“Something less than two thousand, including walking wounded,” Gordon replied. “Sixteen hundred able bodies would be my best guess.”
Lee nodded. “General Lee,” he said to Fitz Lee, “transfer the troopers that you’ve detailed to the rear guard to General Gordon’s front.”
“Yes, sir,” Fitz Lee replied. “Where is your advance guard, General Gordon?”
“Appomattox Court House,” Gordon said. “Wallace’s brigade’s resting in the village.”
“We will march at 1:00 o’clock,” Lee said. “The trains and advanced party must push through the village to give General Longstreet time to stand and prepare to defend in case of close pursuit.” He turned toward the shape of Longstreet in the darkness. “Do you acknowledge, General?”
“Yes, sir,” Longstreet said.
“Can you update me about those commands still in your control?”
Longstreet kicked off the blanket and sat up. “It’s about the same as when we marched from Petersburg, except Wallace’s brigade is with General Gordon’s advance, as he said. I’ve also got parts of Ewell’s, Anderson’s and Pickett’s commands reporting to me.”
“I shan’t waste time in recapitulation of today’s action,” Lee said, “because I know we’re all weary. However, it’s important to note that the performance of those people today in taking our provisions at Appomattox Station was quite impressive. General Sheridan and his division commanders, particularly Generals Custer and Van Buskirk, have shown themselves to be dangerous foes. It is a serious mistake to continually underestimate Yankee cavalry.” He looked pointedly at Fitz Lee.
“Yes, sir,” Fitz Lee said. “We won’t make that mistake again.”
“If we don’t find a way to feed this army there won’t be any more chance to make mistakes,” Longstreet groused.
“Yes, yes,” Lee said, raising his hand to keep the peace. “There are supplies awaiting us at Lynchburg. God willing, we will reach there safely before the enemy does.”
“And all that stands between us and Lynchburg,” Longstreet said, “is the Yankee cavalry.”
“Yes,” Lee said confidently. “And we will break through them tomorrow before they are reinforced by infantry. Now. I for one need some sleep. One o’clock will be coming soon.”
Longstreet grunted, lay back on his saddle and pulled his blanket over him.
April 9, 1865
Appomattox Court House, Virginia
In an attempt to block Lee’s route to Lynchburg, General Phillip Sheridan had deployed three divisions south of Appomattox Court House along a ridge. Sheridan was well aware that he couldn’t hold the line against Lee’s superior numbers without infantry, but he was hoping that some units of the Army of the James or the Army of the Potomac would arrive before the Confederate attack overran his position.
Confederate General Gordon struck at dawn and pushed General Charles Smith’s first line back. But the second line of Generals Mackenzie and Crook slowed Gordon’s advance until Union General Edward Ord, commander of the Army of the James, had brought his XXIV Corps up behind Sheridan’s position.
Fitz Lee’s cavalry saw Ord come up, withdrew and reported to Robert E. Lee for orders. Lee sent Colonel Charles Venable of his staff to Gordon’s position asking for an assessment. Gordon said, “Tell General Lee I have fought my corps to a frazzle, and I fear I can do nothing unless I am heavily supported by Longstreet’s corps.”
Venable then rode northwest to Longstreet’s position and found him heavily engaged with the Union II Corps from the Army of the Potomac.
When Venable reported Gordon’s comments and Longstreet’s inability to reinforce him to Lee, the General said, “Then there is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant. I would rather die a thousand deaths.”
~
After Wilmer McLean’s home near Manassas Junction was destroyed during the First Battle of Bull Run, he moved to the tiny village of Appomattox Court House to escape the war. And so it was entirely fitting that Lee’s staff chose McLean’s brick house for the meeting with Grant.
Lee arrived first. In Longworth’s words: “He was dressed in a suit of new uniform, sword and sash, a handsomely embroidered belt, boots, and a pair of gold spurs.”
Grant arrived unarmed, wearing a mud-spattered government-issue flannel uniform. He began the conversation by talking about their mutual experiences during the Mexican-American War, but Lee soon brought him back to the subject at hand by asking for a reiteration of terms. Grant nodded and took a wrinkled page from his pocket. “In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th instance, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate. One copy to be given to an officer 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 regimental 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 officer appointed by me to receive 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 their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.” Grant looked up at Lee and waited.
Lee nodded. “I agree.”
The terms of the surrender were recorded in an official document at about 4:00 PM.
April 14, 1865
Washington, D.C.
Grant arrived at the Executive Mansion five minutes before the regular Friday cabinet meeting was scheduled and was shown into the Cabinet Room by John Hay.
“Well, well, the man of the hour,” Lincoln said, vigorously shaking Grant’s hand. “I expect you know all the cabinet members.”
Grant nodded, although he actually only knew Stanton and Wells.
“Sit down, please, General.” Lincoln indicated an empty seat at the table. “What are your thoughts for ending this thing?”
