386 Nortru Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

invited to a “squirrel dinner” of large, grey wharf rats found
along the Appomattox river.”

THE PEACE COMMISSION.

January, 1865. The left of the Fifty-sixth North Car-
olina is resting on the City Point Railroad. In the south
side of the deep cut is excavated regimental headquarters,
protected by bracings and supports of heavy timber. The
Forty-ninth and Twenty-fifth to our right; the Thirty-fifth
and Twenty-fourth to our left. Here the Peace Commis-
sioners, authorized by Congress and appointed by Mr. Davis,
crossed the lines, going out to meet Mr. Lincoln and Mr.
Seward, of his Cabinet, at Fortress Monroe. The appointees
were Messrs. A. H. Stephens, Vice-President Confederate
States; R. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia, formerly United States
Senator, now a Confederate States Senator; and J. A. Camp-
bell, of Alabama, formerly Associate Justice Supreme Court,
United States, now Assistant Secretary of War. The feeling
in the army that all had been done, which our resources and
human valor could accomplish, was manifested by the pro-
longed cheers which greeted their departure as the news ran
along the line. North Carolina had a right to be heard from
in this matter. The first States had seceded without awaiting
an overt act towards the destruction of slavery after Mr.
Lincoln’s election; but after a thorough canvass, with the
Chief Executive and almost all the State press in favor of it,
she had in February, 1861, voted down the proposition to
call a State Convention with authority to consider a ques-
tion that had not yet arisen. But with the opening of the
war at Fort Sumpter 12 April, 1861, and the call of Mr. Lin-
coln for a quota of troops, her volunteer companies, of which
there were a number throughout the towns, immediately re-
ported themselves to Governor Ellis, who had replied to the
Federal Government, substantially: “You cannot get a man
trom North Carolina.” The State Convention in afterwards
unanimously withdrawing from the Union, had acted deliber-
ately, and though she swore to her own hurt, yet to the end she
changed not. Casting about 113,000 votes, she has contribu-
ted over 125,000 troops, and her dead heroes slain in battle

Firry-SixtH REGIMENT. 387

number twice those from any other State. Not for a moment
did she think of deserting her associates. Terms with one
must be terms with all. In this spirit Senator William A.
Graham, in full accord and after consultation with General
Lee, introduced the peace commission resolution, which was
adopted ; and he would have gone out as its Chairman, but for
Mr. Stephens’ unexpectedly accepting the complimentary ten-
der of the position which Mr. Davis thought his state of health
would compel him to decline. General Lee not only ap-
proved, but urged the measure and prompt action, saying,
“My lines may be broken any night, and where I am to rally,
I donot know. The truth is, I shall not rally at all.” When
told that the commission was appointed, but their hands were
tied by the President’s instructions to insist upon the recog-
nition of our independence, he exclaimed, not profanely, but
with great feeling, “I wish to God that I was dead; the war
is over, and Mr. Davis ought to acknowledge it.”

This account of the origin of the Peace Commission of Jan-
uary, 1865, and of General Lee’s full concurrence with him,
I received from Governor Graham just after the close of the
war. He also said that Mr. Davis explained this compli-
mentary tender to Mr. Stephens as an effort to conciliate him.
From U. S. Official Records it is now evident this referred
to a sharp and bitter correspondence in the matter of Mr.
David F. Cable, of Ohio.

What was General Lee todo? A soldier cannot resign his
sword while under fire. He must see the battle through
first. And there had been almost a continuous battle since
the first of the preceding May. Congress raised him to the
first rank of General-in-Chief of the Confederate States
Armies; but it had not yet empowered him to treat for
peace. It was afterwards further understood by us that in
some way, General Grant was sounded by him and had de-
clared himself powerless to settle any question not purely mil-
itary.

Of course, the Commission accomplished nothing. Diplo
macy made all out of the Federal refusal of independence
that was possible. There were bonfires and. speeches in
Richmond ; but they did not decrease the overwhelming num-