By the spring of 1865, the Confederacy was in a state of collapse. The Union had won a series of major victories, including the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 and the Battle of Vicksburg in 1864. These victories had cut off the Confederacy from the Mississippi River and split it in two. In addition, the Union Navy had blockaded Southern ports, preventing the Confederacy from importing supplies. As a result, the Confederacy was facing shortages of food, clothing, and ammunition.
In April 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House. This surrender effectively ended the Civil War. The Confederacy had been defeated, and the United States was once again a single nation.