Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/272

258 protracted siege are given in many volumes of this work and may not be recounted here. It dragged its wearisome course through the summer while Early was pushing Hunter into the mountains of western Virginia, driving Sigel across the Potomac, defeating Wallace at Monocacy, forming line of battle in sight of Washington city, to the amazement of its defenders, mingled with no little amount of the old fear for the safety of the capital. After thus scandalizing the military management of the Federals, Early defeated Crook and Averell at Kernstown, and gained such mastery of the valley as to require the special expedition of a new force of 40,000 infantry, attended by a chosen body of cavalry, to finally defeat him after many engagements extending into the winter.

The operations of Grant against Petersburg and Richmond from July to the opening of the following spring, were comprised in approaches by intrenchments; the explosion of a mine under the Confederate breastworks on the 30th of July; attempted extensions of his lines in August, in which he was partially successful at Globe tavern and defeated at Reams' Station; besides other efforts on both sides of the river James, which did not change the situation to his advantage.

The total result of events to February, 1865, was such that the Confederate government ventured, through a commission composed of Stephens, Hunter and Campbell, to present again to the Federal administration proposals for peace. The Confederate government was justified at this time in seeking for a basis of peace between the sections, but what the precise conditions were on which it would have accepted peace without independence, has not yet clearly appeared. The exact point of appeasement was never reached, but it is certain that President Lincoln, in his interview with the commission, did not write the word "Union" and consent to the addition thereto of whatever the commissioners desired. Mr. Lincoln was too wise to do so foolish an