Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/196

 196 Southern Historical Society Papers.

late war ; war to cease and peace to be restored. This agreement was rejected by the authorities at Washington, and on April 28th Generals Johnston and Sherman signed another, surrendering the Con- federate army on the terms of the agreement between Grant and Lee. How touching were his parting words to his soldiers in May, 1865 : "COMRADES: You will return to your homes with the admiration of our people, won by the courage and noble devotion you have dis- played in this long war. I now part with you with deep regret, and bid you farewell with feelings of cordial friendship and with earnest wishes that you may have hereafter all the prosperity and happiness to be found in the world."

AS A CITIZEN.

After the war General Johnston was president of a railroad in Ar- kansas, president of the National Express Company in Virginia, agent for the London, Liverpool and Globe Insurance Company and for the New York Life Insurance Company at Savannah, Ga. In 1877 he was elected to Congress from the Richmond district in Vir- ginia. He was afterwards appointed by President Cleveland com- missioner of railroads of the United States, and he held that office till the close of Cleveland's administration. The request of his dis- tinguished adversary, General Sherman, that he be reappointed by the incoming administration to the office of railroad commissioner of the United States, was to him a testimonial far higher and more glorious than the office itself. These distinguished men, who were directly opposed to each other in the field of war and in one of the most remarkable campaigns in military annals, though acquainted before the war, entertained for each other after the war an exalted mutual regard and the most cordial personal friendship. General Johnston attended and officiated at the funeral obsequies of General Sherman, his great antagonist, only a few weeks before he was sum- moned to follow him. He forgot not the soldiers he led.

In September, 1890, after twenty-five years had passed and true American citizenship had taken charge of the destinies of this Repub- lic, and when, after the white heat of the conflict, the North and the South had each recognized the need of the other in the new national life, and the people of the States had entered upon the grander des- tiny opening up before them, with loving words he writes :

"Your very cordial and friendly invitation to me to attend the re- union of Confederate soldiers at Memphis on the 2d proximo is in- finitely gratifying, although I shall be unable to avail myself of it.