Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[714] Generals Thomas and Grant, and direct the Quartermaster's department to reward the bearer.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

My advance received the surrender of this city this evening.

General Cobb had previously sent me, under flag of truce, a copy of a telegram from General Beauregard, declaring the existence of an armistice between all the troops under your command, and those under General Johnston.

Without questioning the authenticity of this despatch, or its application to my command, I could not communicate orders to my advance in time to prevent the capture of the place; I shall therefore hold its garrison, including Major-Generals G. W. Smith and Cobb, and Brigadier-General Mackall, prisoners of war. Please send me orders. I shall remain here a reasonable length of time to hear from you.

I left Chickasaw with three (3) divisions on the twenty-second March; destroyed all the foundries and rolling mills in Northern Alabama; defeated Forrest, Adams, and Roddy at Ebenezer station, south of Montevallo. April first, captured three hundred prisoners and three (3) guns. Assaulted and captured Selma the evening of the second, with twenty-seven hundred (2,700) prisoners, twenty-eight (28) field guns, and one (1) thirty-pound Parrott in action, besides about fifty pieces of various calibre in the town. Burned arsenal, foundries, rolling mills, and large quantities of stores; drove Forrest to the west side of the Cahawba; destroyed the bridges; built a pontoon bridge across the Alabama; marched to Montgomery, which capitulated on the fourteenth; destroyed the arsenal, foundry, five steamboats, and five field guns; marched thence to Columbia, sending a strong column to West Point.

General Upton assaulted and carried the defenses of Columbia, ten P. M. on the seventeenth; captured thirteen hundred prisoners, fifty-two field guns, in position, destroyed one hundred thousand bales of cotton, the arsenal, foundry, armory, navy yard, one iron-clad ram, mounting six (6) guns, nearly ready for sea, four (4) extensive factories, fifteen locomotives, and a very large quantity of military stores of every kind.

The same day Colonel La Grange took West Point, two hundred prisoners, killed General Tyler, captured three hundred cars, and fifteen locomotives.¹ Both columns converged in this place, where they arrived last night. The rebels destroyed twenty-eight thousand bales of cotton at Selma, and eighty-five thousand at Montgomery. The damage inflicted upon the rebels up to this time cannot be reckoned in Confederate currency.

Croxton's brigade left me at Elyton, burnt Tuscaloosa, and when last heard from was near Columbus, Mississippi. I have organized and partially armed three negro regiments. My command is in excellent condition, and can go anywhere. I have no definite information from Canby, but rumors that he had taken Mobile; I know he ought to have done so some time ago.

Shall wait here a few days to rest, and wait a reply to my despatch of last night.

General — This place surrendered to me last night unconditionally. Major-Generals Cobb, G. W. Smith, and Brigadier General Mackall, with 1,500 militia, are prisoners.

Since arriving here, I have received through General Cobb, a copy of an official despatch from General J. E. Johnston, declaring the existence of an armistice between the troops under his command, and those under General Sherman, for the purpose of arranging terms of agreement between the belligerents. General Cobb has also received a despatch ordering him to communicate this information to General Taylor, who is requested to solicit an extension of its terms to your forces and his own. My own impression is that it is not contemplated by our authorities that a general armistice should be declared, or that its terms should apply to your or my forces. There is no doubt, however, that General Lee and his army are prisoners of war, and that General Johnston is in command of the Confederate forces. I have telegraphic communication through the rebel lines and General