s　will　study　always　to　find　roads　by　which　they　can；　if　necessary；　perform　a　general　left　wheel；　the　wagons　to　be　escorted　to　some　place　of　security　on　the　direct　route　of　march。　　Foraging　and　other　details　may　continue　as　heretofore；　only　more　caution　and　prudence　should　be　observed；　and　foragers　should　not　go　in　advance　of　the　advance…guard；　but　look　more　to　our　right　rear　for　corn；　bacon；　and　meal。
  2。　　The　left　wing　（Major…General　Slocum　commanding）　will　aim　straight　for　the　railroad…bridge　near　Smithfield；　thence　along　up　the　Neuse　River　to　the　railroad…bridge　over　Neuse　River；　northeast　of　Raleigh　（Powell's）；　thence　to　Warrenton；　the　general　point　of　concentration。
  The　centre　（Major…General　Schofield　commanding）　will　move　to　Whitley's　Mill；　ready　to　support　the　left　until　it　is　past　Smithfield；　when　it　will　follow　up　（substantially）　Little　River　to　about　Rolesville；　ready　at　all　times　to　move　to　the　support　of　the　left；　after　passing　Tar　River；　to　move　to　Warrenton。
  The　right　wing　（Major…General　Howard　commanding）；　preceded　by　the　cavalry；　will　move　rapidly　on　Pikeville　and　Nahunta；　then　swing　across　to　Bulah　to　Folk's　Bridge；　ready　to　make　junction　with　the　other　armies　in　case　the　enemy　offers　battle　this　side　of　Neuse　River；　about　Smithfield；　thence；　in　case　of　no　serious　opposition　on　the　left；　will　work　up　toward　Earpsboro'；　Andrews；　B；　and　Warrenton。
  The　cavalry　（General　Kilpatrick　commanding）；　leaving　its　encumbrances　with　the　right　wing；　will　push　as　though　straight　for　Weldon；　until　the　enemy　is　across　Tar　River；　and　that　bridge　burned；　then　it　will　deflect　toward　Nashville　and　Warrenton；　keeping　up　communication　with　general　headquarters。
  3。　　As　soon　as　the　army　starts；　the　chief…quartermaster　and　commissary　will　prepare　a　resupply　of　stores　at　some　point　on　Pamlico　or　Albemarle　Sounds；　ready　to　be　conveyed　to　Kinston　or　Winton　and　Murfreesboro'；　according　to　developments。　　As　soon　as　they　have　satisfactory　information　that　the　army　is　north　of　the　Roanoke；　they　will　forthwith　establish　a　depot　at　Winton；　with　a　sub…depot　at　Murfreesboro'。　　Major…General　Schofield　will　hold；　as　heretofore；　Wilmington　（with　the　bridge　across　Northern　Branch　as　an　outpost）；　Newborn　（and　Kinston　as　its　outpost）；　and　will　be　prepared　to　hold　Winton　and　Murfreesboro'　as　soon　as　the　time　arrives　for　that　move。　　The　navy　has　instructions　from　Admiral　Porter　to　cooperate；　and　any　commanding　officer　is　authorized　to　call　on　the　navy　for　assistance　and　cooperation；　always　in　writing；　setting　forth　the　reasons；　of　which　necessarilly　the　naval　commander　must　be　the　judge。
  4。　　The　general…in…chief　will　be　with　the　centre　habitually；　but　may　in　person　shift　to　either　flank　where　his　presence　may　be　needed；　leaving　a　staff…officer　to　receive　reports。　　He　requires；　absolutely；　a　report　of　each　army　or　grand　detachment　each　night；　whether　any　thing　material　has　occurred　or　not；　for　often　the　absence　of　an　enemy　is　a　very　important　fact　in　military　prognostication。
  By　order　of　Major…General　W。　T。　Sherman；
  L。　M。　DAYTON；　Assistant　Adjutant…General。
