“Oh,” said General Sherman. “Well, if it was she, I can do nothing for you; she ranks me.”
During the night, while we boys were trying to keep from freezing and wondering what the morrow would bring forth, the Confederate Generals held another council of war, deciding they could not hold out longer against Gen. Grant’s army, and would surrender.
Colonel Forrest (who commanded the cavalry) during the council arose and said: “I will not surrender my command or myself,” and left the council. During the night, or early morning, he and his command escaped by wading the river on our extreme right, which was unprotected by the Union forces.
Colonel Forrest was a brave man and a terrible fighter, as our troops afterwards learned on numerous occasions.
The two senior Generals of the Confederates turned the command over to Gen. S. B. Buckner, who somewhat scornfully notified his colleagues, that if they proposed to escape they must do so speedily, for after he should open negotiations with General Grant no one would be allowed to leave the fort.
I have always admired General Buckner for declining to leave, claiming as he did, that it was honorable to stay with his soldiers.
During the night or early morning, Gen. Buckner sent a note, under a flag of truce, to Gen. Grant, asking an armistice to arrange terms of surrender.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Gen. Grant wrote the following answer, probably one of the finest specimens of energetic war literature in military history.
“No terms other than an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works.”
Upon the receipt of this, Gen. Buckner promptly returned his answer of acceptance.