Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/598

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE SITUATION IN 1865.

MILITARY DISPARITIES—WISE ON THE PART OF THE SOUTH TO REFUSE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER—WHY THE FINAL FIGHT WAS MADE—CLOSELY ALLIED MILITARY AND CIVIL EVENTS—LAST MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT DAVIS TO CONGRESS—LAST ACTS OF CONGRESS—PATRIOTIC ACT OF VIRGINIA AND OTHER STATES—GRANT BREAKS THE LINES AT LAST—RICHMOND EVACUATED—THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET MOVE TO NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA—CAPTURE OF THE PRESIDENT—ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN—MALICIOUS PROSECUTION OF PRESIDENT DAVIS—THE DISSOLUTION OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.

THE military situation of the Confederacy in 1865 must be considered in connection with the effort made by its leaders on behalf of peace, as previously related. From the most available data it is ascertained that the total of the Confederate troops in and around Richmond and Petersburg present for duty February 20, 1865, was in round numbers 57,000 of all arms and branches of service. Of this total 45,567 were infantry, the remainder cavalry and artillery. From this date losses occurred which could not be replaced and at the time of Grant s final and successful assault Lee had in his line of thirty- five miles only about 38,000 infantry. The cavalry were reduced to a small body mounted mainly on broken-down horses. This estimate is made on the reports of the army of Northern Virginia, also the conclusions of Major-General Humphreys of the Federal army and of Swinton, the Northern historian. The United

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