st　to　Port　Royal　and　the　Savannah　River；　which　we　reached　on　the　1st　of　May。　　There　Captain　Hoses；　who　had　just　come　from　General　Wilson　at　Macon；　met　us；　bearing　letters　for　me　and　General　Grant；　in　which　General　Wilson　gave　a　brief　summary　of　his　operations　up　to　date。　　He　had　marched　from　Eastport；　Mississippi；　five　hundred　miles　in　thirty　days；　took　six　thousand　three　hundred　prisoners；　twenty…three　colors；　and　one　hundred　and　fifty…six　guns；　defeating　Forrest；　scattering　the　militia；　and　destroying　every　railroad；　iron　establishment；　and　factory；　in　North　Alabama　and　Georgia。〃
  He　spoke　in　the　highest　terms　of　his　cavalry；　as　〃cavalry；〃　claiming　that　it　could　not　be　excelled；　and　he　regarded　his　corps　as　a　model　for　modern　cavalry　in　organization；　armament；　and　discipline。　　Its　strength　was　given　at　thirteen　thousand　five　hundred　men　and　horses　on　reaching　Macon。　　Of　course　I　was　extremely　gratified　at　his　just　confidence；　and　saw　that　all　he　wanted　for　efficient　action　was　a　sure　base　of　supply；　so　that　he　need　no　longer　depend　for　clothing；　ammunition；　food；　and　forage；　on　the　country；　which；　now　that　war　had　ceased；　it　was　our　solemn　duty　to　protect；　instead　of　plunder。　　I　accordingly　ordered　the　captured　steamer　Jeff。　Davis　to　be　loaded　with　stores；　to　proceed　at　once　up　the　Savannah　River　to　Augusta；　with　a　small　detachment　of　troops　to　occupy　the　arsenal；　and　to　open　communication　with　General　Wilson　at　Macon；　and　on　the　next　day；　May　2d；　this　steamer　was　followed　by　another　with　a　fall　cargo　of　clothing；　sugar；　coffee；　and　bread；　sent　from　Hilton　Head　by　the　department　commander；　General　Gillmore；　with　a　stronger　guard　commanded　by　General　Molineux。　　Leaving　to　General　Gillmore；　who　was　present；　and　in　whose　department　General　Wilson　was；　to　keep　up　the　supplies　at　Augusta；　and　to　facilitate　as　far　as　possible　General　Wilson's　operations　inland；　I　began　my　return　on　the　2d　of　May。　　We　went　into　Charleston　Harbor；　passing　the　ruins　of　old　Forts　Moultrie　and　Sumter　without　landing。　　We　reached　the　city　of　Charleston；　which　was　held　by　part　of　the　division　of　General　John　P。　　Hatch；　the　same　that　we　had　left　at　Pocotaligo。　　We　walked　the　old　familiar　streets…Broad；　King；　Meeting；　；etc。but　desolation　and　ruin　were　everywhere。　　The　heart　of　the　city　had　been　burned　during　the　bombardment；　and　the　rebel　garrison　at　the　time　of　its　final　evacuation　had　fired　the　railroad…depots；　which　fire　had　spread；　and　was　only　subdued　by　our　troops　after　they　had　reached　the　city。
  I　inquired　for　many　of　my　old　friends；　but　they　were　dead　or　gone；　and　of　them　all　I　only　saw　a　part　of　the　family　of　Mrs。　Pettigru。　I　doubt　whether　any　city　was　ever　more　terribly　punished　than　Charleston；　but；　as　her　people　had　for　years　been　agitating　for　war　and　discord；　and　had　finally　inaugurated　the　civil　war　by　an　attack　on　the　small　and　devoted　garrison　of　Major　Anderson；　sent　there　by　the　General　Government　to　defend　them；　the　judgment　of　the　world　will　be；　that　Charleston　deserved　the　fate　that　befell　her。　Resuming　our　voyage；　we　passed　into　Cape　Fear　River　by　its　mouth　at　Fort　Caswell　and　Smithville；　and　out　by　the　new　channel　at　Fort　Fisher；　and　reached　Morehead　City　on　the　4th　of　May。　　We　found　there　the　revenue…cutter　Wayanda；　on　board　of　which　were　the　Chief…　Justice；　Mr。　Chase；　and　his　daughter　Nettie；　now　Mrs。　Hoyt。　　The　Chief…Justice　at　that　moment　was　absent　on　a　visit　to　Newbern；　but　came　back　the　next　day。　　Meantime；　by　means　of　the　telegraph；　I　was　again　in　correspondence　with　General　Schofield　at　Raleigh。　　He　had　made　great　progress　in　parolling　the　officers　and　men　of　Johnston's　army　at　Greensboro'；　but　was　embarrassed　by　the　utter　confusion　and　anarchy　that　had　resulted　from　a　want　of　understanding　on　many　minor　points；　and　on　the　political　questions　that　had　to　be　met　at　the　instant。　　In　order　to　facilitate　the　return　to　their　homes　of　the　Confederate　officers　and　men；　he　had　been　forced　to　make　with　General　Johnston　the　following　supplemental　terms；　which　were　of　course　ratified　and　approved：
  MILITARY　CONVENTION　OF　APRIL　26；　1865。　SUPPLEMENTAL　TERMS。
  1。　　The　field　transportation　to　be　loaned　to　the　troops　for　their　march　to　their　homes；　and　for　subsequent　use　in　their　industrial　pursuits。　　Artillery…horses　may　be　used　in　field…transportation；　if　necessary。
  2。　　Each　brigade　or　separate　body　to　retain　a　number　of　arms　equal　to　one…seventh　of　its　effective　strength；　which；　when　the　troops　reach　the　capitals　of　their　states；　will　be　disposed　of　as　the　general　commanding　the　department　may　direct。
  3。　　Private　horses；　and　other　private　property　of　both　officers　and　men；　to　be　retained　by　them。
