General Joseph Johnston Telegrams General William T. Sherman Under Flag of Truce, Seeking to Ensure All Union Regiments Are Informed of Their Peace Agreement, Signed the Day Before

This is the received telegram that crossed the battle lines by flag of truce, carried by an officer of Confederate cavalry General Wade Hampton, to Union cavalry General Judson Kilpatrick at his front

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Kilpatrick’s aide hand delivered it Sherman

Sherman’s telegram response is included, in which he instructs that Johnston be told he has complied with the request

General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to General U.S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. It is commonly thought that...

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General Joseph Johnston Telegrams General William T. Sherman Under Flag of Truce, Seeking to Ensure All Union Regiments Are Informed of Their Peace Agreement, Signed the Day Before

This is the received telegram that crossed the battle lines by flag of truce, carried by an officer of Confederate cavalry General Wade Hampton, to Union cavalry General Judson Kilpatrick at his front

Kilpatrick’s aide hand delivered it Sherman

Sherman’s telegram response is included, in which he instructs that Johnston be told he has complied with the request

General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to General U.S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. It is commonly thought that Lee’s surrender ended the Civil War, but actually combat continued elsewhere, particularly in North Carolina where Confederate General Joseph Johnston was facing General William T. Sherman. However, after learning of Lee’s capitulation, Johnston saw no real path to victory and nothing that could justify more loss of life. He agreed to meet with Sherman between the lines at a small farm known as Bennett Place near present-day Durham, North Carolina, the purpose being to end hostilities in that theater as Grant had in Virginia. After three separate days (April 17, 18, and 26, 1865) of negotiations, Johnston surrendered his Army of Tennessee and all remaining Confederate forces still active in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. It was the largest surrender of the war, totaling 89,270 soldiers.

Even though the two commanders were negotiating, the outcome was uncertain, and other Union generals continued to advance. General George Stoneman began the last raid of the war on March 23, in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Union soldiers there were tasked with orders to “dismantle the country” — to “destroy but not to fight battles.” They headed east into North Carolina destroying towns and plundering along the way, then headed north into Virginia on April 2 where they destroyed 150 miles of railroad track belonging to the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad. They re-entered North Carolina on April 9 and traveled south to the twin towns of Winston and Salem, and then onward to High Point. Stoneman’s men plundered Statesville, Lincolnton, Taylorsville, and Asheville, North Carolina before re-entering Tennessee on April 26, the same day Johnston surrendered.

General Meade’s army too was on the move, and was a mere 45 miles from Johnston’s encampment.

Johnston urgently wanted to make sure that more men did not die in vain after the settlement of terms of peace. He sent a dispatch to Sherman through Confederate General Wade Hampton, requesting that Sherman notify his generals of the end of hostilities. The dispatch is on the standard Confederate “Southern Express Company” form used by Johnston and others in that area at the time, and was sent by telegraph from Johnston to his front and hand delivered to Sherman across the battle lines by flag of truce.

Telegram, from Johnson though in the hand of the telegraph operator, Greensboro, N.C., April 27, 1865, to Sherman through Hampton, and received in the field. “General Meade has entered Danville and Genl. Stoneman is reported between Wilkesboro and Lincolnton. I respectfully ask they be informed of the convention by you. J.E. Johnston, Genl.”

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies indicates that Sherman describes receiving this telegram: “The following dispatch just been received by flag of truce.” Major Lew Estes, an aide to cavalry General Judson Kilpatrick who delivered it to Sherman, adds that Johnston’s emissary is awaiting an answer.

Sherman’s response in the hand of a telegrapher is included, and he complied with Johnston’s request. He wrote from “Raleigh, 27th, 12 midnight”, to be delivered by Major Estes to relay on to Johnston’s officer. “The dispatches were sent to or taken by General Kilpatrick tonight cover the answer to Genl. Johnston’s telegram. Please notify Genl. Johnston’s officer to that effect.”

This is an extraordinary memento of the end of the Civil War, as both Johnston and Sherman seek to avoid spilling further blood. It was in a distinguished private collection for over half a century until we recently acquired it.

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