Confederate officials arrive off Hampton Roads, Virginia, to negotiate prisoner exchange terms with the Federals. They are also unofficially authorized to negotiate a possible end to the war.

Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
Confederate officials arrive off Hampton Roads, Virginia, to negotiate prisoner exchange terms with the Federals. They are also unofficially authorized to negotiate a possible end to the war.
With the number of prisoners of war quickly growing, Federals and Confederates agree to a tentative system of prisoner exchange.
August 27, 1864 – Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant instructed the Federal prisoner exchange agents to refuse any Confederate offers to exchange prisoners. By this
July 16, 1864 – Two Federal operatives were permitted to go to Richmond to negotiate a possible peace with President Jefferson Davis. While Federal and
April 1, 1864 – Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant issued “most emphatic” orders to take no action on agreeing to exchange prisoners of war without