Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/720

Rh Col. William C. Richards; and Greneral Brantly's brigade, which included with other troops the Twenty-fourth, consolidated with the Twenty-seventh, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty-fourth, under Col. R. W. Williamson. Swett's battery was also with this last army of the Confederacy. All these brigades fought gallantly at the battle of Bentonville, and were surrendered with Johnston's army April 26th.

A week before the surrender of Johnston he had made a "convention" with Sherman, and soon after the news of this had reached Gen. Richard Taylor, he met General Canby near Mobile, and was courteously entertained. A truce of two days was agreed upon and hostilities ceased. A week later came almost simultaneously notice of the repudiation of the "convention" and the renewal of hostilities, and General Taylor again met General Canby to arrange terms of capitulation. This last important surrender of the great war was made at Citronelle, Ala., May 4, 1865. In due time the men at Meridian were paroled, and officers and soldiers who had been up to that time engaged in deadly combat made friendly acquaintance and parted in peace. General Taylor's advice was asked for and relied upon by General Canby, in regard to disposition of his forces to preserve order and protect the restoration of trade and industry. "What years of discord, bitterness, injustice and loss would not our country have been spared," wrote General Taylor, "had the wounds of war healed by ‘first intention’ under the gentle ministration of the hands that fought the battles? But the task was allotted to ambitious partisans, most of whom had not heard the sound of a gun. As of old, the Lion and the Bear fight openly and sturdily—the stealthy Fox carries off the prize."

The records show that there were in the Confederate armies from Mississippi the following commands: indent=2|

49 Infantry Regiments.

15 Infantry Battalions.