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to the specious propositions by means of which the wily Confederates sought still to secure all that they had lost by war. The frank and outspoken soldier was no match in diplomatic arts for those who had conspired to betray their country and piloted the sinking cause of the rebellion through desperate and stormy years.
He did not perceive the object of the skilful machinations which first suggested the presence of a cabinet officer, and then secured amnesty for the rebel government.
He was looking so intently to the respite from war that the precautions of politicians and statesmen were neglected.
But the mistake outside of his profession left no blot on his career as a soldier or his reputation as a patriot, and never for one moment disturbed his relations with his chief and friend.1
While these important events were occurring in North Carolina and Virginia, the remaining combinations of the general-in-chief had proceeded to their designed development.
The forces of Stoneman
1 I chanced to bear to General Grant in North Carolina the news of the publication of Secretary Stanton's famous memorandum, and I never saw the general-in-chief so much moved as on this occasion. He had hoped that the original excitement displayed at the cabinet meeting would be concealed from the country, and when he discovered the contrary his indignation was extreme. He declared it was ‘infamous’that a man who had done such service as Sherman should be subjected to imputations like these.
Sherman's own resentment was intense, and Grant strove hard to appease it, and to bring about amicable relations between two men so signally important to their country as the great War Minister and the soldier of Atlanta and the March. But it was long before the sense of injustice which Sherman felt could be allayed. Some very interesting letters on this subject, which I am allowed to publish, will be found in the Appendix, together with all the official documents necessary to the history of the episode. The rebel account will be found in full in Johnston's ‘Military Narrative.’
New York Appleton 1885.
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