  But　the　whole　problem　became　suddenly　changed　by　the　news　of　the　fall　of　Richmond　and　Petersburg；　which　reached　as　at　Goldsboro'；　on　the　6th　of　April。　　The　Confederate　Government；　with　Lee's　army；　had　hastily　abandoned　Richmond；　fled　in　great　disorder　toward　Danville；　and　General　Grant's　whole　army　was　in　close　pursuit。　　Of　course；　I　inferred　that　General　Lee　would　succeed　in　making　junction　with　General　Johnston；　with　at　least　a　fraction　of　his　army；　somewhere　to　my　front。　　I　at　once　altered　the　foregoing　orders；　and　prepared　on　the　day　appointed；　viz。；　April　10th；　to　move　straight　on　Raleigh；　against　the　army　of　General　Johnston；　known　to　be　at　Smithfield；　and　supposed　to　have　about　thirty…five　thousand　men。　Wade　Hampton's　cavalry　was　on　his　left　front　and　Wheeler's　on　his　right　front；　simply　watching　us　and　awaiting　our　initiative。　Meantime　the　details　of　the　great　victories　in　Virginia　came　thick　and　fast；　and　on　the　8th　I　received　from　General　Grant　this　communication；　in　the　form　of　a　cipher…dispatch：
  HEADQUARTERS　ARMIES　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES　WILSON'S　STATION；　April　5；　1865
  Major…General　SHERMAN；　Goldsboro'；　North　Carolina：
  All　indications　now　are　that　Lee　will　attempt　to　reach　Danville　with　the　remnant　of　his　force。　　Sheridan；　who　was　up　with　him　last　night；　reports　all　that　is　left　with　himhorse；　foot；　and　dragoonsat　twenty　thousand；　much　demoralized。　　We　hope　to　reduce　this　number　one…half。　　I　will　push　on　to　Burkesville；　and；　if　a　stand　is　made　at　Danville；　will；　in　a　very　few　days；　go　there。　　If　you　can　possibly　do　so；　push　on　from　where　you　are；　and　let　us　see　if　we　cannot　finish　the　job　with　Lee's　and　Johnston's　armies。　Whether　it　will　be　better　for　you　to　strike　for　Greensboro'　or　nearer　to　Danville；　you　will　be　better　able　to　judge　when　you　receive　this。　　Rebel　armies　now　are　the　only　strategic　points　to　strike　at。
  U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。
  I　answered　immediately　that　we　would　move　on　the　10th；　prepared　to　follow　Johnston　wherever　he　might　go。　　Promptly　on　Monday　morning；　April　10th；　the　army　moved　straight　on　Smithfield；　the　right　wing　making　a　circuit　by　the　right；　and　the　left　wing；　supported　by　the　centre；　moving　on　the　two　direct　roads　toward　Raleigh；　distant　fifty　miles。　　General　Terry's　and　General　Kilpatrick's　troops　moved　from　their　positions　on　the　south　or　west　bank　of　the　Neuse　River　in　the　same　general　direction；　by　Cox's　Bridge。　　On　the　11th　we　reached　Smithfield；　and　found　it　abandoned　by　Johnston's　army；　which　had　retreated　hastily　on　Raleigh；　burning　the　bridges。　　To　restore　these　consumed　the　remainder　of　the　day；　and　during　that　night　I　received　a　message　from　General　Grant；　at　Appomattox；　that　General　Lee　had　surrendered　to　him　his　whole　army；　which　I　at　once　announced　to　the　troops　in　orders：
  ＇Special　Field　Orders；　No。　　54＇
  HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　DIVISION　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPI　IN　THE　FIELD；　SMITHFIELD；　NORTH　CAROLINA；　April　12；　1865。
  The　general　commanding　announces　to　the　army　that　he　has　official　notice　from　General　Grant　that　General　Lee　surrendered　to　him　his　entire　army；　on　the　9th　inst。；　at　Appomattox　Court…House；　Virginia。