“I’ve heard nothing from Sherman, sir,” Grant said. “That troubles me a little.”
“The news will come soon,” Lincoln assured him. “I had a dream last night that I always have on the eve of some great event. In recent time, I had this dream before Antietam, Murfreesboro, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg.”
Several cabinet members bobbed their heads, but Grant looked puzzled. “Murfreesboro was no victory, and had no important results.”
Lincoln chuckled good-naturedly. “But it was an important event. My dream always precedes important events. Sherman will, or already has beaten Johnston. There’s no other important event pending.”
The topic became more serious as questions regarding trade between the States and the phases of reconstruction were raised. Grant tried to look interested, but the details and the flowery speeches bored him.
When the cabinet was at last adjourned, Lincoln shook Grant by the hand again. “I want to thank you for bringing my son Robert with you to Washington. I’m very pleased to have him here to talk to, even if his visit must be short.”
“It was no trouble,” Grant replied.
“Mrs. Lincoln and I would be pleased if you would accompany us to Ford’s Theatre tonight. The play’s entitled ‘Our American Cousin’ and I’m told that it’s very entertaining.”
“Thank you, sir, but Julia and I already have other plans.”
“Oh, too bad. Is General Van Buskirk here with you?”
“He’s here, sir, but he came separately.”
“Is he staying in his sister’s suite at the Willard?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Perhaps I’ll ask him and his wife to attend with us.”
“I’m sure he’d be as honored as I to be invited, sir.”
Lincoln chuck
led. “You know that you’re getting to be a real politician, General.”
“That’s what General Van Buskirk keeps saying. I hope you’re both wrong.”
“Have a good day, General.”
“You too, sir. Thank you.”
~
Robert handed the message to Betty. “The President’s invited us to Ford’s Theatre tonight.”
She read it and gave it back. “Tell him I’m confined.” She patted her swollen belly.
“He knows that you’re not.”
“Well then, tell him I’m ill. That’s not entirely untrue since spending any time in the company of Mrs. Lincoln makes me sick.”
Robert sighed. “Sam was at the White House cabinet meeting today, so I’m sure the President asked Sam and Julia before he asked us.”
Betty shrugged. “Julia hates Mary Lincoln.”
Robert gave her a pleading look.
“No,” Betty said. “I refuse.”
“Very well.” He sat down to send their regrets.
~
It was about noon when John Wilkes Booth learned that the Lincolns would be going to Ford’s Theatre that evening. His immediately assembled his cohorts: Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, David E. Herold, Samuel Arnold, Michael O’Laughlin, John H. Surratt and Surratt’s widowed mother, Mrs. Mary E. Surratt.
Booth’s plan was for Powell to murder Secretary Seward, Atzerodt to murder Vice President Johnson and he, Booth, would murder Lincoln. Just after noon, Booth had a hurried conversation with Mrs. Surratt, sending her to the tavern she owned in Maryland to retrieve their guns and ammunition. Next he gave a prepared statement explaining his motives for the assassination to an actor friend with instructions to deliver it to the publishers of the National Intelligencer if he could not.
Booth was completely familiar with Ford’s Theatre, and during the afternoon, he planned how to gain access to the President’s box and how to secure the door from the inside to keep potential rescuers or pursuers out. If he failed to get into the Presidential box, his contingency plan was to bore a hole in the door and fire his pistol through the hole.
~
The Lincolns and their guests, Miss Harris and Major Rathbone, the daughter and the stepson of Senator Ira Harris, arrived at Ford’s Theatre a little late. The play stopped, the orchestra struck up Hail to the Chief, the audience rose and applauded, Lincoln bowed, and then the play continued.
At about 9:45, Booth left his rented horse at the theater in the hands of a call boy, and visited the saloon next door for a quick drink. A short time later he entered the theater through the front and slipped into the hallway that led to the President’s box. After showing his identity card to the attendant, he went into the box and barred the outer door as planned. The draw curtains behind the box seats were closed. He peeked through to see where the occupants were seated, then rushed through the curtains with a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other. Before he was even noticed, Booth had put the pistol to the President’s head, fired and moved forward to jump over the railing onto the stage. Mrs. Lincoln shrieked. Major Rathbone leapt to his feet trying to stop Booth and received a vicious slash across his arm.
As Booth vaulted over the rail, his spur snagged in the bunting and he fell heavily, breaking his leg. “Sic Semper Tyrannis!” he shouted, struggling to stand. Recognizing Booth, much of the audience thought that it was all part of the play until Major Rathbone shouted, “Stop him. He’s shot the President.”
Almost immediately, several men jumped onto the stage and ran after him, but Booth knew the theater well and went out through the stage door, snatched his horse from the call boy and rode off into the night.
Under advice from doctors in the audience, Lincoln was carried to a house across the street.
