Capt. Harlock
Posts: 5358
Joined: 9/15/2001 From: Los Angeles Status: offline
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150 Years Ago Today: Unlike the process for a Federal law, the President's signature is not required for an amendment to the Constitution. Nonetheless, Lincoln could not resist adding his mark to the 13th amendment. On this date, he wrote the word "Approved", and signed it. In Illinois, the news of the amendment had been brought by telegraph, and Lincoln's home state lost no time, becoming the first state to ratify it. In Virginia, Major Thomas Eckert met with the three Southern peace commissioners. CITY POINT, VA., February 1, 1865. Messrs. ALEX. H. STEPHENS, J. A. CAMPBELL, and R. M. T. HUNTER: GENTLEMEN: I am instructed by the President of the United States to place this paper in your hands, with the information that, if you pass through the United States military lines, it will be understood that you do so for the purpose of an informal conference, on the basis of the letter, a copy of which is on the reverse side of this sheet, and that, if you choose to pass on such understanding, and so notify me in writing, I will procure the commanding general to pass you through the lines and to Fortress Monroe, under such military precautions as he may deem prudent, and at which place you will be met in due time by some person, or persons, for the purpose of such informal conference; and, further, that you shall have protection, safe conduct, and safe return in all events. THOMAS T. ECKERT, Major and Aide-de-Camp. Steohens, Campbell, and Hunter gave Eckert a reply in writing, which might have been unwise: CITY POINT, Va., February 1, 1865. Maj. THOMAS T. ECKERT, Aide-de-Camp: MAJOR: Your note, delivered by yourself this day, has been considered. In reply, we have to say that we were furnished with a copy of the letter of President Lincoln to Francis P. Blair, esq., of the 18th of January ultimo, another copy of which is appended to your note. Our instructions are contained in a letter, of which the following is a copy: RICHMOND, January 28, 1865. In conformity with the letter of Mr. Lincoln, of which the foregoing is a copy, you are to proceed to Washington City for informal conference with him upon the issues involved in the existing war, and for the purpose of securing peace to the two countries. With great respect, your obedient servant, JEFFERSON DAVIS. The substantial object to be obtained by the informal conference is to ascertain upon what terms the existing war can be terminated honorably. Our instructions contemplate a personal interview between President Lincoln and ourselves at Washington City, but with this explanation we are ready to meet any person or persons that President Lincoln may appoint, at such place as he may designate. Our earnest desire is that a just and honorable peace may be agreed upon, and we are prepared to receive or to submit propositions which may possibly lead to the attainment of that end. Very respectfully, yours, ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS. R. M. T. HUNTER. JOHN A. CAMPBELL. This contained the phrase "the two countries", and so was not acceptable to the Northerners. But two hours later there was a message from Grant with a possible opening. For the time being, it did not seem to be enough: CITY POINT, VA., February 1, 1865--10 p.m. His Excellency A. LINCOLN, President of the United States: I have the honor to report the delivery of your communication and my letter at 4.15 this afternoon, to which I received a reply at 6 p.m., but not satisfactory. At 8 p.m. the following note addressed to General Grant was received: CITY POINT, VA., February 1, 1865. Lieutenant-General GRANT: SIR: We desire to go to Washington City to confer informally with the President personally, in reference to the matters mentioned in his letter to Mr. Blair of the 18th of January ultimo, without any personal compromise on any question in the letter. We have the permission to do so from the authorities in Richmond. Very respectfully, yours, ALEX. H. STEPHENS. R. M. T. HUNTER. J. A. CAMPBELL. At 9.30 p.m. I notified them that they could not proceed further unless they complied with the terms expressed in my letter. The point of meeting designated in the above note would not, in my opinion, be insisted upon. Think Fort Monroe would be acceptable. Having complied with my instructions I will return to Washington to-morrow unless otherwise ordered. THOS. T. ECKERT, Major, &c. Since the peace commissioners were still detained at City Point, when Secretary Seward arrived at Fort Monroe and the port of Hampton Roads, he found no Southerners waiting for him: FORT MONROE, VA., February 1, 1865--11.30 p.m. The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Arrived at 10 this evening. Richmond party not here. I remain here. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. While matters were stalemated in Virginia, just north of Savannah, William Tecumseh Sherman's army finally began the move into South Carolina: The actual strength of the army, as given in the following official tabular statements, was at the time sixty thousand and seventy-nine men, and sixty-eight guns. The trains were made up of about twenty-five hundred wagons, with six mules to each wagon, and about six hundred ambulances, with two horses each. The contents of the wagons embraced an ample supply of ammunition for a great battle; forage for about seven days, and provisions for twenty days, mostly of bread, sugar, coffee, and salt, depending largely for fresh meat on beeves driven on the hoof and such cattle, hogs, and poultry, as we expected to gather along our line of march. [...] All these columns started promptly on the 1st of February. We encountered Wheeler's cavalry, which had obstructed the road by felling trees, but our men picked these up and threw them aside, so that this obstruction hardly delayed us an hour. In person I accompanied the Fifteenth Corps (General Logan) by McPhersonville and Hickory Hill, and kept couriers going to and fro to General Slocum with instructions to hurry as much as possible, so as to make a junction of the whole army on the South Carolina Railroad about Blackville. --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman General-in-Chief Grant had tried to create another coordinated offensive as had happened in May of the previous year. He had ordered Edward Canby, commanding in Louisiana, to advance his forces against Mobile, and George Thomas, commanding in Tennessee, to advance into Georgia and North Carolina. Neither move would happen for nearly two months, allowing the Rebels to concentrate against Sherman's columns. Worse still, the Yankees were moving during the winter rainy season, across terrain that was largely swamp. Many Southerners believed that the Union march would meet the same fate as Burnside's "Mud March" of January 1863. Sherman was well aware the task before his men would be difficult. He later rated the march in South Carolina as ten times more difficult than the March to the Sea. But he also had a major advantage: at that point in history, there were probably not sixty thousand more experienced or tougher soldiers anywhere in the world.
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< Message edited by Capt. Harlock -- 2/2/2015 4:55:29 AM >
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Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers? --Victor Hugo
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