THE BATTLE CRY PRESIDENT LINCOLN MURDERED 150 YEARS AGO, APRIL 1865

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1 Volume 10, Issue 8 April 21, 2015 THE BATTLE CRY INSIDE THIS ISSUE Lincoln 150 yrs. 1&5 April 1865 Events 2-4;6 Trivia; Surrenders and Smithsonian articles. 5 Administration/Officers 6 PRESIDENT LINCOLN MURDERED 150 YEARS AGO, APRIL 1865 Notes: Tampa Bay Civil War Round Table. Buffalo Soldiers Cavalry. 6 NEXT PROGRAMS: April 21: Group discussion of favorite books read and or books that you did not think hold value. Meetings 3rd Tues. of the month (7 pm) GRACE CHURCH ADULT ANNEX, 8000 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota, Fl On Occasion time and location of the meeting will be changed. Assassination news outran the facts. The Herald of Demopolis, Alabama, reflected a common Southern hope. Adulation for Lincoln did not become widespread until years after he was killed. Painting, statues, and other types of works appeared over the years.. Source: Harold Holzer. Afterlife in Smithsonian. March, 2015

2 Page 2 American Civil War April 1865 April 1865 saw the Union flag flying over Richmond's buildings for the first time since April To many the American Civil War was over. Others preferred to continue their fight against the North. But to all intents, the war ended in April Lincoln was also assassinated in April April 1 st : The attack on Lee s Army of Northern Virginia continued. Union troops were especially successful at Five Forks where nearly 50% of the Confederate force there was taken prisoner. April 2 nd : Grant launched an all-out attack against Lee s army before dawn. Thick fog covered the attackers and the thinly defended Confederate line was broken in many places. The Army of Northern Virginia pulled back to the Amelia Court House, just 40 miles from Richmond. Panic swept through the Confederacy s capital and many evacuated the city. Looting and a general breakdown in law and order occurred. Grant s men occupied Petersburg. There was nothing between Petersburg and Richmond to stop the approach of Union forces. Selma was taken nearly 3,000 Confederate soldiers surrendered here. April 3 rd : The US flag was flown in Richmond as Union troops entered the city. Jefferson Davis and his cabinet fled their capital on a train that took them to Danville in Virginia. What was left of the Army of Northern Virginia fled in a westwards direction from the city but the level of command over these men was minimal. April 4 th : President Lincoln visited Richmond and was greeted and cheered by many African Americans who up to this day had been slaves in numerous households in the city. Grant decided that an active pursuit of Lee s men was not required. He got his army to follow them but only on a parallel course. Grant hoped that what had happened at Petersburg would lead to Lee s army imploding with many soldiers simply trying to return home. However, Grant was wary about any attempt by Lee to link up with what was left of Johnston s men. April 5 th : General Lee gathered what was left of his command group at Amelia Court House. Here he expected to find rations for his men but none had been sent. : Continued on page 3

3 TH E BA TTL E C RY Page 3 April 6th Lee continued his retreat. But now mutiny was a problem. General Ewell had to surrender his men at Sayler s Creek when they refused to carry out his order to fight advancing Union troops. April 7 th : Grant called on Lee to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee was effectively surrounded by a very large Union force. April 8 th : Lee decided to try to break through Grant s lines and continue his retreat. However, he cautioned this decision with one rider if nearby Union cavalry forces were supported by Union infantry, he would surrender. Lee assumed that Grant s cavalry was further advanced than the infantry. If this was not the case, he believed that any attempted breakout was doomed to failure. April 9 th : The Army of Northern Virginia fought its last battle. However, it was against Union infantry and Lee stuck to his plan. Lee and Grant met at Appomattox Court House and Grant presented Lee with the terms of surrender. Grant allowed all Confederate officers to keep their own personal weapons (primarily swords) and their horses if they claimed ownership. Lee rode back to what was left of the Army of Northern Virginia and told them: Go to your homes and resume your occupations. Obey the laws and become as good citizens as you were soldiers. In the South, Mobile fell to Union troops when 16,000 troops attacked a much smaller Confederate force. April 10 th : The Army of Northern Virginia received rations from Grant s men. In a final address to his men Lee wrote: With an increasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you a affectionate farewell. April 11 th : Sherman continued with his task of hunting down what was left of General Johnston s army. April 12 th : The Army of Northern Virginia formally surrendered its weapons and flags at Appomattox. Montgomery in Alabama was occupied by Union forces. April 14 th : President Lincoln met Grant to discuss the status of the war. In the evening he went to Ford s Theatre to see the comedy Our American Cousin. At 22.00, Lincoln was shot in the back of the head by John Wilkes Booth. The assassin made his escape by jumping on to the stage and running off.

4 Page 4 April 15 th : Lincoln died at At Andrew Johnson was sworn in as President. Wilkes Booth was helped by a doctor as he had badly damaged his leg when he leapt onto the stage during his escape. The doctor, Samuel Mudd, was sentenced to life in prison for helping Booth. April 16 th : Sherman received a message from General Johnston asking for a cessation of hostilities with a view to negotiating a surrender. April 17 th : Sherman and Johnston met at Durham Station. During the talks Johnston made it clear that he included other armies in the surrender, not just his own. April 18 th : Sherman and Johnston continued their discussions. The terms of surrender went beyond military issues. Sherman guaranteed Southerners political rights as laid down in the US Constitution. The document also stated the US government is not to disturb any of the people by reason of the late war, so long as they abstain from acts of hostility and obey the law. Sherman received a great deal of criticism regarding this and politicians in Washington DC saw him as interfering in political issues that were outside of his military remit. In his defence, Sherman claimed that he was doing what Lincoln would have wanted as part of his policy of reconciliation. April 19 th : Jefferson Davis learned of the death of President Lincoln. Lee wrote to Davis advising him that any form of guerrilla warfare against the victorious Union forces was folly. April 21 st : Lincoln s body started its journey to Springfield, Illinois. April 24 th : Grant met with Sherman and criticised him for trespassing on political issues when he drew up the settlement with Johnston. He ordered Sherman to resume hostilities against Johnston until a proper surrender had been negotiated with a political input rather than a sole military one. April 25 th : Sherman met with Johnston and told him that hostilities would have to begin between the two armies within 48 hours. Johnston informed Jefferson Davis that he would have to surrender to Sherman regardless of what terms were laid down... Page 6

