Appomattox: "We of the Line Never Had the Remotest Idea of a Surrender"

In his history of the 4th Alabama Infantry, Adjutant Robert Thompson Coles recalled the last day before Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia. Coles recounts the dashed hope that Maj. Gen. John Brown Gordon's men would break the U.S. lines, and an encounter with Gen. Lee.
"Life on the Civil War Research Trail" is hosted by Ronald S. Coddington, Editor and Publisher of Military Images magazine. Learn more about our mission to showcase, interpret and preserve Civil War portrait photography at militaryimagesmagazine.com and shopmilitaryimages.com.
This episode is brought to you in part by Soldier Collectibles, featuring a variety of military collectibles ranging from toy soldiers to Civil War images, Visit soldiercollectibles.com for more.
Image: Alabama Department of Archives and History
This channel is a member of the KZbin Partner Program. Your interest, support, and engagement is key, and I'm grateful for it. Thank you!

[@Manticore2024]

That is a photo of a very young, determined soldier! I did a little research on him, he ended up writing a memoir of the fourth Alabama in 1909, fathered six children, and died in 1925, at the age of 82 and is buried at Maple Hill Cemetery, in Huntsville, Alabama

[@joedyer5486]

The colors are the very soul of an army unit. I understand the need to give each man a part of it. I retired from the US army in 2017 as a 1st Sergeant and the soldiers of my troop removed the troop guidron colors and presented them to me. It represented all of the soldiers whom I served with and all of my brothers lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. It hangs over my fireplace and I can't walk past it with out an overwhelming since of pride and love for the boys from the old brigade

[@johnschuh8616]

Bravo!

[@debkuppusamy7912]

Thank you for your service

[@SouthernStorm_61]

Thank you for your service, First Sergeant. G.M, BT3, USN, 1983-'87; HSC, USCG, 1990-'14 (Ret.)

[@richiephillips1541]

Too bad our schools don't teach CW history to young people like this guy does.

[@yisroelkatz-xj6pq]

I wonder how a man could fight in the Civil War from the very beginning until the very end and still remain in one piece? This is amazing wow!

[@dennismiddlebrooks7027]

There were many on both sides, although they may have incurred wounds of some kind that were non-debilitating. Custer was an example on the Union side. Wade Hampton was another on the Confederate side.

[@luppokruizinga8342]

he was never at the frontline

[@davide9658]

What a handsome young officer Robert Coles was. This passage by him speaks to the unconquered attitude most Southerners had, and to some extent still have until this day. The Army of Northern Virginia might have run out of food and ammo, but not its fighting spirit. These were brave men.

[@owensomers8572]

What a vainglorious comment.

[@irockuroll60]

Yeehaw…if that’s how most southerns felt, why did they surrender?

[@davide9658]

It's a Southern thing. Perhaps you can't relate. 🙂

[@davide9658]

If you paid attention to the reading and if you know history many didn't want to, but nevertheless it was the best thing to do.

[@MrRAGE-md5rj]

@@irockuroll60 Because General Lee knew that they'd fight to the end. He knew the the South was eventually going to lose, so continuing the war would've been a pointless loss of lives for both sides.

[@paulgerd1851]

All those years of fighting only to surrender must have been emotionally devastating. Noble men on both sides, no doubt.

[@SwarmerBees]

The southern traitors wanted to retain the so called right to own other human beings. Nothing much noble about that.

[@DaneClark-jz7lk]

How can holding other human beings God created as equals.the Bible doesn't lie..so before you come up with a reply. Tell me how taking the rights of liberty to live free noble. So was hilter and the nazi noble, ganga's chun,tojo, Stalin, and many more dictating killers and racist.

[@Svensk7119]

​@@DaneClark-jz7lk You didn't really complete the first sentence.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Only on the Northern side.

[@upptowne]

very good, I enjoy the personal letters you read to us. Thanks

[@gdubgoin]

Heartbreaking story..

[@frankofva8803]

Beautifully written.

