#ECWblogpost Surrender: Submission in New Orleans, May 26, 1865 by Sean Michael Chick Simon Buckner had taken a tortured road to his 1865 command. He tried to get Kentucky out of the Union and had the sad duty of surrendering Fort Donelson. He spent most of the war in district commands, but led a corps at Chickamauga. Buckner was assigned to the Trans-Mississippi Department on April 28, 1864, at Kirby Smith’s request. Jefferson Davis appears to have wanted Buckner to help in an invasion of Missouri, where many Kentuckians settled before the war. Buckner eagerly accepted his new assignment, crossing at Tunica, Louisiana, on June 13, 1864. He did well as essentially Smith’s second in command and was popular with the men. For his efforts, Buckner was promoted to the Confederacy’s second-highest rank at Smith’s insistence. However, Buckner tried to cross troops to the east bank, but it was determined only small groups could come over. An idea by P.G.T. Beauregard to strike at New Orleans in February 1865 was squashed by Smith and Buckner. Read more here https://emergingcivilwar.com/2025/05/21/the-last-major-confederate-surrender-submission-in-new-orleans-may-26-1865/ #EmergingCivilWar #americancivilwar #SeanMichaelChick #neworleans (fb)

#ECWsymposium 2025 Symposium Spotlight: Bert Dunkerly Offers a Preview of His Presentation. Welcome back to our spotlight series, highlighting speakers and topics for our upcoming symposium. Over the coming weeks, we will continue previewing of our speaker’s presentations for the 2025 Emerging Civil War Symposium. This week we feature Bert Dunkerly as he offers a special video message and preview into his topic, “The Richmond Bread Riot of 1863”. Find more information and tickets for our 2025 Symposium by clicking here. 👇 https://emergingcivilwar.com/ecw_event/2025-symposium/ #EmergingCivilWar #BertDunkerly #Americancivilwar (fb)