AN INTERVIEW WITH JEFFERSON DAVIS

[JMadonna]

Found a little more on the mission. It looks by this time the Confederates weren't fighting for principles.

According to Gilmore, on their way to Richmond they were escorted to the quarters of General James Longstreet who received them cordially. There they met many of the Confederate leaders, with all of whom they discussed the situation frankly and freely. To all of them Gilmore said, 'Lay down your arms, go back to your allegiance, and the country will deal kindly and generously by you.' He could not say more, for he was restricted from going into details. From all he had, in effect the same answer: 'We are tired of the war. We are willing to give up slavery. We know it is gone; but so long as our Government holds out, we must stand by it. We cannot betray it and each other.'