[@PrinceGeorgexiii]

Incredible story, thank you for sharing. Please continue!

[@theclayfeet]

Another great piece Ron thank you! And I’m not surprised that the 4th Alabama soldier was shocked that Lee was surrendering I have a letter written in February, 1865 home from a confederate soldier in Petersburg where he is very full of piss and vinegar and no way is he going to surrender, he is constantly optimistic in his letter home that the confederacy will prevail.

[@jskurtz1968]

Ron - great to see and hear you. This came across my feed…great content. Keep up the good work!

[@michaelpatterson2955]

You do excellent work, sir. Thanks for your diligent study and interest, especially of Confederates and their remembrances.

[@donthrift9287]

I was benefited by a historian who informed me that there were 44 men with my name, Thrift in the Army of Northern Virginia. I visited Appomattox and found in the register only two Thrift men were paroled there. My ancestor was somewhere in the 42. I wonder what happened to them all?

[@fabiopaolobarbieri2286]

Well, a lot of people deserted between Richmond and Appomatox, so not everyone was so sure that the fight would go on.

[@jeffgroah1227]

Men of II Corps reported passing a great many Confederate soldiers, unarmed and begging for food from Union soldiers, on the way from Richmond to Appomattox. Mixed groups would often eat together and it was clear to all that Lee's surrender was imminent. Hundreds of Confederate soldiers surrendered to dozens of US troops. The men of the 148th Penn reported that 700 Rebs surrendered to them, about 150 men, while near Richmond. The Rebs were whipped and only someone wholly vested in the Southern cause could fail to understand this a week before the surrender.

[@richgweil]

I think that Adjutant Coles mistook Sheridan's cavalry fading back as Gordon "breaking the line". What little hope that the Army of Northern Virginia had was dashed by the arrival of Griffin's corps to block any escape. But this is a super fascinating first-person account!

[@thomasbeach905]

As a Yankee stationed at Robins AFB in the 1990’s I noticed that they were still fighting the Civil War. We were never really accepted.

[@brandonlollis1506]

I am a proud descendant of a brave confederate soldier

[@OcotilloTom]

Me too Brandon. Hugh Boyte, Co. "H", 33rd. Mississippi Inf., Ellis Boyte, Co. "B" 2nd. Regt. Mississippi State Troops, Jehu Boyte, Co "E", 9th Texas Cav. and a number of others as well as Rev. War from my family. Tom Boyte GySgt. USMC, retired Vietnam 1965-66/1970-71

[@brandonlollis1506]

@@OcotilloTom ocotillo Tom mine was in the 22nd South Carolina blowed up at the battle of the crater

[@AlphabetSoup-z2b]

​@@brandonlollis1506Had family that served in the 18th SC. I think they were right next to the 22nd at the time.

[@lonniemonroe2714]

53rd Virginia

[@brandonlollis1506]

Ocotillo Tom I all so had a 3time great grandfather that fought at champion hill and Vicksburg

[@charlesbelser7249]

Salute

[@robmeglaughlin325]

Although it is fictionalized the book" The last full measure"" covers this in such a ways as to be unforgettable. It`s also a Damn good read!

[@Euharlee]

Ron I really like your stuff. Keep on keeping on 👍🏼

[@richardmonson8657]

Another great story Ron.

[@MrThebirddog]

But those heartbroken men were happy when Gen Grant issued rations for men and horses. They had nothing.

[@dennismiddlebrooks7027]

Not right away for the horses according to Confederate general Edward Porter Alexander. The Confederates were also issued free passes for Union railroads and ships so the could return home as quickly as possible.

[@DeathWishMonkey]

REgardless, these guys would have been wiped out on the spot if they didn't surrender. Even Lee would balk at that kind of futile bloodshed.

[@richiephillips1541]

My ancestor was the "flag bearer" for his company in a Louisiana regiment. I wonder which flag he carried? Did each company have its own flag? Or did he carry the battle flag? The regimental flag (common to all companies in the regiment)? The information I have doesn't specify which flag it was.

