Johnston, dated the thirteenth, proposing an armistice to enable the National and Confederate governments to negotiate on equal terms.  It had been dictated by Jefferson Davis during the conference at Greensboro, written down by S.R.  Mallory, and merely signed by Johnston, and was inadmissible and even offensive in its terms; but Sherman, anxious for peace, and himself incapable of discourtesy to a brave enemy, took no notice of its language, and answered so cordially that the Confederates were probably encouraged to ask for better conditions of surrender than they had expected to receive.

The two great antagonists met on April 17, when Sherman offered Johnston the same terms that had been accorded Lee, and also communicated the news he had that morning received of the murder of Mr. Lincoln.  The Confederate general expressed his unfeigned sorrow at this calamity, which smote the South, he said, as deeply as the North; and in this mood of sympathy the discussion began.  Johnston asserted that he would not be justified in such a capitulation as Sherman proposed, but suggested that together they might arrange the terms of a permanent peace.  This idea pleased Sherman, to whom the prospect of ending the war without shedding another drop of blood was so tempting that he did not sufficiently consider the limits of his authority in the matter.  It can be said, moreover, in extenuation of his course, that President Lincoln’s despatch to Grant of March 3, which expressly forbade Grant to “decide, discuss, or to confer upon any political question,” had never been communicated to Sherman; while the very liberality of Grant’s terms led him to believe that he was acting in accordance with the views of the administration.

But the wisdom of Lincoln’s peremptory order was completely vindicated.  With the best intentions in the world, Sherman, beginning very properly by offering his antagonist the same terms accorded Lee, ended, after two days’ negotiation, by making a treaty of peace with the Confederate States, including a preliminary armistice, the disbandment of the Confederate armies, recognition by the United States Executive of the several State governments, reestablishment of the Federal courts, and a general amnesty.  “Not being fully empowered by our respective principals to fulfil these terms,” the agreement truthfully concluded, “we individually and officially pledge ourselves to promptly obtain the necessary authority.”

The rebel President, with unnecessary formality, required a report from General Breckinridge, his Secretary of War, on the desirability of ratifying this most favorable convention.  Scarcely had he given it his indorsement when news came that it had been disapproved at Washington, and that Sherman had been directed to continue his military operations; and the peripatetic government once more took up its southward flight.