1365

CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS

Palo Pinto, Texas, in which the Federals were defeated with a loss of 70 men.

Sherman was moving forward. On April 14 he received from Johnston, under a flag of truce, a proposal to suspend hostilities long enough for the civil authorities to arrange a peace. Sherman invited a personal conference, and offered terms so lenient-even more so than those offered to Lee at Appomattox-that they were disapproved at Washington and the truce terminated. On the 25th the two commanders again met, and agreed on terms similar to those accepted by Grant and Lee.

Gathering stragglers as he fled, Jefferson Davis proposed to renew his career on the plains of Texas, but on May 26 the last armed force of the rebellion was obliterated by the surrender of General Kirby E. Smith. Davis, with his family, was captured at Irwinsville by General Wilson's cavalry, and was sent to Fortress Monroe. On May 6 he was indicted for treason by a grand jury in the Circuit Court of Virginia. However, Horace Greeley and others signed Davis's bail bond at Richmond, whereupon he was released from prison. One week later he left the United States to reside in Canada, but in November returned to Richmond. Subsequently he returned with his family to his home at Beauvoir, Mississippi, where he died December 6, 1889. In 1880 he published a "History of the Civil War."

The total number of Federal troops engaged in the war, as reported by the Adjutant-General's office, was 2,772,448. The number of enlistments was 2,898,304. By reductions to a three years' basis, the number was 1,556,678. The number who served in the Confederate army was 1,234,000. The losses in the Union army of killed and wounded were 385,245, while it is estimated that 94,000 were killed in the Confederate army. The expenses of the National Government and the several States amounted to $6,165,237,000. The

MAXIMILIAN OUTLAWS REPUBLICANS

1865

total cost of the war, North and South, according to David A. Wells, was $8,165,237,000.

In May the war debt was $2,808,549,437. On May 3 the last war loan was authorized. Congress imposed a tax on all due notes of State Banks after July 1, and the result of the law was to drive the notes of State Banks out of circulation, and establish more firmly the National Banks.

After the surrender of General Lee many officers and men crossed the Mexican border and took part in the attack of General Cortinas at Matamoras.. General Slaughter of the Confederate army opened negotiations with Marshal Bazaine for a transfer of 25,000 Confederate soldiers to Mexico. Governor Price of Missouri received authorization to recruit an imperial army in the Confederacy. Governor Harris of Tennessee, with Judge Perkins, Generals Magruder and Stone, Commodore Maury and Doctor Gwin, having become naturalized as Mexicans, became the prime movers of a colonization scheme of ambitious proportions. This was all that was needed to turn the scale in the North in favor of Juarez. A colony of armed Confederates, hostile to the Government of the United States, and backed by France, Austria, and Belgium, could not be tolerated on the Mexican border. Another attempt made by Maximilian to obtain the recognition of the United States in July resulted in signal failure. Recruiting offices on behalf of the Mexican Republic were opened in New York and other American cities. On October 3 Maximilian issued his notorious decree, known in Mexican history as the Bando Negro. In this fatal enactment all armed Republicans were proclaimed as outlaws. When taken with arms they were ordered to be shot within twenty-four hours. On October 13 the Mexican generals, Ortaga and Salazar, were shot under this decree.

In Europe Austria and Prussia began quarreling over their respective interests in Schleswig-Holstein, that they had

1865

DEATH OF PALMERSTON

wrested from Denmark for the common good of Germany. Prussia transferred her naval base from Dantzig to Kiel with every indication of her intention to retain the latter port as her own. Austria was plainly aiding the cause of Frederick of Augustenburg, claimant of the disputed duchy. Only King William of Prussia was still inclined to peaceful measures. He arranged a meeting with the Austrian Emperor at Gastein. War was for the moment avoided by the treaty of Gastein, signed on August 16. By the terms of the treaty, Lauenburg was sold to Prussia for 6,000,000 marks; Schleswig was placed under the control of Prussia, and Holstein under that of Austria. Kiel, the subsequent naval port of the Confederation, and Rendsburg, the subsequent fortress of the Confederation, were held in common.

But Bismarck did not consider that this treaty settled matters. He saw that war with Austria was fast becoming unavoidable. An opportunity had presented itself, by the turn affairs had taken in Holstein, for augmenting the power of Prussia. There was but one way to attain his purpose; to wit: the conversion of the Schleswig-Holstein question from one of merely Prussian importance to one of national concern. Bismarck exclaimed in Parliament: "The great questions of the time are solved not by speech-making and the resolutions of majorities, but by blood and iron."

Constant Troyon, the famous French landscape and cattle painter, died during this year.

