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〃again and again will we return until the baffled and exhausted
enemy shall abandon in despair his endless and impossible task of
making slaves of a people resolved to be free。〃
The surrender at Appomattox on April 9； 1865； compelled another
migration of the dwindling executive company。 General Johnston
had not yet surrendered。 A conference which he had with the
President and the Cabinet at Greensboro ended in giving him
permission to negotiate with Sherman。 Even then Davis was still
bent on keeping up the fight； yet； though he believed that
Sherman would reject Johnston's overtures； he was overtaken at
Charlotte on his way South by the crushing news of Johnston's
surrender。 There the executive history of the Confederacy came to
an end in a final Cabinet meeting。 Davis； still blindly resolute
to continue the struggle； was deeply distressed by the
determination of his advisers to abandon it。 In imminent danger
of capture； the President's party made its way to Abbeville；
where it broke up； and each member sought safety as best he
could。 Davis with a few faithful men rode to Irwinsville；
Georgia； where； in the early morning of the l0th of May； he was
surprised and captured。 But the history of the Confederacy was
not quite at an end。 The last gunshots were still to be fired far
away in Texas on the 13th of May。 The surrender of the forces of
the Trans…Mississippi on May 26； 1865； brought the war to a
definite conclusion。
There remains one incident of these closing days； the
significance of which was not perceived until long afterward；
when it immediately took its rightful place among the determining
events of American history。 The unconquerable spirit of the Army
of Northern Virginia found its last expression in a proposal
which was made to Lee by his officers。 If he would give the word；
they would make the war a duel to the death； it should drag out
in relentless guerrilla struggles； and there should be no
pacification of the South until the fighting classes had been
exterminated。 Considering what those classes were； considering
the qualities that could be handed on to their posterity； one
realizes that this suicide of a whole people； of a noble fighting
people； would have maimed incalculably the America of the future。
But though the heroism of this proposal of his men to die on
their shields had its stern charm for so brave a man as Lee； he
refused to consider it。 He would not admit that he and his people
had a right thus to extinguish their power to help mold the
future； no matter whether it be the future they desired or not。
The result of battle must be accepted。 The Southern spirit must
not perish； luxuriating blindly in despair； but must find a new
form of expression； must become part of the new world that was to
be； must look to a new birth under new conditions。 In this spirit
he issued to his army his last address：
〃After four years of arduous service； marked by unsurpassed
courage and fortitude； the Army of Northern Virginia has been
compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources。 I need
not tell the survivors of so many hard…fought battles； who have
remained steadfast to the last； that I have consented to the
result from no distrust of them； but feeling that valor and
devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the
loss that would have attended the continuation of the contest； I
determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past
services have endeared them to their countrymen。。。。 I bid you
an affectionate farewell。〃
How inevitably one calls to mind； in view of the indomitable
valor of Lee's final decision； those great lines from Tennyson：
〃Tho' much is taken； much abides； and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven； that which we are； we are；
One equal temper of heroic hearts；
Made weak by time and fate； but strong in will。〃
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
There is no adequate history of the Confederacy。 It is rumored
that a distinguished scholar has a great work approaching
completion。 It is also rumored that another scholar； well
equipped to do so； will soon bring out a monumental life of
Davis。 But the fact remains that as yet we lack a comprehensive
review of the Confederate episode set in proper perspective。
Standard works such as the 〃History of the United States from the
Compromise of 1850〃； by J。 F。 Rhodes （7 vols。； 1893…1908）； even
when otherwise as near a classic as is the work of Mr。 Rhodes；
treat the Confederacy so externally as to have in this respect
little value。 The one searching study of the subject； 〃The
Confederate States of America；〃 by J。 C。 Schwab （1901）； though
admirable in its way； is wholly overshadowed by the point of view
of the economist。 The same is to be said of the article by
Professor Schwab in the 11th edition of 〃The Encyclopaedia
Britannica。〃
Two famous discussions of the episode by participants are： 〃The
Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government；〃 by the President of
the Confederacy （2 vols。； 1881）； and 〃A Constitutional View of
the Late War Between the States；〃 by Alexander H。 Stephens （2
vols。； 1870）。 Both works； though invaluable to the student； are
tinged with controversy； each of the eminent authors aiming to
refute the arguments of political antagonists。
The military history of the time has so overshadowed the civil；
in the minds of most students； that we are still sadly in need of
careful； disinterested studies of the great figures of
Confederate civil affairs。 〃Jefferson Davis；〃 by William E。 Dodd
（〃American Crisis Biographies；〃 1907）； is the standard life of
the President； superseding older ones。 Not so satisfactory in the
same series is 〃Judah P。 Benjamin；〃 by Pierce Butler （1907）； and
〃Alexander H。 Stephens；〃 by Louis Pendleton （1907）。 Older works
which are valuable for the material they contain are： 〃Memoir of
Jefferson Davis；〃 by his Wife （1890）； 〃The Life and Times of
Alexander H。 Stephens；〃 by R。 M。 Johnston and W。 M。 Browne
（1878）； 〃The Life and Times of William Lowndes Yancey；〃 by J。 W。
Du Bose （1891）； 〃The Life； Times； and Speeches of Joseph E。
Brown；〃 by Herbert Fielder （1883）； 〃Public Life and Diplomatic
Correspondence of James M。 Mason；〃 by his Daughter （1903）； 〃The
Life and Time of C。 G。 Memminger；〃 by H。 D。 Capers （1893）。 The
writings of E。 A。 Pollard cannot be disregarded； but must be
taken as the violent expression of an extreme partisan。 They
include a 〃Life of Jefferson Davis〃 （1869） and 〃The Lost Cause〃
（1867）。 A charming series of essays is 〃Confederate Portraits；〃
by Gamaliel Bradford （1914）。 Among books on special topics that
are to be recommended are： 〃The Diplomatic History of the
Southern Confederacy〃 by J。 M。 Callahan （1901）； 〃France and the
Confederate Navy；〃 by John Bigelow （1888）； and 〃The Secret
Service of the Confederate States in Europe；〃 by J。 D。 Bulloch （2
vols。； 1884）。 There is a large number of contemporary accounts of
life in the Confederacy。 Historians have generally given
excessive attention to 〃A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the
Confederate States Capital；〃 by J。 B。 Jones （2 vols。； 1866） which
has really neither more nor less value