5 Page 5 Volume 10, I s s u e 8 TRIVIA QUESTIONS What was Company Q in the Confederate army? What famous Old West lawman served as a Union scout at the Battle of Pea Ridge? What general died singing Rock of Ages after being wounded in a skirmish north of Richmond? What union general was court martialed for not following orders at the Second Battle of Manassas? Who was the first officer to be killed West of the Mississippi? What notable C.S.A. strategist typically refused to inform top aides about forthcoming movements? APRIL, 1865: A MONTH OF SURRENDERS Most Americans have heard of the surrender at Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865) and the account of Generals Lee and Grant negotiating a peace. However, Appomattox was not the end of the Civil War but was the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. One can argue that Lee s surrender was essentially the end but other units of the Confederate Army were still in the field. Two surrenders occurred prior to Appomattox, the first, April 2 is Selma and the second at Sayler s Creek by General Ewell. Following events provide a timeline that is not usually covered in scholarly works. Lincoln s death (April 15) occurred right in the middle of the various surrenders. General Sherman was ordered to track down General Johnston (C.S.A.). By April 17, Sherman found Johnston at Durham Station and began surrender talks that day and the next (April 18). Finally a formal surrender was agreed on April 26th for which Sherman received criticism from Grant for making the surrender details too easy. Finally, on April 30, C.S.A. soldiers surrendered in Mobile. SMITHSONIAN DOES ITS PART FOR THE SESQUICENTENNIAL During the sesquicentennial of the Civil War the Smithsonian has been particularly involved in publishing articles on various period events in its monthly magazine. Listed here are a few references to recent issues that have carried fascinating articles on some lesser known events as well as others more familiar but with additional information that is not as popularly exposed: Wortman, Marc. True Colors. Oct., Vol. 45, no. 9, p Horwitz, Tony. Hundreds of Women and Children were Coming Towards Us, and Getting on their knees for Mercy. Dec., Vol. 45, no. 8, Photography by Joanne B. Pinneo. P Malanowski, Jamie. Beyond Gettysburg April, Vol. 46, no. 1, Maps by Martin Sanders. P March Vol. 46, no. 11. April 14, (Entire Issue) 96 p. Articles by Paige Williams, Booth s Sister Tells All; Terry Alford. Did Booth s Friend Warn Lincoln?; Harold Holzer. Why Booth Wasn t a Southern Hero. FOR A MORE THOROUGH SEARCH OF CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL ARTICLES GO TO SMITHSONIAN.COM

6 Find us on the web: The Battle Cry Page 6 Officers President: Gordon Balme Vice President:: Matt Donovan Treasurer: Pat McInerney Newsletter Editor: M. Bruce Maxian DUES FOR THE CAMPAIGN ARE PAYABLE TO PAT McINERNEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. DUES KEEP THE PROGRAMS AND NEWSLETTERS AVAILABLE TO YOU. Our Annual Campaign runs from Sept. through May, dues are $30. Check our monthly newsletter, Battle Cry at: April 26 th : General Johnston surrendered his army to Sherman who adopted the same terms as Grant had done for Lee s Army of Northern Virginia. Sherman even provided Johnston s men with transport to their homes. April 27 th : Jefferson Davis continued to move further away from Federal forces. April 30 th : Confederate forces around Mobile surrendered. MLA Citation/Reference "American Civil War March 1865". HistoryLearningSite.co.uk Web. Anyone interested in receiving The Battle Cry by please see Bruce Maxian at one of our meetings or me at: Sarsota.cwrt@gmail.com OUR MONTHLY RAFFLE ALWAYS NEEDS YOUR DO- NATED BOOKS & MAGAZINES. PLEASE WEAR YOUR T- SHIRTS TO THE MEET- ING. IN THE MEANTIME WEAR THEM WHEREV- ER YOU ROAM. NOTE: On Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Bruce Maxian presented a power point talk, Andersonville Prison Then and Now. His talk was given to the Tampa Bay Civil War Round Table. In addition, a second program was given by the reenactor group representing the Buffalo Soldiers 3rd Cavalry. Sargent Major John Russell was spokesman and two Troopers provided added information about the unit that fought in the Civil War and later in the West. John Russell, president of the Buffalo Soldiers of Florida, would like you to know real Floridians were part of the true story of the Buffalo Soldiers. Russell's mother gave him a couple of books on the role of blacks in settling the West. Reading the books, he said, was ''like walking into a room full of new toys; it was a real surprise. I kept saying, 'I didn't know that.' ''Russell learned ''blacks and other minorities played a really large part in the settling of this country, ''He began thinking about combining an old interest in horseback riding with his new interest in blacks in the West. Russell, an Orange County firefighter is based in Orlando. BUFFALO SOLDIERS CAVAL- RY 3rd Brigade, from the 9th and 10th cavalry. Sargent Major Russell (RT side) described the focus of the group is education. Most adults and hardly any young people know of the colored cavalry and their contributions to the Federal Army during the Civil War. He and his Troopers actively work to enlighten young and old to understand the role played by colored