Shortly after the Parliamentary elections, Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister, died at Brockett Hall, in Hertfordshire. It was as Foreign Secretary that Palmerston, familiarly called "Pam," obtained that reputation for commissions and vigorous initiative that made his name a word of exultation to his admirers. He was buried at Westminster Abbey. Earl Russell succeeded as Prime Minister, while Gladstone became the leader of the Ministry in the Commons.

EVENTS OF 1866

Secret Alliance Between Prussia and Italy against Austria Austria Increases Venetian Armament-Austrian Governor of Holstein Violates Treaty of Gastein-Prussians Occupy Holstein in Violation of Acts of Confederation-Prussia Declares Confederation Dissolved and Calls for New Confederation Without Austria-On Their Refusal to Enter New Confederation, Hanover, Saxony, and Hesse-Cassel are Occupied by Prussian Troops -Bavaria Comes to Their Aid-Prussia Prevents Junction of Bavarian and Hanoverian Troops-Hanoverians are Defeated at Langensalza-They Surrender and are Paroled-Austrians Defeat Italians at Custozza-Benedek Leads Austrians into Bohemia-They are Defeated in Repeated Engagements-Forced by His Government, Benedek Fights Moltke at Sadowa (Königgrätz) -Benedek's Defeat Decides the War-Prussians Defeat Bavarians and Enter Frankfort-Austria Cedes Venetia to France-Tegethoff, Russian Admiral, Defeats Persano, Italian Admiral, off Lissa-Peace Treaties at Prague and Elsewhere Provide for Austria's Withdrawal from German Confederation, the Formation of a North German Confederation, the Annexation of Hanover to Prussia, and the Admission of South German States to Zollverein-Bismarck Forms Secret Alliance Between All German States-Napoleon Restores Venetia to Italy-New Shogun of Japan Wars with Insurgent Daimios-American Army of Observation Sent to Mexican Border -Seward Demands of Napoleon III the Withdrawal of French Troops from Mexico-Napoleon Informs Maximilian that French Troops will be Gradually Withdrawn-Reduction of Troops' Pay Leads to Mutiny-Empress Carlotta Undertakes Mission to Napoleon III to Retain French Aid, and to Pius IX to Secure Assent to Sequestration of Church Property-She Fails and Becomes Insane -Congress Passes Over Johnson's Veto Civil Rights Bill to Establish Citizenship of Negroes-Cabinet Officers Resign-Strong Republican Congress is Elected-It Clashes with President on His States Rights Plan of Reconstructing Southern State Governments -Johnson Issues Amnesty to Rebels and Restores Right of Habeas Corpus in Southern States-Field Lays Working Atlantic CableDeath of Sparks, American Historian.

'N Prussia's attempt to adjust the affairs of Schleswig and Holstein but one ally could be counted upon by

I

Bismarck. This was Italy, which longed to come into possession of the Venetian provinces held by Austria. Secretly Bismarck concluded an offensive and defensive alliance with Italy on April 8. It was to hold only for the brief space of three months. Venetia was to fall to Italy; a territory of like value to Prussia; no separate peace was to be made with Austria. The treaty was to expire if in three months Prussia failed to declare war. Bismarck made the best use

1866

PRUSSIANS INVADE HOLSTEIN

of his short time. On April 9 the Prussian Government at Frankfort proposed the reform of the German Confederation. A National Convention, composed of members to be directly elected by the people, was to decide upon the adoption of a constitution, based upon principles that treated the Schleswig-Holstein problem as a national issue and not as a piece of monarchic greed. These principles were later unfolded in a circular issued by Bismarck on May 27. Bavaria assented to the reform of the Confederation on condition that both Austria and Prussia, as the two leading Powers, would agree not to attack each other. To this Austria gave its immediate consent and the new Confederation was formed. In the meanwhile Napoleon III, to whom Lamarmora, the Italian Prime Minister, had unfolded Bismarck's stipulations, communicated with the Austrian Ambassador. Austria took alarm and made a tentative offer to cede the Venetian provinces in a peaceful arrangement. Italy hesitated to break faith with Prussia. Austria forthwith increased her Venetian armament. Bismarck seized upon this to charge Austria with insincerity as regarded her promises of peace. Preparations for war were hurried on both sides. Austria replied on June 1 by suggesting that the question be left to the Bundestag, despite the fact that Prussia had already expressly denied the competency of that body to discuss matters of national importance. Simultaneously, in obedience to the command of his Government, Von Gablenz, the Austrian governor of Holstein, summoned the Holstein estates to Itzehoe, "to hear the voice of the land in the matter of its destiny." This was a violation of the Gastein treaty. On June 7 a Prussian force, under Von Manteuffel, marched into Holstein. The Austrians retired on June 12, accompanied by the Duke of Augustenburg. Austria lodged a protest; claimed that Von Manteuffel's invasion of Holstein was a breach of the eleventh article of the Acts of Confederation,