  4。　　The　commanding　general　of　the　Military　Division　of　West　Mississippi；　Major…General　Canby；　will　be　requested　to　give　transportation　by　water；　from　Mobile　or　New　Orleans；　to　the　troops　from　Arkansas　and　Texas。
  5。　　The　obligations　of　officers　and　soldiers　to　be　signed　by　their　immediate　commanders。
  6。　　Naval　forces　within　the　limits　of　General　Johnston's　command　to　be　included　in　the　terms　of　this　convention。
  J。　M。　SCHOFIELD；　Major…General；　Commanding　United　States　Forces　in　North　Carolina。
  J。　E。　JOHNSTON；　General；　Commanding　Confederate　States　Forces　in　North　Carolina。
  The　total　number　of　prisoners　of　war　parolled　by　General　Schofield；　at　Greensboro'；　North　Carolina；　as　afterward　officially　reported；　amounted　to　。。。。。。。。　38；817
  And　the　total　number　who　surrendered　in　Georgia　and　Florida；　as　reported　by　General　J。　　H。　　Wilson；　was　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　52；458
  Aggregate　surrendered　under　the　capitulation　of　General　J。　E。　Johnston　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　89；270
  On　the　morning　of　the　5th　I　also　received　from　General　Schofield　this　dispatch：
  RALEIGH；　NORTH　CAROLINA；　May　5；　1866。
  To　Major…General　W：　T。　SHERMAN；　Morehead　City：
  When　General　Grant　was　here；　as　you　doubtless　recollect；　he　said　the　lines　（for　trade　and　intercourse）　had　been　extended　to　embrace　this　and　other　States　south。　　The　order；　it　seems；　has　been　modified　so　as　to　include　only　Virginia　and　Tennessee。　　I　think　it　would　be　an　act　of　wisdom　to　open　this　State　to　trade　at　once。
  I　hope　the　Government　will　make　known　its　policy　as　to　the　organs　of　State　government　without　delay。　　Affairs　must　necessarily　be　in　a　very　unsettled　state　until　that　is　done。　　The　people　are　now　in　a　mood　to　accept　almost　anything　which　promises　a　definite　settlement。　　〃What　is　to　be　done　with　the　freedmen？〃　is　the　question　of　all；　and　it　is　the　all　important　question。　　It　requires　prompt　and　wise　notion　to　prevent　the　negroes　from　becoming　a　huge　elephant　on　our　hands。　　If　I　am　to　govern　this　State；　it　is　important　for　me　to　know　it　at　once。　　If　another　is　to　be　sent　here；　it　cannot　be　done　too　soon；　for　he　probably　will　undo　the　most　that　I　shall　have　done。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　hear　from　you　fully；　when　you　have　time　to　write。　　I　will　send　your　message　to　General　Wilson　at　once。
  J。　M。　SCHOFIELD；　Major…General。
  I　was　utterly　without　instructions　from　any　source　on　the　points　of　General　Schofield's　inquiry；　and　under　the　existing　state　of　facts　could　not　even　advise　him；　for　by　this　time　I　was　in　possession　of　the　second　bulletin　of　Mr。　Stanton；　published　in　all　the　Northern　papers；　with　comments　that　assumed　that　I　was　a　common　traitor　and　a　public　enemy；　and　high　officials　had　even　instructed　my　own　subordinates　to　disobey　my　lawful　orders。　　General　Halleck；　who　had　so　long　been　in　Washington　as　the　chief　of　staff；　had　been　sent　on　the　21st　of　April　to　Richmond；　to　command　the　armies　of　the　Potomac　and　James；　in　place　of　General　Grant；　who　had　transferred　his　headquarters　to　the　national　capital；　and　he　（General　Halleck）　was　therefore　in　supreme　command　in　Virginia；　while　my　command　over　North　Carolina　had　never　been　revoked　or　modified。
  ＇Second　Bulletin。＇
  WAR　DEPARTMENT；　WASHINGTON；　April　27　9。30　a。m。
  To　Major…General　DIX：
  The　department　has　received　the　following　dispatch　from　Major…　General　Halleck；　commanding　the　Military　Division　of　the　James。　Generals　Canby　and　Thomas　were　instructed　some　days　ago　that　Sherman's　arrangements　with　Johnston　were　disapproved　by　the　President；　and　they　were　ordered　to　disregard　it　and　push　the　enemy　in　every　direction。
  E。　　M。　　STANTON；　Secretary　of　War。
  RICHMOND；　VIRGINIA；　April　26…9。30　p。m。
  HON。　E。　M。　STANTON；　Secretary　of　War：
  Generals　Meade；　Sheridan；　and　Wright；　are　acting　under　orders　to　pay　no　regard　to　any　truce　or　orders　of　General　Sherman　respecting　hostilities；　on　the　ground　that　Sherman's　agreement　could　bind　his　command　only；　and　no　other。
  They　are　directed　to　push　forward；　regardless　of　orders　from　any　one　except　from　General　Grant；　and　cut　off　Johnston's　retreat。
  Beauregard　has　telegraphed　to　　Danville　that　a　new　arrangement　has　been　made　with　Sherman；　and　that　the　advance　of　the　Sixth　Corps　was　to　be　suspended　until　further　orders。
  I　have　telegraphed　back　to　obey　no　orders　of　Sherman；　but　to　push　forward　as　rapidly　as　possible。
  The　bankers　here　have　information　to…day　that　Jeff。　Davis's　specie　is　moving　south　from　Goldsboro'；　in　wagons；　as　fast　as　possible。
  I　suggest　that　orders　be　telegraphed；　through　General　Thomas；