At the White House, Robert Lincoln and John Hay were upstairs when the news reached them. They ran out to get a carriage and were not quite aboard when someone stopped them to report that Secretary Seward and most of the cabinet had also been murdered.
Secretary Seward was, in fact, not dead, but Booth’s cohort Powell had stabbed him repeatedly in the face and neck and had also seriously wounded four members of Seward’s household.
George Atzerodt, whose task it had been to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson, had rented the room above Johnson’s in the Kirkwood Hotel but then, armed with a pistol and a knife, went downstairs to the saloon and got drunk instead.
April 15, 1865
Washington, D.C.
President Abraham Lincoln died at 7:22 PM and his body was carried to a hearse for transportation to the White House. Only a handful of people followed.
Within a short time, bells began to toll and people began to gather near the east entrance of the Executive Mansion. Many in the crowd wore black arm bands while some were dressed all in black. Even when rain began to fall, most of the mourners stayed.
April 16, 1865
Washington, D.C.
Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase administered the oath of office of President of the United States to Andrew Johnson in his room at the Kirkwood Hotel while Booth’s co-conspirator, George Atzerodt, assigned as Johnson’s assassin, was sleeping off a hangover at the Pennsylvania House a short distance away.
At the same time, the White House was being prepared for Lincoln’s body to be laid in state on the 18th and for the funeral services scheduled for the 19th. The East Room was draped with black crepe, the mirrors were covered and a fifteen-foot-tall catafalque was installed. At one point during the day, the workmen were asked to stop because the noise was upsetting an already distraught Mary Lincoln, but they had a schedule to keep and ignored the request.
April 17, 1865
Durham, North Carolina
With the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Sherman was free to concentrate on the destruction of Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston’s army. On the 13th of April, Sherman occupied Raleigh without firing a shot. On the 15th, as Sherman was planning his next move to Asheboro, Salisbury or Charlotte, a letter arrived from Johnston requesting a “temporary suspension of active operations to permit the civil authorities to enter into the needful arrangement to terminate the existing war.” Sherman agreed and a meeting between the two commanding generals was scheduled for April 17th at the small farmhouse of James Bennett on the Hillsboro road, west of Durham.
At the appointed time and place, Sherman, escorted by an honor guard of cavalry commanded by General Kilpatrick, met General Johnston with his cavalry escort under command of General Wade Hampton. Sherman and Johnston, both of them mounted, shook hands, then dismounted and walked together into Bennett’s house.
“I have something to show you, before we begin,” Sherman said as the door closed, giving them privacy.
“What is it?” Johnston asked suspiciously.
“A wire from Secretary Stanton. President Lincoln has been assassinated.” He gave the telegram to Johnston.
Johnston read it and shook his head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s probably best that you don’t say anything.” Sherman took the wire back. “I just wanted you to understand that I can’t be sure how this might affect our negotiations.”
Johnston shrugged.
“I’m prepared to offer you the same terms of surrender as Grant offered Lee, subject to Presidential approval.”
“I’m more interested in terms of a permanent peace.”
“Maybe you should elaborate on that.”
“Terms that include political as well as military.”
“What political terms were you thinking of, specifically?” Sherman asked.
“Political guarantees that will restore the rights and privileges of the people of the South.”
Sherman nodded. “I can present that to the civilian government, if you surrender all the Confederate troops in the field.”
“I’d also want amnesty for President Davis and his cabinet.”
Sherman took a moment to answer. “I’ll
need to think about that and confer with my staff.”
Johnston nodded. “Why don’t we meet again tomorrow? I also need to make sure I have the authority to surrender all the Confederate troops.”
Sherman shook Johnston’s hand.
“Would you object to Secretary of War Breckinridge attending tomorrow’s meeting?” Johnston asked.
“For what purpose?”
“To discuss the points surrounding the amnesty for President Davis and his cabinet.”
“What points are there to discuss? You want amnesty for President Davis and his cabinet. My answer is going to be either yes or no. Breckinridge can’t change that.”
“I’d consider it a favor if you’d let Breckinridge have his say.”
Sherman shrugged. “Where is he?”
“Nearby.”
“Is Jeff Davis nearby too?”
“You know I can’t answer that.”
“Okay, then. I’ll see you and Breckinridge tomorrow.”
April 18, 1865
Durham, North Carolina
In 1851, John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky was elected to the United States Congress. In 1856, at the age of 35, he was elected Vice President of the United States. In 1860, Breckinridge ran for president and lost, but he was later elected to the US Senate where he served until he was expelled for his support of the South. Breckinridge had served as a general in the Confederate army until his recent appointment as the Confederate States Secretary of War. “I can understand your resistance to granting this amnesty, General Sherman. There must be a powerful faction in Washington that wants to punish the South for leaving the Union.”
“I might be able to agree to a general amnesty and to restoring the personal rights of the citizens in the South, but my advice to Mr. Davis and his cabinet is to find some fast horses and head for Mexico,” Sherman said.
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