Johnston's surrender

On 26 April 1865, the Confederate forces commanded by Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to General William T Sherman. It was the largest surrender of the war, totaling 89,270 troops, encompassing all of the confederate forces in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.

Two days before, Johnston had received orders from Jefferson Davis that he should disband his troops, reunite in the mountains, and then send the cavalry to rescue Jefferson Davis and the Confederate leaders and help them flee south, perhaps to Cuba.

Davis was outraged at Johnston’s surrendering without a fight, and considered it an act of treachery; he did not officially disband the Confederate government until May.