In this last installment of the US Civil War we're going to take a look at the year 1865. This was the year that the war finally came to an end. It did not end without a heavy price for each side. Many people feel that the war really ended when Sherman captured Atlanta, as that city was the heart and soul of the South. But the Confederacy hung on more than six months after that devastating defeat, even though Lee himself was sure that defeat was near. The number of casualties in this war between the Union and Confederacy was over 200,000 men killed. This is almost as many men that served in the American Revolution. In terms of casualties, it was the bloodiest war in US history.



In January of 1865 Fort Fisher was bombarded heavily by Admiral David D. Porter. After this bombardment was over, General Alfred Terry took the fort on January 15, 1865. This effectively sealed off Wilmington, North Carolina, which was the last resort of the blockade runners of the South.

That same month, the blockades themselves caused severe shortages for the Southern army. Food, ammunition and other supplies were almost gone. Lee's men were so hungry that many of them began to desert. Even though the President of the South, Jefferson Davis, approved arming the slaves, this measure was never instituted.

In February of 1865 Sherman continued his historic march. He marched from Georgia right on up to South Carolina. He destroyed everything in his path. Seeing that all was lost, President Jefferson Davis agreed to send delegates to a peace conference with President Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward. However, Davis made this conditional that the South's independence be recognized. Lincoln would not agree to this and the peace conference never took place.

In April of 1865, one of the most major events of the war occurred, the fall of Richmond, Virginia. This actually began on March 25, 1865, when Lee attacked Grant near Petersburg. Lee was defeated in this battle. He attacked again on April 1 and again on April 2, losing both times. Finally, Lee evacuated Richmond, the Confederate capital. He then headed west to join his other forces. Shortly after, Richmond fell to the Union forces. This was a major and deciding blow to the Confederacy.

Shortly after, that same month, the Confederacy surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse. Prior to this surrender, Lee's troops were surrounded. On April 7, Grant called upon Lee to give up. Two days later, Lee agreed and the two met at Appomattox Courthouse. There, they agreed to terms of the surrender. Lee's men were sent home with their horses only. The officers were allowed to keep only their sidearms. All other weapons and equipment was surrendered.

But the war wasn't quite over. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was shot while watching a play at the Fords Theater. The man who shot him, John Wilkes Booth, was obsessed with avenging the Confederate defeat. Finally, between April and May of 1865, the remainder of the Confederate holdouts were defeated. Jefferson Davis was finally captured on May 10, 1865, in Georgia.

The war had finally come to an end.