Tide Turns Case 6
Lincoln’s Surrender Terms
In April 1865 Robert E. Lee sent a soldier waving a towel to offer surrender to negotiate an end to the war. But, disappointedly, found “unconditional surrender” the only possible way to open a dialogue with Ulysses S. Grant. As early as February, Lincoln met with peace commissioners at Hampton Roads, Virginia and laid out terms of reunification. The President provided three conditions for surrender: that all southern belligerents restore “national authority,” support the 13th Amendment -abolishing slavery, and disband all military forces.
On April 5, four days before Lee concedes to loss, Lincoln repeats his terms to commissioner John A. Campbell – former U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Though there was at first resistance to the President’s conditions, eventually, all these terms were enforced. Lincoln felt this was the only way America could be a United States.