John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History

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Chapter 36.

Lincoln's interviews with Campbell

-- Withdraws authority for meeting of Virginia legislature -- conference of Davis and Johnston at Greensboro -- Johnston asks for an armistice -- meeting of Sherman and Johnston -- their agreement -- rejected at Washington -- surrender of Johnston -- surrender of other Confederate forces -- end of the rebel Navy -- capture of Jefferson Davis -- surrender of E. Kirby Smith -- number of Confederates surrendered and exchanged -- reduction of Federal army to a peace footing -- grand review of the army

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While in Richmond, Mr. Lincoln had two interviews with John A. Campbell, rebel Secretary of War, who had not accompanied the other fleeing officials, preferring instead to submit to Federal authority. Mr. Campbell had been one of the commissioners at the Hampton Roads conference, and Mr. Lincoln now gave him a written memorandum repeating in substance the terms he had then offered the Confederates. On Campbell's suggestion that the Virginia legislature, if allowed to come together, would at once repeal its ordinance of secession and withdraw all Virginia troops from the field, he also gave permission for its members to assemble for that purpose. But this, being distorted into authority to sit in judgment on the political consequences of the war, was soon withdrawn.

Jefferson Davis and his cabinet proceeded to Danville, where, two days after his arrival, the rebel President made still another effort to fire the Southern heart,