Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-05-29
N the 1st of April. 1865, a
Federal army OF over a mil
lion volunteer soldiers hem
med In fhe fan soiitheastern

Federal army OF over a mil
lion volunteer soldiers hemr
med in tho ten southeastern
states Of the present Union. It had
taken four years for this army to
stretch itself from the mouth of the
Potomac westward to the Mississippi.
southwark to the gulf and thence along
'1b~lesepast to its starting point But at
last the Gordon was practically un-
broken. Not onlyshad the Federals in.
closed the c%onfederacy: by capturing
and holding the Mississippi river and
by fighting their way from Louisville
southeastward through Nashville and
Atlanta to Savannah they had sepa-
rated It into three enormous divisions.
In all parts ot the vast territory
they had engirdled and disrnembered
there We're armies and garrisons.
Meade. with 10000 men besieged Lee
In Petersburg sherman's army OF
121,000 men was waiting at Raleigh,
n. c., for a battle with Joe Johnston.
Thomas. who commanded the 10000
met III the department OF the Cum
berland. was engaged in clearing the
states in his division of the few Con-
federates remaining from the defeat Of
Hood In January. Candy, with some
12a,oo0 men. held the Mississippi from
Memphis to New Orleans mt opposed
Dick Taylor's army. then In Alabama.
There were forces in Texas and Arkan-
sas, in the forts and %outposts along
the captured lines, holding towns.
guarding hospitals. caring for prisoners
and freedmen.
So~fong had it taken The Federals to
accomplish this work thatseven now.
In spite of the positions they held and
their vastly superior forces-the mil
lion volunteers of April. 1865. were OPP
posed by less than 100000 Confeder-
htes-there was in their ranks no gem
eral belief In speedy victory. They had
heard SO many times that the back
Of h rebellion was broken that they
had almost ceased to expect an end.
to the war.
That their skepticism hinged on.
their respect for the ability of a sim
gle ona o. thosleaders opposing them
General Robert p. Lee-is evident
from the effect produced on them by
the news that on April 8 Lee had sur
rendered his army to Grant, 1.-THE
war Is over.n was tho universal chorus
OF the volunteers. And they were
right Like a structure from which
the Keystone has been wrenched the
Confederate army fell apart. Two
weeks after Lee surrendered his force at
Appomattox Joe Johnston surrendered
to Sherman. On Nav 4 Dick Taylor
surrendered u General CANDY in Ala
bama. and on May &c the forces west
oe the Mississippi commanded by.
Kirby. Smith were surrendered to the
Federal authorities. Smith fleeing 20
Mexico. In six weeks all the organ
izea forces of the Confederacy had
laid down their arms. and the great
majority Of the men had given their
parole not to take them up against
the United States until properly =
changed. The army of a million vol
unteers had finished its work.
Almost the first thought of the e
eral war department. when the news
Of Lees surrender reached It had been.
Now We can disband the armies'-a
thought followed Immediately by the
question. How CAN'T be done2" The
question was one to tax the Tore
sight, the experience. the energy OF
even Secretary Stanton. great as wa
MS skill in handling bodies OF men. II
one VIII consider thu army as It lay
in April. 4 1855. scattered from he gulf
10 the Ohio. from Texas to Virginia,
and @remepiber Its number, 1.034,064
snah.Eghe VIII see that the problem OF
the prompt transportation OF such "a
soree north was most serious.
Twas a bewilderins problem. u
Mr. Stanton attached it with his usual
volcanic energy. Summoning General
Thomas NJ, Vincent. the assistant adj