Well, friend Neil, multiple posts or not, you are not correct in this.
Here are my references.
Thursday, March 2nd, 1865:
Gen. Lee wrote a message to Gen. Grant, proposing a meeting to attempt resolving the present "unhappy difficulties" by a military convention.
Grant demurred saying he had not authority to hold such a conference, there must have been something misunderstood. Dealing with the south in such a manner would, in effect, be a recognition of it as a soverign military force -- a separate nation's military power. This was the same ploy used at the "peace committee" meeting with Lincoln at Hampton Roads, when Confederate Vice-President Stephens suggested that the NOrth and South jointly throw Napoleon III out of Mexico.
Friday, March 3rd, 1865 ---
Lincoln wrote a message, signed by Stanton, directing Grant "to have no conference with General Lee unless it be for the capitulation of Gen. Lee's army...you are not to decide, discuss, or confer upon any political question. Such questions, the President holds in his own hands; and will submit them to no military conferences or conventions. Meantime you are to press to the utmost, your military advantages." This signal order laid the policy for for the generals in the surrender to come, although the message was sent only to Grant and not to Sherman.
references: "The Civil War Years", Sterling; "The Civil War Day by Day", E. B. Long