[@lifeonthecivilwarresearchtrail]

The color guard normally carried the national and regimental flags. He likely carried one or the other.

[@richiephillips1541]

@@lifeonthecivilwarresearchtrail Cool. Thank you!

[@bjohnson515]

How could a soldier that just saw 1/3 of his army surrender/captured at Saylor's creek not have a surrender possibility in his mind? Gordon was sent to create the break out only if he was confronted with cavalry.....but he was met with infantry. Coles lived until 1925.

[@wadehampton1737]

Cool story about the last shot fired by the Army of Northern Virginia. Imagine being able to claim that honor.

[@curious968]

It's a tough thing, actually. When Vietnam was winding down, the prevailing sentiment, while bullets were still flying was "who wants to be the last to die for a mistake." Only Lost Cause advocates have obscured the horror of realizing that after losing so many comrades over the years, that _every single one of them died for nothing whatever_. Wars are not ends in themselves. They are meant to accomplish something. The CSA accomplished exactly _zero_ of it war aims. Honor the dead; that is proper; but don't overlook the futility of it.

[@edglass9912]

Do you know if Coles went back to Alabama or stayed around the area. Ed from Lynchburg

[@charlesrobinson9881]

Lee Ann Davis, damned because they continue to fight kill union, soldiers, and waste their own soldiers lives when they knew that the south had no possibility of succeeding. The superiority of men and resources of the union was insurmountable. Lee finally surrendered when he could no longer feed his men. Eating is not optional. While some soldiers may have wanted to continue fighting others were desperate to find food and to go home to their families.

[@FinbarrAnderson]

They gave it all for the south they faught the good fight.

[@daltonadams4672]

What part was 'the good fight'?

[@paulnicholson1906]

Pretty much for nothing. A real shame really.

[@brankobelfranin8815]

@@paulnicholson1906 Shame that the south lost?

[@paulnicholson1906]

@@brankobelfranin8815 no just that 600,000 Americans died and even more suffered of wounds. If the South had stayed in the Union they could have preserved the status quo longer but the downside would have been that slavery would have continued longer. That said even though they were freed Jim Crow continued de facto slavery into my lifetime.

[@wadehampton1737]

@@paulnicholson1906 If the North had allowed the South to go it's own way peacefully, without forcing the issue; there would have been no war and slavery would have ended within a few decades anyway. Quite possibly without the racial animosity created by the forced years of reconstruction. Was all the bloodshed worth it? Only when you look at it as what it was...a power grab of half of the country.

[@LaurenMacKellar-x5d]

"We of the Line Never Had the Remotest Idea of a Surrender" - I applaud this soldier's courage and determination but Lee knew what this soldier did not. If Confederate forces were to break out of Petersberg they would be a spent force and of little use. He also knew that no Confederate force could do little more that slow Sherman as he moved north to join up with Grant. Lee realized a last stand against Grant and Sherman would just be a useless slaughter as the Union would surely win that battle. I'm sure Lee's decision to surrender was the most difficult decision he would make in his whole life.

[@curious968]

And one he should have advocated for to Davis the moment Lincoln was re-elected. The only hope they ever had of victory was to see Lincoln replaced with McClellan. It didn't happen. The rest was butchery on the part of Lee and Davis, pure and simple. There was literally no point whatever in continuing the war. None. Instead, Lee fought to the point of starvation. He didn't even improve the terms of surrender (in fact, had Grant and Lincoln been of different minds, he would have weakened them. They still had a decent army in November of 1864. After that, desertions, underdiscussed in the histories, were rampant and death for nothing the companion of those that stayed). Every soldier on both sides that died between Lincoln's election night and Appomattox and beyond is largely on sainted Robert E. Lee, butcher of men from November of 1864 on.

