The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-31
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
CHRONOLOGY OF 1865.
186s-1a66.

Before we welcome with mirth, fes-
tivfty, and bright aHticipatfons of the
New Year, and Danish the old ears
cares and recoE1ections, its pleasures
and troubles momenrar1ly from our
thoughts. it Is well to revert to the
record of the year now closing.
fraught az it has seen with no much
of moment in the history Of the re-
public
One year. ago. two separate, dis
tdnct, and hostile governments, back
Y ed by great armies were prosecuting
within the limits of the old Union one
Of the greatest wars known in history
The end of the struggle seemed still
lar removed-drafts were even then
IN progress in our Northern states
Lee stood with his host of veteran
troops between the Confederate capi-
true, had swept like devouFing
tempest. through Georgia, and was
resting his wondrous army near Sa-
vannah, but it was still a matter of
uncertainty and speculation whether
he would be able to continue his
northward march and successfully
Join Grant-Char1eston and Whining
ton still defiantly resisted the might
est efforts brought against them by
the Federal power-and the Confed-
crates confidently declared their
ability TO continue the struggle indie
Steadily and surely, however, has
tened on the final result With fire
and sword, Sherman marched on and
on, through South Carolina Charles
ton was evacuated, Wilmington follow
ed and Grant persistently and stub
bornly kept stpegging away before
Richmond and Petersburg.
Suddenly the whole fabric of re-
/. sistance to the Federal power melted
away Richmond and Petersburg
wereB abandoned by the Confederates;
Lees noble army, after winning inn
mortality and glory on a hundred
bloody fields. it's ranks decimated and
shattered, surrendered to the forces
OF Gen. Grant; the surrender of john
ston's and Smiths armies followed,
and worn out with the mighty strug-
gle, overborne by the power of num-
beers, wasted by the carnage and trials
of four years of devastating war the
Confederacy gave up the ghost.
The enthusiasm Of the people broke
out in every city, town and village
OF the North; bells rang, cannon
Numbered: flags waved; returning
PEACE was hailed with the acclama-
tiOng OF millions, and President Abra-
ham Lincoln, by leniency, kindness,
forbearance, and a conciIiatory poll
ey, seemed anxious to restore the dis
the hearts of both Northerners and
Southerners.
On the night of April 18th, 1865,
he was struck down by an assassin,
and the whole land plunged into
mourning and grief at the sudden
ness and enornity of the great crime
Swiftly followed the punishment of
the principal and his colleagues, and
after a brief time both crime and
punishment were well nigh forgotten.
President Andrew johnson succeed
ed to the presidency; President JEFF
ferson Davis, of the Confederate
States. was captured and imprisoned:
the Southern blockade removed, on
the 1st of July; the work of organic
ing State governments !. commenced
0nd Provisional governors appointed
for all of them; tie CONSTITUTE onal
amendment abolishing slavery adopt
ed Confederate vice-President Ste
phens released, and Congress again
assembled at the beginning of De-
eember.
During the past year the F'enian
organization has grown into gigantic
proportions, but at the present mo-
nsent, through conflicting counseIs,
MISUNDERSTANDING and a division Of
forces is powerless TO achieve any