I've always thought the only chance the South had was after the Battle of Bull Run. I think Lee may have taken Washington if he had acted swiftly and caught the north off guard. It doesn't mean the south wins but they could have negotiated a peace, saved untold lives and changed the coarse of history. It would have been a bold move and likely been a disaster but who knows?
150 years ago today, Lee's surrender at Appomattox
- Thread starter Bamaro
- Start date
If you mean 1st Manassa's, Lee was not in command.
If you mean 2nd Manassa's, the disparity of forces was really incredible at that point. Pope's Army of Virginia was in the process of being combined with McClellan's Army of the Potomac, giving something like 120,000 men in the DC area, plus an addition 30,000 and several hundred cannon in the DC fortifications. Once Lee's 50,000-ish soldiers failed to completely annihilate the combined Yankee army at 2nd Manassa's, and they fell back into the DC fortifications, there was no chance of taking DC. He tried, though. He sent Jackson on one more flank march and Stonewall tried to get astride the Yankee retreat route at Chantilly. There were just too many Yankees and not enough Confederates to keep the Yankees from escaping. It did make an interesting sight, though. 50,000 Confederate troops chasing 100,000 Union troops into their fortifications. Northern courage and fighting skill.
So, Lee turned north and headed into Maryland to see if Marylanders had any spine and were willing to stand up to their oppressors. They didn't and they weren't.
Thanks everybody for the good read. I never went to college but tidefans is a classroom in itself. Also you get different views which helps a lot that I am sure you don't get in most college classes.
We skipped right by the surrender at Bennett Place, North Carolina.
Joe Johnston's surrender to Willie T. Sherman was larger in geography (NC, SC, Ga. & Fla.) and in the number of troops (89,000) than Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox (32,000).
Johnston was not trapped like Lee was. If the terms were overly harsh, he could have continued to retreat southwest along the railroad towards SC or Georgia, so Sherman was keen to get Johnston to capitulate. Initially the 18 April terms were generous (1/5th of the Confederate troops were to keep their arms and deposit them in their state arsenals in their home states (for militia use in maintaining order after the war) and embraced some political issues. Lincoln assassination, empowered Stanton in the cabinet and the terms were rejected and Sherman told to restart hostilities if Johnston did not surrender on terms like Grant's terms to Lee.
32 Alabama Regiments surrendered (although some 24 of these were so worn out that four or five had been consolidated into one actual regiment).
On this day, Sherman gave Johnston his 48 hours notice of the re-initiation of hostilities.
Joe Johnston's surrender to Willie T. Sherman was larger in geography (NC, SC, Ga. & Fla.) and in the number of troops (89,000) than Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox (32,000).
Johnston was not trapped like Lee was. If the terms were overly harsh, he could have continued to retreat southwest along the railroad towards SC or Georgia, so Sherman was keen to get Johnston to capitulate. Initially the 18 April terms were generous (1/5th of the Confederate troops were to keep their arms and deposit them in their state arsenals in their home states (for militia use in maintaining order after the war) and embraced some political issues. Lincoln assassination, empowered Stanton in the cabinet and the terms were rejected and Sherman told to restart hostilities if Johnston did not surrender on terms like Grant's terms to Lee.
32 Alabama Regiments surrendered (although some 24 of these were so worn out that four or five had been consolidated into one actual regiment).
On this day, Sherman gave Johnston his 48 hours notice of the re-initiation of hostilities.
Very interesting point of view, Tidewater. Clearly you've done your homework and given me a different perspective. Thank you.
I thought it was interesting that Sherman, who has, shall we say, a certain reputation, directed that 1/5 of the Confederate soldiers keep their weapons and carry them home to be deposited in state arsenals. Grant did not stipulate such a provision in his discussions with Lee.
Sherman knew that states would need a militia to maintain order after the war, and that militia was going to need weapons.
Secretary of War Stanton did not share that view and ordered that provision scrapped in the final deal at Bennett Place.
It was. The preliminary agreement (the one that Washington disallowed) was 18 April.
One of my favorite anecdotes from that month was this. A courier from Meade's Army of the Potomac arrived in North Carolina at Sherman's 20th Corps with news of Lee's surrender. One soldier of Sherman's army said, "You're the SOB we've been looking for these four years."
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150 years ago today, a distant cousin of mine, John S. "Rip" Ford, commanding a brigade of Texas cavalry Rangers, defeated a Yankee infantry/cavalry force at the Battle of Palmito Ranch. The last battle of the Civil War was a Confederate victory. Private John Williams of the 34th Indiana Infantry, was the last battle casualty of the war.
A month later, in Staunton, Virginia, John Waddell reported the arrival of the news. Yankee cavalry in the meantime had arrived in Staunton for occupation duty and told the inhabitants that they were back in the United States, so stop talking as if they were Confederates.
A month later, in Staunton, Virginia, John Waddell reported the arrival of the news. Yankee cavalry in the meantime had arrived in Staunton for occupation duty and told the inhabitants that they were back in the United States, so stop talking as if they were Confederates.
* The 62nd Regiment of United States Colored Troops participated in the battle and lost two killed, four wounded.
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