Learning of Lee's surrender, Confederate Army of Tennessee commander General Joseph E. Johnston opened face to face negotiations with his Union counterpart, General William T. Sherman, at an Orange County, North Carolina farmhouse. A truce was put in place and after political complications over terms, Johnston surrendered formally the substantial forces under his command nine days later. (By John Osborne) 

After drawn-out negotiations in North Carolina complicated by political questions over terms, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston finally surrendered formally all the substantial forces under his command in the Army of the Tennessee to General William T. Sherman. Confederate President Jefferson Davis had just the day before ordered Johnston to continue fighting and move his troops south.  Johnston's contrary decision essentially ended the Civil War.  (By John Osborne) 

The 655 ton side-wheel Confederate ram C.S.S. Webb, under Lieutenant Charles W. Read, made a bold breakout on the Red River and headed down the Mississippi. Evading the blockading Union fleet at Baton Rouge and New Orleans, she was engaged the next day in the delta by the U.S.S. Richmond and ran aground, damaged and burning.  At least forty-five of her 200 man crew were killed in the action. (By John Osborne)  

The 529 ton Brooklyn-built side-wheel steamer Rose Hamilton was carrying elements of the Third Michigan Cavalry from New Orleans for home when it hit a floating mine in a channel south of Mobile, Alabama.  The two-year old vessel sank in minutes with the loss of thirteen men killed and injured.  (By John Osborne) 

Bound for Annapolis, the steamship Massachusetts had aboard hundreds of soldiers, many recently released from Confederate prison camps. Around midnight, she struck the packet-boat Black Diamond at the mouth of the Potomac.  The Black Diamond sank almost immediately and although the larger ship remained afloat, panic set in and many took to the waters of the estuary. An estimated sixty-five men drowned.  (By John Osborne) 

At around four in the afternoon, the body of President Abraham Lincoln arrived in Philadelphia on its long, winding journey to Illinois.  The casket was taken to Independence Hall and at six o'clock the doors were opened to the public until ten that night.  Before dawn the next day, a massive crowd was already gathered for the reopening of the door at six a.m. By midnight, an estimated 85,000 people had filed past the murdered president's coffin.  The body left the city early the following morning.  (By John Osborne)  

Near Bristol, Pennsylvania, on the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad, a fast train carrying Union troops, many recently liberated from Confederate prison camps, ran into the rear of another train broken down on the tracks.  The collision was heavy and at least five people were killed and almost fifty others injured. This was not to be the last fatal accident involving recently freed Union prisoners.  (By John Osborne) 

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a massive fire that began in an oil storage warehouse caused massive damage in the city as well as several deaths.  The structure on Ninth Street and Washington Avenue held more than a thousand barrels of petroleum oil and as they exploded fire was spread almost instantly over a large number of the residences, including tenements, in the area. More than fifty houses were burned and up to ten people lost their lives.  (By John Osborne)   

The United States Senate had passed the proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban slavery across the country in April 8, 1864. The House of Representatives had presented more of a problem but the measure narrowly won approval on this day, amid remarkable celebratory scenes, by a vote of 119 to 58. The Thirteenth Amendment was swiftly ratified and became law the following November.  (By John Osborne) 

Black leaders in Philadelphia had earlier urged the city's transport companies to emulate New York City and desegregate their services. A public company survey of all customers on the question "Shall colored persons be allowed to ride in all the cars" resulted in an overwhelming "no" vote. Despite this, a few streetcar lines made some efforts to integrate but it was not until 1867 that state action forced full integration of city transport.  (By John Osborne)