- Lee's army of 28,000 men surrendered on April 9, 1865, and other Confederate armies quickly followed suit.
- Confederate soldiers were initially paroled and allowed to return home, but they were required to take an oath of allegiance to the United States.
- Many Confederate soldiers were in poor health and had little food or supplies. They faced a difficult journey home and were often dependent on the charity of Union soldiers and civilians.
- Some Confederate soldiers chose to continue fighting, joining guerrilla bands that resisted the Union occupation of the South.
Long-Term Impact
- The surrender of the Confederate armies marked the end of the Civil War and the defeat of the Confederacy.
- Confederate soldiers faced significant social, economic, and political challenges after the war.
- Many Confederate soldiers lost their homes, farms, and businesses during the war, and they had to rebuild their lives from scratch.
- Confederate soldiers were often ostracized by their former Union neighbors and were denied access to education, employment, and other opportunities.
- Some Confederate soldiers joined veterans' organizations, such as the United Confederate Veterans, to support each other and to preserve their memories of the war.
- The legacy of the Civil War and the treatment of Confederate soldiers continues to be a source of debate and controversy in the United States.