You still don’t mention Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley either.
Apologies for the slight hijack…
THat is what I am saying, exactly, so I think we’re agreeing with each other. The Constitution protects some individual rights and state powers, limits others, but anything not explicitly either granted in the Constitution or outlawed in the Constitution is allowed, not limited…
My understanding is that there was no established Union policy for dealing with Southern military leaders at the time of Appomattox. As noted on this site:
"President Lincoln had authorized Grant to treat on military matters, retaining to himself the right to dictate political terms, which were not the immediate issue.
Armed with this authority, Grant was able to extend to his former enemy a level of courtesy and respect equal to that for which Lee himself was renowned. Despite his reputation for demanding unconditional surrender from his foes, Grant’s terms were remarkably lenient and signaled the wish, at least on the part of the Army of the Potomac, to put aside the grievances of the War…
Grant’s Surrender Terms At Appomattox
April 9, 1865
*Head Quarters of the Armies of the United States
Appomattox C.H. Va. Apl 9th 1865
(To) Gen. R. E. Lee
Comd’g C.S.A.
General,
In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of N. Va. on the following terms to wit;
Rolls of all the officers and men be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands -
The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked and turned over to the officer appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side arms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage. This done each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority as long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside"*
That last sentence in particular set precedent that might never have happened without Grant’s actions.
It’s irrelevant. We know that Lincoln had already put aside the idea of hanging confederates in favor of voluntary reconstruction and trying to bind them back to the Union. Grant’s terms were following Lincoln’s lead.
In fact, your own cite supports this, as Grant was not permitted to do more or less anything Lincoln didn’t want, and unlike some generals, he obeyed (and, as commonly happens, got more flexibility in exchange). He did as Lincoln wished, and while Lincoln may not have specified every term, he had already ruled out mass executions or war guilt.
“The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend”
-Abraham Lincoln