Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-06-11
END OF THE WAR.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF FIXING
ASPECIFlc DATE.
Richmond and Appomattox-spanis Fort
and Blakeley-Hampton, Johnston
and TayIor-Down in Texas-The
Last Combat-Peace.
New York SUM-


Richmond. the Confederate capital, was
captured and occupied by the Union forces
ON the morning of April g. 1865, its garris-
son having abandoned it during the night
precsiing. Hostilities, however, went on
with vigor in Virginia as well as elsewhere
until April q when the army OF northern
Vira inia surrendered at Appomattox- But
that date does not mark the end of the war.
The week following was a busy and sanguin-
ary one in many quarters On that same
9.n of April Candy, whose army, with the
aid OF the fleet. had been investing the de-
fenses of Mobile, captured Spanish fort and
its dependencies with many guns AMI sew
eral hundred prisoners. Before night Fort
Blakeley was carried by sault, with
twenty guns and 2, 400 prisoners. few
days later Mobile was evacuated, and on the
l4th Granger's forces occupied the city.
The Union loss in these operations at Mobile
was about so men killed and wounded,
besi les five or six vessel, which were blown
up by torpedoes.
Stoneman was meanwhile carrying on
vigorous operations in a portion Of North
Carolina. Oa the 18th Of April, three days
after Lees surrender. he attacked the
enemy's lines around Salisbury. capturing
fourteen pieces OF artillery and more than
], 100 prisoners, together with great stores OF
ammunition, army blankets, clothing,
bacon, salt, rice, wheat and cotton. Thence
he moved 10 Slatersville destroying railroad
track and bridges.
Wilson with a cavalry force OF great
magnitude, was continuing during this same
period hi, memorable operations IN Alabama
and Georgia. After his capture of Selma,
on the 2ni OF April, he had moved east
ward. occupying Montgomery and all
prominent points on the roa q Macon. On
the l5th Of April, in the last combat OF the
war east of tue Mississippi, he carried Co
lumbus ami West Point; and ON the 2lst OF
April Macon surrendered, with threescore
field pieces and 10000 or l2,OOO Georgia
militia.
Sherman's march to Raleigh was begun as
late as April 10; and on the evening of the
I2th Fitzpatrick was fighting Wade Hamp-
toms rear guard, while Raleigh was reached
and entered ON the 18th Negotiations for
Johnston's surrender were next begun, and
the first memorandum for that purpose,
made near Durham Station, was dated
April IS. This, however, was rejected by
President Lincoln and the final agreement
was signe ON the 26th. As late as April
% the Sixth corps was put on the march
for Danville, in order 20 cut off the posi-
bility Of Johnson's escape. and Gen. Sheri-
dams cav airy were engaged IN the same oc-
cupation. Between the 18th and I'D there
were military expeditions in Tennessee.
But even the surrender of Johnston's
army left many Confederate forces in the
field. and il was clearly possible for these 10
carry on guerilla operations, or even to pro-
long regular warfaresfor n time west OF the
Mississippi. the troops of Gen. JEFF Thomp-
son did not surrender until May IL, and the
actua assembling ana paroling OF his men
took place May - at Wittsburg on the St
Francis river, and June 5 at Jacksonport,
ON the White. The entire force paraded
numbered 7,45i officers and men. The sur
render OF Lieut. Gen Richard Taylor's
much larger army was made at Citronville,
in Alabama, OF the 4th day Of May.
The surrender CT Commodore Farrand's
squadron of twslve Confederate vessels in
the Tombigbee river, with their officers and
men, was agreed upon at the same time
and took place on May o. The following
day Gen McCook, of Wilson's corps, re-
ceived at Tallahassee the surrender of j ones
Florida forces, 5000 strong.
Meanwhile there had been threats of very
serious resistance by some of the transmits
sissippi forces, which expected 20 be joined
by jefferson Davis, then a fugitive in
Georgia The unremitting search for Davis
kept Wilson's forces busy throughout the
earlier part Of May and until his capture at
Irwinsville on the 10th. Long b -e this
event Gen. Kirby Smith, at Shreveport,
in Louisiana, had issued an order TO his
army announcing Lees surrender and his
own purpose to carry on the war beyond the
Mississippi On the 24th of April Gen Ma
gruder, at Houston, addressed a great war
meeting to the same effect On the 9th,
Hardeman's brigade, at Independence
pledged themselves to continue the war to
the bitter end. On the I'd of May, Parsons
brigade adopted similar resolutions in Rob-
ertson county, Texas. On the Sth of May.
the citizens of Fort Bend county resolved
that "in no event will we ever consent 10
reconstruction ami proposed that 5000
recruits should be added TO tba forces Of
Smith and Magruder. These are examples,
to which others might be added, OF the hos
tile feeling prevailing at that time in Ar
kansas and Texas.
On the 18th of May g. body of Union troops
under Col. Barrett had a sharp skirmish at
Palmetto ranch, about fifteen miles above
Brazos, in Texas The Confederatss, under
command OF Gen. Slaughter, aided by Col
Ford's cavalry and three field pieces. drove
back Barrett's command toward Brazos,
with a reported Union loss of about seventy
or eighty men killed, wounded, and missing.
Thus the last combat of the war, somewhat
curiously, goes into the record a. Confed-
crate success. However, in spite of all the
threats and pledges to carry on TIE struggle
in Texas wiser counsels prevailed, ana ON
the 10Th day of May Kirby Smith, through
his chief of staff, Lieut. Gen Buckner, sur
rendered his entire army to Candy.
> These historical "reminiscences show the
difficulty of fixing upon any specific day as
marking the end of the war. The difficulty
is increased by the gradual process of re-
duction IN the Union armies. process ex-
tending far beyond the times when tie last
Confederate troops were assembled for pa
role. But greater constructive extension
Of the war period was furnished by the va
rious agreements and statutes of the gov
ernment, each depending upon such definite
phrases as ~the duration OF hostilities"
With the downfall Of the Confederate gov
ernment the southern states acted inde-
pendently of each other, and a process Of
military occupa tion and political reconstruc-
ton was undertaken in each Of them. In
war between two nations q treaty Of peace
often furnishes the historical date for the
conclusion Of hostilities; but there was no
treaty-making power at the south.
BY degrees Congressional legislation began
to refer to the war - thing Of the past in
such phrases rs ~the late insurrecaion:n vet
moro than year passed after the last Con-
fedsrate troops disbandsd before the formal
Official announcement that this insurrection
was over. At length such . proclamation