Last Confederates to Surrender ??

[Scott]

I just finished watching a CW dvd that mentioned in July of 1866 three CSA soldiers who had been hiding in a Virginia swamp near Norfolk finally surrendered. They had not heard of their army's previous surrender in 1865. This was news to me...can anyone confirm or deny that this incident actually took place?

The last substantial Confederate Army to surrender was led by Edmund Kirby Smith. He surrendered on May 26 1865. It is possible though that somewhere in Texas, some soldiers did not hear about the end of the war.

[margretelizabeth]

Margret elizabeth

Scott,
I know arcording to historical documents that Leon is correct. General E. Kirby officialy surrendered his Trans-Mississippi Department forces in New Orleans on May 26,1865. Yours is a good question though and who really knows for sure?

[mizzoureb]

Actually, the last substantial body of Confederate forces to surrender were The First Cherokee Mounted Rifles under the command of Brigadier General Stand Waite, Chief of the Southern faction of the Cherokee Nation. Watie surrendered to Union Lt. Col. Asa Matthews at Doaksville, Indian Territory (near Fort Still) in present-day Oklahoma on June 23, 1865 - a full TEN WEEKS after General Robert E. Lee laid down his arms at Appomattox, VA. Watie received his Brigadier's commission from President Jefferson Davis in May of 1864. Regarded by some to be one of the South's best guerilla fighters, Watie fought with distinction at Springfield (MO) and Elkhorn Tavern (AR).

[kepgeek]

We may still have some hiding out in the Davis Mtns of west Texas. Seriously, http://www.sonofthesouth.net/civil-war-pictures/records/last-confederates-surrender.htm gives an answer to the question.

[Natty]

The Confederate warship CSS Shenandoah surrendered on November 6, 1865.

The Shenandoah also fired the last shot of the war.

[IroncladGeorge]

The Confederate warship CSS Shenandoah surrendered on November 6, 1865.

The Shenandoah also fired the last shot of the war.

Just trying to pin down details - were there any landsmen on the crew of the CSS Shenandoah? If so, that would answer the question about the last Confederate soldiers as well as the last organized military unit.

[intothefight]

I believe the lst action was at Sabine Pass, Texas. I'll check Dyer's Compendium for it.

[Gsetzer]

I believe the lst action was at Sabine Pass, Texas. I'll check Dyer's Compendium for it.


Palmito Ranch. Union units were the 34th Indiana and 62 USCT.

[PPH]

I fired the last shot of the Civil War!

[Gravelmoon2]

this is soo cool!!