Oct. 7-The Confederate steamer Florida captured by the Wachusett, on the coast of Brazil. 66 Sheridan, haying laid waste the Shenandoah valley, returns South. 8 Sheridan defeats the Confederates again in the Shenandoah valley. 11-Maryland votes for a constitution abolishing slavery. 19-Gen. Early is still again disastrously defeated by Sheridan, at Cedar Creek, at the moment of apparent triumph. Confederate refugees from Canada rob a bank in St. Albans, Vt. 28-Gen. Price defeated at Blue river, Missouri. 27-Gen. Grant closes the active campaign by an extensive reconnoi sance. 28-Gen. Blunt defeats Price and drives him out of Missouri. He returns no more. Nov. Gen. Hood, in command of the forces in Georgia, withdrew from the neighborhood of Atlanta, for the purpose of destroying Sherman's base of supplies, and invading Tennessee and Kentucky. He had now about 40,000 men. Gen. Thomas was sent into Tennessee, by Sherman, with a strong force, to contend with him; and Sherman, breaking away from his northern connections, commences his celebrated "march to the sea," in which he is lost to his friends for 40 days, but reaches Savannah in safety. 4-Johnsonville, Tenn., bombarded. 3 gunboats and 8 transports, with $1,500,000 of stores destroyed. 46 46 46 46 46 8 President Lincoln re-elected. Gen. McClellan resigns his commission. 11-A gunboat, the Tulip, blows up on Potomac river. Her boiler burst. 13-Gen. Breckenridge attacks Gillem, near Morristown, Tenn., capturing his artillery, and several hundred prisoners. 14—Atlanta complete - destroyed by Sherman, before his march South. 16-Gen. Stoneman a acks Breckenridge, at Marion, Tenn., and captures his artillery and 200 prisoners. Gen. Sherman starts for Savannah through the heart of the Confederacy, with over 65,000 troops. He destroys railroads and lays the country waste wherever he is treated in a hostile manner. 22—Sherman's army reach Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia. The Gov. and Legislature hastily retire. The soldiers amuse themselves by holding a mock legislature, passing loyal resolutions, &c. 24-The Union army in Va., receive nearly 100,000 pounds of turkeys, sent from the North to supply them a Thanksgiving dinner. 25--An attempt to fire New York city miscarries. 64 30-Gen. Hood, Confederate, with 40,000 men, attacks Schofield, 18 miles from Nashville. Gen. Schofield had only 17,000 men Hood made four attacks, and was each time repulsed. He lost 6,000 men. At midnight Schofield retreated to Nashville, and joined Thomas, followed by Hood's army. Dec. 1-The U. S. navy has 671 vessels, carrying over 4,000 guns, and 51,000 men. It has captured 324 vessels during the year-during the war, 1,379-267 being steamers. 5-65 blockade runners, ships and cargoes worth $12,000,000, have been captured or destroyed by the U. S. navy, at Wilmington, N. C. 6-Mr. Chase, ex-Sec. of the U. S. Treasury, appointed Chief Justice 12-Gen. Sherman's army reaches the rear of Savannah, Geo., which 15-16-Battle of Nashville, Tenn., in which Gen. Hood is completely 19-President Lincoln calls for 300,000 volunteers to finish the war. Gen. Sherman summons Savannah to surrender. Gen. Hardee CHAPTER XXVIII. CONCLUDING CAMPAIGN. The year 1864 closed in general disaster to the Confederacy. Sherman had broken the Confederate power in Georgia, destroyed its communica tions with the Mississippi States, and taken Savannah. Gen. Thomas had broken up Hood's army, in Tennessee, and Grant had closely beleagured the Southern army in Virginia within Richmond and its defenses; while Sheridan had dealt blow after blow on Early, in the Shenandoah Valley, and quite ruined his army. The future operations required the subjugation of the interiors of North and South Carolina, the taking of a few forts on the coast, and the capture of Lee's army in Richmond. The only other army of strength, the remnant of Hood's forces, was in the Southern interior. The Federal government was stronger than ever, both by sea and land. The Southern people were much discouraged; their finances ruined; their fighting men mostly disabled, scattered, forced into submission, or, hopeless of ultimate success, had voluntarily withdrawn from the contest in so large numbers that the Confederate forces were everywhere inferior, and only upheld by the indomitable pride and bravery inherent in the Anglo-American. They would submit only when necessity absolutely compelled them; and thus saved their honor, in their own eyes. They had made a fatal mistake, and they reaped the full harvest of ruin. Yet, their prolonged resistance served to utterly annihilate slavery; raised the negroes to the honorable position of Defenders of the Union; and, the last of Jan., 1865, an amendment to the U. S. Constitution was prepared forever abolishing slavery in the country. In the end the blacks became citizens. We have now but a short record to complete our View of the Civil War. The South had still over 100,000 men in arms, but they were surrounded, cut off from supplies, outnum bered, and pressed with relentless vigor. 66 1865. Jan. 14-Vessels are sent from Boston and New York with large supplies from the charitable, for Southern sufferers, in Savannah, Geo. 15-Ft. Fisher, on the coast of N. C., captured by Gen. Terry, in conjunction with the U.S. fleet. It is the last stronghold of the South on the sea. 44 44 44 Edward Everett died, at Boston, Mass. 16-The magazine at Ft. Fisher exploded, killing and wounding 300Union men. 17-A Federal monitor blown up by torpedoes, in Charleston Harbor, S. C. 20-Corinth, Miss., evacuated by Southern troops. 