There was a lull, for a time, in the tempest of war. The Confederate forces had lost ground that they could hardly hope to regain. The Mississippi river and Eastern Tennessee, both of supreme importance to the Confederacy, were in possession of the union armies, which grew ever stronger. They were now about 1,000,000 men, and the navy had increased to over 600 vessels. This force was soon put in vigorous hands, that gripped fast what they once held. The misfortune of many commanders and continual changes, from political rather than military considerations, began to be well understood. Grant had gained so uniformly when others had failed, he was recognized as so tenacious and unwearied, that he received and held the confidence of the people and the government. This was a point of great importance for shortening the war; for the Southern people were still resolute, had still a vast country, were on the defensive in a smaller region than before, and could resist more effectively with a smaller army. It still made a most gallant and determined resistance which the vast resources of the national government did not enable them to overcome for a year and a half. The country was still covered with detached bodies of troops. A desultory war was maintained where strong armies failed to hold the ground, or were concentrated at a few points. The great movements were in Virginia and Georgia. The secondary in Tennessee, in Mississippi, and Texas. It took a year to break the will of the Southern people after they were really conquered. This period covers the year 1864; 1865 furnishes only the dying struggles of the Confederacy, already mortally wounded.
1864.
 
The bombardment of Charleston continued during the preceding month. Some cavalry movements were made, the President of the U. S. offered amnesty to all who would take an oath of allegiance, and Gen. Butler announced that the Confederate government refused to receive any more supplies for union prisoners from the North.
Jan. 7—Three blockade runners captured.
” 11—Two more were destroyed, making 22 in a few months.
” 25—Mr. Vanderbilt, having presented a steamer worth $800,000 to the U. S. government, received the thanks of Congress.
Feb. 1—The President of the U. S. ordered a draft of 500,000 men.
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” 5—Two English steamers, with supplies for the South, captured.
” 9—Cotton worth $700,000 burned at Wilmington, N. C.
” 20—Negro troops cover the retreat of a defeated white union force at Olustee, Fla.
” 28—The large armies being broken up or concentrated, and the lines of communication very much interrupted, many union cavalry raids, aiming to break the lines of communication by railroad completely, to lay waste the country, and to free the negroes, who were raising supplies for the Southern armies, in the far interior, were undertaken. That of Sherman to Meridian, in Miss., and of Grierson and Smith, and many smaller ones, were executed during this month. The damage to railroads and the supplies destroyed were incalculable. 18 blockade runners and other vessels bringing supplies to the South were destroyed during the month.
Mar. 2—Gen. Grant made Lt. General; the only one who had reached that dignity since Gen. Washington—Gen. Scott being Lt. Gen. only by brevet.
” 12—Gen. Grant made Commander-in-chief of the U. S. armies.
” 15—The President of the U. S. calls for 200,000 more men.
” 25—Confederate Gen. Forrest makes three assaults on Paducah, Ky., with loss of 1,500 men, in vain.
” 28—A severe defeat inflicted on Southern forces at Cane River, La.
Apr. 4—Gen. Marmaduke defeated by Gen. Steele, unionist, at Little Missouri, Ark.
” 8—Gen. Banks suffers reverses on the Red River, and retreats with loss.
” 12—Gen. Forrest takes Ft. Pillow and massacres the garrison, many being negroes.
” 21—Salt works in North Carolina destroyed—value $100,000. As salt was indispensable to army operations, the utmost effort was made to ruin as many as possible.
” 23—Governors of Western States offer the U.S. government 85,000 men for 100 days. President accepts them.
May 2—400 union prisoners are brought to Annapolis nearly starved.
” 4—Gen. Grant crosses the Rapidan in Va. and commences operations in the Wilderness. He, with 140,000 men, confronts Lee, who has 60,000.
” 5—Fighting in the Wilderness for two days without decided result. Costs Grant 30,000 (5,000 were prisoners) and Lee 10,000. Lee was intrenched and familiar with the ground, which was highly unfavorable to the union army.
” 6—Gen. Sherman confronts Gen. Joe Johnson near Chattanooga. Sherman has near 100,000; Johnson 60,000.
” 7—Lee retreats toward Spottsylvania Court-House. union army follows, fighting.
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To this date 150,000 Southern soldiers had been made prisoners during the course of the war.
May 8—Battle of Spottsylvania; result indecisive.
” 10—Battle of Spottsylvania continued. Still indecisive. Losses to each side 10,000 men.
” 12—Lee and Grant fight again, without victory by either.
” 13—Sheridan destroyed Lee’s depot of supplies in his rear, at Beaver Dam.
” 15—Sherman drives Johnson from Resaca after two days’ fighting.
” 21—Lee is flanked at Spottsylvania, and retires to the North Anna.
” 23—Morgan (Confederate cavalry) enters Ky. with 4,000 men.
” 25—Sheridan rejoins Grant, after a brilliant series of daring deeds in the rear of Lee. Gen. Stuart, a very able Confederate cavalry leader, is killed in this raid.
” 27—Grant again flanked Lee, crossing the Pamunky to Hanovertown.
June 1—Battle of Cold Harbor, north of, and near, Richmond. It was fought with the utmost bravery and obstinacy, but gained no more decisive end than the destruction of men and material involved. This was very severe on Lee, from the smaller number he had to fall back on.
” 7—Abraham Lincoln renominated for the presidency of the U. S.
” 14—Gen. Polk (a Southern bishop) killed.
” 15—An unsuccessful assault for three days on Petersburg. union losses 10,000 men.
” 18—To this time Grant had lost 64,000 men—Lee 38,000 during this campaign.
” 19—Steamer Kearsarge sinks the famous Alabama, on the coast of France.
” 20—Petersburg strongly reinforced by Lee.
” 27—Sherman, pushing Johnson at Keneshaw, meets a severe repulse. In one month he had driven Johnson 100 miles, fought six battles, and killed, wounded or taken prisoner 17,000 men. He followed Grant’s principle, and “flanked” him. A retreat was the result.
July 1—Public debt over $1,740,000,000.
” 9—Gen. Early, with 20,000 Confederate troops, passes into Grant’s rear, and makes a hasty march north into Maryland. This day he gained a victory over Gen. Wallace, but his losses were so great that he was hindered in his design of capturing Washington, though within six miles of it at one time. He retreats, but soon turns............