masked his movements wonderfully well till the early morning of
the twenty-fifth of March, when he suddenly made a furious attack
where the lines were very near together. For some hours he held a
salient in the Federal position. But he was presently driven back
with loss; and his intention to escape stood plainly revealed.

The same day Sherman railed down to Newbern over the line
repaired by that indefatigable and most accomplished engineer,
Colonel W. W. Wright, took ship for City Point, Virginia, and met
Lincoln, Grant, and Admiral Porter there on the twenty-seventh
and twenty-eighth. Grant explained to Lincoln that Sheridan was
crossing the James just below them, to cut the rails running
south from Petersburg and then, by forced marches, to cut those
running southwest from Richmond, Lee's last possible line of
escape. Grant added that the final crisis was very near and that
his only anxiety was lest Lee might escape before Sheridan cut
the Richmond line southwest to Danville. Lincoln said he hoped
the war would end at once and with no more bloodshed. Grant and
Sherman, however, could not guarantee that Davis might not force
Lee and Johnston to one last desperate fight. Lincoln added that
all he wanted after the surrender was to get the Confederates
back to their civil life and make them good contented citizens.
As for Davis: well, there once was a man who, having taken the
pledge, was asked if he wouldn't let his host put just a drop of
brandy in the lemonade. His answer was: "See here, if you do it
unbeknownst, I won't object." From the way that Lincoln told this
story Grant and Sherman both inferred that he would be glad to
see Davis disembarrass the reunited States of his annoying
presence.