Battle of Columbus, Georgia
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Columbus, Georgia (April 16, 1865), also known as the Battle of Girard, Alabama (now Phenix City, Alabama
) is widely regarded to be the last battle of the American Civil War
. The Georgia State government has officially declared this battle the "last battle of the war between the states."
The Battle of Palmito Ranch
occurred after the Battle of Columbus, but the engagement at Palmito Ranch occurred after Johnston's surrender to Sherman
(April 26, 1865) and after the Confederacy dissolved on May 5. In the Official Records of the Civil War, the Battle of Columbus is referred to as the "closing conflict of the war."
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After the Union victory in the Battle of Nashville
(December 15–16, 1864), Union General George H. Thomas gave orders to General James H. Wilson
to march into the heart of the Deep South
to bring the Confederacy
to its knees by destroying all of their supply centers such as Selma, Alabama
, and Columbus, Georgia
.
Wilson left Gravelly Springs, Alabama, on March 22, 1865, aiming for Selma, Alabama
, a major manufacturing and supply center for the Confederacy
. The Battle of Selma
took place on April 2, 1865, against the highly skilled leadership of General Nathan Bedford Forrest
. This engagement occurred the same day that the Confederate capital of Richmond
fell into the hands of General Ulysses S. Grant
. Despite inflicting significant casualties on Wilson's raiders, Selma fell to Wilson
by 7 p.m. on April 2.
On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee
surrendered to U.S. Grant at Appomattox Court House
, but Confederate General Johnston's
army had not yet conceded defeat. Additionally, as a result of the disruption of the telegraph lines and all other modes of expeditious communication, General Wilson's raiders were not aware of the surrender of Lee
. They continued their raid as if the Confederacy was still intact.
On April 12, 1865, Wilson's men marched into Montgomery, Alabama
, without major resistance from the Confederates.
Wilson's next principal target was the manufacturing city of Columbus, Georgia
. Columbus stood as the largest-surviving supply city in the South. It had been second only to Richmond, Virginia
, as providing the industrial support for the war effort, and Richmond was no longer a factor. Columbus was also situated on the Chattahoochee River
where a major Naval Construction facility was located. The new ironclad CSS Muscogee
was constructed in Columbus and it was docked there waiting to be launched into service.
Although it was unknown to Wilson and his men, the President of the United States was shot in Washington on Good Friday, April 14, and died the next morning.
was in charge of the forces located in Columbus, and he began to prepare to defend the city of Columbus "to the last ditch."
Cobb commanded a force of about 3,500 men, a few of whom were battle-worn, but most of whom were Georgia and Alabama Reserve units and civilians. On April 16, 1865, the local newspapers warned the citizens of Columbus that they should evacuate the town as an attack was imminent.
Cobb decided to defend the city on the Alabama
side of the Chattahoochee
, in the town of Girard, Alabama. There the Confederates utilized trenches, breastworks and earthen forts that had partially existed since earlier in the war; now their completion became imperative. The bridges that were the focus of Cobb's defense were designed by Horace King, a former slave from South Carolina. King was considered the most respected bridge builder during the 19th century in the deep south.
The main objective was to defend the two covered bridges that connected Girard to Columbus. Cobb had the advantage of knowing that Wilson
would have to concentrate on these two narrow locations in order to capture Columbus. Cobb
also wanted to keep the high ground in Girard out of Wilson's clutch, lest he have a convenient perch to siege Columbus
with bombardment.
In addition to preparing strong fortified positions on the high ground in Girard on the west side of the Chattahoochee River
, Cobb
ordered the base of the bridges to be wrapped in cotton and doused with turpentine in the event that the Confederates were unable to fend off Wilson's raiders from the bridges. This would allow the Confederates, as a last resort, to burn the bridges to prevent Wilson's troops from easy access to Columbus
.
, to cross the Chattahoochee River
there. West Point was defended by the garrison at Fort Tyler. The Battle of West Point
and the Battle of Columbus took place on the same day.
