The End of the War in the East and Soldiers’ Homecomings

Nearly forty years ago National Parks Service historian Chris Calkins wrote a two-volume work on the Battle of Appomattox and its aftermath. In 2023 Savas Beatie issued a revised edition of the first volume, "No One Wants to be the Last to Die": The Battles of Appomattox, April 8-9, 1865, and now gives us a revised edition of the second.

Crisply written, The Final Bivouac covers the surrender and disbanding of the Army of Northern Virginia, the formal paroling of the troops, their return to homes, and their assimilation into a society significantly changed from the way of life that they had left in 1861. For many, resuming their former vocations proved extremely challenging, with difficulties in sustaining a livelihood. Calkins explores the way in which the former Confederates coped with the Federal occupation, the emancipation of slaves, and wartime ruin. Overall, it was extremely difficult for former soldiers to deal with the effects of the war and the rebuilding of the south.

Calkins also looks at the Federal side, the dispersal of the great armies, and the troops on occupation duty. He notes that generally, Union soldiers respected their defeated foes. As some went home, others had to maintain order, protect the formerly enslaved, cope with judicial matters, and provide social services for both Black and white Southerners. He is particularly good in describing the complex challenges and political turmoil caused by the assassination of President Lincoln.

Calkins also investigated the question of how many troops were with Lee’s army in the final phase of the wars through the surrender and how well they were equipped. Surprisingly, he concludes that Lee’s army did not lack for arms or ammunition during the final period of the war. He does identify imperfections in the distribution of supplies, with regiments from some states having more and those from some others less. As for rations, drought in the summer of 1864 effected food distribution, as did Sheridan’s Valley campaign and Sherman’s march from Georgia through the Carolinas.

One important question that Calkins addresses is how many troops were with the Army of Northern Virginia in the final period of the war, and how many surrendered. He offers the official numbers of troops surrendered, and questions how many men deserted rather than surrender. Similarly, while there are figures for the weapons turned in upon the surrender, how many were thrown away rather than be turned in, and how many were taken home as souvenirs by soldiers, both Confederate and Union, remains undetermined.

Calkins’s four appendices are of interest in addressing these questions:

· “Archaeological Site Investigations of Appomattox Battlefields and Campsites”

· “The Numbers Involved in the Appomattox Campaign

· “Surprise and sunset Times During the Campaign”

The text is supplemented by 30 helpful images, and seven useful maps, as well as notes, bibliography, and an index.

Drawing on exhaustive research, he creates a moving narrative of the final days of the Appomattox Campaign from both Union and Confederate perspectives, analyzing the aftermath, and its legacy.

The Final Bivouac is a good read for anyone interested in the Confederate surrender at Appomattox and the aftermath of the war.

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Note: The Final Bivouac is also available in e-editions.

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