Although April 9, 1865, is most commonly associated with the surrender of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, the War was far from over on other fronts.

On April 9, after a prolonged eight-day seige, 45,000 Federal troops under the command of General E.R.S. Canby attacked Fort Blakely just outside Mobile, Alabama. The fort fell within 20 minutes; 3,423 Southern soldiers and 40 big guns were captured. The assault, which would prove to be the final infantry battle of the War, opened the way to Mobile. Confederate General Dabney H. Maury and his forces, which were outnumbered 10 to 1, decamped during the night of April 11, and Canby entered the city unopposed on April 12.

On May 4, Generals Richard Taylor and Edmund Kirby Smith surrendered their armies to General Canby.


"Blakely"