At about 2 p.m. Union General Emory Upton
's division launched an attack on the lower (southern) bridge. Meeting very little resistance, it appeared as if Alexander's brigade would cross the bridge and take Columbus almost as easily as they took Montgomery, Alabama
. But this was a trap. Confederates removed the planks on the East side of the bridge that would halt the Federals and allow the Confederates to burn the bridge filled with soldiers. Recognizing the peril Upton
was forced to retreat and for a short time it appeared as if the Confederates might enjoy some degree of success in defending Columbus.
Wilson
was compelled to turn his attention to the upper bridge. He planned an assault on the bridge at 8 p.m., after nightfall, and to have General Winslow's
brigade lead the attack. A tremendous clash occurred near the entrance of the upper bridge. It was here that Confederate John Pemberton
was slashed by a sabre which would lead him, after the war, to become preoccupied with formulas for pain killers and remedies, ultimately inspiring him to develop the recipe for Coca-Cola
.
Around 10 p.m. the Confederate defenses in Girard had collapsed and frantically attempted a retreat back across the Chattahoochee River
into Georgia
. At the same time, Winslow's brigade were also eager to get across the upper bridge before it too might be set afire by the Confederates. Side by side, both Union and Confederate soldiers raced across the bridge to Columbus. It was too dark, however, for either to see who was who. Though attempts were made at firing the bridge, circumstances prevented it. The upper bridge was not burned.
At 11 p.m. Wilson made his way across the bridge and on the Columbus side of the bridge, Wilson took up headquarters in the house nearest to the bridge: the Mott House. There on "Mott's Green" Colonel C.A. Lamar, one of the last of the international slave-traders, led a cavalry charge. Lamar was killed after refusing to surrender to a dismounted Union Cavalryman. Lamar was identified by General William Tecumseh Sherman, probably in error, as the last Confederate to die in the Civil War.
(also known as the CSS Jackson) was burned and sunk. A large number of Confederate prisoners were captured. The CSS Chattahoochee
was scuttled to prevent it from falling into Union hands.
The number of casualties in the battle is unknown, but there were a minimum of 145. Additionally, the local Linwood cemetery has a significant section dedicated to the graves of Confederate soldiers. By the end of the day on April 17, 1865, much of the city of Columbus had been reduced to ashes.
, North Carolina, marking the effectual end of the war, the Battle at Columbus was the last battle of the civil war. The Battle of Palmito Ranch
took place on May 13, long after the Confederate government was entirely vanquished, its president (Jefferson Davis
) in prison, and its organized military extinct. The Battle of Palmito Ranch
was a "post-war" encounter.
That the Battle of Columbus, Georgia, was the last battle of the war was confirmed by two of the U.S. generals who led the battle. In 1913 General Wilson wrote that there is, "no grounds left for doubting that 'Columbus was the last battle of the war.'" General Edward F. Winslow wrote, "I have always considered that engagement, by the number present and the results achieved, to be the final battle of the war." Other officers echoed these assertions as well. A movement to preserve the battlefield as a national park ensued from the 1890s through the 1930s. An employee of the National Park Service, Arno Cammerer, rejected the proposal in 1934, but in spite of Cammerer's opinion, the Georgia State Government maintained that the last battle of the civil war took place there. A renewed effort to commemorate the battlefield as a park has been revived.
. Ten days after the Battle of Columbus, the last great army of the Confederacy
under General Joseph E. Johnston
surrendered at Bennett Place
. The American Civil War
had come to an end and the last major engagement had occurred on the banks of the Chattahoochee River
in Columbus
. In early May, in central Georgia, Wilson's men would apprehend Jefferson Davis
, president of the Confederacy
.
Phenix City, Alabama
Phenix City is a city and the county seat in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smiths Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area...
) is widely regarded to be the last battle of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The Georgia State government has officially declared this battle the "last battle of the war between the states."
The Battle of Palmito Ranch
Battle of Palmito Ranch
The Battle of Palmito Ranch, also known as the Battle of Palmito Hill and the Battle of Palmetto Ranch, was fought on May 12–13, 1865, during the American Civil War. It was the last major clash of arms in the war...
occurred after the Battle of Columbus, but the engagement at Palmito Ranch occurred after Johnston's surrender to Sherman
Bennett Place
Bennett Place, sometimes known as Bennett Farm, in Durham, North Carolina was the site of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers ending the American Civil War, on April 26, 1865.-History:...