23-Gen. Hood surrenders his command in the Southern army to Gen. Taylor. 28-Gen. Breckenridge becomes Confederate Sec. of War. 29-Southern Commissioners seek an interview with President Lincoln at Fortress Monroe, in the interest of Peace. They failed to make any satisfactory terms. 31-Joint resolution of Congress to amend the U. S. Constitution abolishing slavery (14th Amendment). Feb. -Nine States ratify the Constitutional Amendment in this month. 5-Grant suffers a repulse at Hatcher's Run. Loss 2,000 men. 17-Columbia, S. C., burned. 18-Union troops take possession of Charleston, S. C., as a result of Sherman's march from Savannah north-eastward toward Richmond. Many buildings in Charleston burned in the destruction of Confederate stores by the retiring army. Gen. Lee in favor of arming the negroes for the defense of the South. It is declined by the Confederate government, until too late. Feb.25-800 Southern soldiers desert, and come into Union lines. Mar. 2 Sheridan completely routs Gen. Early again, taking 1,700 troops prisoners. 4- President Lincoln inaugurated for his second term. 10-Gen. Bragg defeated, at Kingston, N. C. " .แ 15-Gen. Hardee (Confederate) defeated by Sherman's army. Battle of part of Sherman's army with Johnston, Confederate, 25-Ft. Steadman, near Petersburg, Va., captured by Confederates, but was immediately retaken, with 2,000 prisoners. This attack was made by Lee, preparatory to evacuating Richmond. Grant had about 120,000 troops, Lee 70,000. 29-Sheridan commences an expedition to the rear of Richmond to cut off Lee's retreat South. 31-Sheridan attacked and hard pushed by Lee's forces, but at night they fall back. Apr. 1-Sheridan, in turn, follows the Confederates, and drives them toward Richmond. He takes more than 5,000 prisoners. This was the battle of Five Forks. It was fatal to Lee's retreat. 2-Grant's forces make a grand assault. It is successful, and Lee prepares to evacuate Richmond. President Davis leaves his capital in haste, for Danville, N. C. Gen. Lee commences his retreat in the night. 3-Richmond occupied by colored Federal troops. They find the city in flames. 4-President Davis endeavors to make a stand against disaster. He issues a proclamation from Danville. 9-Terms of surrender arranged by Gens. Grant and Lee. 10-Gen. Lee issues his farewell address to his army. 12-Confederate army yielded prisoners of war at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. 27,805 Confederate soldiers paroled. Gen. Stoneman defeats a Confederate force, at Salisbury, N. C. Gen. Canby, Union, occupies Mobile, Ala. 14-President Lincoln assassinated in Washington, by J. Wilkes Booth. Mr. Seward stabbed in bed, but not killed. 15-Abraham Lincoln died at 7 A. M. The whole country is in mourning. Andrew Johnson assumes the office of President of the U. S. 18-Paine, or Powell, who endeavored to assassinate Sec. Seward, arrested at Mrs. Surratt's house in Washington. Mrs. Surratt arrested. Gen. Sherman arranges preliminaries for the surrender of all the remaining Confederate forces, with Gen. Johnston, commanding Southern army in N. C., with consent of Confederate Sec. of War and Pres. Davis. It includes the basis of a general peace, and a policy of reconstruction. It is sent to the Federal government for their approval or rejection. Apr.19-Funeral ceremonies of President Lincoln, at Washington. Funeral services are held all over the North. The body is carried in state to Springfield, Ill., stopping at prominent places on the route; and visited by great numbers of the people. 700,000 were said to have been in the procession at New York. แ " 21-Gen. Sherman's arrangement with Johnston disapproved by the government, and he is ordered to resume hostilities. Steamboat Sultana blows up on the Mississippi, and about 1,300 U. S. soldiersreturning home were killed. 24-Gen. Grant visits Sherman. 25-J. W. Booth, the assassin of the President, taken prisoner near Port Royal, Va. Refusing to surrender, a soldier shot him, contrary to orders. He died in 4 hours. No assassin ever met with more universal execration than Booth. Its necessary effect was to render the Reconstruction policy much more stern and painful to the South. 26--Johnston surrenders to Gen. Sherman all the Confederate troops in his command, on the terms granted Gen. Lee. 29-Arms and stores of Gen. Johnston's army delivered to U. S. authorities, at Greensboro, N. C. May 2-Reward offered for capture of Jeff. Davis, of $100,000. He was understood to be flying toward Texas. 3-President Lincoln's remains arrive at Springfield, Ill. 4-9-All the Confederate forces disbanded, or surrendered to U. S. officers, east and west of Mississippi river. 10-Jeff. Davis captured in Geo., GENERAL DATA. The number of volunteer troops to be mustered out of the Union army, May 1st, 1865, was 1,034,064. They were mostly discharged and paid in the next three months. The entire enlistments in the Federal army, during the whole war, were 2,688,523. Many were re-enlistments. It is believed that the whole number of individuals forming the armies was only 1,500,000. 75 per cent. were native Americans, 9 per cent. Germans, and 7 per cent. Irish. Various nationalities made up the remaining 9 per cent. Of this million and a half 56,000 were killed in battle, 35,000 died in hospitals of their wounds received in battle, and 184,000 died in hospitals of disease. Many afterwards died, and others were ruined in health for life. It has been stated by the Adjutant General of the Confederate army, since the close of the war, that the available Confederate force during the entire |