Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-18
END OF TIE WAR.
DIFFICULTIES N THE WAY or FIXING
a SPECIFIC DATE. ss
Richmond and Appomassse-sPa.hA R0Es
and Bizkeiey-nxmpton,- Johnstoe
and Taylor-Down in Texas-The
Last combat-Peace. g.
New York SUM-

New York Sun
Richmond. the Confederate capital, was
captured aud occupied by the Union forces
on the morning Of April 3. 1866, its garris-
son having abandoned it during the night
preceding. Hostilities, however, went on
with vigor in Virginia As well As elsewhere
until April 9. when tho army Of northern
Virginia surrendered at Appomattox But
that date does not mark the end Of the war.
The week following was q busy and sanguin-
AIRY one in many quarters On that same
9th of April Candy, WHOSE army, with the
aid of the feet, had been investing the de-
lenses Of Mobile, captured Spanish fort and
its dependencies, with many guns and sew
sral hundred prisoners. Before night Fort
Blakeley was carried by assault, with
twenty guns ami 9, 400 prisoners. A few
days later Mobile was evacuated, and on the
l4th Changers forces occupied the city.
WAS about 2 $50 men killed and wounded.
besides five or six vessels, which were blown
up by torpedoes.
SLOVENIAN was meanwhile carrying on
vigorous operations in a portion Of North
Carolina. On the i2th 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
be moved TO Slatersville, destroying railroad
track and bridges.
Wilson, with cavalry force Of great
magnitude, was continuing during this same
period his memorable operations in Alabama
and Georgia. After his capture Of Selma,
on the 2nd Of April, he had moved east
ward, occupying Montgomery and all
prominent points on the roa to Macon. On
the 10Th Of April, in the last combat OF the
war east Of the Mississippi, he carried CO.
lumbus and West Point: and Oh the 2lst Of
April Macon surrendered, with threescors
field pieces and 10000 or 1900 Georgia
militia. '
Sherman,s march to Raleigh was begun -
late as April 10; and on the evening Of the
18th Fitzpatrick was fighting Wade Hamp-
tons rear guard, while Raleigh was reached
and entered on the 18th. Negotiations for
Johnston's surrender We're 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 signed on the Doth As late as April
% the Sixth corps was put on the march
for Danville, in order to cut OF the posi-
bility Of Johnson's escape, and Gen. Sheri-
dams cavalry were engaged in the same oc-
cupation. Bet ween 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 :t was clearly possible for these to
carry ON guerilla operations, or even to pro-
long regular warfare for n time west Of the
Mississippi; The troops Of Gen. JEFF Thomp-
son did not surrender until May IL, and the
actual assembling and paroling Of his men
took place May % at Wittsburg. ON the St
FrSncis river, and juno S at Jacksonport,
ON the White. Tho entire force paraded
numbered 1851 officers and men The sur
render Of Lieut. Gen. Richard Taylor's
much larger army was made at Citronvilie,
in Alabama, Oh the 4th day Of May.
The surrender Of Commodore Farrand's
squadron of twelve Confederate vessels in
the Tombigbee river, with their officers and
men, was agreed upon at the same time,
and took place Oh May .. The following
day Gen. McCook, Of Wilson's corps, re-
ceived at Tallahassee the surrender Of ones
Florida forces, 5000 strong.
Meanwhile there had been threats OF very
serious resistance by some Of the transmits
sssippi forces, which expected TO be joined
by jefferson Davis, then q 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 before this
event Gen. Kirby Smith, at Shreveport.
In Louisiana, had issued an order to his
army announcing Less surrender and his
own purpose ~ carry on the war beyond the
Mississippi On the cath OF April Gen Ma
gruder. at Houston, addressed great war
meeting to the same effect On the 9th,
Hardeman's brigade. at Independence,
pledged themselves to continue tine war to
the bitter end. On the ID of May, Parsons
brigade adopted similar resolutions in Rob
ertson county, Texas. On the Sta of May,
the citizens of Fort Bend county resolved
that in no event will We ever consent TO
reconstruction and proposed that 5000
recruits should be added to the forces Of
Smith end Masruder. These are examples
to which others might be added, of ths hos
tile feeling prevailing at that tim, III Ar
kansas and Texas ..-. ...
On the 18th OF May a body OF Union troops
under Col. Barrett had a sharp skirmsh at
Palmetto ranch, about fifteen miles above
Braxos, 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 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 as Confed-
crate success. However, in spite of all the
threats and pledges u carry Oh TIE struggle
in Texas, wiser eounsels prevailed. and 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
diff atty 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 the last
Confederate troops were assembled for pa
role. Bot . greater constructive extension
Of the war period was furnished by the va
rious agreements and statutes Of the gcv-
ernment, each depending upon such definite
phrases rs "the duration Of hcetilities.'
With the downfall of the Confederate gov
eminent the southern states acted indie
pendentiy Of each other, and a process Of
military occupation and political reconstruc-
ton was undertaken in each OF them. In .
war between two nations 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 "a thing Of the past, in
such phrases tito late ins arrectIon:n yet
more than year passed after the last Con-
federate troops dishanded before the formal
official announcement that this Instruction
was over. At length such a proclamation
was made By President johnson. and there
after the judicial tribunals fixed upon that
announcement as the true legal date Of the
end OF the war Thus the afjutan: gen
eraa's Office. in letter to Gen Carlston Of
Feb "a. 1852 uses this expression, Toe su-
prsme court of the United States has de-
cided that the war OF tia rebellion closed on
Aug. -, 1876. tho date on which the presi.
dent issued his proclamation declaring the
insurPection AT IN end
Three Stages
A wit who was asked what be would rather
% during the three stage Of life. replied:
TIL ~, pretty woman; TIL 80 a successful
rScers.. the ra.r ~ my Gfa a car.i,.I