(April 26, 1865) and after the Confederacy dissolved on May 5. In the Official Records of the Civil War, the Battle of Columbus is referred to as the "closing conflict of the war."
Events Leading to the Battle
Battle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
(December 15–16, 1864), Union General George H. Thomas gave orders to General James H. Wilson
James H. Wilson
James Harrison Wilson was a United States Army topographic engineer, a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War and later wars, a railroad executive, and author.-Early life and engineering:...
to march into the heart of the Deep South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
to bring the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
to its knees by destroying all of their supply centers such as Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
, and Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
.
Wilson left Gravelly Springs, Alabama, on March 22, 1865, aiming for Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
, a major manufacturing and supply center for the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. The Battle of Selma
Battle of Selma
The Battle of Selma was a military engagement near the end of the American Civil War. It was fought in Selma, Alabama, on April 2, 1865. Union Army forces under Major General James H...
took place on April 2, 1865, against the highly skilled leadership of General Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
. This engagement occurred the same day that the Confederate capital of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
fell into the hands of General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. Despite inflicting significant casualties on Wilson's raiders, Selma fell to Wilson
James H. Wilson
James Harrison Wilson was a United States Army topographic engineer, a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War and later wars, a railroad executive, and author.-Early life and engineering:...
by 7 p.m. on April 2.
On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered to U.S. Grant at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but Confederate General Johnston's
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
army had not yet conceded defeat. Additionally, as a result of the disruption of the telegraph lines and all other modes of expeditious communication, General Wilson's raiders were not aware of the surrender of Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
. They continued their raid as if the Confederacy was still intact.
On April 12, 1865, Wilson's men marched into Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, without major resistance from the Confederates.
Wilson's next principal target was the manufacturing city of Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
. Columbus stood as the largest-surviving supply city in the South. It had been second only to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, as providing the industrial support for the war effort, and Richmond was no longer a factor. Columbus was also situated on the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
where a major Naval Construction facility was located. The new ironclad CSS Muscogee
CSS Muscogee
CSS Muscogee also known as CSS Jackson was a Confederate States Navy ironclad ram, powered by a steam driven screw and deployed on the Chattahoochee River during the American Civil War....
was constructed in Columbus and it was docked there waiting to be launched into service.
Although it was unknown to Wilson and his men, the President of the United States was shot in Washington on Good Friday, April 14, and died the next morning.
Columbus Alerted to the Attack
Confederates in Columbus were preparing for the fact that Wilson's 13,000 men were heading their direction in the days leading up to the battle. Confederate Major General Howell CobbHowell Cobb
Howell Cobb was an American political figure. A Southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and Speaker of the House from 1849 to 1851...
was in charge of the forces located in Columbus, and he began to prepare to defend the city of Columbus "to the last ditch."
Cobb commanded a force of about 3,500 men, a few of whom were battle-worn, but most of whom were Georgia and Alabama Reserve units and civilians. On April 16, 1865, the local newspapers warned the citizens of Columbus that they should evacuate the town as an attack was imminent.
The public is hereby notified of the rapid approach of the enemy, but assured that the city of Columbus will be defended to the last. Judging from experience it is believed that the city will be shelled. Notice is, therefore, given to all non-combatants to move away immediately.
General Howell Cobb's Defense Strategy
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
side of the Chattahoochee
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
, in the town of Girard, Alabama. There the Confederates utilized trenches, breastworks and earthen forts that had partially existed since earlier in the war; now their completion became imperative. The bridges that were the focus of Cobb's defense were designed by Horace King, a former slave from South Carolina. King was considered the most respected bridge builder during the 19th century in the deep south.
The main objective was to defend the two covered bridges that connected Girard to Columbus. Cobb had the advantage of knowing that Wilson
James H. Wilson
James Harrison Wilson was a United States Army topographic engineer, a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War and later wars, a railroad executive, and author.-Early life and engineering:...
would have to concentrate on these two narrow locations in order to capture Columbus. Cobb
Howell Cobb
Howell Cobb was an American political figure. A Southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and Speaker of the House from 1849 to 1851...
also wanted to keep the high ground in Girard out of Wilson's clutch, lest he have a convenient perch to siege Columbus
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
with bombardment.
