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“The news of the murder of the President came in the midst of the universal joy at the favorable aspect of affairs, with a great shock and caused great gloom throughout the army from which it has not yet recovered.”

In this lengthy letter to his wife in Wisconsin, Brigadier General Thomas H. Ruger writes of the initial shock of news of the assassination, how many southerners including General Joseph Johnston thought the South had lost a friend in Lincoln, and the terms of surrender General William T. Sherman had offered Johnston

[LINCOLN ASSASSINATION]. THOMAS H. RUGER. Autograph Letter Signed (as “Howard,” to his wife Helen Lydia Moore Ruger, April 22, 1865, Raleigh, North Carolina. With envelope addressed to “Mrs. Thos H. Ruger / Care of H. R. Moore & Sons / Beloit / Wisconsin.” 8 pp., 5 x 8 in.

Inventory #26801       Price: $3,250

Complete Transcript
                                                                        Raleigh N.C. April 22^d 1865.

My darling wife

            When I last wrote we were under orders to march and then I expected to go the next morning. Instead we are resting quietly in Camp having reviews by Gen. Sherman of the different Corps and waiting for the result of the recent arrangement for the disbanding of all the rebel forces still in the field, which to be carried into effect needs the ratification of the government at Washington. The morning to which I have referred <2> as the one on which we were to have moved, the order for march was countermanded after the army had got under motion, in consequence of a communication by flag of truce from Gen Johnson to Gen. Sherman asking for a suspension of hostilities until Gen Sherman could communicate with Gen Grant and ascertain if Gen Johnson could surrender his army on the same terms as that granted to Gen. Lee. Gen Sherman replied that he had the power to treat on the subject, whereupon after personal interviews in which Gen Sherman sought for the surrender of all the rebel forces still in arms, it was agreed subject to ratification <3> of the Gov at Washington that the rebel armies should be disbanded, their arms deposited at the different State Capitals and a report of these made to the Ordnance Dept at Washington, that the authority of the Government should be everywhere recognized, that the U.S. Courts shoul[d]be reestablished.

            The only terms so far as I know given by us would be that all questions of Confiscations and other questions which would in time of peace go before the U.S. Courts for trial are to go there in relation to the rebellion. I have not read the agreement but others my Adjt. For one whom I sent the other night to Gen Shermans <4> Head Quarters to report a flag of truce in front of my picket line from Gen Baker who wished to surrender some North Carolina State troops which have been under his command in the vicinity of Weldon Tarboro &c. have read them and told the substance  Gen Sherman talks very freely about matters, and from all I learn from his staff and his orders I think he confidently expects his agreement will be ratified. In fact he has been talking of Maryland somewhere in the vicinity of Frederick as a good place to which to <5> march the army to give time for the settling of accounts, turning over property &c. preparatory to sending the troops home. There would be great disappointment in the army if they should stop at trifles in the matter of approving Gen Shermans action, as all even the men in the ranks feel that the rebels are whipped, conquered and ready to submit to the laws for all time to come. Within the last day or two Johnson sent in to ask Sherman to send orders over the lines through Georgia to stop Wilson whom he represents as at Macon Georgia and raising red with everything. <6>

The news of the murder of the President came in the midst of the universal joy at the favorable aspect of affairs, with a great shock and caused great gloom throughout the army from which it has not yet recovered. Most of the people here seemed to think it a blow to them, as well. The news came to Gen Sherman as he was talking to Johnson who it is said was very much affected and said that the South had lost the best friend it had in the death of the President. I do not know [?] how matters will turn out but I have a good deal of hope that there will be no <7> trouble about minor matters and that Shermans agreement will be ratified. It will bring peace permanently. I wish you could enjoy the delightful weather we are having. The mornings and evenings are very pleasant but it is even now somewhat warm in the middle of the day. The leaves are nearly full size. Our Corps was reviewed yesterday. My division received praise from all for its good appearance. Darling I do not get very many letters  I think you have made a mistake about my direction. I think I merely said to send them via Washington not to New Berne. Of course you will give my Div. & Corps which is all that is necessary. If all goes well I shall be marching towards the North and nearer <8> home. You are I have no doubt considering whether I will go home or you come to me. We will have to wait awhile before that question is decided. A few days will determine whether Shermans agreement is ratified. If not it is difficult to tell what may be the result. Johnston might still surrender his army, that is with him. Give my love to all. Kiss little Nellie for papa, and wife love ever so many kisses and much love to you from your loving husband

                                                                        Howard

Historical Background
Just over a week after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston (1807-1891) met with Union Major General William T. Sherman on April 17, 1865, near Durham, North Carolina, to discuss terms of surrender. Johnston was shocked when Sherman handed him a telegram announcing the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Sherman and Johnston met again the following day and signed terms of surrender.

Ruger’s anxiety, expressed in this letter, that the government at Washington would not approve the terms of surrender that Sherman had offered to Johnston proved correct. Sherman had not sought permission from President Andrew Johnson, the war cabinet, or his superior officer General Grant, and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton publicly denounced Sherman. On April 24, Grant arrived and told Sherman that Johnson’s cabinet had rejected the terms because they exceeded those Grant extended to Lee and also included civil matters. Sherman and Johnston met again on April 26 and agreed to new terms without the controversial provisions.

On that day, Johnston surrendered his Army of the Tennessee, as well as Confederate forces in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Johnston’s surrender of over 89,000 soldiers was the single largest capitulation in the Civil War.

This letter also mentions Union Brigadier General James H. Wilson, who was conducting a series of raids against Confederate factories, arsenals, and naval yards in Georgia and Alabama in March and April 1865. Ruger noted that Wilson was then believed to be in Macon, Georgia, which Wilson’s forces captured on April 20, 1865.

Thomas Howard Ruger (1833-1907) was born in New York and moved to Wisconsin in 1846. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1854 and joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He resigned in 1855 to become a lawyer in Wisconsin. In June 1861, he became the lieutenant colonel of the 3^rd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and was promoted to colonel two months later. He commanded his regiment in Maryland and Virginia, was wounded at the Battle of Antietam, and received a promotion to brigadier general in November 1862. He led his brigade at the Battle of Chancellorsville and a division at the Battle of Gettysburg. In the summer of 1863, he helped to suppress the New York City Draft Riots. He led a brigade in the XX Corps in General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign until November 1864, and then the campaign against Confederate General John B. Hood’s army in Tennessee. Promoted to brevet major general on November 30, 1864, Ruger organized a division at Nashville and led it to North Carolina. He commanded the department of North Carolina from June 1865 to June 1866. He served as the military governor of Georgia (January-June 1868) and in the Freedmen’s Bureau in Alabama (1868). He served as superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy from 1871-1876 and in various other western commands in the 1880s and 1890s. He retired in 1897 as a major general in the Regular Army.

Helen Lydia Moore Ruger (1837-1912) was born in New York. She married Thomas H. Ruger in October 1858, and they had two children, Helen Moore Ruger (1859-1920) and Anna M. Ruger (1867-1944).

Condition: Expected folds and light overall toning; envelope opened at right with minor loss.