Untold History

Raleigh historian Ernest Dollar’s new book on the Civil War’s real end in NC will shock (and awe) you.

Contrary to what many believe (and what you may have read in your history books), the Civil War did not end on April 9, 1865, with Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. In fact, it would be almost two more weeks of fighting before Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston would surrender to Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman at Bennett Place, near Durham Station.

“Literally the largest surrender of the American Civil War is forgotten,” says Ernest Dollar—whose new book, Hearts Torn Asunder: Trauma in the Civil War’s Final Campaign in North Carolina, comes out April 23—speaking of the approximately 90,000 soldiers throughout the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida (Lee only surrendered just over 28,000 troops to Grant). “There are so few books written about the end of the war. Why in the world has
this been forgotten?”

In his own book, Dollar, the executive director of the City of Raleigh Museum, specifically highlights the last days of the war—a time he considers neither sexy nor brave—and how it had a great impact on many of the soldiers’ mental health. 

“There’s a lot of trauma going on in the last months of the war,” says Dollar. “What they said and felt here could come back and haunt them the rest of their lives.”

It’s no wonder the last days of the Civil War were indeed stressful, as Union soldiers marched toward Raleigh, some burning, pillaging and raping along the way. Soldiers on both sides struggled with morality and questionable actions, causing a source of tension within their ranks. The flow of alcohol didn’t help either, and many citizens lived in fear—some even fleeing to avoid the fate of those in previous attacks in the Carolinas.

“Looking back through time, we see people from every conflict having fear; war just breeds fear,” says Dollar. “PTSD literally fueled reconstruction violence. … I think those who were responsible for many of the attacks on civilians were those who were most damaged by war.”

In his attempt to provide a clear picture on how the war affects the mind and body, Dollar, who has been fascinated by war from an early age and enlisted in the Army Reserves after college, studied the behaviors of all involved in the Civil War, as well as looked to current soldiers for references. “It was interesting talking to veterans of Afghanistan and seeing such similar thoughts and feelings,” says Dollar. “The feelings of loss, helplessness and confusion about their service and their war and trying to reconcile its end.”

In addition to highlighting how the soldiers were feeling about their unknown surrender during those last days of the war, Dollar also included stories from NC citizens who were dealing with fear, uncertainty and, in some ways, disbelief at their potential loss.

“I was curious to add the civilians’ perspective,” says Dollar, recalling the tale of Margaret Mordecai Devereaux, who cared for an endless procession of wounded Confederate soldiers in her home, housed refugees and was ultimately terrified of Union occupation. “I wanted to put humanity back into the story. We forget the human cost.”

But the main thing Dollar hopes to achieve through Hearts Torn Asunder is providing a new perspective on soldiers during the Civil War—and how their trauma informs the experience of soldiers today—while starting conversations with veterans and their own families about issues they face from their war experience. And that’s something the history books don’t tell you. savasbeatie.com

5 Things We Didn’t Know

• Those women who remained in Raleigh as Union soldiers approached spent hours hiding their valuables and sewing jewelry and silverware into hoop skirts and corsets. The girls at St. Mary’s slept fully clothed with their valuables in their pockets in case they had to flee.
• Gen. Sherman and Johnston heard of Lincoln’s assassination via telegram right before they were to meet to discuss peace at Bennett Place.
• The university remained open throughout the war, but the total student body in the class of 1865 was only two students, with professors, alumni and potential students fighting.
• In 1863, a mob of 50 angry women armed with axes attacked stores in Salisbury and assaulted price-gouging merchants, forcing them to hand over flour, salt, molasses and cash.
• Research suggests that of the approximately 125,000 North Carolinians who entered Confederate service, nearly 32,000 died. That equates to roughly one in four men.