In addition to preparing strong fortified positions on the high ground in Girard on the west side of the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
, Cobb
Howell Cobb
Howell Cobb was an American political figure. A Southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and Speaker of the House from 1849 to 1851...
ordered the base of the bridges to be wrapped in cotton and doused with turpentine in the event that the Confederates were unable to fend off Wilson's raiders from the bridges. This would allow the Confederates, as a last resort, to burn the bridges to prevent Wilson's troops from easy access to Columbus
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
.
The Battle
Between 1:30 and 2 p.m. on Easter, April 16, 1865, Wilson's raiders arrived at Girard, Alabama, and the fighting began. Wilson also sent a detachment north of Columbus to West Point, GeorgiaBattle of West Point
The Battle of West Point was fought on April 16, 1865 in West Point, Georgia, during General James H. Wilson's raid of the south during the American Civil War. This battle was fought at Fort Tyler seven days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S...
, to cross the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
there. West Point was defended by the garrison at Fort Tyler. The Battle of West Point
Battle of West Point
The Battle of West Point was fought on April 16, 1865 in West Point, Georgia, during General James H. Wilson's raid of the south during the American Civil War. This battle was fought at Fort Tyler seven days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S...
and the Battle of Columbus took place on the same day.
At about 2 p.m. Union General Emory Upton
Emory Upton
Emory Upton was a United States Army General and military strategist, prominent for his role in leading infantry to attack entrenched positions successfully at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House during the American Civil War, but he also excelled at artillery and cavalry assignments...
's division launched an attack on the lower (southern) bridge. Meeting very little resistance, it appeared as if Alexander's brigade would cross the bridge and take Columbus almost as easily as they took Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. But this was a trap. Confederates removed the planks on the East side of the bridge that would halt the Federals and allow the Confederates to burn the bridge filled with soldiers. Recognizing the peril Upton
Emory Upton
Emory Upton was a United States Army General and military strategist, prominent for his role in leading infantry to attack entrenched positions successfully at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House during the American Civil War, but he also excelled at artillery and cavalry assignments...
was forced to retreat and for a short time it appeared as if the Confederates might enjoy some degree of success in defending Columbus.
James H. Wilson
James Harrison Wilson was a United States Army topographic engineer, a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War and later wars, a railroad executive, and author.-Early life and engineering:...
was compelled to turn his attention to the upper bridge. He planned an assault on the bridge at 8 p.m., after nightfall, and to have General Winslow's
Edward Francis Winslow
Edward Francis Winslow was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War and later railroad executive.-Early Life:Winslow was born in Augusta, Maine in 1837. He moved to Iowa in 1856 and began his longtime career in the railroad industry as a conductor.-Civil War:When the Civil War...
brigade lead the attack. A tremendous clash occurred near the entrance of the upper bridge. It was here that Confederate John Pemberton
John Pemberton
John Stith Pemberton was a Confederate veteran and an American druggist, and is best known for being the inventor of Coca-Cola.-Early life:...
was slashed by a sabre which would lead him, after the war, to become preoccupied with formulas for pain killers and remedies, ultimately inspiring him to develop the recipe for Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
.
Around 10 p.m. the Confederate defenses in Girard had collapsed and frantically attempted a retreat back across the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
into Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. At the same time, Winslow's brigade were also eager to get across the upper bridge before it too might be set afire by the Confederates. Side by side, both Union and Confederate soldiers raced across the bridge to Columbus. It was too dark, however, for either to see who was who. Though attempts were made at firing the bridge, circumstances prevented it. The upper bridge was not burned.
At 11 p.m. Wilson made his way across the bridge and on the Columbus side of the bridge, Wilson took up headquarters in the house nearest to the bridge: the Mott House. There on "Mott's Green" Colonel C.A. Lamar, one of the last of the international slave-traders, led a cavalry charge. Lamar was killed after refusing to surrender to a dismounted Union Cavalryman. Lamar was identified by General William Tecumseh Sherman, probably in error, as the last Confederate to die in the Civil War.
The Day After
On the morning of April 17, 1865, General Wilson ordered the destruction of all resources in Columbus that could extenuate the Confederate war effort. Most significantly, the Ironclad CSS MuscogeeCSS Muscogee
CSS Muscogee also known as CSS Jackson was a Confederate States Navy ironclad ram, powered by a steam driven screw and deployed on the Chattahoochee River during the American Civil War....
