The Final Bivouac: The Confederate Surrender Parade at Appomattox and the Disbanding of the Virginia Armies, April 10—May 20, 1865

Explores the immediate aftermath of Lee’s surrender, detailing the Confederate disbandment, Union occupation, and reactions to Lincoln’s assassination.

What actually happened during the first six weeks of new-found peace once General Lee surrendered the remnants of the Army of Northern Virginia to General Grant? What were the initial reactions of the soldiers and Virginia citizens to the devastating news of Lincoln’s assassination? How did they handle the situation of the emancipated slaves? These and many other issues are covered in depth by the men themselves, brought to you by Chris Calkins, former chief historian at Appomattox, in The Final Bivouac: The Confederate Surrender Parade at Appomattox and the Disbanding of the Virginia Armies, April 10–May 20, 1865.

The first installment, “No One Wants to Be the Last to Die” (formerly The Battles of Appomattox), set the stage for the final dramatic act of the Civil War in Virginia: the surrender parade at Appomattox. Calkins vividly captured the intense feelings and emotions of Union and Confederate soldiers as the former enemies faced each other for the last time. The honor and respect shown by the victorious Federal troops toward the defeated Southerners is one of the most moving episodes in American history.

The Final Bivouac continues the story with marvelous firsthand accounts by homeward-bound Confederates, the members of the Union encampment at Burkeville, men involved in the Danville Expedition, and those present for the occupation of Southside Virginia. The narrative concludes as the last few regiments in blue cross the James River at Richmond on their way to Washington, D.C., and then, finally home.

Calkins based his work on primary sources, photographs, and archaeological evidence. The Final Bivouac is a timeless account and will be of deep interest to everyone who enjoys reading about the American Civil War.

Chris Calkins is the author of a dozen publications and many articles and was popular on the speaking circuit. He received the 2014 Award of Merit “for his dedication to preserving the Civil War battlefield landscape of Virginia” from the American Association for State and Local History, one of only three Virginians to receive this award. In 2020, he was bestowed with the Edwin C. Bearss Lifetime Achievement Award for extraordinary work in historic preservation. A Detroit native, Chris graduated from Longwood College (now University) in Farmville, Virginia, and lives in a restored 18th-century Georgian home in Petersburg’s Old Town Historic District.

Robert M. (Bert) Dunkerly studied history at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, and historic preservation at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN. He led tours of the battlefield and researched its history, preservation, and its National Cemetery. Bert is the author of three other books in the Emerging Civil War Series and is active in historic preservation and research.