Largest Surrender of The Civil War
The difficulty in reaching a surrender agreement lay in part in Johnston's desire, influenced by President Davis, for more than the purely military surrender that Sherman offered. Sherman's original terms matched those offered by Ulysses S. Grant to Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, but Johnston insisted on resolutions of political issues, including the reestablishment of state governments after the war. Sherman, in accordance with Lincoln's stated wishes for a compassionate and forgiving end to the war, agreed on terms that included the political issues. However, Union officials in Washington, angry over the recent assassination of Lincoln on April 14, turned them down. In response, Jefferson Davis ordered Johnston to disband his infantry and escape with his mounted troops. However, Johnston disobeyed his orders and agreed to meet again with General Sherman at the Bennett Farm on April 26, 1865. The rival generals signed new surrender terms, which ended the war for the 89,270 soldiers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Read more about this topic: Bennett Place
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