Stand Watie surrenders the last significant Confederate army

Background. Stand Watie served as the second principal chief of the Cherokee Nation and was the only Native American to achieve the rank of Confederate brigadier general. He commanded the First Indian Brigade, composed of Cherokee, Seminole, and Osage troops, in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. By 1865, instability in Indian Territory had led to internal conflict, prompting Watie to seek a formal cessation of hostilities.

The Surrender. On June 23, 1865, Watie signed a cease-fire agreement with Union representatives at Doaksville in the Choctaw Nation, formally surrendering his command, the First Indian Brigade of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi. The Fort Towson article records that he surrendered to Union forces at Fort Towson on the same date. This capitulation is recognized as the last significant Confederate army to surrender, ending organized Confederate resistance in the region.

Aftermath. Following the surrender, Watie was demobilized. In September 1865, he traveled to Texas to visit his wife and mourn the death of his son. The event concluded the military phase of the war for his command, though broader political resolutions, such as the treaty signed by Principal Chief John Ross in 1866, followed later.