The Great Conspiracy, Volume 7

The narrative chronicles the closing phase of the Civil War, describing major Union campaigns, a destructive winter campaign through the South, and decisive battles that forced Confederate evacuation and surrender. It recounts negotiations and correspondence among military leaders, the terms and scenes of capitulation at Appomattox and elsewhere, and the Union's treatment of surrendered troops. It follows the political struggle to abolish slavery, including congressional debate and the amendment’s eventual adoption, and portrays the president’s second inaugural address with its tone of resignation and hope. The account closes with the president’s assassination and the immediate challenges of reconstruction and national reconciliation.