In fact, Edwin Stanton was basically running things for the first day and a half. Temptations for a regency or Cabinet-style government were great, or for that matter, for a military-style intervention. After the assassination of Lincoln, there would be such turmoil, such chaos and anarchy gripping the Union Capital.
实际上,林肯被害后的一天半里,基本上是埃德温·斯坦顿在主事。那时,采取摄政制或是建立内阁政府,甚至军方干预,都有极大的诱惑力。林肯遇刺之后,骚动、混乱、无政府状态笼罩着联邦首都。
In fact, The New York Times would editorialize: "If this were France, all the country would be in bloody revolution by twenty-four hours." They were in such turmoil that the Union Cabinet would soon be discussing whether or not, in effect, a Napoleonic coup was under way. Who did they think was behind it? None other than one of their greatest generals, Bill Sherman. That's why I think it's so important to go back and recreate the world, not as we see it with hindsight but as they saw it, so we can see the turning points that they confronted.
事实上,《纽约时报》完全可能发表这样的社论:“如果这是在法国,24小时内,全国就会陷入一场血腥的革命之中。”极度混乱的局势使联邦政府可能很快就要讨论一次拿破仑式的政变是否已经开始。他们认为是谁在搞政变?不是别人,正是他们一个伟大的将军,比尔·舍曼。这就是为什么我强调要回到过去,重现当时的情形,不要以后见之明去审视当时的局势,而是从人们当时的角度看问题。这样我们就能看清那时人们所面临的转折点。
The Bennett House story is the story that we never hear about. Appomattox is usually viewed as the end of the war on April 9. But, of course, there were still three Confederate armies in the field, and Davis calling for guerrilla warfare. Five days later, there was a tripartite assassination attempt of Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Seward. The Union was in total chaos. What took place in the Bennett House in North Carolina was the final surrender of the other principal army of the Confederacy, which was commanded by Joe Johnston.
我们没听说过本尼特农场上发生的事情。4月9日发生在阿波马托克斯的受降一般被视为内战结束的标志。不过在那之后,战场上仍然有三支南部邦联的军队,戴维斯还在鼓吹游击战。五天之后,针对林肯、安德鲁·约翰逊和苏厄德的三起谋杀发生了。美国完全陷入混乱。乔·约翰斯顿指挥的南部邦联剩余的主要部队最终投降,位于北卡罗来纳州的本尼特农场见证了这一重要时刻。