  Glory　to　God　and　our　country；　and　all　honor　to　our　comrades　in　arms；　toward　whom　we　are　marching！
  A　little　more　labor；　a　little　more　toil　on　our　part；　the　great　race　is　won；　and　our　Government　stands　regenerated；　after　four　long　years　of　war。
  W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。
  Of　course；　this　created　a　perfect　furore；　of　rejoicing；　and　we　all　regarded　the　war　as　over；　for　I　knew　well　that　General　Johnston　had　no　army　with　which　to　oppose　mine。　　So　that　the　only　questions　that　remained　were；　would　he　surrender　at　Raleigh？　　or　would　he　allow　his　army　to　disperse　into　guerrilla；　bands；　to　〃die　in　the　last　ditch；〃　and　entail　on　his　country　an　indefinite　and　prolonged　military　occupation；　and　of　consequent　desolation？　　I　knew　well　that　Johnston's　army　could　not　be　caught；　the　country　was　too　open；　and；　without　wagons；　the　men　could　escape　us；　disperse；　and　assemble　again　at　some　place　agreed　on；　and　thus　the　war　might　be　prolonged　indefinitely。
  I　then　remembered　Mr。　Lincoln's　repeated　expression　that　he　wanted　the　rebel　soldiers　not　only　defeated；　but　〃back　at　their　homes；　engaged　in　their　civil　pursuits。〃　　On　the　evening　of　the　12th　I　was　with　the　head　of　Slocum's　column；　at　Gulley's；　and　General　Kilpatrick's　cavalry　was　still　ahead；　fighting　Wade　Hampton's　rear…guard；　with　orders　to　push　it　through　Raleigh；　while　I　would　give　a　more　southerly　course　to　the　infantry　columns；　so　as；　if　possible；　to　prevent　a　retreat　southward。　　On　the　13th；　early；　I　entered　Raleigh；　and　ordered　the　several　heads　of　column　toward　Ashville　in　the　direction　of　Salisbury　or　Charlotte。　　Before　reaching　Raleigh；　a　locomotive　came　down　the　road　to　meet　me；　passing　through　both　Wade　Hampton's　and　Kilpatrick's　cavalry；　bringing　four　gentlemen；　with　a　letter　from　Governor　Vance　to　me；　asking　protection　for　the　citizens　of　Raleigh。　　These　gentlemen　were；　of　course；　dreadfully　excited　at　the　dangers　through　which　they　had　passed。　　Among　them　were　ex…Senator　Graham；　Mr。　Swain；　president　of　Chapel　Hill　University；　and　a　Surgeon　Warren；　of　the　Confederate　army。　　They　had　come　with　a　flag　of　truce；　to　which　they　were　not　entitled；　still；　in　the　interest　of　peace；　I　respected　it；　and　permitted　them　to　return　to　Raleigh　with　their　locomotive；　to　assure　the　Governor　and　the　people　that　the　war　was　substantially　over；　and　that　I　wanted　the　civil　authorities　to　remain　in　the　execution　of　their　office　till　the　pleasure　of　the　President　could　be　ascertained。　　On　reaching　Raleigh　I　found　these　same　gentlemen；　with　Messrs。　Badger；　Bragg；　Holden；　and　others；　but　Governor　Vance　had　fled；　and　could　not　be　prevailed　on　to　return；　because　he　feared　an　arrest　and　imprisonment。　　From　the　Raleigh　newspapers　of　the　10th　I　learned　that　General　Stoneman；　with　his　division　of　cavalry；　had　come　across　the　mountains　from　East　Tennessee；　had　destroyed　the　railroad　at　Salisbury；　and　was　then　supposed　to　be　approaching　Greensboro'。　　I　also　learned　that　General　Wilson's　cavalry　corps　was　〃smashing　things〃　down　about　Selma　and　Montgomery