[@mikeflynn248]

Coles was delusional. Lee's army was a spent force during the retreat from Petersburg. Out of ammo, food, and men, they had no chance against the vastly superior force that had them boxed in. Even if a miracle happened and they escaped Grant, Sheman's entire army was coming up from the South to join Grant and mop up what was left of Lee. Lee did the only thing he could and surrendered before all of his men were killed or died of starvation.

[@Starriddin]

You are intellectually correct, but, this army had no intention of giving up. They were mentally prepared to endure more fighting as they had not lost hope or faith in their brothers in arms or their leaders. Lee saved them with his wise decision.

[@mikeflynn248]

​@@Starriddin No one can question their courage or loyalty to their cause. They may have had no intention of giving up, but Grant left them no choice. Those men had to know it was over one way or the other. They were at Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg and knew what was in store for them if it continued. Once the surrender happened most accepted the reality of the situation and had to be relieved that it was finally over.

[@Chris-ut6eq]

👍👍

[@bjohnson515]

""Life on the Civil War Research Trail" is hosted by Ronald S. Coddington" son of Edwin?

[@raywetzel3535]

Their Flag was their soul of their regiment. .

[@gregeck8224]

Sentence written for the regiment, to sell to SCV and UDV groups based of his "memory" in 1909, so it must be accurate.

[@Capt083]

By the way it was Palm Sunday.

[@raywhitehead730]

No food or ammunition enroute, the train system completely taken over which carried the supplies and confronted by Union forces. Forced back continuously by Union forces. From Petersburg. This guy had No idea.

[@davide9658]

Well Georgian Rock & roller you may or may not know more than myself. I am by no means an historian, but have had a life long interest in the topic. I do know when the Army of Northern Virginia left Petersburg towards Appomattox they were not well supplied in either food, ammo or manpower for that matter. The Army was in dire straights (not the band btw) which is why Lee decided to surrender. What's your point, that there was plenty of ammo available in Georgia? What effect did Sherman have on that stockpile, and how could it possibly benefit the ANV? On a side note, while all of this was happening my great great grandfather was in Georgia defending your state from the Yankee onslaught.

[@cbm2156]

Just shows how much out of touch the individual soldier was in the Civil War. The leadership knew that the jig was up and acted on it.

[@bradjohnson4787]

They didn't know when to quit but it's a good thing their generals did! Sounds like bravado!

[@kenfox22]

Both of my Great Grandfather's fought for the South. The loss was and is a hard pill to swallow but Slavery was wrong

[@tomsemrau2584]

The hard truth is only 2% of Confederate soldiers ever owned slaves. So what was in it for them?

[@johncollorafi257]

This thread reinforces the Lost Cause mythology about a heroic defensive struggle by the Army of Northern Virginia. The original war aims of the Confederacy were to seize arsenals throughout the South, conquer almost the entire southwest in the New Mexico campaign, and form new slave states with the conquest of Mexico and Central America. One need only read Union and Confederate accounts of the New Mexico campaign in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, also David Keehn, Knights of the Golden Circle on Amazon. Before secession the South attempted to extend slavery through Filibusters (see "Military Filibusters" in Wikipedia). The plot to seize the arsenals is confirmed in Pollard's Life of Jefferson Davis, chapter 4.

[@15thga87]

Deo Vindice

[@rickkoloian4179]

So it appears Lost Cause version of events preceded end of Civil War.

[@daviddalton9214]

Then they were idiots.

[@kalon227]

Two great great grandfathers fought for csa, Mississippi and Alabama. I love them as my ancestors but the fight to keep another human being enslaved (what the war was all about, slavery) is something I can’t support. We lost because the south fought for an inhumane cause. Nothing glorious. Bravery in battle is one thing but it’s over 150 years ago and we still have people following the likes of Trump. Now, that’s shameful.

[@hayshammond5499]

Your stupidity is shameful…

[@davedammann741]

Yes kalon. There's plenty of Confederate sympathizers in these comments. MAGA, would have us regress back to 1850.

[@RoyJones-qq3lo]

Great story