The year 1864 closed in general disaster to the Confederacy. Sherman had broken the Confederate power in Georgia, destroyed its communications 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fighting men mostly disabled, scattered, forced into submission, or, hopeless of ultimate success,[676] had voluntarily withdrawn from the contest in so large numbers that the Confederate forces were everywhere inferior, and only upheld by the indomitable pride and bravery inherent in the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, outnumbered, and pressed with relentless vigor. This was Grant’s policy.
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.
Edward Everett died, at Boston, Mass.
” 16—The magazine at Ft. Fisher exploded, killing and wounding 300 union 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., accidentally burned on its evacuation by Southern troops. A Confederate dollar (paper) worth but two cents in Richmond, Va.
” 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.
[677]
” 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.
” 15—Gen. Hardee (Confederate) defeated by Sherman’s army.
” 18—The Confederate Congress adjourned. It never met again.
Battle of part of Sherman’s army with Johnston, Confederate, 24,000 strong. Southern forces made six assaults which were withstood. After fighting and manouvering 3 days, Johnston retreated having lost 3,000 men. Sherman lost 1,646.
” 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[678] remaining Confederate forces, with Gen. Johnston, commanding Southern army in N. C., with consent of Confederate Sec. of War and Jeff. 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.
” 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.
” 21—Gen. Sherman’s arrangement ............