General E. Kirby Smith, on whom Davis's last hopes of success had
centered, kept up so threatening an attitude that Sherman was sent from
Washington to bring him to reason. But he did not long hold his position
of solitary defiance. One more needless skirmish took place near
Brazos, Texas, and then Smith followed the example of Taylor and
surrendered his entire force, some eighteen thousand, to General Canby,
on May 26. One hundred and seventy-five thousand men in all were
surrendered by the different Confederate commanders, and there were, in
addition to these, about ninety-nine thousand prisoners in national
custody during the year. One third of these were exchanged, and two
thirds released. This was done as rapidly as possible by successive
orders of the War Department, beginning on May 9 and continuing through
the summer.
The first object of the government was to stop the waste of war.
Recruiting ceased immediately after Lee's surrender, and measures were
taken to reduce as promptly as possible the vast military establishment.
Every chief of bureau was ordered, on April 28, to proceed at once to
the reduction of expenses in his department to a peace footing; and this
before Taylor or Smith had surrendered, and while Jefferson Davis was
still at large. The army of a million men was brought down, with
incredible ease and celerity, to one of twenty-five thousand.
Pages:
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661