act, and the rumor that he did is not only without evidence, but is against the testimony of the parties to the conference. Nor does it appear conclusively that the ultimatum of President Davis was independence or war. Whatever his exigency required him to declare to the public as the true basis of a treaty, it must be considered that his utterances had often committed him to restoration of the Union under the Constitution. But these questions are put aside as not being within the scope of this outline of army operations, that the situation of the great military contestants may be now observed for the last time.
Sherman left Savannah, which he had occupied after suffering the Confederate forces there to retreat without hindrance into South Carolina. His march was resumed in January through that State northward to Columbia, which he caused to be burned. Charleston, flanked by this movement, was evacuated, and from this point the Confederate forces under Johnston met the Federal advances toward North Carolina.
On the return of the army of Tennessee from its unfortunate expedition, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston had been recalled to command and placed in charge of all forces in South and North Carolina, in order that a concentration might be effected with which Sherman could be checked. The divisions of Stevenson and Cheatham, brought from the army of Tennessee; the division of Hoke, which had been detached for some time from the army of Northern Virginia, and the troops of Hardee, withdrawn from Charleston, constituted the infantry. Wheeler and Hampton commanded the cavalry. The strength of the forces when concentrated was probably 20,000 effective men of all arms. With this command, brought together after Bragg had fought the battle of Kinston, and Hardee the battle of Averasboro, General Johnston confronted Sherman's force of 70,000 at Bentonville in engagements from the ipth to the zist of March, after which he moved his army to Raleigh.
