The terms excited throughout the North a kind of roar
of dis- gust which would have cowed Sherman even had he entertained the idea of resisting the President's order. He, however, on find- ing that he had miscalculated his own strength, gave way without demur, and General Grant with a fine generosity suffered the Confederate armies to surrender to his subordinate. So confident had the Southern leaders been of their position under Sherman's proposal that General Breckinridge, with an impertinence almost amusing, telegraphed to the officer in command of the famous Sixth Corps (Federal) ordering him not to advance, as peace had been signed. The officer telegraphed to Washington, and the Commander-in-Chief was compelled to direct him to pay no attention to any orders received from Sherman, or anybody else except Grant. The marked collapse of the military when con- fronted with the civil power is the most gratifying feature of the whole affair.
