President Trump Presents American Civil War History Lesson

[David Lockmiller]

General William Tecumseh Sherman speaking of Lincoln, Grant, Sherman discussions taking place on March 27, 1865:

I went to City Point, and I saw Gen. Grant in his little cabin with his wife; and I saw Meade and Orr and Porter, and Mr. Lincoln was there on a boat. Grant said, “Sherman, let’s go up and see Lincoln.”

And he was very kind. I had seen Mr. Lincoln twice before. To me – I almost idolized that man. Oh, how good he was to us!

He turned to me in the most simple manner and says, “Sherman, do you know why I took a shine to Grant and you?”

“A shine!” I said, “I don’t know, Mr. Lincoln. You have been extremely kind to me, Mr. Lincoln, far more than my deserts.”

“Well,” said he, “you have never found fault with me.”

I was arguing with him that if Lee was a general, really a general, he would escape from Richmond and fall upon me. Grant merely said, “I will follow on his heels.” Lincoln said, “My God, my God, can’t you spare more effusion of blood? We have had so much of it.”

(Sources: Report of the Annual Re-Union – Society of The Army of the Potomac, Volume 14, pages 64 – 65. Eighteenth Annual Re-Union. Speaker, General William T. Sherman. See also “Lincoln Talks: A Biography in Anecdote,” by Emanuel Hertz, pages 555-556.)

Generals Sherman and Grant take their leave of President Lincoln and return to their respective armies (Source: “Team of Rivals,” by Doris Kearns Goodwin, pages 713-714.)

The afternoon of March 28, 1865, Sherman left City Point to return to his troops and prepare for the expected battle. Saying goodbye to the president, he “was more than ever impressed by his kindly nature, his deep and earnest sympathy with the afflictions of the whole people,” and his “absolute faith in the courage, manliness, and integrity of the armies in the field.” To be sure, “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.” A decade later, Sherman remained convinced of Lincoln’s unparalleled leadership. “Of all the men I ever met, he seemed to possess more of the elements of greatness, combined with goodness, than any other.”

Lincoln walked to the railroad station early the next morning to bid farewell to Grant, who was heading to the front for what they hoped would be the final offensive against Lee. Oppressed by thoughts of the expected battle, “Lincoln looked more serious than at any other time since he had visited headquarters,” recalled Horace Porter; “the lines in his face seemed deeper; and the rings under his eyes were of a darker hue.” As the train pulled away from the platform, Grant and his party tipped their hats in honor of the president. Returning the salute, his “voice broken by an emotion that he could ill-conceal,” Lincoln said: “Good-bye, gentlemen, God bless you all!”

Subsequent Correspondence between General Grant and General Lee on April 7-8, 1865

HEAD-QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE U. S.,

5 P. M., April 7, 1865.

GENERAL R. E. LEE, COMMANDING C. S. A.

" GENERAL,--The results of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate Southern army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.”

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General commanding Armies of the U. S.


To which General Lee replied,

April 7, 1865.
"GENERAL,--I have received your note of this day. Though not entertaining the opinion you express on the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender.”

R. E. LEE, General.


On the succeeding day General Grant returned the following reply:

April 8, 1865.

TO GENERAL R. E. LEE, COMMANDING C.S.A.

"GENERAL, -- Your note of the last evening, in reply to mine of the same date, asking the condition on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply I would say that, peace being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, -- namely, that the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the government of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet you, or will designate officers to meet any officers you might name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received.”

U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.

General Lee immediately responded:

April 8, 1865.

"GENERAL, -- I received at a late hour your note of today. In mine of yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank, I do not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender of this army, but, as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that end. I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia, but as far as your proposal may affect the Confederate States forces under my command and tend to the restoration of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at ten A. M. to-morrow on the old stage-road to Richmond, between the picket-lines of the two armies.

R. E. LEE, General.