(also known as the CSS Jackson) was burned and sunk. A large number of Confederate prisoners were captured. The CSS Chattahoochee
CSS Chattahoochee
CSS Chattahoochee was a twin-screw steam gunboat built at Saffold, Georgia, entered service in February 1863 for the Confederate States and was named after the river it was built on.- Career :...
was scuttled to prevent it from falling into Union hands.
The number of casualties in the battle is unknown, but there were a minimum of 145. Additionally, the local Linwood cemetery has a significant section dedicated to the graves of Confederate soldiers. By the end of the day on April 17, 1865, much of the city of Columbus had been reduced to ashes.
The Last Battle of the Civil War
Insofar as the bulk of Confederates surrendered on April 26, 1865, at Bennett PlaceBennett Place
Bennett Place, sometimes known as Bennett Farm, in Durham, North Carolina was the site of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers ending the American Civil War, on April 26, 1865.-History:...
, North Carolina, marking the effectual end of the war, the Battle at Columbus was the last battle of the civil war. The Battle of Palmito Ranch
Battle of Palmito Ranch
The Battle of Palmito Ranch, also known as the Battle of Palmito Hill and the Battle of Palmetto Ranch, was fought on May 12–13, 1865, during the American Civil War. It was the last major clash of arms in the war...
took place on May 13, long after the Confederate government was entirely vanquished, its president (Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
) in prison, and its organized military extinct. The Battle of Palmito Ranch
Battle of Palmito Ranch
The Battle of Palmito Ranch, also known as the Battle of Palmito Hill and the Battle of Palmetto Ranch, was fought on May 12–13, 1865, during the American Civil War. It was the last major clash of arms in the war...
was a "post-war" encounter.
That the Battle of Columbus, Georgia, was the last battle of the war was confirmed by two of the U.S. generals who led the battle. In 1913 General Wilson wrote that there is, "no grounds left for doubting that 'Columbus was the last battle of the war.'" General Edward F. Winslow wrote, "I have always considered that engagement, by the number present and the results achieved, to be the final battle of the war." Other officers echoed these assertions as well. A movement to preserve the battlefield as a national park ensued from the 1890s through the 1930s. An employee of the National Park Service, Arno Cammerer, rejected the proposal in 1934, but in spite of Cammerer's opinion, the Georgia State Government maintained that the last battle of the civil war took place there. A renewed effort to commemorate the battlefield as a park has been revived.
On to Macon and Jefferson Davis
Immediately after the victory at Columbus, Wilson led his raiders east to Macon, GeorgiaMacon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
. Ten days after the Battle of Columbus, the last great army of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
under General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
surrendered at Bennett Place
Bennett Place
Bennett Place, sometimes known as Bennett Farm, in Durham, North Carolina was the site of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers ending the American Civil War, on April 26, 1865.-History:...
. The American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
had come to an end and the last major engagement had occurred on the banks of the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
in Columbus
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
. In early May, in central Georgia, Wilson's men would apprehend Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
, president of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
.
Sources
- “Columbus, Georgia, 1865: The Last True Battle of the Civil War, by Charles A. Misulia, 2010, published by the University of Alabama PressUniversity of Alabama PressThe University of Alabama Press was founded in 1945 and is the scholarly publishing arm of the University of Alabama.An Editorial Board composed of representatives from all doctoral degree granting public universities within Alabama oversees the publishing program. Projects are selected that...
- Yankee Blitzkrieg: Wilson's Raid Through Alabama and Georgia
External links
- Last Battle of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Project
- “Columbus, Georgia, 1865: The Last True Battle of the Civil War, by Charles A. Misulia, 2010, published by the University of Alabama PressUniversity of Alabama PressThe University of Alabama Press was founded in 1945 and is the scholarly publishing arm of the University of Alabama.An Editorial Board composed of representatives from all doctoral degree granting public universities within Alabama oversees the publishing program. Projects are selected that...
- The Last Battle of the Civil War, by Charles Swift
- The Last Battle of the Civil War: The Battle of Columbus
- The Battle of Columbus (ExploreSouthernHistory.com)
- Battle of Columbus in Photos
- The Last True Battle of The Civil War--Presentation